A Swarm Unleashed
by RoyalStarlord
Summary: A man with amnesia had woken up in a desert oasis one day, and in a world he does not recognize. He also doesn't recognize his new form and role as a newly reborn zerg organism. But upon his rebirth, he was given the option to command the zerg swarm.
1. Beginnings

**Chapter 1: Beginnings**

* * *

There was darkness.

An unbelievable amount of darkness.

More pitch-black than the shadows of night.

Significantly gloomier than a graveyard painted with tar after dusk on a new moon, no stars, and cloudy skies.

Hollow of all light and significance.

It was akin to the unfeeling feeling of being unconscious.

And this unconsciousness was what one particular person was experiencing, of whom was dreaming of this ebony-filled rest.

However, like all dreams, there always comes a time when the sleeping becomes awake.

After a pained groan, this person got up and shook his head in order to shake away the grogginess that usually comes from prolonged stillness. As he came to, his body ached with unfamiliarity. It was not pain in a certain sense, but it was rather similar to how one felt after exercising nonstop for a week straight, and then taking two days of rest. Even his back muscles felt more finely toned than normal. However, the darkness within this cave made it a slight problem for his eyes to adjust, since he did not recognize his own body for some reason. It felt like the shadows within this cave was playing tricks on his mind. Even though his skin felt bare, he felt protected by some armor at the same time. He was certain that he was wearing something else beforehand! But he could not remember what it was. After spending a small amount of time mulling over wha5t things he needed to do, he decided that reconnaissance of the local area would do him well to get his bearings.

The first few things that this person saw was what seemed like the inside of a reddish tinted cave. Much of it looked to be naturally formed, but some parts of certain walls had chisel marks, the inside looking to be artificially carved wider so it could accommodate more space. Thankfully for this person just waking up, he saw blinding light pouring into the cave he was in, signifying that it was daylight.

With another groan, this time with a hint of annoyance, the person got up and walked toward the light, his footfalls pregnant with caution and sluggish movement. From what the newly awakened person figured, it would have been more productive to investigate his current surroundings than to simply wait for something to happen. After emerging from the cave entrance, his feet plodded onto hot sand as his lungs filled with dry air. Set before him was an unusual landscape.

He was set in the middle of a flat summit on a mountain, several kilometers wide and with a naturally high wall of red earth surrounding the summit. Directly within the center, and coincidentally in front of the awoken person, laid an outcropping of raised scarlet stone with steam and water trickling out of it. This spring water pooled into the fluid surrounding it, forming a large lake tens of several meters wide, surrounded by fine sandy brown sand, short green bushes, and tall desert trees. It formed a tiny caldera.

Finding water was a good sign. It would mean weeks of survival in an otherwise hot environment. And where there is water, there is life, evidenced by the trees and bushes that surrounded the freshwater spring. The plants would attract herbivores. The herbivores would then attract carnivores. Herbivores and carnivores would bring meat. Meat and water was a resource that any self respecting person would need to survive. Meat and water was good to have. And the person that just woke up in particular was a natural born survivor, who was trained to adapt to many kinds of environments. It would be no trouble or him to gather what he needed to adapt, and begin surviving from the fat of the land. However, there is the danger of bacteria and microbes existing in the spring water, but digging a pit and letting the sand itself sift the water would sort that problem easily.

But then that raised several questions, to which the awoken person had no answer to. Where did he learn his survival skills? Where did he come from? Where was he now? How did he get here? Did he once belonged somewhere? Did he have friends? Are they close by? Despite such dizying questions, there was only one question that was considered the most important than all of the others at present. A question that amnesiacs would often ask themselves when their identity was forgotten to them. And it was a question that this man would seek the answers of, whether or not they would be answered to him when he asked it aloud to no one in particular. "Who am I?"

It was this question that brought himself to inspect his person fully. Since his body was illuminated with daylight, it would give him the chance to-

PANIC!

He gazed upon an unfamiliar form, and he shrieked abruptly from the new discovery. His skin truly was bare, yet he was also protected by armor at the same time. What used to be his tan skin was replaced by tough chitinous carapace. His fingernails he usually kept short and trimmed was now long and edged, much like the claws of some dangerous animal. His back flexed with unfamiliar muscles, as if some kind of bionic attachment was placed on his back. When he turned his head, bony wings greeted him, which sprouted out from his back. After a pause, he poured a small amount of will into them and flexed the new, unknown limbs. They were not bionic, but organic. He wasn't even sure when, or how, the wings were grafted onto his back. Feeling his heartbeat race, he decided to head for the water at the spring to look upon his reflection, microbes and bacteria be damned.

When he approached the water's edge, he sat still and gazed into the surface. Understandably, he was worried about his own complexion. When he saw a face gaze back from the reflection, he hardly recognized it. Sure, the carapace that formed around his body was slightly covering portions of his neck, which tapered at the edges of his face, but he also saw that its eyes and hair and... much of everything else was wrong. Despite having a humanoid body, the awoken man was now less than something human. From a slowly re-emerging memory, he could slightly remember gazing into a mirror to find a freckled and tan face of a 1.7 meter tall man with dull brown eyes and short black hair. But now, his tan and freckles were gone. COMPLETELY gone. As though an expert plastic surgeon had the tools to do such a job, and that said surgeon made his face into something that the awoken person didn't recognize at all when the operation was complete afterwards. His eyes were no longer a dull brown, but were now a striking green. Worse still was his hair. What once contained hair, where each follicle produced a fine line of raven colored fur, was now replaced by thick, hard, chitinous growths that tapered to a point. It looked like many long legs from an insect were glued onto the top of his head.

This person slowly reached up to one of these mock-hairs and gently touched it. It gave his scalp a tingling sensation. It reminded the person of the phosphene phenomenon, but rather than having to experience the phenom on his eyes, this sensation happened on the top of his head. It was a rather unusual feeling. However, tugging a strand of this mock-hair sent his mind into an instant headache. " ** _OW_ OW** OW ow ow ow, okay, bad idea, ow." The person growled, immediately releasing the carapaced strand of mock-hair. Apparently, the head tendrils he's now sporting was directly connected to his brain. Rather than pick at an open wound, or pulling on his new hair in this case, he'd leave it alone.

Patiently, he sat at the edge of the spring and gazed into the water yet again, spending many seconds pondering about his existence and his past. He spent much of his time looking at the reflection and every detail of its face that mirrored his new visage. All he knew at the moment was that he was trained to survive and adapt, that he had tan and freckled skin and black hair, and that whatever he is now freaked him out somehow. His carapaced self was so alien to him, yet seemed strangely familiar. Like he saw this biological armor somewhere before. It would stand to reason that if he hadn't seen such a thing, he would express less of a reaction out of it. ... That or he had entomophobia or acarophobia. It would be reasonable for him to suggest as such.

But what worried the awoken person most was the lack of history and memories that he could remember on hand. He knew sort of remembered what his face looked like before then, and he knew he trained a great deal for much of his life. Other than that, he didn't know very much about himself.

A trill from a short distance away broke the silence.

The awoken person slowly turned, making sure to not make any sudden movements.

An alien, and yet another thing that seemed so familiar to him, was looking straight at him. This large animal had dull purple, brown, and grey flesh, which had what seemed like pulsating sacks within the abdomen, was standing several meters away from him. It stood on six insect legs that was connected together with a fleshy web, though they distinctly reminded the awoken person of legs from a crab. A torso was set upon the front of the six crab legs and pulsating abdomen, similarly to how a mythological centaur has the torso of a man connect and replace the horse's head on its body. But the torso was not that of a man. Its torso, much like its legs, were heavily carapaced. A pair of thin arms had two fingers slowly clicked and clacked against each other. Bony wings, similar to the awoken man's, was set onto the back of its torso too. They looked dangerous, but didn't seem to provide flight of any sort. Its face and elongated skull was especially covered in carapace, looking organic and ornate at the same time, with its own set of tendril-like mock-hair trailing from under the back of its head. Two distinct disjointed 'jaws' were on the sides of its face, but it had no mouth to speak of.

It trilled again.

The awoken man fell into the freshwater spring in a comical fashion.

He didn't recognize what that thing was, but he knew by instinct that it was dangerous. He figured that by hiding in the water, he could slip by it. ... Then again, he was in a pool of the mountain caldera's only source of spring water with nowhere to go. ... After realizing his tactical mistake, he burbled the word "Fuck." underwater.

More questions surfaced within his mind. He recognized that creature, whatever it was, but could not remember what it was at the same time. He eventually surfaced from the pool of spring water and gazed at the... thing. It trilled again, but did not come closer. Apparently, it wanted to talk to the spectre that it saved from the void.

... That was a strange train of thought. The awoken man shook his head after feeling that line of thinking within his own head. ' _Did I think that?'_ he thought to himself.

The creature shook its own head and trilled once more, explaining that the thought he received was from the queen.

... The awoken man felt very sure that _that_ thought he had in particular was not his own. For some reason, the thoughts that wasn't produced from his own mind had actually came from the thing that called itself 'queen'. His head was now developing a migraine since he was processing many more questions he was having in his head. He was slowly remembering his past, but only slivers came to him every time his mind focused on a particular thought. What did the queen creature meant by 'spectre'? Why did it save the spectre? Who was this spectre?

The queen creature raised its appendage to signify to the awoken man to calm down and not panic so much. The spectre that it was referring to was the one it was communicating with now. Although, to be more precise, the queen also stated that it would be more accurate to say that the spectre was also a 'former' terran.

Terran... That name struck a bell. And unfortunately, it was a very loud bell that sent his head ringing. He clutched his head immediately when several new thoughts rushed into his mind. "Ahh... Dammit. Ow." The awoken, and former spectre, said aloud before sinking back into the freshwater spring. Through the pain, he remembered that he was part of a spec ops team of terrans with psychic capabilities called spectres. He remembered... Something about a Rastafarian-accented commanding officer. A marshal commander that was part of a raiding party, or something. And then they teamed up with some aliens to fight a god. ... A god?

The former spectre convulsed in the water as his mind was too wracked in pain. A two clawed hand plunged into the water that the former spectre was hiding in and dragged him out of its coolness. The queen creature pulled him out and gently placed him on the shore, well away from the water's edge in case he decided to hide in the water again. The queen cocked its head curiously at the former spectre, and was wanting to know if it should give another transfusion to him.

The former spectre coughed a few times and shook his head. "No... I'm... fine... I think... Oi." The former spectre said, gingerly palming his forehead and avoiding his new mock-hair. He learned well enough to NOT pull them again.

The queen paused before nodding, deciding to leave him alone and taking a few steps back.

The headache was slowly dying down, but the former spectre was also regaining more of his memories. They were incomplete memories, but memories nonetheless. "I... I remember s... something. We were fighting something. ... Something big. We tried to attack it, but... Our efforts to wound it did absolutely shit. Then... It came behind us. Attacked the mineral fields at our base. I was there when it happened. ... That's pretty much all that I remember right now."

The terrans were fighting Amon with the protoss and zerg, the queen mentioned. Amon's first strike was at the terran's mineral fields, which took a vast chunk of land right from under them. The dark zel'naga used the void energy it wielded as a weapon against them. And after that, Amon then used that same attack on the protoss base, and then the zerg base.

The former spectre turned to the queen and chuckled weakly. "Did we win at least?"

The queen was unsure, but it felt as though they were winning. It was unable to find out since it too was caught in Amon's void attack. It, along with several drones and a few overlords, was caught in the attack and was put into some kind of blackened space. The blackened space ate away at their carapace at a slow rate, though its transfusion ability saved two overlords, several of the drones, and other of the luckier combat strains. Drifting in that blackened space, they eventually drifted upon the lone spectre, whose body was severely damaged by the corrosive effects of the space they were in. In a moment of stupidity, since the queen had been removed from the zerg hivemind at the time, it transfused with the spectre in an attempt to keep him alive.

The former spectre sighed depressingly as he looked down upon himself again, taking note of the carapace he was now sporting. "... And I guess this was your doing?"

The queen shrugged. It was trying to do its best while it was in a difficult situation! Without a hivemind to connect with, there was no direct commands it could act on! Since the zerg was joining sides with the terrans, the queen figured that it could offer assistance to its new ally with a common enemy in the method that seemed best at the time. Although, it didn't expect the former spectre to take the form that the Queen of Blades once took, albeit slightly more... masculine looking. And a little greener. It could have been an aftereffect of that blackened space summoned up by Amon's void attack, but it was unsure.

The former spectre scoffed and turned away from the queen. "Yeah? Well I didn't ask you to turn me into... this." He kicked at the sand pitifully and exhaled. "Damn. I guess I got the short end of the stick on this. Then again... I don't remember much of my past. My head feels like it died a little."

The queen stated that there wasn't really much oxygen within the blackened space in the first place. Being in that space for a prolonged period of time could have caused some brain damage to the spectre.

The former spectre scoffed again. "Well... I guess that would explain why I can't remember my name."

Names are not necessary for the swarm, the queen stated.

The former spectre turned to the queen creature with a glance, a frown plastered to his face. "... Well _I_ would like to remember my name."

Then for the time being, the queen suggested that the former spectre makes up a new name until he remembers. But even so, the queen was wondering if the former spectre could help it with something. It turned and crawled away as it thought aloud to the former spectre, telling him that it would be grateful to accept his help.

"Help you with what?" The former spectre asked, wondering what a queen could ever want with his help.

The queen is currently in a small swarm that is without a command creature, the queen thought aloud to the spectre. The queen _could_ evolve into a broodmother, but it was new and inexperienced, and had not received the command to morph into one. Rather, with the transformation the former spectre went through, and the experiences he had gained in his travels prior to his infestation, he could prove to be a great help in establishing a hive cluster in this environment, especially since the former spectre had more knowledge on survival than most humans would, it would admit. Plus, once the queen and the former spectre reconnects to the hivemind of the zerg, they can then receive further orders from the highest commanding zerg organisms.

The former spectre held up his hands and waved them around frantically. "Whoa whoa whoa, hold up. I don't really want to be commanded by any bugs. Alright?" He complained. "I'd rather try and figure out who I was or find out how I got here first."

The queen nodded, and explained that a portal opened up within the blackened space. It helped it, him, and the surviving zerg to get here.

The former spectre paused before raising an eyebrow. "Portal?"

The queen nodded again. A circle of light had emerged from the darkness, and it decided to try and investigate the phenomenon before it, the former spectre, and the surviving zerg would dissolve completely in the void. They floated through and discovered themselves in an unusual laboratory that had many reptiles operating within it. The queen figured that it was they who opened a portal within that darkened place in the void, so it decided to bring itself and its fragile cargo through the portal and into their lab. The zerg eventually broke out of the facility, floated in the sky for a while and traveled many kilometers away from the lab. The queen found a place that seemed devoid of sentient life, and then spent much of its time taking care of the former spectre.

The former spectre nodded, reaching behind his head to _carefully_ scratch a spot. "... Well... I am still pissed at you for turning me into an infested terran, or whatever the hell I am now. ... But I guess I should say 'thank you'. For, you know, for saving my life."

The queen nodded its head and bowed.

"BUT." The former spectre announced, pointing at the queen authoritatively. "I want to take some time to think through my thoughts before I do anything zerg related. I'm guessing that you need me to help you, since my... unique condition can probably assist you. But first, I'd rather have some time to myself to sort out my thoughts. I mean... I learned of so many things at once and I need a moment to decompress and process it all."

The queen doesn't really understand, but will allow the former spectre time to himself. The queen turned away after informing him that if he needed to talk to the queen again, he can do so through the hivemind connection.

"Connect?" The former spectre asked.

The queen told the former spectre to simply allow his mind to calm in order to find and open a link into the zerg psionic hivemind connection.

The former spectre looked down in confusion, but he decided to figure out how to do that later. He turned away to approach the shore of the freshwater spring and sat next to the water's edge again. He sat there for a long time as he contemplated his existence. He had a glimmer of memories to remember his past with, yet there was little information to decipher from. Try all he could, there was very little memories available for his self-extrapolation. The former spectre sighed as he meditated on his memories and whatever past experiences that remained. It felt like a small part of his history was made null and then casted off somewhere. ... Well. If the queen was truthful in what it said, the former spectre has nowhere to go and had only the zerg to rely on at that moment. One could surmise that once they get back to... Uh... Some place starting with the letter K. K... Something. Kor... Kopah... Kollu... Back to that raiding party, he could then visit some doctors and scientists and ask them to try and change him back to a human.

His wings flexed with anticipation. It was an unusual feeling, having wings for the first time in his life. He arched his wings in front of him and dipped the tips into the spring water, letting them make ripples in the deliciously tasteless fluid, whether or not microbes and bacteria were infesting it. Despite the hot environment, the freshwater spring was producing more than enough to prevent total evaporation of the lake in the summit of the mountain.

Then the former spectre operative had a terrible thought. What would happen if he started enjoying his new form? Would he ever want to go back to being human again, even if he ever found a way to achieve the normalcy he lost? His bone-wings stopped dipping into the water and folded behind his back neatly. If it would take him through hell or heaven to come back to his place of origin just to remember his past, he would. But for now...

He has to decide as to whether or not he wanted to help the zerg.

* * *

 **A/N: Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhh. Never played Starcraft or the second one, so I'm curious on how I'll mess this fanfiction crossover up!  
**

 **P.S. The cover image is an image that I drew, using Carbotanimation's super-easy drawing style. Check the guy out if you have free time to spend.**


	2. Reluctance and Rage

**Chapter 2: Reluctance and Rage**

* * *

The former spectre, now a transformed zerg organism, sat next to the shoreline of a freshwater spring. He rested there for an hour, meditating on his memories and contemplating on a moral decision.

From the disjointed history that he could glance from his own mind, there was very little that he could decipher from. From the glimpses of his childhood, he could tell that he used to live on a city world. Someplace called... Tar-something? He was then chosen for a program that ended up unlocking something within him and several others. Then they were locked away. And then freed by some guy called Jim. But that was about the most of the things he remembered at the moment. And yet, he has not remembered what his name used to be. What little remained of his childhood. What family he had, if he ever had them at all. Not even a birthday. Just glimpses of a fractured past, many shards of memory already lost.

He wasn't truly sure if he could trust the zerg queen creature with what it said. But then again... with the lack of memories he could go on, it was the only creature he could rely on to get his memories back, and perhaps eventually return to their respective factions. But then came the moral dilemma: Should he help a zerg queen spread the swarm? Despite his new zerg instincts telling him that he should, the ounces of humanity that still clung to his mind shouted in refusal. On one hand, the zerg queen did save his life. But on the other hand, it did strip much of his humanity and turned him into a zerg organism. On one hand, he could help it to try and get back to their respective factions. On the other hand, the queen might end up using him to assimilate countless worlds and expand the zerg territories. On one hand, the zerg queen seemed to be allowing free will to the former spectre. On the other hand, it could be a ploy to get him to agree with helping it expand its hive cluster colonies.

... But should the former spectre decline its offer, then he wouldn't be able to use zerg assets to try and figure out a way to get back. Doing things alone didn't seem like a good idea for the moment. And right now, he was presented the opportunity to guide and command the zerg, who is otherwise in a similar boat as him. The queen found a means to exit the darkened space before becoming completely dissolved, broke out of some lizard-man facility, found a place that had a supply of water, and was now trying to recover after an arduous battle with a god. And all he essentially did was sleep through it all.

With a sigh, he calmed his mind and made his decision.

Calming his mind and closing his eyes, sitting in a cross-cross position, the former spectre took the queen's advice and was now trying to focus on accessing the zerg hivemind psionic network.

The first thing he saw was nothing, save for the small amount of light that danced on his eyelids, thanks to the reflections of the freshwater spring. However, the more his mind calmed, the more he noticed other forms of lights that was not from the sun or the water's reflection. It was more like... Stars. Stars made of thought.

He then saw, from his own mind, stars of consciousness a fair distance away from him. He could feel them as though they were sentient things. One of such lights, slightly bigger than the others, suddenly brightened and illuminated him. It was similar to the feeling of having a flashlight turned on and shined directly into the face. But instead of being shined in the face, it was more like having one's mind brightened by the sudden awareness of another mind. _'Hmm? Do you want to talk?'_

"Guh!?" The former spectre shouted, hearing a feminine, yet venomous and alien voice speaking right next to him. "Who said that?"

 _'Don't mewl so much, spectre.'_ The feminine voice hissed. _'I am telepathically communicating to you through the swarm_ _psionic_ _hivemind connection.'_

The former spectre paused, but sighed and calmed down. "So this is how you talk with one another? ... Huh. Kind of weird, really."

 _'From what I understand before my severance from the main swarm hivemind connection, the spectres would talk to each other like this in times of emergency. But even then, I wouldn't understand the human need for individuality. Such an evolutionary trait is counter-productive for the swarm.'_

"... Kay, if you say so. But uh..." The former spectre shuffled back into a sitting position before speaking again. "I was thinking through my situation and have came to a conclusion."

 _'What is it?'_ the queen asked in a contemptible manner.

"I will help you with establishing a hive cluster. But in return, I want you to tell me anything and everything you know. Specifically about my past, if possible. If what you say is true that you found me partially dissolved, then it's possible that I might be suffering more than just permanent brain damage and amnesia."

 _'Our regeneration can only do so much for a broken mind. You should know that when I found you, you were but a torso, an arm, a leg, and had a partially empty skull. Your newfound regeneration and my transfusion could repair some of the damage, but your soft skull meat was beyond complete restoration.'_ the queen said, almost sounding... saddened by this fact.

The former spectre sighed. "Kay then... How much of my brain had been dissolved anyway? Did you look at the damage?"

 _'I didn't take an extensive look, but the cavity looked pretty hollow.'_ the queen said in a matter-of-factly way.

The former spectre got up, opened his eyes and walked toward the direction where much of the consciousness stars were. "What about the faction I was from? Any info on that?"

 _'The terrans are an unusual race of primitive primates. A young species on the cusp of developing their psionic powers. They had a reliance on technology, and were capable of ingenuity that had somehow triumphed over our swarm and the protoss several times. The swarm was at war with them and the protoss, but recent evidence suggested that ruin would come to all if we did not combine our efforts in a truce to defeat an even greater enemy.'_ the queen said.

The former spectre nodded as he trundled along, noticing a somewhat recognizable patch of dull gray/purple ground just ahead of him. "Alright, I get it. This 'Amon' guy must have been this greater enemy. He must have done something pretty villainous to do something to piss off the protoss and you guys."

 _'Amon would combine the zerg and protoss into a single species, then use the hybrids to recreate existence in his own image. Such would result in the death of the swarm. This was something that the former Queen of Blades would not allow._ _'_

"Queen of Blades, huh? Where have I heard that before?"

 _'Before her transformation into a swarm command organism, she was known by the terrans as the Kerrigan.'_

"Kerrigan... Kerrigan... I think her full name was... Sarah Louise Kerrigan, right? Hrmph. Wasn't she something before she became the queen of zerg?" The former spectre asked, stepping on creep and noting how disgusting it was. Oddly enough, the slimy ground stuff seemed to make him move faster, rather than just slow him down. For some reason, he had thought that the creep would slow him down or make him slip. He could literally skate on the stuff, becoming ridged with each step, then becoming slick when he slid forward. There must be tiny filaments within this zergified slime mold to do such a thing!

 _'She is what you would once call a Confederate ghost. From what I understand from the brief glimpse of your terran history, spectres were once ghosts at some point as well. But other than her third transformation into a xel'naga, and giving her command of the swarm to the broodmother Zagara, that is the extent of my knowledge on you and the terran species.'_ the queen said, seeming to sigh.

"Kay. Well... Thank you for the brief history lesson from a zerg perspective. I suppose I should honor my end of the agreement. What do you need help with?" The former spectre asked, nearing the center of the creep field and finally finding a collection of monsters located there.

As he arrived, he saw the zerg queen grooming a hydralisk's carapace. The hydralisk was a serpentine shaped creature, whose constantly grinning face showed an array of deadly sharp teeth and long-fanged mandibles. It sported two scythed claws with three blades on each arm. Its elongated cranial skull gave it its recognizable look, as it also housed needle thin spines that shot out of discreet flaps on its head at deadly supersonic speeds. When the former spectre came close, the hydralisk turned to hiss at the intruder before remaining still for his grooming to continue. The former spectre was thankful that this... monster... was on his side. Or was not attacking him, at least.

The queen continued with her grooming duty. _'We are in a need to find mineral deposits and vespene geysers. But alas, we haven't ventured very far from the creep as of yet. We needed to recover, as some of the swarm organisms that did manage to survive are still extensively wounded.'_

The former spectre nodded. "What kind of forces do we have available?"

When she was done grooming the hydralisk, it slithered away. The queen turned to the former spectre and spoke through the hivemind psionic network. _'We currently have myself, the hydralisk that you just saw, two zerglings, eight drones and two overlords.'_

"Resources?"

 _'Virtually none.'_

"Hmm... Kay. I'll have to admit, this is not the most optimal of conditions." The former spectre said, walking forward with a hand on his chin in thought. "... I feel as though the zerg can do so much more. Can the drones turn into stuff, or something?"

 _'Yes. The drones have the ability to transform into hatcheries, becoming living organic structures, and other things. However, without mineral crystal deposits, we are unable to rapidly morph larvae into the necessary zerg strains. To put it as simple as possible, we require more minerals.'_ the queen said, trilling softly.

"Huuuuuh..." The former spectre sighed, sifting through his mock-hair with his fingers _carefully_. "... Well I don't know how to proceed in the most efficient way possible. ...Hmm." The spectre knelt and dug into the creep covered sand. The creep, as expected, started filling up the ground that had been sifted. However, this gave him an idea. "... Perhaps the creep can extract minerals from the sand?"

The queen mimicked the former spectre's hand-to-chin gesture. _'That process is a slow method of extracting minerals. Much of the earthen granules contains little metals and minerals to extract, since its composition is mainly silica. ... But it can be doable.'_

"Speaking of extract... I noticed that we are pretty close to a freshwater spring. I'm not a geologist, but perhaps we could place an extractor on top of it and extract some gas." The former spectre suggested.

 _'It is not a vespene geyser.'_ the queen deadpanned.

The former spectre turned around to face the zerg queen. "I know it's not vespene, but it's a better alternative than nothing. If the zerg are able to use vespene gas to evolve into the more dangerous strains, then perhaps using whatever volcanic gas that comes out the spring could do the same. Lets just start collecting some and see what we can do with it."

The queen paused before bowing. _'As you command.'_

Before she got the chance to turn away to give the necessary commands to the remaining zerg, the former spectre stopped her. "Actually, there might be mineral and metal ores located in the cave and in the surrounding rock of this summit. Could benefit all of us to check."

The queen bowed once more and took the chance to take her leave. The former spectre decided to sit back and use the hivemind connection to see how the zerg would act once they were given instructions.

The former spectre's mind waded in the sea of consciousness and saw the stars of conscious beings that belonged to the other zerg organisms. When tapping further into the consciousness of the zerg's psionic connection that formed the hivemind, the former spectre could even see the environment through the other zerg organisms' eyes. It was like the stars of consciousness produced their own lights that expanded and chased away a dark fog with their awareness, giving way to a landscape that was more three-dimensional than what two sets of eyes could ever decipher. It was very similar to a top-down tactical view of the area. The overlords noticed the former spectre's intrusion into the hivemind network and grumbled, which caught his attention.

The giant creatures were large in size, having six hanging legs that dangled, and sported two large pincers that seemed capable of crushing a man in half. The former spectre doubted that those pincers could do such a thing, since they seemed more specialized in carrying zerg organisms or delivering them into their ventral sacks. The size of the organisms were hard to believe, since they appeared to be the size of a large house. Perhaps even a small mansion. It was also hard to believe that such organisms were weightless due to the amount of helium and hydrogen they store to keep themselves afloat. The former spectre figured that they must also use weak psionic manipulation to propel themselves forward. "Uh... Hi? Mind if I use you guys to patrol the summit?"

 _' **We** , the overlords, obey the We who command.'_ said the overlords, burbling and grunting in unison.

The former spectre paused before nodding his head. "... Kay? Um... If that's a fancy way of saying 'yes', then go ahead and do a perimeter check. Let me see through your eyes as you explore. ... If that's not too much trouble?"

 _'The **we** obey the We that says Kay.' _ the overlords said, moving away from the former spectre to inspect the environment.

The former spectre raised an eyebrow. Despite the rather snide and caustic way the queen speaks with, the overlords were... delightfully simplistic, yet ominously archaic. It was beyond what he originally expected on how they think. _'I see that you have taken command of the overlords.'_ a zerg queen said, of which was already giving out orders to six of the drones to skim the surface of the creep. They were feeding two drones in particular, forcing them to eat gooey and firm sludge. The former spectre knows this because his awareness had already shifted to focus on the queen, just as hers was shifted onto him.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I have to admit, it's a very liberating feeling. Instant, precise, and efficient."

What felt like a smidgen of flattery was sprinkled toward the former spectre. _'Then would this mean you appreciate becoming one with the swarm?'_

"Hey hey hey now, I didn't say that." The former spectre said, shaking his hands to no one in particular. "I might have forgotten much about my history, but I would guess any terran worth their weight might not be very appreciative of being turned into a zerg critter, even if it meant that they could speak through the zerg hivemind psionic network, like we are doing."

The zerg queen sighed. _'You terrans are already developing your psionic abilities. It would only be a matter of time before they develop a network using their psionic potential. But such an evolution is slow, compared to the swarm.'_

The former spectre took his turn to sigh. "Kay... I'm guessing terrans and zerg are very different from one another, depending on perspective. We, with our humanity, and you guys with your... Uh... Whatever you guys have. Zerganity?"

 _'These foolish thoughts are not conducive or efficient to our cause. If you attempt to disrupt my efforts in establishing a hive-cluster, or prevent our eventual return to the main hivemind, then I will instruct the two remaining zerglings to stay at your side and remind you to not perform any disruptive actions to my efforts.'_

The former spectre scoffed. "Really? Heh! That sounds like something a zerg would say! One that is closely in touch with their zerganity, in fact!"

 _'Teasing a zerg organism is never a good idea, former terran. Be thankful that you are now part of the swam, or I would have slated you for extinction at this very moment.'_

"... Kay." The former spectre said, sighing as he decided to go back into the cave he had awoken from.

 _'Since you are so fixated on trying to remember your past, perhaps you can call yourself 'Kay' for the moment?_ ' The zerg queen suggested.

The former spectre chuckled. "Sounds appropriate. But that can change later, you know?" He said, caressing the reddish rock walls that made up the mouth of the cave and further within. "But here's a question for you. What do I call you?"

 _'I was not given a name. Newly formed broodmothers, and long lived zerg organisms, are the only creatures that are given names.'_

Venturing deeper into the cave, he could already see the indentation in the sand that signified where he had arisen from. "Still, if you're gonna be calling me by a name you designated for me, it only seems appropriate for me to give you one. How do you feel about... Virid?"

 _'... Virid?'_ The queen said in a puzzled way.

"Yeah."

 _'Why Virid?'_

"I dunno. Seems appropriate. When I saw you for the first time, you were next to some very green looking bushes. Plus, the word itself is too fancy for any backwater terran to use in casual conversation anyway. And since many of them hicks wouldn't understand what the word virid means, it would come to my reasoning that I wouldn't understand why you bother with turning me into an infested terran. Hence: Virid."

A mental huff emanated from the queen. _'... I will allow my new name to be Virid.'_

"Glad we can come to an understanding." Kay said, venturing deeper into the cave. He didn't venture far since sand blocked his path, preventing him from descending deeper into the cave system. "... Could you send a drone to the cave I am in? I'm thinking about excavating all this sand out of here and see if I can find some ore deposits."

 _'As you command.'_ Virid said. After a minute or so later, another zerg organism was in Kay's presence.

This zerg organism was unusual in appearance, which was to be expected when one is to look upon any of the zerg strains. This one in particular wasn't very dangerous looking however, since it had two oversized pincers and webbed legs that danced on the ground as though it was floating above it... Actually, Kay was pretty sure that the drone was floating because of a gravity disrupting organ inside itself. Its face however, just like the rest of the zerg strains, was ugly. It had six eyes and a sideways mouth that opened apart for its flicking tongue to languidly flop around and constantly wet its mouth, which was surrounded by four jutting teeth. As it approached, the creature looked up at Kay. _'Need me?'  
_

"Yeah." Kay turned and pointed at the reddish sand that filled the tunnel. "I would like to know if this cave reaches into a deeper system of caverns. You are to start digging out as much sand as you can. Got that?"

The drone looked at the sand in the filled tunnel. Then it looked at Kay. Then it looked back at the tunnel again. A slight pause later, the drone crawled forward and started sifting its pincers into the sand. _'Me dig!'_

"... Um... Kay. You do that." Kay said, noting that drones were somehow even more simpleminded than the overlords. Although, if Kay wanted to be honest, he was curious as to how the other zerg strains thought patterns would be like.

 _'Complex orders are never a concern for the simpler minded strains. All they need is a command to follow.'_ Virid said.

"Hey, it's my first time being a zerg with an intact human will. Cut me some slack." Kay whined.

Virid sighed. _'Don't make me regret my decision of turning you into a swarm commander.'_

"Reap what you sow, as the old expression goes." Kay said aloud, watching the drone deliver pincer-fulls of sand. Similar to handfuls of sand, except pincers. "Since you saved my life and brought me into this mess, I suppose I'm now your problem, and in your debt too."

 _'Where did that expression come from?'_ Virid asked.

"... Huh. You know, I don't really know where it came from. It's just something that some people of the past I remembered say to me sometimes." Kay said, deciding to leave the cave and let the drone work unsupervised. Technically, the drone was still being supervised since it was connected to the zerg hivemind's psionic network.

 _'... I would slate this train of thought as another disruption to our goal. Must I fetch the zerglings to keep you in check?'_

"Oh, the zerganity~." Kay dryly said. As he left the red cave, he decided to ask what Virid's progress was... But he could already see that the drones were still skimming the surface of the creep fields and feeding what was collected to the two drones. By now, one of the drones went to the direction of the spring, while the other formed a chrysalis around itself on the spot. The overlords that Kay had sent was still circling the entire summit of the mountain, slowly expanding their search pattern that covered a few square kilometers of ground. It was truly a large and impressive mountain.

PANIC!

Kay could feel that there was an attack, but he didn't register the feeling completely at first. "Uh... What is happening?!"

 _'Our forces are under attack!'_ Virid shouted, directing her awareness immediately toward the pain that a consciousness was experiencing.

Kay followed her mental focus and directed his mental vision in the same direction. He could see, from an overlord's perspective, that it was stabbed on its side with an incredibly sharp object. From the overlord's self inspection, the sharp object was a small piercing projectile that appeared to be something akin to a crossbow bolt. After searching around in the overlord's synaptic eyesight, Kay saw its attackers.

Three hunched figures came out of hiding, wearing tan colored rags, leather armor, and red triangular flags worn on their shoulders and back. They carried with them unusual weapons, but Kay could determine that the crossbow that one of them carried was the offending weapon that struck the overlord. Their body shape was something less than humanoid, since they traveled on digitigrade legs. Their faces were scaled and black, yet partially spotted yellow, and their tongues flicked vigorously.

A deep pang of anger seeped into Kay as he looked upon these creatures. "Virid. Are these the lizard-men that you said you saw in the facility you escaped from?"

 _'They look different from what I remember. The lizard-men we first saw had white and sterile cloth upon themselves. These ones are adorned with what appears to be a hunter's garb. Perhaps ceremonial armor? The design is crude and primitive.'_

"Either way, they attacked us." Kay said, surprising even himself when he said that. "... In response to that, we'll attack them right back if we have to. But not to kill if we don't have a reason to."

 _'The overlord has been poisoned.'_

Kay diverted his attention back to the overlord and saw that its health was slightly fading. The poison was ineffectual, but he could tell that the poison within that crossbow bolt was strong enough to counteract the healing capability of a zerg organism. In fact, the overlord's health was now starting to dwindle ever since it was hit with the crossbow bolt! The overlord was commanded by Virid to float back to the safety of the creep fields, even though the lizard-men kept on following their prey. Kay felt like he had an idea on what they are. "They don't seem like the scientist types. They seem more like hunters. Lets send them a message that the zerg are a protected species."

Kay could have swore he could hear the confusion in Virid's mental voice. _'Who is protecting us?'_

"We protect our own." Kay said, running out of the cave to meet with these lizard-man hunters.

* * *

 **A/N: Was starting to develop a headache as of writing this. Please send me a review as to how I can make my writing better please. That way I can go back and correct any mistakes I have made.  
**

 **Enjoying yourselves so far? :3c**


	3. Hunting Party

**Chapter 3: Hunting Party**

* * *

Kay didn't remember much of his past. The void was thanks to that. Since it had dissolved and ate away at his mind at a slow rate, it now left him with less of a history than any human adult would be comfortable with. The zerg queen that had saved him, now known as Virid, was able to supplant him with brain matter and the brief information she glanced through the zerg hivemind psionic network. The brain tissue was replaced, but lacked the former terran's many past memories. It was only through zerg regeneration that Kay would live his life without suffering a hemorrhaging brain or mental retardation. But much of his history was now blanked, thanks to a battle with a god called Amon. Much of his short-term memories still persisted, but much of his long-term memories were now gone.

But now he had to deal with a recent nuisance. Specifically, three lizard-man hunters that were maintaining their distance from the overlord that they had attacked, following it closely. Their tongues flicked quickly as they sampled the air, watching the blimp creature with hungry eyes. It would stand to speculation than these types of hunters specialized in using poison to hunt their food. They didn't seem related to the lizard-men in sterile white cloth that Virid mentioned, but there was little to no evidence that would suggest a connection.

Kay shook his head, still running forward to meet with the trespassers. He could sense that the zerg combat organisms that were closest to the hunters were one of the zerglings. He sighed heavily as he proceeded forward with his enhanced inhuman speed. "Have one of our zerglings get ready to try and drive off these intruders. If the zergling can't cut it, then we will have to bring in all of the other fighting zerg too."

 _'We shall meet these foes in combat. Our forces may be limited, but our claws will rend their flesh!'_ Virid said through the hivemind network.

"Actually, Virid, I was hoping to chase them away." Kay said, getting closer to the lizard-man hunters at breakneck speeds.

 _'A dangerous strategy. They would return to their people and warn them of us.'_ Virid hissed.

"And what would they say about us if we kill them now and let their people notice that their hunting party has not come back yet? What would happen if they found out that we struck the first blow and give them an excuse to hunt us down?" Kay said, seeing and closing the distance to the wounded overlord above him. "If we can't try to have peaceful resolve first, then we might be forced to take prisoners for interrogation."

 _'... An acceptable strategy. I shall let you determine this outcome.'_ the queen hissed. She sounded impressed, yet dejected by Kay's unique alternate strategy.

And that was when Kay finally saw the lizard-man hunters for himself. True to the overlord's connection to the hivemind and sharing its findings to the rest of the swarm, Kay could see in person that these hunters were exactly like what the overlord had seen. The flags they wore seemed ornate in design, and their weapons appeared to be hand-crafted with strong materials. Their armor seemed crude and old, but could mean that Virid's assumption that their equipment was ceremonial could be correct. However, just as he was able to get in range to see them with his own eyes, these hunters would be able to see him too. They immediately raised their weapons, of which he noticed that each carried four sets of weapons on themselves. He could see one of them taking out its primary ranged weapon, aiming its crossbow at him. The two others mimicked their supposed leader and unsheathed their other armaments. Kay immediately raised his hands high up in the air. "Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa! Whoa! Whoa. Whoa. Whoa... Listen. I don't know what kind of purpose you guys are here for... But I must warn you that any further aggression to us will result in a dangerous outcome for all of you. What do you say?"

The lizard-men paused, their aim drooping to the ground slightly and cocking their heads in confusion. One of such lizard-men, the one wielding the crossbow at the front of their party, clucked and hissed its language to the other hunters for a brief moment. Kay frowned, since he had no understanding of their language. However, he did remember some of his training in his former life. It has something to do with being a spectre. ... Oh yeah, the spectre's were psionic spec ops soldiers. Kay had almost forgotten that. But using psionics to retrieve information from a mind was dangerous, and could reduce the interrogatee's mind to a brain-dead state. But there was another problem. He wasn't sure if his mind was healthy enough to use psionic abilities effectively. For the moment, Kay decided against using his psionic powers, or whatever mental abilities that might have remained.

"Uh... Kay... You." Kay said, pointing at the crossbow wielding lizard-man. "Shot." He gestured as though he was firing a weapon. "Overlord?" Kay then pointed at the retreating overlord.

The crossbow archer lizard-man let his weapon droop down fully and held it by one hand, while his other hand made several gestures as he clucked and hissed more openly to Kay. The lizard-man gestured to himself, pointed to his weapon, made a shooting sound as he mocked firing his weapon, then pointed at the overlord that was getting away. Kay wasn't too sure, but it felt as though this hunter had intent on hunting the zerg organism. But the good news is that these reptiles seem to understand gestures and charades well. However, when the crossbow archer clucked again, it and its fellow hunters attempted to circle around Kay to get back at hunting the overlord.

Kay shook his head, then ran to the front of the hunting group again. "Okay okay, stop that!" Kay said, waving his hands at them to halt. Once he had their attention again, he tried to explain through gestures once more. "You." He pointed at the lizard-men. "No." He smoothly waved his left hand to his left and his right hand to his right. "Shoot." He mimicked firing a crossbow. "Overlord." He pointed at the overlord. He paused before beginning again. "You." He pointed at the crossbowman again. "Put weapon." He pointed at the crossbow. "Down." He then mimicked carrying something and slowly putting it to the ground. He paused again. "But." He said, telling them to wait for further gestural communicative signals. "You." He pointed at the archer again. "Shoot." He mimicked firing a crossbow again. "Overlord." He pointed at the overlord in the distance. "Fight. Hiss." He said, trying to spread his hands and claws out as threateningly as possible, baring his teeth, and fanning his bone-wings out.

The lizard-men backed up when Kay showed them an aggressive display. The three lizard-men grouped up and clucked with one another for a brief moment. Kay wondered if the message he was trying to relay to them had actually gotten across to them this time.

After a moment, the lizard-men broke up their huddle. The crossbow archer clucked and hissed more loudly, bringing out a long, curved sword and stabbing it into the ground. The gesture was authoritative sounding. The lizard-man pointed at Kay, then at itself, and then stood in a stance that seemed to be similar to some kind of martial art style that Kay was unaware of.

"... Are... Are you challenging me?" Kay asked incredulously. He slumped his posture a little when he realized that this really was actually happening. "Ugh. It's like trying to talk to deaf, feral children. Deaf, feral children that are scaly, dangerous, and speak a reptile language. ... I think I'll just show you guys how much damage I can do, and then let you decide what to do next." Kay looked around for a target to showcase his strength to the lizard-men before him. He spotted a lone rock the size of two bowling balls after a cursory scan of the immediate area. Perfect. He quickly jogged to it and picked it up effortlessly, and then jogged back to show the lizard-men his small boulder. "Alright gents, listen up. For my first trick, I want you to weigh this small boulder in my hands." He said, presenting it to the lizard-men.

They stared at Kay, hissing to one another softly. They were confused by Kay's actions.

"... No takers? ... Yeah, it does look a bit heavy. Let me make the pieces smaller." Kay set the stone down and placed his fist upon the stone, getting into a combat stance as he did so. He took a deep breath a few times before slowly raising his fist to strike the large rock. There were a few clucks of curiosity from his audience, but they were silenced again when his fist was brought down to strike at the large rock. As a result, the rock had broken into several shards and pieces from the resulting punch! After Kay had demolished the big stone, he picked up one of the biggest pieces that was still intact, which was no bigger than a coke bottle, and held it in front of the lizard-men. "Alright, you have seen what I am capable of! Whaddya think? Thinking about stopping this madness and going away?"

The lizard-men, especially the crossbow archer, stared at Kay with bewildered eyes. The crossbow archer reached out for the piece of shattered rock, while Kay allowed him take it from his hands. After poking and pressing the broken stone piece, he dropped it and hissed at his teammates. After some heated clucking from his other two subordinates, they eventually quieted down and started backing off. Once they were far enough away, the two lizard-men that was with the archer lizard-man turned and ran off. The crossbow archer, on the other hand, stayed where he was. He returned to his original combat stance, except this time taking out a knife from his person and pointing it at Kay. The crossbow archer hissed again.

"... You are still demanding a challenge from me? ..." Kay looked down and sighed deeply. Even after trying to communicate to these creatures, this one was still trying to stir up some trouble! Does this sapient reptilian really want to fight him? After a few seconds of muddling through his thoughts, he nodded and made up his mind. "... Kay. I guess I'll give you your duel. But if you tap out in time, you might be spared." Kay said, backing up and away from the broken boulder pile. After distancing himself a few feet away from the small boulder shards, Kay then hunched over and extended his hands out, making sure his fingered claws had a wide space in between each splayed finger. But he kept his wings folded behind himself. Such a biological weapon had an incredibly long reach, able to strike at least three yards away. But since the crossbow archer had elected to use a knife, Kay figured that he would try to play fair for this fight. Emphasis on 'try'.

After a ten second pause, the leader of the hunting party sprung forward to swipe his knife left and right in speedy lateral arcs. Kay, easily dodging these bladed attacks, was slowly understanding his own physical abilities and strength more and more. With but a simple fist, he was able to shatter the earthen object easily. It was like smashing a metal glove through pottery with a knuckled collision! But in this bout, Kay was testing his reflexes against the reptilian knife wielder. After dodging twenty knife swipes, Kay moved in with his claws and lashed out in a single calculated attack. The attack managed to tear right through the archer's armor, cutting through the wraps, ties and wire hooks.

With one attack, the lizard-man's right arm had its armor torn off, with five distinct lines of red that started to paint his black and yellow scales with dripping scarlet. After a pregnant pause in combat, the archer slowly looked at his torn arm armor and pawed at his nicks. The archer stared accusingly at Kay. Kay only shrugged in response. "Hey. You wanted this. There is always that chance to back out now, you know."

The archer hissed loudly and charged forward, trying to rush Kay in an attempt to test his defenses. The attack worked, as his blade found a soft spot and made a centimeter deep cut. The blade itself was twenty or so centimeters in total length, but the actual damage that he had done did little upon Kay's carapace. With two single motions, Kay used a downward claw attack that had grazed the archer's face and body, which had also severed his chest armor from his person. Another blow was an open palm strike, making the archer get knocked back, rolling onto his back and face and then back again. After a brief pause, the archer got up and coughed, shakily standing back up and going back into his combat stance.

Kay shook his head and sighed. "Look, I'm stronger than you, and you already know this by now. If we keep fighting like this, you're just going to carry your embarrassment into the next life! ... That is... if you believe in such things. Do you have a god?" Kay asked. His words were falling on disinterested ear-holes, as the lead hunter launched into another attack.

Each time the blade made contact with Kay's skin, ... er... carapace... the more it seemed to dull with every strike. It was only after one heavy attack that he tried plunging his dagger into Kay's abdomen and found purchase, the lizard-man screeching its war cry all the while. The blade managed to somehow lodge itself in the cut seven or so centimeters deep. A simple backhand attack pushed the archer away with great force, but Kay looked down at his own wound with impunity. At least the lizard-men did not poison their daggers. Perhaps they only use poison for hunting?

With a simple yank, the blade was removed from his now noticeably new orifice. He sighed, a slightly pained groan escaping his breath. "Ugh... Pain. I think I remember how this feels. Not good, but... Helpful. I nearly forgot how pain felt." Sure enough, the carapace that had prevented the knife from doing too much damage was already mending at astonishing speeds. What might take a stitching and then several days of rest for the flesh to mend and leave a scar, literal seconds are passing as the wound visibly closed till it completely vanished. Kay looked back up to inspect his reptilian duelist.

This had astonished the archer to abated clucks and hisses. Now with no weapon to speak of, the reptile clenched its own fists and walked forward. Was a dissatisfied scowl playing across the lizard-man's face? After delivering a punch to an eye socket, the archer went for the knife and tried plunging it into Kay again. This had only made Kay grow more mad as the duel continued.

"Okay, it feels obvious at this point that you're trying to kill me. I'm not gonna hold back on you no more. If it's a duel to the death you want, then it's a duel to the death you're gonna get." The former spectre casually reached toward the archer's neck. The lone lizard-man flinched back a bit, but his throat was eventually grappled into Kay's clutches. It was then that Kay started squeezing. The lizard-man's breath was felt from within its throat, eventually evolving into a wheezing strain, then choking, and then silent pressure. The archer kept trying to punch everywhere he could reach, aiming and hitting mostly Kay's face with pitiful flailing.

Kay lazily pulled his fist back and gently collided it with the archer's face. Kay could have sworn that the lizard-man was smiling, his grin somehow saying something else. Truth be told, Kay was not sure on what the lizard-man was thinking, or whatever might have happened on the lizard-man side of the conversation. But really, the lizard-men persisted to intrude into their territory and try to take down one of his overlords. Kay wasn't even really sure if zerg meat was safe for them to eat. Cooking would probably stop it from trying to infect a host to assimilate into the zerg swarm, but there was no way to be sure, and that he and Virid would not allow it.

Kay sighed as he lazily pulled his same fist back and then performed a powerful right hook into the archer's jaw this time. The blow was so impressive that it managed to sever his skull from his neck, leaving the bottom jaw mangled. Kay sighed, dropping the now lifeless corpse. "Well... That was kind of... overkill."

 _'You are a commander of the swarm now.'_ Virid stated. _'The swarm follows those who are strong, and those the swarm chooses. An infested psionic terran would prove useful in finding strategies that would prolong and strengthen the swarm. I would have difficulty in this world were it not for a commanding input.'_

Kay chuckled. "Hahaha! So you just needed someone who was sapient to make the tough choices. Choices that a simple zerg queen couldn't do on her own! In a way, that's kind of makes you seem rather submissive."

 _'Don't toy with me. I would rather build the swarm than entertain frivolous thoughts.'_

 _' **We** agree with the one that is the queen, Virid.'_ One of the overlords said. _'The We must become stronger. There are less of **We**. **We** need to be more to carry the ___commanding_ __We's_ _voices to the rest of the We.'_

Kay nodded as he picked up both the ruined skull and the body of his defeated dueler. "Alright, alright, I get it, yeesh. Between the queen that turned me into a zerg commander out of the blue, and the overlords with their cryptic third-person talk, I'm getting the feeling that I'm basically here as an advisory role that gets the chance to pull the metaphorical trigger."

 _'Metaphors or not, I have now decided that you are disrupting and distracting our efforts to return to the main zerg forces. You leave me little choice.'_

"... Wait, what-OW!" Kay cried out as his ankle felt a deep pressure force itself onto it. He turned around to see the cause. "... Oh fuck me sideways."

Biting down on his ankle with dangerous force was a zergling that gnawed his carapaced flesh. If there was one zergling, there was typically another one somewhere around. This one in particular had a dangerous set of teeth set between two tusks that curved slightly inward towards its mouth, which were cleverly disguised mandibles. Though it was somewhat bipedal in shape, it was more closely likened to a big dog having given birth to ugly pug babies with bug wings, tails with a small barb on their ends, and prehensile dorsal attack-claws on their backs. The attack-claws on top of the zergling was its most dangerous weapon, as they provided it with another kind of attack to pair up with its other dangerous weapons, its short forearm claws and a maw that could bite and pull chunks out of their foes. _'Obey!'_

"LEGGO!" Kay kicked his leg and punted the meter tall zerg twelve meters away. He saw its brother come to its aid, sniffing at his kicked sibling before turning to Kay and hissing at him threateningly. Kay huffed, turning and continuing to drag the corpse of the fallen lizard-man. Those little monsters can be savage when they needed to be, but they knew well not to attack when their prey in question was already aware of them. And he knew that they would wait until his guard was down to strike again. And they knew that he knew that. And he knew that they knew that. In all honesty, having a collective telepathic link with all nearby zerg organisms is truly something that seems easier to accept when it is experienced as a zerg. However, there was a reason as to why he was bringing the body. "And here I was, trying to give you a present. As a result, I got rewarded with your wrath. Unbelievable!"

 _'Why would you give a present to me?'_ Virid asked, very puzzled by Kay's actions, if he heard her mental tone right.

"I was hoping that we could get an evolution chamber created so we can analyze these lizard-men's... Uh... Essence? Or is it DNA? I can't remember which." Kay said, coming back to the creep fields. They seemed to have expanded a bit.

 _'I was planning to. Planning to make the evolution chamber, that is. However, without an evolution master, we would not know where to start in analyzing and weaving that creatures essence, or improving the strains we have available.'_ Virid dryly said.

"Well how did the Queen of Blades make one then?" Kay asked, finding a large, pulsating cocoon that seemed to have something swimming in the middle.

 _'The creature known as Abathur was made by the Overmind. It was said that the evolution master we know of was created with all strains that were assimilated into the zerg swarm, all genetic information merged as one for him to weave and analyze.'_

Kay nodded. "Oh. Kay. What do we need in order to make one for our own purposes?" He asked, dropping the body and setting the skull of the lizard-man on the corpse's chest.

 _'We need a lot more resources than what we have now.'_

"How much more?"

 _'Significantly more.'_

"... Kay." Kay said, sitting down on the creep. Despite the rather gross looking surface of the creep, it was actually quite soft and malleable. It was much like a mix between a wet waterbed and a memory foam mattress. The surface even felt cool to the touch! A welcome reprieve from the hot desert air and harsh desert sunlight that was bombarding them.

 _'The hatchery is almost done. I would normally command you to tend to it if you were not a command creature, but I will allow you the choice to decide instead.'_

Kay looked up at the sky. "Huh. ... Well, there's nothing much else to do anyway. I guess I still could help around."

 _'I appreciate the help.'_ Virid emerged from the ground next to the cocoon that was gestating the hatchery, removing herself from her underground hiding place. But Kay knew that she was already there. Hivemind capabilities certainly has its perks. She must have went into hiding when the lizard-men had approached their territory and attacked an overlord.

Kay nodded, getting up and approaching the cocoon that was about to hatch. He decided to let the body of the crossbowman stay where it is. The cool of the creep should keep the heat of the sun from making the corpse rot too soon. Once the hatchery was made, then more work could be done to help the hive-cluster embiggen and form. "Welp. Looks like it's going to be a big skirmish for us. And all with no mineral deposits or vespene gas to capitalize on. Heh. How fucked are we?"

 _'... I fail to see your humor in this.'_

"Just call me an optimistic pessimist."

* * *

 **A/N: So uh... How do zerg start a game with no minerals crystals or vespene gas geysers?  
**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **Screw it. I'll just, uh... make stuff up within given reason I guess!**


	4. Severely Slow Skirmish

**Chapter 4: Severely Slower Skirmish**

* * *

A large organic structure, a chrysalis that contained bubbling and sloshing liquid from within, was quickly gestating and developing the primary machination that spawned forth monsters. Creatures without form were brimming inside of this structure, and they demanded to be shaped by the command of the zerg.

The cocoon bursts open, showering anything that was too close in a viscera of chrysalis and amniotic fluid. A bio-structure of several thorns emerged from the explosion of sealed flesh, releasing a five sided pyramid of muscle and shaped organs. Five of the sides contained carapaced tubes, delivering larvae that slid out of them. The top of the structure had what looked like overly large teeth, with five curved, almost fang-like, protrusions that surrounded this orifice. Five curved, also almost fang-like, spines surrounded the bio-structure, protruding from its base.

Kay looked up at this... thing and smiled. A sense of accomplishment washed over him, much like how one would feel when they successfully made their tent for the first time. "Well well! It's done!" He said, proudly.

 _'We need to collect creep now.'_ Virid said, coming up to the bio-structure and inspecting its growth. _'The drones will collect more creep for the hatchery, but you may assist them for the moment.'_

Kay turned to Virid and raised his eyebrow. "Oh... Uh... Kay. Do you have a bucket?"

Virid turned to Kay and gave him a deadpanned stare. _'... Just use your hands.'_

"Uh..." Kay said, looking down at the sludge covered ground. "... Do I really have to? I don't want to get gunk under my nails."

Virid hissed. _'Either do something else or get down on your knees. I will fetch the zerglings to persuade you.'_

Kay immediately leaned down and gathered up as much creep as his arms could carry, the clump of creep seeping in his hold. "Alright, alright! Yeesh!" He then proceeded to deliver whatever he scraped from the surface of the creep and transported it to the hatchery.

However, when he had arrived at the hatchery, he had came across a problem that he hadn't expected. How does a hatchery acquire its resources? How does he feed it with the creep oozing in his arms? How do the drones know where to feed it? With nothing to go on, Kay figured that if he waited for a drone with a supply of creep in its pincers, he would watch it and examine what it does.

He found a drone nearby that had finished scooping up the gray and purple jelly, now floating toward the hatchery. As Kay watched intently, he noticed that the drone simply dumped the collected creep at the side of the bio-structure. Kay's face showed puzzlement, feeling as though he may have overthought the process. However, as he looked more carefully, he noticed that the collected creep was actually being absorbed directly into the hatchery's sides. One could surmise that the entire outside surface of the hatchery was an inside-out organ that is both a stomach and an intestine all at once. As Kay released the creep in his arms onto the side of the hatchery, he wondered what would happen if something other than creep was brought to it. Kay wasn't too sure on what happens with mineral crystal ore, and vespene pods collected from extractors, that is deposited at the hatchery.

A tumbling sound resonated from one of the carapace tubes. Rolling out of one of the five was a wiggling, fleshy maggot with abnormally large and pointed mandibles, and sporting a patch of carapace on its back. It screeched as it was born, rolling around in a flailing manner. It looked up at Kay seconds after it came to a stop, only to begin trilling softly and digging its mandibles into the creep.

Kay was beginning to understand the importance of creep by now. It was produced by the hatchery to help sustain the larva. The larva would then eventually turn into a drone when it has consumed enough nutrients it derived from the creep. Gathering the nutrient and mineral rich creep and delivering it to the hatchery must be an alternate method of growing a hive cluster. It was a significantly slower method than mining directly from mineral deposits. Even so, the mineral crystal ore that is mined and collected by the drones had to be brought to the hatchery for digestion anyway, storing the nutrients it processes and releasing the nutrients for a larva to consume. After a time of gestation, the larva would then mutate into what was needed for the swarm.

Speaking of deposits, after an eighth or ninth armful of creep was offloaded onto the hatchery, Kay was reminded of the drone that was commanded to dig at the sand filled cave. "So uh... Virid. How's our little drone in the cave doing?"

He swore he could hear Virid hissing in slight contempt. _'The hivemind connection is always available for your perusal.'_

"And ruin the fun of breaking the monotony?" Kay sighed, now figuring out that if there wasn't something meaningful or urgent to say to Virid, he might as well be taking chances with teasing a parole officer, or some equivalent of.

 _'Terran boredom is not of my concern. I would rather remind you to not bore me with inane chatter.'_ She said, launching green somethings from her body and attaching them to the hatchery, which pulsed and emitted mist.

Kay shook his head and waved. "Alright alright, I'll check on the little guy myself. If I had wanted a pedantic discussion, I'll come back to you for more of that." He said, waving goodbye and walking to the direction of the red cave.

Virid took her turn to speak plainly. _'Just remember. We have already been discovered. We need to increase our forces and soon. It is bad enough that we have not spawned a hatchery with no readily available resources close by.'_

Kay sighed, but decided against poking at the proverbial bee hive and let the conversation close. Virid was right after all. Since two of the lizard-man hunters retreated, there was no telling what they would do. Warn the scientist lizard-men that the zerg have selected this location to make a base? Tell the other hunters to avoid this area? Amass an army to eradicate the zerg infestation? There was no telling what might happen!

Putting those thoughts aside when Kay reached the red cave, he noticed that there were huge sand piles that was somewhat obstructing the entrance. A scuttling sound was heard, followed by the sight of a drone pushing sand out of the cave entrance. The drone looked up at Kay when it saw him. _'More commands?'_

Kay shook his head. "Not at the moment. Just keep digging and bring as much sand that you can find back out here. How is your progress?"

 _'Lots progress. Deep tunnels. More sand. Need digging. Me dig!'_ The drone said, returning to his duty.

Kay raised an eyebrow at the retreating drone. He noticed that a lot of the differing zerg strains had unusual speech patterns in their communication. From what he remembered, the zerglings... Well... Were simple, since he only got one word out of the one that was nibbling at his foot a while ago. The drones seem to speak two words in each of their sentences. Overlords have somewhat broken English with lots of differing emphasis on 'the We' and ' **We** ', the former mentioning the zerg swarm as a whole, and the latter mentioning the overlords as a whole. Virid, the only zerg queen that had the idea to spirit him away and transform him into an infested zerg commander, seemed to be able to speak perfect English. But then a new theory went into his head that made his mind race. What if the zerg hivemind psionic network automatically translates the zerg thoughts into English in his own mind? Or is it through Virid's mind that she translates zerg thoughts into English for Kay? ... Again, Kay felt like he was overthinking on the details present to him.

And speaking of overthinking, Kay reminded himself of the overlords. "Virid, how is our injured overlord doing?"

 _'I refuse to be your secretary. Use the hivemind network and leave me be to tend the hive cluster.'_ said an annoyed Virid.

Kay sighed, deciding to do just that. Searching through the lights of consciousness in a sea of black, filled out by the terrain that was painted by the awareness of the zerg organisms, Kay reached out for the overlord that was damaged earlier. Despite his attempts, he found out that there was now three overlords instead of two. Except... one seemed very different. A newly spawned overlord had recently emerged from a chrysalis, its carapace still wet from its recent transformation, yet Kay noticed some details when he focused on it. It didn't even sport the ventral sacks, or even travel as fast as its two brothers. Its carapace was not even developed fully! Forgetting to determine which of the fully mature overlords were injured for the moment, he focused his mental attention to Virid. "Uh... Virid?"

 _'Yes. I too am aware of this as well.'_ Virid hissed in contempt. _'This is unexpected. The mutations we had carried into the battle with Amon didn't carry over to our arrival here.'_

"Uhh... So does this mean that we'll have to mutate our zerg from the ground up?" Kay asked, rubbing the back of his head _carefully_ and walking back to the hatchery.

 _'We can mutate one of the drones into an evolution chamber. For mutations for our flying strains, we will need a drone to mutate into a spire.'_ Virid said, turning to face Kay as he neared her and the hatchery she was tending.

"But do we even ha-... I'll uh... Just check the hivemind network." Kay said, remembering that he could use his zerg psionic link to communicate with the hatchery in order to see how much nutrients it had ingested.

 _'You are learning.'_ Virid said mentally, sighing in slight exasperation. _'Perhaps there is hope for you yet?'_

Kay rolled his eyes and checked his connection to the hivemind again. The hatchery seemed to have even less mental acuity than any other zerg organism he had ever focused on before. It would appear that this organism has receded in its thought patterns greatly, only being receptive to certain commands, like sending the appropriate amount of nutrients to the larva, developing mutations for the ground zerg or the overlords, metamorphosing into the next stage of its life, and detailing how much resources it had stored. The only time that a hatchery would ever communicate to the other zerg organisms is when it's registering damage in some way. From what Kay could tell, the hatchery had slowly accumulated two types of resources during its life. The two resources that the hatchery can normally utilize used to be minerals and vespene, but is now forced to using alternative materials. These alternate materials, which Kay might as well call bio-material and bio-accelerant for the moment, are slightly less effective than the mineral crystal ore and vespene gas resources.

But it was then that Kay noticed that the bio-accelerant was distressingly small compared to the bio-material collected by the drones. "Don't hold your breath, Virid. I have a math question for you. How long do we have to wait till we have collected enough gas from the freshwater spring to make, say, a baneling or a roach?"

It took Virid several seconds to come up with an answer. _'... It would take roughly forty minutes.'_

Kay slouched, staring at Virid in disbelief. "You have GOT to be kidd-... Oh right, I remembered. Zerg do not make jokes."

 _'Spending our resources too readily would cost us too greatly. Kay, I recommend using the gas collected from the spring water mostly for mutations.'_

Kay nodded, looking down and thinking aloud. "We have a slight excess of bio-material to work with, with little bio-accelerant to capitalize on. But... I think it would help every zerg here if all of us can have some early abilities to access. Being able to burrow and heal underground sounds like an advantage that is too good to pass up on. Plus, we can use more overlords for control, and drones for more creep collecting. And if we can morph a drone into an evolution chamber, and store enough bio-accelerant, we can then afford some additional mutations after that."

 _'Bio-material and bio-accelerant? Fancier words than saying bio-matter and accelerant. In any case, I am commanding a drone to morph into an evolution chamber as we speak.'_ Said virid, bowing.

Kay turned to Virid and nodded. "Eh, tom-ay-to tom-ah-to. How about we put it next to the hatchery? That way, we can better defend it once we further fortify ourselves. And I think getting a spawning pool up and running might do us well too. Getting more zerglings and queens would be good for us, plus some static defenses, like the spine and spore crawlers."

If Kay didn't knew better, he could have thought that Virid was smiling at him. _'My accident of turning you into a free-willed member of the swarm is turning out to benefit this hive-cluster.'_

The former spectre sighed. "Even so, I would love to hear an 'I'm sorry' from you. But... Even if you chose not to say that, I would still accept the apology."

Virid scuttled up to Kay and patted him on the shoulder. _'Human expressions is meaningless in the swarm. But I will remind you that distractions are not tolerated.'_

Sudden pain shot up from Kay's leg. "OW~!" He looked down to see what the sudden problem was.

 _'Distracted!'_ A zergling had managed to sneak up behind him and gnawed at his ankle again. Kay wasn't sure if it was the same one, but he was now beginning to understand that when he was having any of his more 'human moments', his link to the zerg psionic hivemind network would weaken significantly. So much so that this zergling would get away with sneaking a bite on the leg of the fellow infested terran, despite the fellow infested terran being a former spectre in his past life. As such, it would use that window of opportunity to ambush Kay when he was careless and antagonizing Virid. The zergling was rewarded with a powerful kick that sent it flying a distance away. Its brother zergling appeared a few yards away, hissing and snarling at Kay with its constant grin of sharp teeth, almost looking like it was mocking him.

Kay huffed in disdain. "Man, am I ever thankful for zerg regeneration."

 _'You're welcome.'_ Virid replied.

Kay turned to stare at Virid with an annoyed expression. Kay huffed again and turned to a larva that was on the ground, commanding it to turn into a drone. "How about we get the overlords to dump their creep for the drones to collect? Or help expand the creep?"

Virid shook her head. _'Creep generated by the overlords would do little to provide an abundance of nutrients. Overlord creep is saturated with very little nutrients, in fact. Creep that has aged for a while, additionally , will contain enough nutrients for the larvae to feed and grow on. Overlords may provide a temporary means to keep larvae from suffering, since they need the creep to survive. They would shrivel up and perish without it.'_

Kay nodded. "Then we need more hatcheries and creep tumors." Seconds later, a wet sound pervaded the air, distracting Kay from his thoughts for the moment. It was then that he saw Virid... 'producing' something from her behind. "Gah! What the hell?"

Virid gave Kay a nonplussed expression. _'... What?'_

"Do you have to do that in front of me? You could have asked me to give you some privacy first!" Kay said, turning away.

Virid scoffed. _'Kay, you are being ridiculous. To survive and thrive, I need to lay creep tumors to spread more creep.'_

"Well I get that, but... It just sounds so gross sounding! Ugh!" Kay said, shivering.

 _'Then cover your ears or leave me to my work, Kay.'_ Virid said, agitated and moving to the next spot to lay more creep tumors.

Kay sighed, but moved away from Virid and getting out of hearing range from her... squelches. It didn't help that the hivemind connection made it so that he could still see, from Virid's point of view, her laying the creep tumors. His gut lurched and his spine tingled with discomfort. Spreading creep was not something that he supported, since it would mean choking and killing the surrounding plant life, and leeching nutrients and minerals directly from the ground. The only thing that creep is ever good for is just spreading and spreading on every available surface possible. Even over and under water in some cases!

Speaking of hivemind connections, he also witnessed the birth of several zerglings, a new queen emerging from a hatchery, and the hatchery developing the mutation for the ground strains to burrow. There was a chrysalis already forming next to it, which Kay could tell that it would be the evolution chamber that would grant the zerg the means to become stronger.

... And speaking of zerglings, he noticed a pair that was gnawing on a dead body, crunching on a skull that was barely on the verge of rotting. "... Ah, dammit." He said, turning to see the viscera and fluid leaking onto the creep.

 _'Yummy.'_ A zergling mentally said, happily munching on the lizard-man corpse. They were using their attack-claws to divide the body into equal parts, then using their fore-claws to rip open the hide armor to get to the juicier giblets within. Kay would make a mental reminder to only use zerglings on enemies that deserve to be drawn, quartered, and eaten. ... But in the zerglings' case, not in any order whatsoever.

Sadly, the zerglings that was hatching from the hatchery emerged with no mutations, much like the overlord that was recently born. No harder carapace for protection. No sharper blades for offense. Not even the ability to burrow and safely hide to restore their health. They don't even have wings! But once they hatched, the zerglings split off in groups of two and ran off in separate directions. As such, a zergling mainly had only two purposes in its life: being cannon fodder, and scouting for threats. Despite being a completely expendable unit, they were also cheap. And since they were cheap, and faster than the floating overlords, they will be an effective first-line defense against any early offense that dared try to fight the zerg. But what they really need right now was the ability to burrow.

As of this moment, the overlords were too valuable in reconnaissance purposes. As such, the zerglings will fulfill their new scouting roles just fine.

The scouting efforts of the zerglings proved to reveal various things about the summit of the mountain. For one, there was an animal presence that existed here, as evidenced by the alien rodents that the zerglings had disturbed when they found their nests in the bushes, or finding otherworldly birds that had taken to the skies when a zergling tried to climb a tree. Overall, the summit was bare of any perceived dangerous lifeforms.

But then the question came to Kay: Where did the lizard-men come from? The rock walls of the summit were too steep and high in various places, which would make scaling the mountain and entering the summit very dangerous for anyone who doesn't have climbing gear. The zerglings searched and searched, but found nothing equaling a path into the summit. Not even a cave entrance that lead to a tunnel somewhere, or even a naturally formed ramp that lead up and out.

Another question came to Kay's mind: Did the lizard-men use a secret tunnel to enter the mountain's summit, and hidden the entrance from anyone who doesn't know of its location? It was a worrying thought to Kay. "Virid, I'm thinking we might need an overseer soon."

 _'Why?'_ Virid asked.

"Because I have a hunch that is telling me something. That group of lizard-men that came here must have used a secret passage. As a result, one of our overlords was wounded by their hunting attempt. An overseer's eyes can detect hidden things, right?"

 _'The overseers have detection capabilities, true. But in order to make overseers, we need to morph our hatchery into a lair. We do not have enough resources for the transformation, however.'_

Kay sighed. "I guess it's back to collecting creep and expanding out our hive cluster..." Kay said, turning and deciding to go back to the hatchery. "Maybe I'll go and see how much progress the drone in the cave is doing?"

 _'Kay.'_ Virid said in a deadpanned tone.

An amused snort escaped Kay as he proceeded to return to the cave once more. Soon, the hot sun would set in the sky, and everything would become significantly colder. Kay didn't notice it till he entered a large shadow that managed to creep to the cave he first awoken in. From what he could tell from the overlord's synaptic processes, the polarity of the world made it so that the sun sets in the west and rises in the east. The world he was on also has defined north and south poles that were parallel to the world's orbit. But there was also something off about this planet. Kay couldn't put his finger on it, but he had a gut feeling that there was a detail that he missed.

Whatever it was, he would bet that he could use an overseer to determine what that might be.

* * *

 **A/N: Kekeke.  
**


	5. Local Defense

**Chapter 5: Local defense**

* * *

Kay was agape with complete awe.

He wasn't sure what he was seeing. The fathomless sky had darkened and turned to dusk, showing an unusual landscape in the night. To any people with dimwitted intelligence and untrained eyes, they would see a night sky with a bright moon overhead, and cooler, gentler air would blow through the leaves of trees and bushes.

But to Kay's eyes, he found a few things wrong when he looked carefully.

The sky itself was completely black, devoid of any stars. There were no constellations to speak of. Not even a single tiny dot of light in an otherwise infinite expanse. Then there was the moon. For some reason that Kay could not explain for the life of him, the moon was one giant white hexagon. No crater dotted its surface either! Even though it provided some light during the night, the shape of the celestial body definitely created more questions than answers. Aren't moons supposed to be spherical in shape?

After what seemed like several minutes of awe and dumbfounded contemplation, Kay finally broke the silence. "Virid. Random question, but... What the hell am I looking at?"

Virid looked up as well, chittering to herself in contemplation. _'... It appears to be a six sided artificial moon.'_

Kay shook his head as his gaze was fixated on the abnormal shape. "We need to develop some overseers and inspect the space around us. Fast. I don't know what this is, and I don't like it."

 _'We need to morph the hatchery into a lair first. Only then can we morph our overlords into overseers.'_

Kay nodded, getting into a running start and headed to the red cave. "Morph our underdeveloped overlords into at least three overseers. If we don't have enough accelerant, then we can make due with just one for now. I recall that they have CRAZY vision that helps them see over long distances and find hidden things."

 _'The overseers are specialized in detecting hidden units. But for the purposes that they are needed for, this can be arranged. Using their eyes to analyze our environment would do well for us to understand where we are.'_ Virid said, staying calm and collected.

"With detection being an important resource for the moment, how about we have a few drones turn into spine and spore crawlers near the developing lair, evolution chamber and spawning pool? You never know when someone invisible is sneaking around." Kay said, entering the red cave.

 _'But we still need to invest in mutating our forces. We don't have enough accelerant.'_

Kay sighed. "Well, be glad that I and the drone that's digging sand is making way for plan B in case we DO get overwhelmed." Kay said, spotting the drone pushing sand and deciding to follow it.

 _'Plan B?'_ Virid asked.

"Retreat underground. If there IS a hexagon moon, chances are that there is someone that had made this artificial environment. And if they made this artificial environment, whose to say that they also have a surveillance system they can use to keep tabs on us?" Kay said, helping the drone to deliver more sand out of the red cave. From what Kay noticed, the drone had dug so much sand out of the cave that the tunnel that lead underneath reached a fifth of a mile.

 _'You will need more drones then. Sending help to assist.'_

As Kay carried armfuls of loose sand and joined with the sand digging drone, scattering many grains of it with each step as he did so, he had to step to the side when several more drones went down the same passage as him. It became so crowded, that Kay had to give up on his efforts in assisting the many drones. He noticed that the production of bio-matter had significantly decreased, but it was to be expected when most drones were given a different task from their usual resource collecting roles. Nearly half of the drones that was collecting creep to feed the hatchery was re-purposed for digging out the sand from inside the cave.

Then there was the black mass of wetness that started to creep across the ground. Kay looked down to see that his feet had been enveloped by a dark slime that moved along the surface of the sand. When he heard a slithering sound, he looked at the source of the noise, making his stomach flop when he discovered what it was.

A thorny worm swam through the creep as though it was water, and found a place it could settle on. It then formed a little pile of itself and pulsed repeatedly, forming a brightly colored egg. After a time, that egg would burst open and frothed creep from itself, only to sink and hide under what it produced. This was another reason why Kay disliked a zerg queen's, or in this case, Virid's ability to spread creep. Zerg queens tend to generate creep tumors from within themselves, with a parasitic worm that was adapted to live and reproduce inside of the queen's abdomen. These worms are genetically engineered to produce creep tumors when they have been laid with the creep tumor a queen had made. This method that enabled queens to quickly overtake worlds were key to the zerg's success, and it was a method that grossed out Kay greatly. "Why is the creep creeping into the cave?" Kay asked.

 _'Shifting the sand will become easier if it's also processed by the creep. The drones will work more efficiently on it.'_ Virid replied.

"Oh~! Didn't even think of that! Thank you." Kay said in turn, leaving the cave entrance. "How long until the hatchery morphs so we can get our overlords morphing into overseers?"

 _'A few more seconds.'_ Virid said. _'But you could have found that out yourself if you actually checked._ _'_

"Right, right, the zerg hivemind psionic network. I got it." Kay said tiredly. As expected, the hatchery's chrysalis had broke into thin, crinkled skin that contained its juicy insides. It fell away to reveal a tougher looking bio-structure underneath. The hatchery had evolved longer spines and teeth, with extra carapace and muscles that convulsed more powerfully. The new and improved zerg bio-structure had taken the place of the hatchery, filling the same purpose but expanding on more opportunities. A lair had been formed.

One of the newly formed overlords instantly had a chrysalis surround itself when the lair's chrysalis broke apart. Kay didn't command it, but then realized that Virid was doing much of the work commanding the many zerg organisms anyway. All Kay could do was kick back and wait till the overseer was done developing. He frowned when there was a lack of lawn chairs to sit in, or blazing campfires to poke at to pass the time. Any welcome reprieve would benefit him, but he is not so lucky. In the presence of a starless sky with a six-sided geometric moon, the time to relax would come later.

And after a brief passing of time, the undeveloped overlord was replaced by an overseer.

This creature was quite strange looking, yet it possessed the same mental acuity that the overlords contained, standing to Kay's reasoning that it also spoke in a broken English pattern if he started talking with it. But its appearance was different in most cases. It floated and still had two huge pincers below itself, but that was when the similarities between itself and an overlord stopped. It had several antennas and thin tendrils that periodically spasmed when it felt a disturbance in the air currents, or smelled something funny. But the real advantageous adaptations that this creature developed was located in its eyes. It had seven of them, evenly spaced around its body to provide maximum coverage of the terrain. Even though the creature had many eyes, anything that happened to get too close to it would become prey to its scrutiny. After Kay had scrutinized it and read its mind on how it can use its abilities, Kay smiled. "Okay, overseer. Mind if you fly up a bit and look at everything from there? We need your oversight."

 _'We obey, swarm leader.'_ The overseer said, floating upwards at almost triple an overlord's speed. Kay didn't note any deviation from an overlord's thought patterns through the overseer, save for some judgemental capabilities that was somewhat diminished. He figured that the overseers wouldn't be very useful if their level of psionic control was diminished when they morphed from an overlord, so it would only make sense that their minds and mental patterns would remain roughly the same after their transformation.

As the overseer reached an acceptable distance in altitude, it scanned the environment with its analytical eyes, looking at everything with inhuman, harsh judgement. Its irises had widened inextricably, becoming nothing more than black pools that thirsted for visual stimulation.

And it was then that the overseer saw something. It alerted the swarm that it saw a mechanical, flying device that was languidly circling a distance away. It was far above the ground, and definitely past the high rock wall that made up the summit, but its flight pattern appeared to be that of a vulture circling a corpse. Or a scout investigating a foe from a distance. Since this flying machine was mechanical, the former theory was discarded.

The flying machine itself appeared to be triangular in design, appearing to look like a flying manta ray that was colored in red and sandy brown paint. Unlike the animal, this machine was supported in the air by windless currents. But through the overseer's scrutiny, Kay could see that the flying machine uses a small amount of anti-gravity to keep it aloft. The several orbs that floated above it could be another means of flotation, likely balloons of hydrogen and/or helium. From the overseer's perspective, he saw slight movement in the center of this triangle, where a small translucent sphere was located. A humanoid silhouette was seen within.

Kay couldn't tell if the figure inside that triangle plane was one of the lizard-men or a human being, but he figured that the important thing to focus on right now was to prepare for a possible confrontation. Perhaps an ugly, hostile confrontation. "Virid. Scout checking us out."

 _'We could move the spore crawlers below it and take it out of the sky.'_ Virid suggested.

"... Actually, I want to see what this guy does." Kay said, folding his arms and deciding to wait. "If we get attacked, it'll just give us a reason to counter-attack them."

Despite Kay's suggestion to exercise their patience, the triangular plane took a dime-turn and sped off hastily, detaching itself from the balloons that now floated rapidly upwards, supporting the theory that the balloons really were filled with lifting gasses. _'... Oh, I think I know why he left.'_

Kay turned to Virid, who was facing the direction that the overseer saw that triangle plane at. "What scared him away?"

 _'Us looking back at him.'_ Virid answered with simplicity.

Before Kay could ask, he immediately understood when he noticed that many of, if not all of, the zerg organisms had stopped what they were doing and turned to see if they could spot the scout that was in the black sky. The scouting plane must have started fleeing when it noticed the swarm had turned and faced the direction that the scout was hovering at.

"... Ah crap." Kay said aloud. The scout must have noticed that many of the zerg was looking at its direction, and rabbited out of the airspace when it found out that it was discovered. This would mean that the lizard-man hunters that tried to hunt the overlord hours ago must have told one of their friends about their crossbow wielding hunter that challenged Kay and stayed behind. That, or they assumed that their crossbowman had died as the likely result of him not being able to return to the hunting party.

 _'We need to prepare, and fast. We don't know for how long that scout was staring at us.'_ Virid hissed, already crawling to the hatchery to inject it with writhing pods to stimulate larvae growth again. She did so with her other queen sister, soon to be joined by yet another queen that is being made within the lair.

Kay sighed slowly, turning to look back at where the scouting plane used to be.

PANIC!

One of the zergling pairs that were the furthest away from the lair, and close to where the scout plane had disappeared, was suddenly attacked!

From one zergling's perspective, several crossbow bolts and spears had penetrated into its sibling's hide. A lucky throw from a javelin managed to puncture behind the skull and cut into the brain, severing its connection to the zerg hivemind indefinitely. The other zergling screeched in ravenous anger and ran forward at its sibling's attackers. The attackers were a group of thirty... perhaps forty lizard-men that was dressed in heavier and differently colored garb. They wore equipment that contained less leather than the hunters that hunted the overlord several hours ago, but contained more robust metal that was denser and more protective. Their weapons were even more impressive, some bringing bulky tower shields, others carrying what looked like rifles and heavy machine guns. Their armor scheme was silver and blue colored this time.

The zergling that charged at the party of invaders managed to attack three of its enemies before getting killed itself. Their armor is tough, but they were easily sliced into when the zergling's attack-claws and forearm claws struck them. The damage was superficial though, since the zergling's attack didn't inflict too many bleeding wounds. Kay would have guessed that four or more surgical strikes would strip them of their armor. Anything more than that would result in gory lacerations.

Kay clenched his teeth, feeling whatever sense of control he had was slowly being eroded. A platoon of soldiers must have been given the order to slay the invasive zerg species and take the summit territory as theirs! Kay marched forward and roared. "One zergling from a paired group, come to my aid! Virid, spawn some zerglings and keep them coming! Bring the hydralisk!"

Instantly, one zergling from each two zergling teams departed and rendezvoused at a location that was between the lair and the soldiers. Kay took a quick count of all of the zerg that had obeyed his command. 36 zerglings, with more coming, and a hydralisk were at his disposal, ready to meet claw with shield, and spines with bullets.

Kay had charged forward for several minutes, but then came to a complete stop and mentally commanding the zerg to set up a line of defense right behind him. With the burrow mutation just then becoming active, he would tell the hydralisk to hide itself in the sand behind the zergling line until it was needed. Kay intended for the ranged attacking zerg to be used as a surprise attack. But for now, Kay awaited for the trespassing soldiers to come to his ambush.

When they were finally in visual range, they slowed their march and took up weapons, carefully aiming at him and his line of zerg forces. Maddening clucks and hisses ensued between themselves. The biggest one among them roared at everyone close to himself, and they all immediately went silent. The big lizard-man soldier took careful strides forward, taking his time to look at the zerg with authoritative scrutiny.

Kay immediately understood that this was the leader of the war-party. Kay slowly strode forward, keeping his movement deliberately slow and proceeding forward with a relaxed demeanor. The war-party leader recognized this gesture and proceeded to meet with Kay partway, staying five feet away from him. A guttural series of clucks, growls and hisses resounded from the leader.

Kay raised an eyebrow. "Uh... Listen, I don't know what you're saying, but it probably has something to do with one of my zerglings attacking one of your boys over there. Let it be known that if that happens again, then I won't hold all THESE monsters back." Kay said, mentioning to his zergling line. They all growled and screeched when Kay gestured to them. "Do we have an understanding?"

The soldiers in the war party took a step or two back when the zerglings made their threatening and terrifying noises. Despite this, the leader made a scoffing sound and aimed his pistol-like weapon at Kay's face, making several more growls and clucks at a more ferocious tone. He gestured toward his lizard-men, and then toward the area where the zerg had made their home in. He flicked his hand as though shooing someone away, mostly toward Kay and his present zerg force. He then pointed to the zerg hive cluster and then towards himself and his soldiers.

Kay cocked his head, though the leader shifted his aim to keep his pistol trained on Kay's skull. Kay then sighed and shrugged, shaking his head as he did so. "Listen. This language barrier is not going to get us anywhere. If we take our time to learn, then maybe we can understand one-another better." But then Kay's face turned into a scowl. "But if what I think you are trying to say is true, then I am deeply sorry to say that I cannot leave the area. I'm staying here." Kay did his best to gesture over what he said, gesturing to his throat and lips and shrugging, and then motioning his hands in a back-and-forth between him and the war-party leader. But when he gestured to himself and the zerg, and then taking step back and digging his heel into the ground while gesturing with his hands that they are not moving, the war-party leader made the biggest scowl that Kay had ever witnessed on a lizard.

After an angry sounding hiss, the war-party leader stepped back and stopped a few feet from his forty lizard-man war-party. He let out a loud, guttural series of clucks and roars, prompting his party to unsheathe their weapons and take position. They clucked and hooted, waving their weapons around and aiming their ranged armaments at Kay's forces.

Kay, on the other hand, sighed. "If you really want to make this mistake, then it's your funeral." Kay said softly, taking his turn to step back, then posture himself into a fighting stance, with his claws and wings outstretched for battle. His zerglings, as expected, hissed and screeched monstrously. Mad grins widely parted their gnashing teeth.

A standoff between two forces began with one seizing the other and searching for their enemy's weaknesses. The zergling had animosity and bestial rage, with claws capable of cutting through neo-steel armor. The lizard-man soldiers were disciplined, and carried weapons that could kill a zergling quickly when they focused their attacks on a single target.

But both parties had no idea on what their respective enemy's strategies were. Despite the fact that Kay has access to the hivemind connection, he was certain that there were tricks that these lizard-men would use against him and his fellow zerg. And then there was the lizard-man party leader. This could mean that the leader of the soldiers had a heightened tactical acumen that enabled him to analyze the battle and rapidly make adjustments to compensate for immediate losses. In fact, Kay had very little experience when it came to fighting like a zerg commander! But he remembered that he had another resource to capitalize on. _'Hey Virid. Want to micromanage my forces for me? Make sure that any zerg that gets too wounded gets underground and heals safely. Preferably before they die. Okay?'_

It was Kay's first time using the hivemind connection to communicate psionically to another zerg organism. He could even sense the surprise in Virid. _'The hydralisk you have brought and hidden will pop out and take down their ranged attackers, if there is a chance our own forces might be overwhelmed.'_

When the war-party leader issued the signal to charge, his platoon of soldiers rushed forward, the shield-bearing troops taking precedence in the front lines. The zerglings, in all of their simplicity, strode forward and met the lizard-man soldiers in melee combat.

The shield bearers did their best to stop the front-most zerglings from dealing too much damage to the main forces at and behind the front lines. Zergling claws managed to make deep scratches and gashes into their shields and exposed armor, but the soldiers soldiered on. However, the zerglings have a known tactic for swarming their enemies. Despite some zerglings getting severely wounded by a potshot from a lucky bullet, many of the zerglings surrounded and flanked the circular phalanx, forcing the soldiers that are behind the shield bearers to defend their exposed flanks. The lizard-man soldiers brought out their heavy hitting melee weapons and defended themselves with difficulty, while the ranged fighters took careful aim and pulled their triggers. Despite their efforts, the zerglings would burrow themselves into the ground in time when they received too much battle damage, but there already had been a great few that had perished and died.

A powerful beam of light had sliced through the darkness, a high whining/humming sound loud enough to distract Kay from the fight. He noticed that the weapon in question was actually fired from the party leader's pistol. The weapon in question turned out to be some sort of energy weapon, having enough firepower to reduce a zergling to a burned-out hollow within five seconds of sustained fire. After that, despite being spoiled for choice, the party leader changed targets and issued forth its five-second firing at yet another zergling. "That's not good." Kay said aloud during the battle.

 _'The allow me to even the odds.'_

A sharp supersonic whistle was heard, whooshing past many heads and hitting the party leader's firing hand. The attack was so fast that he didn't have time to register the hit. Seconds later, the party leader clutched at his hand and started yelling in pain. When he looked up, it was to find a hydralisk that he hadn't accounted for. He couldn't have accounted for the hydralisk since it was hiding from his forces the entire time! The hydralisk dipped its head as the flaps on both sides of its head opened to release another blindingly fast projectile, this time pegging one of the party leader's soldiers in the eye and embedding itself past his head and to the back of his helmet. This time, the zerg forces had the upper hand, but only just. The numbers kept whittling down between the two skirmishing armies until eventually a force of 9 remaining zerglings, and a hydralisk, were fighting against four of the last lizard-men soldiers. 14 additional zerglings had burrowed themselves during the fight, keeping themselves safe until their health had recovered completely.

Once the heated battle drew to a close, the four remaining lizard-men started retreating, one that was still carrying a tower shield and the party leader making their retreat first. They were promptly chased off by the surviving zerglings. The two that were still in heated combat were subjected to Kay's wrath. One was pounced upon by his leaping strike, which brought down the soldier instantly. Once Kay got back up from pouncing the soldier, blood seeping past his wrists and drenching his bone wings from the victims he had slayed, he turned and stared at the final soldier that remained.

The last soldier had his hands and feet ripped apart by so many errant bites and claws during the battle that he was unable to escape. Despite his limiting handicap, he was still hissing aggressively. But Kay felt like he could see... no... FEEL the fear in his eyes.

Kay leaned down to inspect the crippled lizard-man, sighing deeply before making his next decision. _'Virid. I think we'll be needing an infestation pit. Infesting this lizard-man and connecting his mind to the hivemind network will be the quickest method in learning the lizard-men language. An infestor would benefit us greatly.'_

 _'Can you not use your psionics to divulge the information?'_ Virid asked.

 _'Well, I could, but I think my psionic power had deteriorated before I became infested. You said that some of my brain had been partially dissolved, remember? I'm thinking that might have had a profound effect on my psionic powers. I tried to create a psionic lash or an energy blast during the fight, but nothing happened. If I'm correct, my psionic abilities might have been retarded when I floated in that blackened space.'_ Kay reached down, grabbing at the scruff of the lizard-man's armor and dragged him, deciding to keep him alive for the time being. The lizard-man soldier wriggled and clucked in annoyance and complaint.

 _'Would that mean your mind and powers have been lobotomized by the blackened space?!'_ Virid asked incredulously.

 _'Afraid so.'_ Kay said simply. _'I mean, I feel as though I still have the psionic potential, but... I just need to find a way to re-activate it and practice using it, and perhaps find a method to make it stronger than what it used to be.'_

 _'That doesn't make me any less worried. What if your psionic retardation is permanent?'_

 _'... I don't really know how to feel about a zerg queen being worried about me.'_ Kay said, amused by her reply.

 _'... I will focus our efforts in hatching an infestor.'_ Virid said, changing the topic subtly.

Kay nodded, turning his head to look back at the lizard-man he was dragging along. "Listen, dude. I really hate to do this to you, but uh..." Kay hesitated, thinking over what to say to his 'captive'. "... We're going to have to probe your mind for a bit. I hope you don't mind being infested."

The lizard-man soldier hissed at Kay, wincing in pain as his shredded feet made contact with the creep.

"... Yeah. Well... I'll be sure to let your buddies know that I take no joy in doing this. I really want to tell you that I'm sorry for what I am about to do, but... You don't even understand me. ... For now."

* * *

 **A/N: BATTTLE!**


	6. Infestation

**Chapter 6: Infestation**

* * *

"Stop struggling and keep still!" Kay said, trying to restrain a lizard-man that was having several seizures and convulsions, making gagging and choking sounds as several parts of his abdomen and chest started swelling. Surprisingly, the lizard-man somehow had a pool of strength that Kay didn't know about. He would have commanded several of his drones to restrain the soldier, but he wasn't sure if the drones would be injured by his episode. Once Kay lost his patience and released the lizard-man from his hold, the lizard-man soldier continued to convulse on the spot. At least he was in a safe area to spasm all he wants, being inside of the red cave and on the patch of sand that Kay originally awoken on. The creep had receded by Kay's mental command to let the lizard-man rest on natural sand. "Just what the hell is your problem? Virid, any advice?" Kay said, turning to the queen that had joined him in the cave.

 _'The hyper-evolutionary virus is making the necessary biological changes to his body. He will become part of the swarm.'_ Virid said, hovering over him and inspecting the infestation process.

"I know that." Kay said, huffing. "I was kind of banking on using the infestor to infest this guy. In fact, I thought THEY were the main method that zerg infestation spreads! I mean... Did you put the HEV in him?"

 _'Were his wounds dragged across the creep?'_ Virid asked, turning to Kay.

"Uh..." Kay wasn't sure. "... Maybe?"

 _'Then he has already contracted the hyper-evolutionary virus. Many of the strains, including the creep, has parasites and bacteria that contain the hyper-evolutionary virus. Terran symptoms include lethargy and discomfort, mentality being decreased over time, and then become despondent later. But after twenty-four hours, physical changes will develop inside the body, creating various tendrils, tentacles, and spines that are pushed outside the epidermis.'_ Virid turned to face the lizard-man that was still having fits. _'This organism seems to develop symptoms that are different from a terran.'_

Kay noted that the lizard-man's convulsions were lessening now, and that a new light of consciousness was appearing in the sea of mental awareness. It was small, but growing bigger. It contained very different thoughts than what Kay had expected. "Well, we're going to get acquainted with our 'friend' very soon. Try and be polite."

Virid stared at Kay, unamused. _'They attacked our forces deliberately. Polite conversation is not required.'_

"Whhhh... Doowh." It was then that Virid and Kay looked upon their newly infected victim with impunity. It grumbled, sitting upright and rubbing its body and head with its injured hands. "This... Ow... This pain. Oh... It passed. I think? What was?..." The soldier looked around, then frantically crawled away on his back after seeing Kay. "FIEND! Stay back! Whatever magic you conjured will not sway me!"

Kay was rather surprised. Through the newly developed hivemind connection, Kay could see the lizard-man's thoughts. His memories. His secrets. His hopes and dreams. The information this soldier's mind contained helped to paint the picture of what kind of world that Kay was on. But he wanted to take time on probing and dissecting the soldier's thoughts. Even the language barrier was lifted, cutting out the middle-man of trying to learn a language. Zerg infestation had the perk of assimilating not only genetic information, but mental information too. Kay tried his hand in speaking the lizard-man language, which Kay had learned that it was called basic Gilaish. "Please... Calm. Needed... To... Learn. Talk." ... Kay had to get used to talking in another language.

The lizard-man looked up at Kay incredulously. "... What kind of trickery is this? A bug-man that can talk? I guess Captain Raxa was right to suggest that you might be smart, but I didn't believe him."

"Raxa? Is that... Your commanding... officer?" Kay asked.

The lizard-man paused before nodding. "Yes, but... How do you know the language of the common folk? You are not of the Gilanian people."

"No. I am not. I am... Terran. Well... No. Not... Terran. Not anymore. I am... zerg now." Kay replied.

The soldier shook his head, his eyes frantic and changing between staring at Kay and Virid. Mostly looking at Virid since he had not seen her before. "Zerg? Is that what you are? What is... THAT then?"

"Also zerg." Kay explained. "Zerg queen."

The soldier's expression became incredibly puzzled. He turned his gaze to Kay again. "What does that make you? A zerg viceroy? A zerg ambassador?"

"I... have joint command of zerg." Kay replied. He leaned down to take a closer look into the lizard-man's eyes. "Your name?"

"... Rothef. Ah~!" Rothef clutched his head, pain surging within his brain. Kay could tell that Rothef was in pain because he was connected to the zerg hivemind. "Wh... Why do I hear voices?!"

"Because you are... part of the swarm now." Kay said, solemnly.

"...What? I am part of what?" Rothef replied incredulously.

"A... virus took root in you. Opened your mind... to us. Your thoughts are ours now. We know what you learned... in your past. You are now part of the zerg swarm. I am sorry."

"...What?!" _**-BOOM-**_

Before Rothef could say anything more, he suddenly exploded and showered everything around himself in shrapnel and gore! Kay and Virid stepped backwards in surprise, looking at the armor that contained a ruined body. The brain and body was beyond recognition, and they could tell that Rothef, the only Gilanian they have ever communicated clearly with, died. "What the fuck just happened?" Kay said in English.

 _'He exploded!'_ Virid replied, also surprised by the sudden event.

"I know that, but... How?" Kay said, still confused.

 _'Well... The body is partially here still. I suppose giving the cadaver an autopsy will give us an answer?'_ Virid suggested, poking at the bloody giblets that managed to slide out of the ruined armor.

"That is a good idea. Do you have a scalpel?" Kay nodded, agreeing with Virid's idea.

 _'You can use your claws.'_ Virid suggested.

"Ah, hahahah no." Kay said, turning away.

 _'Why not?'_

"I don't like getting gunk under my nails!"

 _'Don't be difficult. I didn't hear you complain when you clawed at the intruders earlier.'_

"That was different. I was protecting the hive cluster. You can do it since you seem to be the type of zerg to not complain about such things. You were also the first to suggest giving it an autopsy anyway."

 _'... Remind me to have the zerglings punish you later.'_ Virid hissed, slowly approaching the Gilanian soldier's body and setting it to lay upright.

Kay felt like looking away when Virid's claws dug into the late soldier's armor, ripping it apart to reveal the steaming ambrosia of guts and flesh that lied underneath, mixed around violently thanks to the unexplained explosion. Sounds of wet flesh being pulled and ripped apart was heard, and Kay didn't want to be aware of what was happening next to him. In fact, he was actively blocking his connection to Virid. If there was one thing that Kay was starting to understand about himself, it was that he didn't like gruesome and gross details.

After several minutes of moist disheveling, Virid had stopped. _'I believe I understand what killed Rothef, our first infested Gilanian.'_

"Killed, huh? So it wasn't a spontaneous explosion that did him in?" Kay said, turning around. He wished he hadn't since he was now seeing a lizard-man's insides messily pulled out of his body. If he could throw up at the sight of so much liquid crimson and exposed shredded flesh, he would.

She plucked out a piece of armor, making the metal snap loudly as she did so, and showed it to Kay. _'Small explosive charges were attached to the inside of the armor and helmet. I can only assume that it is a countermeasure of some kind.'_

Kay's eyes widened as he heard this information, taking the piece of metal and inspecting it for himself. The metal was part of the breastplate, and it seemed to have become warped by a powerful explosive force that blasted inward, from inside the armor itself. Some meat was still clinging to the ruined silver and blue breastplate, emanating the smells of raw flesh and overcooked barbecue. "... Countermeasure. ... Would this mean that they, um... thought that one of their own was captured and decided to end him?"

 _'They have no reason to suggest such a possibility.'_ Virid figured. _'The other corpses did not explode.'_

"True, but why would this one in particular explode, and why now?" Kay said, tapping a foot and rubbing his chin furiously.

It was then that Virid made the theory that Kay dreaded. _'Perhaps there was a video or audio transmitting device we have not detected on his person?'_

"... Ah shit. That would mean that whoever was listening knows that we can peer into their heads through the infestation, as I had described in their language. They saw that as a security risk and decided to sacrifice one of their own to prevent more information from leaking." Kay dropped the ruined breastplate and face-palmed.

 _'Then we have no choice but to adapt. They have spied on us, but we can spy on them as well. We shall morph another overseer and use changelings to our disposal.'_ Virid said, clasping her two-fingered claws together. _  
_

Kay sighed. "We may have to. What does a changeling do again?"

 _'Changelings are covert organisms produced by overseers. They can assume the disguise of an enemy and infiltrate their defenses.'_

"Any caveats to know about before we use them?" Kay asked, turning to face Virid.

 _'They have a short lifespan and refrain from attacking publicly. Once they have taken a form, it is permanent until they expire. Otherwise, they cost only energy to spawn from the overseers.'_ Virid answered.

"... Yeah, that doesn't sound too good to me. I'd rather have a changeling that cannot expire, and be able to change disguises when its needed." Kay said, shaking his head.

 _'Such a creature has a high risk of capture, should it be discovered.'_ Virid stated matter-of-factly.

"Then I would probably create a psionically commanded mutation that makes the changeling self-destruct, like using a... code word of sorts." Kay took a deep breath and sighed. "... But I guess it'll have to do, for now. We know their language and some of this world's history, but we still know so little."

 _'Then I recommend an underground approach as well. Once we have a roach warren developed, we can silently move roaches stealthily to any neighboring locations or facilities. Our changelings will find their populations, and the roaches will scout their defenses.'_

Kay turned to Virid and nodded. "Sounds like a good enough plan. We just need more accelerant for all the roaches now. Huuuuuuuuh..." Kay exhaled and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What I wouldn't give to have an evolution master at our side. Maybe he can figure out how to deal with our lack of bio-matter and accelerant?"

 _'We will need multiple evolution chambers to gain the power to create one. The minimum is five.'_

Kay's face had a puzzled look to it. Turning to Virid, he wanted to know more. "Five? That seems like an abnormally large number of evolution chambers."

 _'As I said, we need significantly more resources.'_ Virid said, leaving the sifted-through corpse at the red cave and going out into the desert night air. _'But on a side-note, an infestor has been born, and a roach warren is developing.'_ She said, leaving the red cave finally.

Kay nodded, deciding to follow Virid out to see the infestor for himself.

He emerged from the red cave and found himself in the dark desert environment yet again, the creep itself becoming black, yet shiny, in the night. He proceeded to the hatchery where two queens were taking turns injecting hormones into it, promoting rapid growth of the larvae. Yet another queen was emerging from the hatchery, whilst a larva had already cocooned itself a while ago.

Kay then looked over the other zerg bio-structures that had erected themselves around the hatchery.

One of note was the evolution chamber. It appeared to be that of a languid monster that had decided to lie on its side, not minding that it was letting its intestines trail out. Its ribs were poking out from its sides, and its 'face' was heavily overgrown with extra flesh and large pustules. It had already finished mutating the zerg's defensive and offensive capabilities, and was now working on the next step of mutations. At least the overlords can develop ventral sacks again.

Next to the evolution chamber was the spawning pool. The bio-structure was large, and that many 'teeth' dotted the top of the walls that contained a pool of bubbling green liquid. It was similar in shape to an inflatable pool one might keep in one's backyard. However, the zerg version of such a 'pool' was vastly different in both several ways in details and purposes, as described in the beginning of this paragraph.

The infestation pit was also very different, looking like the underside of a large, triangular insect, with its spiked 'legs' gently swaying in the air. The overall shape of the bio-structure was unusual, since it reminded Kay of a kind of fat crustacean. Perhaps appearing to look like an overgrown and widened horseshoe crab? If Kay remembered correctly, this bio-structure was purposed in unlocking the genetic codes of the infestors and swarm hosts.

And finally was the roach warren. It was taking its damn time gestating and developing. In fact, it shouldn't have taken too much time since it was a structure that didn't require any accelerant to create! However, Kay was patient to let it develop, and was eventually rewarded by its gross visage. It looked like a giant head, with several tusks and horns surrounding its face and four eyes, its... 'tongue'?... acting as steps that lead toward its untrustworthy maw and into the thing's throat.

A slurping gurgle sound broke the silence, bringing Kay's attention away from the bio-structures he was inspecting. Alas, it was the infestor!

This creature in particular was odd, since its 'face' consisted of a large plate of chitinous and moldy looking carapace, supported by a rather large squishy stomach that contained... glowing jelly? A small thorn was located on the top of its head, but he knew that it would be ineffective against anything... yet. Despite its many stumpy legs, the infestor was actually the perfect unit to use against infantry. Appearances aside, Kay addressed the burbling infestor. "Alrighty. Ready to eat some dead bodies, infestor?" He asked.

 _'Food?'_ The infestor curiously asked, seeming interested to eat something. Kay knew that the infestor was interested because of the hivemind network, and nobody could tell if they did not have a connection to the zerg hivemind.

Kay nodded at the creature. "Alright then. Go and eat, boy! Go get it! Go!" Kay said, pointing at a direction to a location where he and several zerglings had vanquished several gilanian soldiers.

 _'Food!'_ the infestor excitedly proclaimed, scuttling forward on the creep and licking its mouth with its several tentacled tongues. Once the new DNA has been absorbed by the infestor, it can then replicate infested gilanians for the swarm's needs.

After that, a new cocoon had opened next to Kay. Upon turning around, he saw, with great surprise, that it was a zerg roach. He had nearly forgotten how fast the zerg could grow!

The roach had a round, stocky body that was supported on four tough legs. It has scythe-like sickles on its back, similar to the placement of the attack-claws on a zergling, yet sharing space with other thorny spikes on its back carapace. Coupled with its tough carapace armor, its powerful sickle-claws were only just as powerful to its devastating ranged attack, an acidic spitting projectile that can melt armor and hope. Due to the placement of the roach's three-eyed head, it was incapable of aiming its projectiles upwards to target airborne enemies. As such, because its head was positioned so close to the ground, the roach is mainly effective as a heavily armored anti-infantry unit.

Kay was clasping his hands together subconsciously, thinking of the most evil ways he could use a roach. "Alright, little buddy. Since you're pretty freshly developed, why not go and assist the infestor?" Kay said, turning to point at the infestor that was leaving the area.

 _'Assist? Accept. Going.'_ The roach telepathically sent to Kay, only to go after the infestor and follow behind it.

Kay nodded, also deciding that having a hydralisk assist them both would also benefit the small squad. _'Oh elderly hydralisk? Kindly assist the infestor that will be eating the corpses, please?'_

 _'Hiss.'_ The hydralisk slithered quickly, joining up with the infestor more faster than the roach could. Kay couldn't really figure it out, but he's getting the impression that the hydralisk that had survived the void didn't like him very much. Kay would have asked the hydralisk about it, but decided otherwise since it obeyed his command anyway. ... Well... Technically, Kay 'asked' the hydralisk to assist the infestor, if he recalled.

And since he was sending zerg to assist the infestor, he might as well get two more zerg to help protect it. Kay didn't have to look too far to find the pair of zerglings that was always close by to him. He turned to them, but was slightly hesitant when he didn't see them at first. "So uh... fellas? Want to assist the infestor?"

The zerglings he mentioned came out of hiding to approach Kay, snarling. _'No. Obey. Virid. Orders. Punish. Kay. Disrupt. Punishment. Protect.'_

... If Kay caught that correctly, the zerglings that survived the void were ordered by Virid to punish him if he were to stall or prevent the zerg from doing what it naturally does. Such as stopping their return to the main hivemind or disestablishing a hive cluster. Although it did kind of surprise him that Virid would also order these two zerglings to protect him as well. Rather odd! Kay waved his hand dismissively. "Okay, I guess I'll get two other zerglings to do the job instead. Bug off." It couldn't be any more simpler, since two other zerglings were already near the corpses of soldiers.

The two zerglings near Kay hissed softly before leaving his sight, but not out of his awareness. Kay sighed, but he knew that they were just following Virid's commands. Even so, Kay wasn't very sure how they could obey such a command when they spoke only one word sentences, and had such simplistic intelligence.

But then there were other sights to see, such as the spine and spore crawlers that was situated between and around the main zerg bio-structures. He counted at least 15 of them, and the number was still increasing.

The spine crawlers were long tendrils that sprouted out from a fleshy and thorny doughnut shaped base, where the tendril tips were affixed with a sharp piercing barb. The spine crawler's main body had six symmetrical legs, and the central body contained the rest of the tendril that was coiled within itself. Only when it has rooted itself in creep that the impaler tentacle is anchored and primed, ready to unleash it's ultimate defensive ability: Attacking ground-bound intruders by the power of impalement.

The spore crawler is similar to the spine crawler, being a static defensive structure that can move and only attack when it is rooted. Unlike the spine crawler, the spore crawler has the power to launch caustic seeker spores that is attracted to foreign vibrations in the air, flying at anything that does not belong to zerg, and are not allies to the zerg. The large, tubule, thorny structures that gets around on six symmetrical legs had a habit for being defensive against air units. They also have another ability that the spine crawlers lack. The ability to detect cloaked enemies when rooted. That, or perhaps finding hidden things that couldn't normally be seen by sight?

Honestly, Kay wouldn't know how the biology of the zerg works. No matter how hard scientists tried to research and explain the mysteries of this rapidly mutating collective of several assimilated species, many sane scientists would give up instantly. In fact, some yokels would settle for calling the zerg 'space aliens using bullshit bio-magic', and many would consider that to be the zerg in a nutshell.

Kay sighed in relief. He was VERY glad that the zerg were on his side. Or at the least not killing him. But still, he felt like he had to find some means to control the area he is in. With the infestor already at his side, he can use him to spearhead the forward areas. And hopefully, with more roaches at his disposal, with their tunneling claw mutation already achieved, he can covertly move about the land and find out more of the surrounding geography.

Since the hive cluster already has a powerful defense set up, the zerglings can be used for more aggressive reconnaissance. But for the moment, movement will have to be limited to changelings, burrowed roaches, and burrowed infestors.

There was still one glaring problem that Kay and Virid would suffer from as they took their time staying in the summit. Resources. With the creep fields constantly expanding, it would enable the drones to acquire more bio-matter resources economically, slowly increasing the collection of bio-matter as the creep expands and the drones sift for the nutrients within it. But the extractor, a bio-structure that looked like a giant pair of pincers jutting out from the ground, as a pus-bubble forming middle processed metabolized gas, collected a trickle of accelerant from the freshwater spring, used as the necessary catalyst to form the more powerful zerg strains.

Kay sighed, feeling dilapidated and worn. "Virid?"

He could hear Virid also sighing, but more in annoyance. _'What?'_ She questioned back.

"Hell is here."

* * *

 **A/N: I'll reread everything again and try to detect any misspellings. But if you find them for me, I would be very appreciative for your efforts. :3  
**

 **Kind of got out of hand with Kay describing how every zerg monster looks like in this chapter. Sorry about that. XP**


	7. Gilanian Neighbors

**Chapter 7: Gilanian Neighbors**

* * *

A group of zerg organisms had congregated at a collection of slain gilanian bodies. Two zerglings, a roach, and an old hydralisk that survived the void, was sent to assist an infestor that was slurping and ingesting corpses.

The zergling pair had opted to patrol a small perimeter around the feasting infestor, despite the fact that there were many more zerglings patrolling the summit of the mountain. After all, if there happened to be an attack, the zerglings would be the first to know. The roach and the hydralisk opted to stay near the infestor and watch it eat the cadavers.

And if that wasn't enough, an overlord and an overseer was languidly floating above the small zerg force on the ground. Kay and Virid did not know for certain if there were enemies that can hide themselves on this world. But even so, it wouldn't do the infestor well to be assailed by any invisible assassins that possibly existed on this world. In fact, Virid had came up with a tactic to use, just in case another gilanian soldier force decided to pay the zerg another visit. The infestor and roach would burrow into the ground while the hydralisk and the zerglings would draw the enemy forces to themselves. Once they brought the intruders close, the roach would ambush with its acid saliva spitting, and the infestor would unleash its fungal growth and the infested gilanians that it had ingested. A fresh imbibement of DNA would enable the infestor to create infested clones of the gilanians soldiers within its own body, and use them as weapons that was far less cheaper than making zerglings.

And once that DNA was absorbed by the infestor, then every other infestor would also gain the ability to create clones of infested gilanians within themselves as well.

Kay decided to take the reigns, commanding the infestor to hatch the infested it gestated within itself. After vomiting two 'eggs', the eggs soon hatched after a few seconds to reveal the infestor's most well known weapon.

The infested gilanians were a mockery of what they once were, which had several tumorous growths on their chest and abdomen, expanding and contracting as they breathed, while several tentacles frothed from their mouths. They also seemed to have developed an unusual growth on top of their forearms. Their arms had developed overly large claws, overgrown to the point that they were unable to manipulate tools and weapons ever again. Perfect for melee combat. Their forearm growths contained two unusual adaptations, appearing to be similar to a giant flesh club grafted onto the arm, each having a fanged hole on the tip and situated above the claws.

Kay looked at this unusual infested creature, noting how sickly they appeared. He wasn't even sure how these creatures would compare to the infested marines that the zerg often use with their infestors. The lack of neo-steel armor and Gauss rifles would mean that the infested the infestor would have to employ would be at a severe disadvantage. Even so, Kay would have to make due with what he's got. He commanded the infested to attack one another for a quick experiment.

The infested gilanians turned toward each other and launched something from their 'arm growths'. The tips had sent out a fang-like projectile at the target the clubs were aimed at, which had embedded itself into the each others newly grown carapace hide. The infested gilanians' 'fang launchers' contained condensed bone within itself that was launched by hydraulic acceleration in a medium of venom. Once the fangs had pierced into their target, the condensed fang would then explode, the power of its stored kinetic force turning it into shrapnel on contact. The damage was not equivalent to the awesome power of the Gauss rifles the terran marines use, but it was close. In fact, if Kay calculated the damage-per-second potential between the infested marines and the infested gilanians, he would say that the Gauss rifles dealt slightly more damage than the infested gilanian fang launchers, which was at a 10-15% difference that Kay could somewhat tell. The gilanians appear to be a species that not only used poison to hunt, but also had the ability to create venom!

Their armor was something that was very much lacking, however. The infested gilanian's carapace were only 70% as tough as infested marine armor. As one infested gilanian slew the other, the survivor's health began to slowly recovered over time. However, before its regeneration could restore the health of the heavily wounded infested gilanian, it fell to the ground and ripped its own head off, dissolved into a twitching mass of muscles, and then into a red pulpy fluid afterwards. Kay noted that the lifetime that the infested gilanians had was about the same when compared to the infested terrans. Overall, the infestor had received a downgrade with their ability to spawn infested creatures, but it wasn't a significant drawback. Plus, the infested gilanians required less energy to deploy. Kay was happy with that.

But then came the next task that Kay had in mind for the small zerg force to accomplish. Meeting the local fauna and flora that was outside the growing zerg territory.

 _'Alright, fellas. Lets see where these lizard-men are coming from. Search the area ahead for any clues.'_ Kay commanded.

The zerglings, roach, elder hydralisk, infestor, overlord and overseer went toward the direction that the soldier gilanians had traveled from. A sandy path was traveled by the zergling pair, which was happily running in front of the pack with their new wings, thanks to their metabolic boosted mutation. The roach and infestor had elected to travel side-by-side with each other, with the elder hydralisk right behind them. The overseer was flying circles around the overlord, but the overlord didn't mind the annoyance as it followed the small zerg party.

After meeting up with the steep red rock wall of the mountain's summit, the troupe was soon at an impasse. The zerglings whined since they quickly learned that there was nowhere to go. Nothing but bare rock prevented their progress. A zergling that developed the ability to leap great heights could scale such an obstacle, but there was none in Kay and Virid's brood that could could do so. The two zerglings that survived the trip to this place with Kay and Virid actually had a completely different set of varied mutations with them, and thus were unable to leap over such a barrier. But even then, those two were ordered to harass Kay when he goofed off anyway.

But there was another way past such an obstacle. The overlord's ventral sacks.

The overlord lowered itself closer to the ground and enabled the zerg ground forces to climb up its pincers to be carefully picked up and placed within the overlord itself. It was a tight fit, but the overlord managed to fit the roach, hydralisk, infestor, and two zerglings within its ventral sack. The overseer took the pause in time to hover over the rock wall to see beyond it.

Sand.

An ocean of sand filled its vision.

It would explain the hot air that Kay was tasting for the whole day yesterday. The low light of the hexagonal moon provided more than enough light for the overseer to use. Below the wall, the overseer could see that the wall dipped down slightly, and seemed to be the only part of the mountain that was closest to the desert. Other than that, it saw no life signs. No campfires. Heat signatures from a body. Not even a tent in the immediate vicinity.

Kay then decided that advanced reconnaissance would provide quick territory analysis. He had the overseer produce four changelings, secreting and producing them from underneath itself, and had them go forth in four separate directions. Two would travel along the mountainous summit wall and head away from each other, while the two others would travel down the mountain in separate directions.

The changelings were HORRIFYING to look at. It was much akin to a puddle-shaped slug that had grown a giant, fleshy, pulsating 'foot' that it dragged itself on, and that a hunched torso would pull itself out of this 'foot' and pulled itself to wherever it needed to go. The torso itself carried a face that had multiple sets of tiny, beady eyes and giant pulsating growths on their head and body, with four pointed mandibles that quivered and moved in a way that would make anyone unsettled. One could say that this creature had been beaten with every single stick from every ugly tree on the planet of ugly forests. They were THAT gross looking. Despite their image, they have the offensive ability to form a bone-blade from their body to defend themselves, or to assassinate important targets. However, a wet hug from one of them would make anyone have nightmares for months, their arms feeling like the toothless gums of elderly mole rats, capable of causing severe psychological damage. Sadly, their awesome ability to use mimicry in their reconnaissance had the unfortunate drawback of making them an incredibly weak organism. They had no carapace to protect their squishy protoplasmic bodies, their flesh being weaker than even a terran civilian.

One of such changelings instantly transformed into the disguise of a gilanian soldier when it came into sight of another patrol that it wandered upon.

The patrol of gilanian soldiers stopped when they spotted him, pausing before approaching it. "You there! Which patrol did you split off from?"

"The ah... One that found a way into the summit of this mountain." The disguised changeling said in basic Gilaish.

"Really? How did you survive? Raxa said that he only escaped with only one other? And where did your weapons go?" One among them stepped away from the patrol. It is possible that this soldier is the leader of the group, but Kay felt that that was unlikely.

"The truth would surprise you. I refrained from attacking them and kept my distance. I had to leave my weapons, since they growled at me every time I tried to reach for the handle of one." The disguised changeling said. He got down onto his knees afterwards. "But... I think I got poisoned with something when I entered their territory. I don't think I have long to live!" the changeling said, relaying exactly what Kay wanted it to say.

"Hmm..." The patrol leader fetched something out of his armor and talked to it. "Phelioc, this is patrol number 14 reporting."

[Patrol 14, state your report.] A gruff voice hissed back.

"Someone from patrol 20 survived their incursion into the summit. One of Raxa's boys. He says that he has been poisoned."

[Poisoned? What is his condition?]

The patrol leader gave the disguised changeling a cursory look before replying. "... He seems healthy to me, but I don't know what kind of poison he's affected with."

[... We better have a medic look him over. The hidden water spring tribe will have to wait. Bring him to the base. Phelioc out.]

The patrol leader nodded, pocketing his communication device. "Can you walk with us?"

"... I might need a shoulder to lean on." The changeling said.

"Poqua. Aid this gilanian." The patrol leader said. Another gilanian came to the changeling's aid and gave him support in the form of a shoulder to lean on, which must have been the soldier named Poqua.

Moments later, the gilanian patrol embarked on a short journey back to their base of operations, carrying with them a changeling that they thought was a fellow gilanian. After a brief while, the patrol came upon the front of a makeshift forward base, situated on the edge of the mountain and barely touching the sands of the desert, located southwest ten kilometers away from the hive cluster center. The gilanian base consisted of squat, flat tents that bore the same color as the ground. In fact, it also had several rocks and dead shrubbery as part of its camouflage.

The patrol, unaware that they were carrying a hidden spy in their midst, brought the changeling to the widest tent that was in the center of the base. Upon entering the widest tent, the changeling could see a bustle of activity of several gilanian officers reviewing different view-screens that showed different first-person perspectives of several gilanian soldiers around the area. One gilanian in particular, sitting on a chair in the center of the action, was adorned in blue and silver armor that was decorated with several symbols. The decorated blue and silver soldier walked closer to the changeling, looking at him up and down before speaking. "... I don't recognize you."

"R-really?" The changeling said, trying its best to sound weaker than before.

The blue and silver individual turned away from the changeling. "Captain Raxa of patrol number 20? Recognize this gilanian?"

Another gilanian, sitting on an elevated military bed and having his hand carefully wrapped, looked up when his name was called. It was the same large gilanian that was the leader of that forty soldier force that attacked Kay and his zerglings. He perked his head up to look at the changeling, only for his face to sour into confusion. "Uh... I don't recognize him, colonel." Said the gilanian that must have been named Raxa.

The 'colonel' unsheathed an ornate sword and pointed it at the changeling in a fluid motion. "Then I bet my two drops that you found a set of spare armor, wore it, and decided to infiltrate our base. Is that it? I think that is it. Who are you really?"

* * *

Kay was stumped. He wasn't really sure how to proceed since the changeling was about to be discovered anyway. It was also reaching the end of its life span, soon to be reduced to a puddle of blood and snot.

"Virid, any advice before I screw up?"

 _'The roach and infestor is making their way toward their forward base. Distract them.'_

"Ooh. Kay. 'Operation: Distract-Them-For-Long-Enough' will start now."

* * *

"Yeah. COUGH! I didn't think you would like someone from the hidden tribe hiding in one of your armors." The changeling said, trying to sound smooth. The cough was a nice touch, Kay thought.

The colonel scoffed. "You? A member of the hidden water spring tribe? Why risk getting into a set of bondman soldier armor then?"

Kay and the changeling had no idea what that is. The changeling tried coughing convincingly again. "COUGH COUGH... It felt like a good idea at the time. I don't got long to live anyway, so I might as well tell something to you all before I die."

The colonel lowered his ornate sword. "Tell us what?"

"The monsters in the summit has COUGH... has claimed it as their territory now." The disguised changeling explained. "I have seen hostile intruders cut down mercilessly in their wake, and I think those monsters would continue to expand if they are disturbed further. COUGH COUGH!"

The colonel chuckled. "Hehehehe, foolish misdirection. We already know that there is an infestation of monsters that are being guided by a beast-master. What I want to know is where your tribe and its precious underground reservoir is located. A freshwater spring is a rare thing to keep secret in a modern world. Tell me where it is, and I'll give you a few sips of precious water before you die."

"Hahaha COUGH COUGH COUGH, uh, COUGH. ... Kinda tickles to laugh. Oh... I think my hea-" The changeling drooped on Poqua's shoulder, letting all of its strength become flaccid. The changeling then fell onto the ground.

"... Hmph. You actually seemed convincing there. Medic? Please deal with the sick." The colonel lazily gestured to the changeling.

"COUGH... Ough COUGH gah hugh... I think the poison is ki-COUGH-kicking in. What... What is your name, blue and silver warrior?" The disguised changeling said, asking the colonel. A medic came to the changeling's side, unaware of its real origin.

The colonel sighed before speaking again. "Might as well. I am Phelioc. Colonel of the Crescent Arms Division. Sent by the holy Emperor Gollog, of the Golden Star Empire, to take the lands that once belonged to the hidden water spring tribe."

"COUGH... Then I hope you... can listen to my... warning. Don't poke at the... Nest... Of. ... COUGH... ... ... ... ... ... Monsters. Uuuhhhhhh..." After a long sigh, the changeling's body was destabilized, transforming into red, chunky fluid in front of the many eyes of the gilanian soldiers as it reached the end of its life span.

There was a long pause. After that pause, nearly every gilanian in the area started freaking out.

"BY A SHRYIK'S BLADDER, HOW DID HE MELT?"

"OH GODS, HE WAS ON MY SHOULDER! WILL THAT HAPPEN TO ME NEXT?"

"WHAT KIND OF POISON DOES THAT TO A GILANIAN?"

"OH NO, IT'S GETTING ALL OVER THE GROUND!"

"DID THE POISON LIQUEFY HIS BONES?"

"WHAT KIND OF MONSTERS ARE WE FACING?"

Phelioc turned to everyone in the tent. **"SHUT YOUR GODS-DAMNED MOUTHS BEFORE I CUT OUT AND SHOOT AT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR TONGUES!"**

Every soldier under Phelioc's command became deathly silent. No one even breathed loudly in fear of bringing forth their colonel's rage.

After several seconds of silence, Phelioc turned back at the puddle on the ground. "Surveillance officers. Did you catch his armor registration?"

A nearby gilanian officer checked his computerizing equipment and looked at his viewing screen. "Uh... No sir. The surveillance system reports that the armor didn't even have a number tag on it. It's possible that it was made to look like our armor."

Phelioc nodded. "It would explain the craftiness of those hidden tribe bastards. But even so, it doesn't explain how its armor can melt like that." He said, pointing at the changeling puddle.

The medic had his hands drenched in protoplasmic red fluid, quivering as he saw someone melt before his eyes. "Uh... What... should we do with the body, sir?"

Phelioc grunted and turned away. "Bottle up that juiced-up corpse before it evaporates. Some scientist types will want to know what kind of poison these monsters use. They should pay a pretty drop for a sample."

"Uh... Yes sir." The medic said, taking out several empty vials and scooping up as much deceased changeling fluid as he can.

"Get me a communication link to Pallax. The general of the four armies is going to need to hear this." Phelioc stated.

His officers nodded and saluted, getting ready to send the call. Phelioc's top four officers stood behind him at attention when the call was sent out. Phelioc checked out his armor, making sure that it was well polished with nothing out of place. It was after Phelioc's self-check that the link was accepted, the image of another gilanian showing up on the other end.

This gilanian was different in pigmentation of scales, which was yellow speckled with pale white scales. It signified that he was born as an albino. This gilanian wore a red and gold set of intricate and fanciful ornate armor, with a scar that blinded his left eye that one could guess occurred during a battle from some time ago. He had an annoyed expression on his face. [Colonel Phelioc. You found the reservoir yet? Or are you reporting failure, as usual?]

Phelioc saluted. "General Pallax, sir. It would appear that an infestation of monsters has made their home on Red Mountain. Our attempts to find the hidden water spring tribe is still ongoing, but we have been stalled completely due to... complications."

The general showed a face of constipation and annoyance, sneering at Colonel Phelioc. [Complications? What kind of complications would this entail? You had one job!]

"A gilanian melted in front of us, sir. He said that it was because of the poison that the monster infestation used on him."

[You don't say? Hmm... A poison that can melt gilanians? Sounds rather... icky.] Pallax said, rubbing his chin in contemplative thought. After several seconds of decisive musing, Pallax made his decision. [I suppose sending Commander Faddoh this information could prove useful. Collect whatever data you can and send it to the Cube Research Division. He might be nice enough to send a research team to your position to analyze these monsters of yours. Do you have your orders?]

"Orders, sir?" Phelioc replied.

[Sigh... To take control of the underground reservoir that the hidden water spring tribe has possession of! Contact your commander for more resources if you need to! And tell him that I'm giving you my permission to do so, in fact. Just complete your mission and DON'T. DISAPPOINT. YOUR. EMPEROR.]

"... Yes sir. Understood sir. I accept my orders, sir." Phelioc said, saluting.

[That's a good colonel. Run along now. General Pallax, out.]

And with that, the communication link came to an end.

Phelioc spat at the ground. "Damn prude bastard." He said to no one in particular. He returned to the center of the command area and pointed at Raxa. "Have this man be put under quarantine. Since we don't know what this poison does, it is likely that he might perish under similar effects."

Raxa, who had been quiet the whole time, felt his jaw drop. After looking down at his wounded hand, he sighed. "Dammit. ... well... At least I finally got out of patrolling duties."

And as this was taking place, none of the gilanians had suspected that an infestor and a roach was intently listening in on their conversations.

* * *

"Crescent Arms Division, Cube Research Division, general of the four armies... Man, that is a lot of information to take in." Kay said, _carefully_ scratching the back of his head.

Virid also supplied her commentary. _'It will take us time to analyze these gilanians.'_ she stated.

Kay sighed, reaching out and patting Virid's leg. "Virid, I'm going to give you the reigns on this and let you analyze any important information that you pick up on. Think you can do this?"

Virid turned to Kay. _'More roaches shall be placed at tactical locations for further information gathering.'_ She replied, and also shooing away his hand that was on her leg.

Kay grumbled. "This is just going to get more complicated, I just know it."

* * *

 **A/N: World building!  
**


	8. Snakes in the Sand

**Chapter 8: Snakes in the Sand**

* * *

Kay was sitting in a criss cross position on bare sand inside the red cave, psionically controlling the creep to recede to give him a creep-less place to sit on.

Kay had a slight aversion to creep, but he didn't know why. Perhaps it was simply because he had a hazy memory of an incident from some long time ago? He couldn't remember why he had an aversion to it, but he was slowly recognizing his own instinctual responses that were related to his diminished memory. This is what usually happens when the human side of his personality is allowed to take command, where the zerg hivemind just bides its time, only jumping in on instinct when the need to fight is required.

But even so, he was grossly focused on trying to understand the current situation with the 'Crescent Arms Division' forward base, which was 10 kilometers southwest from his current position.

Apparently, there were a lot of important high-value people at the base that Kay felt needed to be surveyed. Phelioc, the colonel that seems to be in charge of running the forward base, was an immediate high-value person that Kay felt was needed to be spied on. Virid would do well to have the infestor follow him around and acquire as much information as possible. The roach that was already at the forward base, soon to be joined by another roach in around an hour, would keep track of the other soldiers and their patrol patterns.

With the various conversations that had taken place in the command tent, Kay was slowly beginning to see the wider picture. As it stands, Kay's knowledge of this gilanian world was as thus:

Raxa is a captain that lead Patrol number 20, and had his hand struck by a hydralisk spine recently.  
Phelioc is a Colonel of the Crescent Arms Division.  
Pallax is a general of the 'Four Armies'.  
There was a commander mentioned, named Kralluf.  
There was an emperor mentioned, named Gollog.  
There is a faction mentioned, called the Cube Research Division.  
And there was an empire, called the 'Golden Star Empire'.

And they happened to be on an artificial prison planet, and its people called it 'The Kiln Prison System'. But it was also widely known by its nickname 'Kiln'.

Kay sighed long and tiredly. Apparently, he had gotten himself in between two factions in a military operation. The gilanian emperor had sent Phelioc to capture the hidden water spring tribe in order to take their reservoir, and that the tribe was located at the mountain that Kay and Virid's swarm happened to be settling at. He wasn't sure if he and Virid should hightail it out of here since he doesn't know the capabilities of the gilanian military.

But the zerg are adaptable. They can tank nearly everything, and be able to match or outmatch many of their enemy's strength. The only true threat to the zerg is when this emperor finally recognizes that the zerg swarm are more dangerous in superior numbers. Alas, it's only a matter of time till the zerg grows to its full-strength and become able to overcome any threat that tries to eliminate the swarm.

And now, whether Kay wanted to be or not, he is now part of that swarm.

Kay sighed. "Virid." He asked. "Were you able to collect any important information from our neighbors?"

Virid was tending to the lair with the other four, soon to be five, queens, but she divided her attention to share whatever information she had gathered from the forward base. _'There are four military branches that is commanded by General Pallax. The military branches he fields consists of four 'divisions'. Commander Kralluf is the one in charge of the Crescent Arms Division, and he commands the division for the purposes of taking territories and resources in their emperor's name. There are three other divisions that has different focuses. The Cube Research Division, commanded by a commander named Faddoh, is responsible for protecting and funding research outposts and science laboratories. Then there are the two other divisions that I have investigated with the help of the infestor, roach, and a sneaky changeling that accessed their computer systems. The third division is the Torus Chain Division. The commander that heads this division is named Ralkan, and he is responsible for defending and policing the populated areas that has joined Emperor Gollog, as well as protecting any locations deemed vitally important. The fourth division belongs to Commander Guik. She is in charge of the personal defense of the emperor, and manages the resources of all territories owned in his name. Her division is called the Pyramidal Guard Division.'  
_

Kay nodded his head to the information that was fed to him. "Seems like these lizard-men have a heavy focus on geometric shapes. Crescent, cube, torus and pyramid. Huh."

 _'One of them is female. They are not all lizard-men.'_ Virid added.

Kay shrugged and got up, deciding to walk to the freshwater spring. "Excuse me for being racist then. ...Although, to be fair, I don't think I ever saw a gilanian woman before."

 _'Will you let me continue with my report?'_ Virid hissed impatiently.

"Oh... Uh... Yeah, sure, go ahead."

Virid mentally sighed before continuing. _'This area we are in has been fought over for several years now. A group called the Hidden Water Spring Tribe had been avoiding and fighting the Crescent Arms Division's takeover efforts with guerrilla warfare. Progress in scouting the terrain is slow, and resources within this desert is limited for the forward base. From what I have heard with the help of the hidden zerg strains, their progress has been inexorably slowed by the wildlife that haunts this mountain. They are also awaiting for a convoy that is transporting a certain item that can further transport resources and more soldiers.'_

"... Like a... conveyor belt over the sand?" Kay said, now deciding to walk to the hatchery that had evolved into a lair.

 _'No. The name they gave it is 'the MEM device.'_ Virid answered.

"... The fuck? Is that, like, an acronym for something?" Kay said, already reaching the lair bio-structure. It was a relatively short walk.

 _'I have no clue. But if I were to guess, it is something that is bad for us.'_

"Uh huh. Did you learn anything else about them? You know, stuff on their cultural habits and the like?" He asked, watching Virid and the queens tending the larvae and lair. Another drone had cocooned itself next to the lair.

Virid nodded. _'This gilanian species has placed great importance on water. They would try and hoard it, and even use it as currency. On a desert world, it is a precious resource.'_

"Oh... That actually explains that 'two drops' comment that Phelioc guy said." Kay said, remembering that part of the conversation long ago.

 _'They also practice slavery. They have a class of gilanian called 'slave-masters', but I know not much else other than that.'_

"Slave-masters? Wow! They are almost as bad as the zerg! ... Almost." Kay chuckled, palming his face and shaking his head.

 _'From the computer systems, a changeling was able to find out much more about the world we are on. There are 38 populated areas that are loyal to Gollog, 3 that are currently being invaded by the Crescent Arms Division, and 14 confirmed populations that are neutral. The area that we are in is owned by a neutral population, of which the Crescent Arms Division has confirmed that it belongs to the Hidden Water Spring Tribe.'_ Virid explained.

"So wait a minute..." Kay interrupted, approaching the lair and leaning on one of its large outer 'thorn-teeth' that protruded from its base. "Would that mean that the three hunters we first encountered were part of that tribe? And what about that flying machine we saw earlier? Would that plane be connected to them?"

The zerg lair twitched and knocked Kay off of itself. Apparently, it didn't liked to be leaned on. Virid took a break from injecting growth hormones into the lair to approach Kay. _'It's possible. We now have a need to find the hidden gilanian tribe, and protect our hive cluster from increasing threats.'  
_

Kay slowly stood up after being knocked from his leaning spot, sighing. "Oh... That's just great. And all we have at our disposal is a slowly growing army of zerglings, and a select few zerg strains we were able to make with barely enough accelerant. I suppose we should count ourselves lucky that we are in between two enemies."

 _'Lucky or not, it is better to be prepared.'_ Virid said, a bio-structure erupting next to the lair. In the span of their entire conversation, a spire was born. It was birthed slightly behind schedule. A slight recession of resources was difficult to work with, after all.

The zerg bio-structure, designated as a 'spire', looked like a rooted jellyfish that was covered in carapace and thorns. Appearing to hover over the ground with thin tendrils that anchored the weightless 'main body' of the bio-structure to the creep, the stationary zerg organism would provide the necessary adaptations that the whole zerg swarm required. In fact, its main purpose is to provide the necessary mutations to flying zerg strains, and provide new combat strains. The mutalisk and the corruptor specifically.

However, the accelerant generated from the extractor is a trickling resource that both Kay and Virid had to manage carefully. Kay knew that Virid needed the spire bio-structure for the mutations it provided. The overlords and overseers definitely needed a more tougher carapace to protect themselves.

Kay imagined what it would look like with a sky full of mutalisks, corruptors, brood lords and guardians.

But the zerg guardians were a bit trickier to gestate and deploy since they are, at the moment, unable to be produced. The information responsible for unlocking the strain still remains locked. Only a master of evolution can have the ability to unlock such a powerful unit.

Kay took a deep breath and sighed. "... Alright, since we need an advantage, how about setting up the five evolution chambers to try and make ourselves an evolution master?"

Virid cocked her head and clasped her claws together excitedly. _'Yes... Spawning an evolution master to help us would be wonderful. But we have nowhere near enough resources to spawn one.'_

Kay nodded his head, turning away. "Kay... How long do we have to wait until we have enough?"

Virid paused before continuing. _'It would take us seven days from now to gather enough bio-matter and accelerant to forge an evolution master. We could use up some of our bio-matter, but we must refrain from using any of our accelerant all the while.'_

Kay looked down and huffed. "Dammit. We need more resources and fast. This is also because of our dwindling supply of accelerant, isn't it?"

Virid nodded. _'And that is if we decided to not spend any more accelerant until we have stored enough for spawning an evolution master.'_

"Ohhhhhhhhh man..." Kay said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What to do, what to do... We need a more efficient means of gaining accelerant, yet there is none that I know of."

 _'We can always transport an overlord to carry drones to a new location.'_ Virid offered.

Kay scoffed. "Like where? The moon? We don't even know if it is a moon!"

 _'It would take a few days of uninterrupted travel, but it would ensure a safe, aerobic environment to create another hive cluster.'_ Virid answered. _'But... We don't know if it has resources that we can use.'_

Kay sighed again and walked back and forth between virid and the lair. "Hmm..." The decision to send overlords and drones to occupy the hexagonal moon was a hard one. On one hand, the zerg would be able to create a safe forward base that they can create and station their forces on. But on the other hand, the hexagonal moon might not contain any resources to capitalize on. After much mediation between different scenarios, Kay had finally came to a decision. "We send two overlords up with ventral sacks filled with drones and a queen each. You and I will remain here unless we know it's safe to go up there."

 _'An acceptable tactic. Sending commands.'_ Virid then turned away to do just that. Two overlords hovered close and awaited for the queens and drones that are to embark on their journey within them. Several drones and three queens that Virid had mentally selected went up to the two overlords and were loaded into them. Suddenly, the drones and queen that had entered into one of the overlords started crying in pain, as though their health was deteriorating!

This had gotten Kay's attention quickly, his brows quickly furrowing. "... Okay, what the hell is happening?"

Virid stared intently at the overlord that seemed to be damaging the drones and queen it contained. _'I don't know, and I don't understand it. The queen within the overlord is doing her best to heal the drones, but I don't have the explanation on why it's happening!'_

Kay turned his gaze to the other overlord. "What about this one? He has cargo that isn't being hurt."

Virid gazed back between the overlord with its unaffected cargo and the overlord with the affected and deteriorating cargo. _'It is strange. This overlord is carrying zerg that are not exhibiting the same conditions.'_

Kay was alerted by the drones digging the sand out of the red cave. _'Found something! We curious. We investigate?'_

"Okay okay, just shut up for a while. Let me think. Uh..." Kay said, walking back and forth between the lair and Virid again. "Hmm... There has got to be... SOMETHING here that I am not seeing or sensing. The queens and drones started getting weaker when they entered that overlord, so... Maybe there has to be something unique about this particular overlord?" Kay suggested.

Virid tilted her head. _'Unique? It is not a metamorph, otherwise I would have known about it.'_

"Meta-what?"

 _'Metamorph. Zerg creatures that have evolved by themselves, rather than through the swarm.'_

"And you say that you would have known about this if that were the case?" Kay said, gesturing to the overlord that is seemingly affecting the drones and queen within itself.

 _'Correct.'_ Virid answered. _'And that overlord is not a metamorph.'_

 _'Blugh... **I** do not feel well.'_ The overlord complained.

Kay nodded and contemplated this new information. "Hmm... Then perhaps there was something that happened beforehand that we are forgetting... OH!" Kay turned around and pointed at Virid. "The hunters! The hunters shot the overlord with a crossbow, and used some kind of poison on the crossbow bolt, didn't they?"

 _'... Yes, they did. Evidence suggests that they have used some kind of poison.'_ Virid said, turning back to look at the overlord with scrutiny. _'Their weapons have poisoned it a while ago, but zerg regeneration have made it negligibly ineffective, even when a queen had to transfuse energy to heal this overlord several times from then.'_

"And how many times had this overlord in particular been transfused?" Kay asked, pointing at the weakened overlord.

Virid paused before answering. _'... 27 times.'_ She said.

Kay turned toward the overlord and saw the light within its eyes fading already. A new type of sickness that even the zerg can't overcome was incredibly distressing to Kay, and no doubt was also distressing to Virid too. It's obvious that the zerg on planet Kiln desperately needed an evolution master to figure out what is wrong with this overlord. Kay nodded frantically. "Okay... Okay... Let's uh... Let's put this overlord aside for now. He can use his abilities to relay our control over the zerg, but I don't want him to pick up or drop off any zerg, or even depositing ANY creep anywhere."

 _'And the strains that are held within his ventral sacks?'_ Virid questioned.

"I'm afraid we'll have to let them die. Free up control that can be relayed to other zerg strains. ... Actually, we might need two queens keeping each other healthy, plus a drone for them to take care of. That way, once we do manage enough resources to create an evolution master, then he will have multiple patients to work with." Kay said, placing a hand on his chin.

Virid nodded. _'Then I shall place another queen within this overlord, whilst the other overlord will fly to the moon.'_

Kay nodded. "A good plan that we both agree on. Good. ... Wait, did a drone mention something?"

 _'The drones did notify us of something they found.'_ Virid answered, turning to the entrance of the red cave.

Kay mimicked Virid, facing where Virid was looking at and focusing on the drones. Apparently, they had dug out several metric tons of sand out of the red cave's tunnel. It branched off a couple of times that resulted in dead ends, but the drones eventuated upon a large wall of boarded-up wood. It was a curious sight to see in the drones' perspective, which was being shared by the whole of the zerg hivemind psionic network. "... What do you think, Virid? Knock on the door, or knock the door down?"

 _'If this relates to the hidden tribe, then I recommend knocking the door down. Should the tribe be beyond that barrier, then I want to see their fear as we pull their meat off their bones.'_ Virid hissed.

Kay turned to face Virid with a concerned stare. "... Calm down, Virid. I'd rather attack them if they start attacking us first. Since we now know their language, we can start getting things straight between us."

Virid hissed. _'Terran diplomacy is not the way of the swarm.'_

Kay started into a jog and went toward the cave, several zerglings already going on ahead as Kay had commanded them to. "Yeah? Well think of it like this. If we get new friends, then they can be convinced to fight for us! I mean... think about what Kerrigan did when she joined the protoss and the terrans. They ended up going to war with that evil xel'naga."

Virid didn't add to that comment. Instead, she opted to scuttle after Kay and follow him into the long length of tunnel.

After a jog through the tunnel system that was slightly longer than a kilometer, Kay, as well as a few zerglings with Virid, was greeted by a magnificent sight. A huge, artificial underground cavern that was conical in shape, and supported by several stone pillars, was discovered by the zerg. Within this cavern lied several housings of unusual make that dotted the outer regions, seeming to look like several large blocks that was supported and suspended in the air by wooden supports, which was connected by a central spiral structure. Many of these cubed spiral structures were located near raised hexagonal ground that was several meters wide. They had ruined electrical equipment that was hanged above this raised ground, and a small number of dead plants were found in tilled soil that was withered away, but somehow remained intact as husks. Kay would guess that this underground civilization used grow lights to supply their crops, despite the rather stale air that perverted the air.

Nearing the center, however, these cubed spirals grew in number and in size, with less of the raised hexagonal ground that was supposedly used for farming. In fact, some of the larger cubed spiral buildings opted to have square farming plots on the top of their structures. But closer to the center, there was a large wall, three times Kay's height, that separated itself from the outer buildings. The structure within this wall was a hodgepodge of spirals and interconnecting cubes that reached all the way to the roof of the cavern. On this building, and on the wall that surrounded this tower, had several intricate spheres with many spokes poking out of their sides. These spheres possibly could be turret installations, but Kay and Virid couldn't be sure unless they decided to test that theory and provoke the supposedly ancient security system.

But considering the condition of the entire place, Kay would guess that whomever had once lived here had either vacated or died. And that gave Kay a curious thought. "Virid. Can you tell me how the wooden barricade was made?"

 _'In what way?'_ She asked, turning around to inspect their entry into this place.

"Was it nailed shut from within this place, or was it made on the other side of the entrance?"

After a pause, the cursory inspection by Virid was detailed. _'The wooden barricade was made on this side.'_

Kay Sighed. It was no doubt to him that whomever once lived here had barricaded themselves inside and made this place their tomb. But he wasn't sure what would elicit such a reaction in doing so. Whatever purpose that barricading the entrance from the inside would entail, it could only mean that the entombed inhabitants recognized a threat from the outside and didn't want it coming in. Judging from the staleness of the air, this had happened years ago. This didn't sit right with Kay.

"Hmm... Let's have a pair of zerglings and a drone check ahead of us. Better them than us if a trap activates." Kay suggested.

 _'Agreed.'_ Virid approved.

Two zerglings were sent out to assist a drone to inspect one of the cubed spiral structures, and many of them dotted everywhere in this cavern, much like a forest of metal, wood and clay. As two zerglings raked and ruined one of two doors located at the base of the spirals, one zergling went ahead into the new opening and ascended up a staircase. The other zergling checked the other door, revealing another set of stairs that twisted the same direction as the other, entwining together. After ascending the steps to the first set of doorways, one zergling rammed through it to find a living quarters of some make. It had an earthen design, but it was partially designed to service humanoid organisms. The two reptilian skeletons even tied the whole living room together. Speaking of skeletons, there were skeletons on what looked like a couch. After using a careful paw, a zergling upturned one of the two decrepit and dead bodies that was bare of any scales and flesh, yet saw no revealed injuries that had harmed its bones. Without any remaining flesh to look at, there was no way to tell what killed the prior inhabitants. Even the bones were pristine and undamaged. No staining of blood ruined the carpet either.

It was like this with nearly every cube in all of the structures. Some cubes had rooms that were specialized in utility. Others were storerooms. Others, storage for food and seeds. Some even specialized in smithing and tool making. There was one cube that contained a defunct generator that had power lines running to one of the hexagonal farming plots, but the drone didn't dare prod it. It would appear that these small cubed spirals were some kind of housing that the gilanians lived in.

There were other zergling/drone groups that were sent to investigate this curious underground cavern village, which steadily increased their search perimeter. From what Kay could calculate, he had covered nearly 5-6% percent of the underground village and all of the cubed spirals, not accounting for the area that was contained within the wall and the tower itself. And yet, he had covered nearly 325 meters within this new territory. If his math was correct, then the entire chamber would have to be around 7000 square meters wide.

"This place is... amazing." Kay breathlessly said. He had entered the nearest cubed spiral structure and pawed through its contents at his own leisure. He chanced upon several rotted, yet preserved, pieces of paper that had writing on them. Sadly, it was in a language that was too crude to read. He could make out some of the words though. "... Krell eggs. Skracken mushrooms. Pitcher fruit fluid. Mai grain. Medicine. ... Oh. I guess this is some kind of grocery list!"

Virid huffed in an annoyed manner. _'Where are the inhabitants? Surely, the Crescent Arms Division had located the hidden tribe wrongly if this place is what they were searching for?'_

Kay discarded the piece of ruined paper and sifted through more belongings, removing clothes that was once a height of fashion in the past. "Maybe this is the hidden tribe?"

 _'Then were is the tribe?'_

"Dead, I think."

 _'Then explain to me the hunters that had tried to hunt our sickened overlord.'_

"I'm sorry, but I don't have an explanation for them. I am sifting for clues to figure out what happened here though, so sit tight. ...Hmm?" Kay managed to pick up a collection of parchment that was connected together by a bolt and a lug-nut. After reading the first few sentences, Kay whistled aloud. "I think I have some reading material that records this residents past events. I have found a big-ass diary here."

Kay could hear Virid musing over this unique opportunity. _'I have no interest in learning this people's history, but I am curious of what_ _their deaths_ _had transpired. You may proceed.'_

Kay nodded to no one in particular, and started reading aloud. " **Twelfth day of the wet season, year 514 of the Age of Ascension.** The chieftain has finally decided to cut off all contact with the surface. The dangers that would come with seclusion was great, but the approach of the bandit master, the self proclaimed 'Emperor Gollog' of that Golden Star Empire or whatever it's called, was greater still. The bandit master, king of all evil-hearted gilanians, has access to terrible technology that would scare anyone to death! Though I disbelieve such claims, I believe that our chieftain was wise to do what he did. By having a select group of warriors barricade our only entrance into this city, and another to fill the various tunnels with as much sand they could shift, it would ensure that our city would remain hidden from our foes for a long time. Hopefully, by the chieftains calculations, fifty years. The crops would be provided with gentle machine winds and soft artificial sunlight, preventing the air from becoming stale. The livestock would be carefully maintained to ensure that breeding the animals won't degrade in further generations. Water is to be purified from our own waste, boiled, and then reused. Only those within the tower have prolific access to those wondrous machines that we farmers know for certain they abuse. At least they are merciful enough to teach us to use perpetual motion generators to power our homes and automate our farms. Damnable are the wealthy and higher classed, as always.

"Alas, I am afraid that we farmers are not so lucky in this exchange. Rather than rely on using water to trade for resources, we are forced into a socialistic and communal society. We were only given enough water to sate our thirsts, and were forbidden from using such life giving fluid for something of trade. The chieftain had stated that everything was to be made free. Exchanging services were no longer bartered with ounces or liters of water, but instead only needed to be asked to have such services. Still, old habits were strong with me, as I kept a few pints of emergency water in case there was a dry day. Gods knew that even the hottest of dry seasons affect even this cavern!

"But since I still have high hopes of ascending into the higher class as a scholar, I shall be documenting and keeping these records. I will keep them till the day we are released from our underground citadel. But should something happen, and that a reader were to scratch their claws into my belongings, then I say to you, 'hello.' If I am away, and that you happen to find this collection of past events, I ask you to put it back where it came from and hope I don't find you. But if I have been killed... I only ask that you would give my killer righteous judgement. Preferably having his heart removed and having it placed into the mouth of my corpse. Don't judge me please. I was raised under traditional values, and I only ask that you enact justice onto my murderer by the laws that I governed in my own home.

"But I digress. It was only yesterday, on the eleventh, that the doorway had been boarded up. And now, I shall keep my sanity with this hobby.

"With a ray of hope in this unceasing darkness, Pwaf, the scholarly farmer."

 _'How many pages are there?'_ Virid asked.

"Uh..." Kay checked through all the pages carefully. "... They have been numbered. It goes up to 812. All I have read so far was pages 1 through 2."

 _'Could you skip to the last entry? I don't want us to be too distracted here.'_

"You got it." After glimpsing through several pages, Kay found a starting place. " **Fortieth day, soon to be the first day of the dry season, year 540 of the Age of Ascension.** Damn the chieftain. Damn the higher classed. Damn my neighbors. Damn the warriors. Damn it all. I don't know how they came in here. It has been days since I exhausted my water supply. More of them kept trying to enter my home. I was wise to place metal bars on all my windows, and put a heavy lock on my door, but I had set myself for a painful slower death. Haven't eaten in days. Haven't drinked water in a while. Feeling so lethargic right now. I can feel the dry days on us already, and the cavern is hot today. I can hear panic in the tower. Serves those fools right. They broke the automated farming machines trying to get to the water sources. Our livestock had fallen prey. There were squeals from the krell, and then no evidence of their existence followed. Not even a moist soft-shelled krell egg. They must have found a crack in our chamber and dug their way in. How else would they get in here? The chieftain opted to no longer send his warriors to combat these foes. They are now smart against their tactics. I'm afraid that this is my final entry. I am hungry. I am dehydrated. I am scared to know that this is my final day.

"Hope is lost. Our tomb is this unceasing darkness. With final goodbyes, Pwaf, the late scholarly farmer."

 _'... Tragic.'_ Virid replied. She almost seemed moved.

"Is that sympathy, I hear?" Kay asked, putting the diary back.

 _'Starving to death is not fun. It's much like not having creep to nourish from, and having to go on without it for several days.'_

"I'm more concerned with 'them' that this Pwaf character mentioned. What did she mean by 'them'?"

 _'Perhaps some animal had came in?'_

"Sounds likely."

PANIC!

One of the zerglings that was traveling to the next cubed spiral to investigate had suddenly died.

* * *

 **A/N: More world-building anyone? :3c  
**

 **Also, don't worry. There is bound to be action happening next.**


	9. There Are Literal Snakes That Are Actual

**Chapter 9: There Are Literal Snakes That Are Actually in the Sand**

* * *

A zergling had split off from its group of three, and was now suffering from the consequences of traveling alone. A small amount of free will was given to the zergling to investigate the surrounding environment at its leisure. It figured that by spreading out further, the reconnaissance forces could cover more ground easily. But it hadn't expected to run into an ambush.

The only things that the zergling was able to see before it died was teeth erupting from the ground, enveloping and sandy darkness, and then searing, slicing pain.

At the very moment the lone zergling died, all zerg organisms within the cavern stopped their searching to look in the direction of their deceased comrade. The death was unfortunate, but informative. The zergling's death informed Kay and Virid's brood that there was something in the cavern that was still alive, and it perhaps was that something that eradicated the gilanian population in this underground village cavern. Perhaps the cause for Hidden Water Spring Tribe's doom?

Kay cocked his head after a brief pause. "... Well that's fantastic." He said sarcastically.

 _'I don't see how this is fantastic.'_ Virid replied, already laying additional creep tumors.

"Guh." Kay said, shaking his head and walking away from Virid. That noise was still so disturbing to him, but zerg instincts were kicking in and deadening his senses to her tumor laying. Still, there was a new issue that needed to be dealt with. "Does this mean we found whatever made this underground village a ghost town?"

 _'It would seem so.'_ Virid said. _'I recommend infesting these creatures and soon. If there was one, there are bound to be more. And if there are more, then we can acquire genetic samples from each organism.'_

"Kay, we can do that once we get our own evolution master. But for now, I'm guessing we should take this attack as a grain of salt and proceed further cautiously." Kay said, taking the reigns of commanding the zerg forces and ordering them to attack these new foes, while Virid did her thing. Whatever Virid was doing, Kay felt as though it would be important in the future.

Further into the large underground chamber the zerg groups went, careful in their further scouting, despite their trepidation. However, to call it trepidation was inaccurate. Zerg were never ones to become afraid of something, or to give in to fear and run away from a fight. Instead, the drone and two zergling groups scouting the village chamber had... cautioned curiosity.

No more than ten minutes had passed when a group was finally attacked, this time within the hexagonal farm plots that was once used in days long past. Another zergling had succumbed to a similar fate to the first casualty, but at least it had friends to witness its death in detail this time.

This slain zergling happened to be a victim to a giant snake that had erupted from the ground underneath itself. The giant sand snake, unlike most of its non-related cousins, had many rows of edged, pointed teeth that not only directed its prey down the gullet, but also shredded its meal should it struggle. The snake was big and long, erupting out of the ground at around the height of nine meters. The attack was so fast that it managed to rip off the zergling's dorsal attack-claws. It messily gulped the zergling once it stopped thrashing, and then looked onto the other surviving zerg. Its eyes were small, but the tongue danced out of its narrow, pointed mouth to taste the air, sensing more food to hunt. Its scales were thorny and streamlined, which could suggest that it uses its scales to sift sand around itself and burrow underground. It hissed a challenge to the surviving zerg group.

The remaining zergling of that group screeched madly, matching the giant sand snake's challenge. The zergling tried to rush at the enemy and attack it with attack-claws, forearm claws, and its own teeth. Sadly, the zergling's attack was countered with a sudden impaling strike, which revealed to be the giant sand snake's spiked tail. The countering attack managed to pierce and impale through the zergling's belly and separated its spine, turning its third victim into a paraplegic. But even when half of its body no longer functioned, the zergling still tried to fight! The zergling's forelimbs still functioned enough on their own to strike at the embedding tail that went through its own belly, while the attack-claws tried to bend themselves sideways to saw at the base of the tail spike.

The giant sand snake grumbled, flicking its tail and launching the impaled zergling several meters away. Despite the few scratches and cuts its tail received, the sand snake shrugged off the pain and slithered after the drone that was now left alone. The drone instantly burrowed itself into the soft, yet ancient, tilled farm soil. The sand snake lapped its tongue at the space that the drone once existed in, and then started burrowing its snout into the soil that the drone was under. When it disheveled enough soil and found the drone underneath, its maw opened up and bit at the defenseless drone, pulling a pincer off of it and eating the limb.

This aggressive action was not tolerated by the zerg.

One zergling from each group diverted their efforts and formed a ring around the giant sand snake after it had appeared and ate one of their brothers. When enough of their numbers were present, the zerglings rushed at their new enemy. It was at that moment that the snake made a shrilling sound and thrashed wildly when new attackers came upon it, their claws and teeth tearing into its scaly hide. The sand snake buried itself into the sand three seconds later, the only evidence of its existence was several drops of blood that stained the tilled soil.

All was silent, except for the zerglings that were digging as they tried to uncover the sand snake that burrowed under. This had went on for a few minutes before the zerglings gave up and sat still. If that sand snake decided to feed again, then the zerglings would be ready. But despite that, the zerglings were picked off rapidly by several tail spikes that shot out of the ground, impaling the zerglings and pulling them into the farm soil. Fifteen seconds later, the entire zerg attack formation was gone.

The drones that headed the reconnaissance groups retreated back to the creep fields, the zerglings splitting away from them and forming a defensive perimeter at the edge of the creep that slowly spread itself at its own pace. Kay growled in frustration, who was obviously unhappy. "Dammit. We can't fight something that can burrow under us and attack at their leisure. That's usually something that WE do."

 _'The drones that have returned will transform into spine and spore crawlers. We shall have a hatchery dedicated as a forward base here.'_ Virid said.

Kay turned to look behind himself to see what Virid had meant. Several cocoons, embryo-like in appearance, had began to form. Several of the drones that had returned were also forming into cocoons themselves, which Kay could tell were forming into spore crawlers and spine crawlers. There was one cocoon that was the largest of them all, which was a visual telltale sign that THAT cocoon in particular was forming the new hatchery. Kay sighed. "Would be nice to have a counter against these damn, huge-ass snakes."

Virid shook her head. _'I would prefer not to use too much accelerant for making an army of banelings, but I believe they would be very useful in our current predicament.'_

Kay turned to face Virid. "Banelings?" A shudder went up his spine when he said that word. "I think I remember those, but... I kind of forgotten. What are they again?"

Virid sighed before turning to Kay to explain what banelings are. _'A baneling is a creature that morphs from a zergling. With enough bio-matter and accelerant, it would result in the creation of a suicide creature that explodes in a shower of super-heated acid when attacked, or coming into physical contact with a hostile force. Perfect for dissolving the walls of a fortified fortress, or set as a deadly acid-based trap that can kill an infantry force.'_

"Wow!" Kay said in a whisper. It was a shame that he had forgotten about the awesome power of the banelings! However, he wanted to be patient, so he allowed Virid to continue.

 _'But banelings are slow and weak, and that they require to be close to their enemies to deal any sort of damage. We would also need a baneling nest to morph zerglings into banelings.'_ Virid explained.

"... Still, I'm kind of curious to see what a baneling looks like." Kay said aloud, sounding impressed. "Think you can make a baneling nest so I can see a baneling for myself?"

Virid gave Kay a deadpanned stare before sighing. _'It is a misuse of resources... but we may have a need for banelings in the coming future. You may direct one of the drones for this purpose, and morph a single zergling into a baneling to see one for yourself. But now, I must divert my attention elsewhere.'_ Virid replied, turning away to watch the newly developing hatchery.

Kay sighed, deciding to look for a drone that was doing nothing at the moment. Thankfully for him, there was no shortage of drones that was freed from their current task. He chose the nearest one closest to him. "You there. Morph into a baneling nest." he said, pointing at the drone.

The drone turned to him and paused for a moment before gurgling happily and forming a cocoon around itself. _'Baneling nest!'_

Kay smiled, knowing that they would soon gain the means to summon any number of banelings, and at any time they are needed. For now, however, Kay would have to be careful in producing too many at once. He didn't want Virid harping on him for misusing resources anyway.

But just as the cocoon formed around the drone that would soon morph into the baneling nest, the other cocoons that were at the edge of the creep and surrounding the hatchery opened to reveal several spine and spore crawlers. Kay finally understood why Virid laid those creep tumors. She was establishing a defense in case the zerglings were ineffective in combating the giant sand snakes. The spore crawlers would be effective in detecting the sand snakes traveling underneath their territory, while the spine crawlers would penetrate the sand and fend off any intruders that would try to fend off the intruding zerg.

As the hatchery emerged from its own cocoon, Virid went to it and performed her larval injection duties. It would be important to acquire more overlords and combative zerg organisms to help remove this snake filled cavern. Judging from the many spiked tails that penetrated the many zerglings that came for the surviving drone's help, it wouldn't be too outlandish to theorize that there were many more sand snakes infesting the underground city.

One of such snakes was trying to figure out the creep that was growing over the sand, but its curiosity was rewarded with an impaling tentacle, courtesy of a spine crawler. Thanks to the spore crawlers that detected the snake, the spine crawlers were able to zero in on the intruder on creep established territory. Twelve seconds later, the spore crawlers detected more disturbances under the sand and dirt of the cavern, triggering the spine crawlers to start defending themselves and their charges. The zerglings also helped in defending the expanding creep territory, striking at the sand snakes that surfaced to attack. The giant snakes were easily countered by a quick dodge, and then followed with a flurry of savage and animalistic zerg emotion made into a physical attack

From the initial attack, Kay figured that the giant sand snakes hunted like a pack. It would explain the sudden deaths that the zergling posse suffered en mass. And with one of these giant sand snake's blood being drawn, they would no doubt become riled into a frenzy when the smell of blood was tasted. From the onslaught that the giant sand snakes were giving to the zerg defenses, Kay began to understand that they are not too keen on losing their territory. But even then, the dietary needs of such large creatures came into question. Why would they stick around when the food source was already gone? It could mean one of three things. One: there was still food to be scavenged. Two: This cavern happened to be the perfect breeding spot. Three: they went into hibernation after they ate everything, and had only just woken up because their nest was disturbed, hoping to find the prey that entered the giant sand snakes' home.

After only four minutes of trying to fend off the zerg, the giant sand snakes withdrew and retreated. Kay immediately knew that something was up. Thankfully, overlords have emerged from their eggs and were now flying within this cavern. It was not common to see a giant inflated organism hovering inside an underground cavern, but control had to be maintained. After all, the more zerg organisms there are, then more overlords are needed to relay psionic control to them. And since the zerg needed help to detect the snakes in the sand, morphing overseers seemed like the most obvious tactic to employ! The hatchery was already producing overlords, and Kay decided to capitalize on his nearby resources.

"I think need about five overlords to volunteer into morphing into overseers." Kay asked, looking up at the overlords above him.

 _'...The **We** are indecisive on which of us would volunteer.' _ They burbled and grunted indifferently.

After a moment of hesitation, Kay sighed and shook his head. "Alright then. You, you, you, you, and you, morph into overseers and send out changelings into the cities. One of you can go into dangerous territory to investigate, and I choose... YOU for that task." Kay said, pointing to one overlord in particular.

The overlords grunted in approval and cocooned themselves. All Kay had to do was wait.

However, Kay's patience was further rewarded when he noticed that a baneling nest had already appeared from the embryonic cocoon it formed a while ago. The nest itself looked like a heavily carapaced 'hand' with a green fleshy middle. A slimy web dripped from the carapace fingers and down onto a collection of pustules, of which that Kay could only guess contained the genetic information that enables the morphing of the banelings. He was unsure how the baneling nest's 'hand' floated, but he could guess that it was filled with hydrogen or helium. Chalk it up to weird zerg biology to ignore the natural laws of physics and general relativity.

"Moment of truth. Can a zergling come here please?" Kay said aloud.

A zergling came as Kay asked, cocking its head curiously. _'Commands?'_

Kay smirked when he issued his command to the volunteered zergling. "Morph into a baneling. I want to see what one of them looks like."

The zergling excitedly nodded and cocooned itself right in front of Kay. Mere seconds had passed before the baneling appeared where the zergling used to be. The baneling looked like a zergling with four, thick crab legs and huge, green pustules that was on its back. Its abdomen and backside consisted entirely of a giant green pustule that looked taught and fit to burst at a moment's notice. Kay felt that this acid would have a very violent reaction with everything it touched once released. It would result in the baneling's death, but at least it will cause a massive amount of damage when guided to its enemy correctly.

Kay looked at the newly formed baneling up and down before commenting. "You look a bit... I dunno... Doofy looking. ... But I guess that could be useful for lowering someone's guard in their first encounter with you."

 _'Boom?'_ the baneling telepathically said, its acidic payload sloshing around languidly.

Kay nodded. "Yeah. Go ahead and 'boom' yourself on a giant sand snake." He pointed at a direction. "Keep going that way and make some trouble."

 _'Boom!'_ The baneling scuttled off, making his way off of the creep claimed territory and into more dangerous sandy areas.

And it was at this moment that the overseers were done morphing, and they proceeded on their ways in different directions. Four overseers decided to take positions near the creep to generate changelings to safely send out and investigate the further territories without any loss to resources. One overseer in particular had decided to follow after the baneling that embarked on its suicide mission.

After a few minutes of travel, the scuttling baneling didn't find any opposition to explode itself onto. Somehow, just as the giant sand snakes appeared, they had just as suddenly disappeared. The baneling even reached deeper into the underground cavern than any of the drones or zerglings had ever reached, or that it itself had ever reached in its past zergling life, even reaching the circular wall that was at the center of the cavern. At least the overseer that followed it would witness its death once the giant sand snakes came back for a third round of combat.

A slight tremor broke the silence, the overseer and the baneling stopping in their tracks to investigate the sound. A little more than a minute had passed before a larger rumble broke the silence further. A pillar of scales emerged thirty meters away, erupting from the ground with well over twenty meters of serpentine height. It turned to face the overseer and the baneling that seemed to have wandered into its territory. Like the nine meter giant sand snakes, this one hissed a challenge to the intruders in its territory, albeit more lowly. More loudly.

The overseer deposited something onto the ground and started flying away, while the baneling started crawling toward the colossal sand snake. The snake took a brief pause to analyze the creature that decided not to run away from its apparent hugeness, as though confused by its determination. After some hesitation, the colossal sand snake launched a tooth-filled strike at the approaching baneling. The colossal sand snake's attack killed the baneling quickly, but caused irreparable harm to itself in turn. It growled and roared madly, shaking its head and thrashing its face onto the defensive wall and making it crack in several places. The acid had wounded its mouth to a great extent. Almost half of the colossal sand snake's jaw had dissolved due to its attempt to kill the lone baneling, and now it suffered from its new injury.

Despite the major wound that the colossal sand snake suffered, Kay recognized that the more immediate problem was forming an effective counter-offense in time. "BANELINGS BANELINGS BANELINGS BANELINGS BANELINGS BANELINGS BANELINGS!" Kay shouted, turning to Virid when the overseer was clearly away from the overgrown serpent.

 _'Ohhh... So much for reserving accelerant for an evolution master.'_ Virid said in a disappointed tone. Nearly all of the zerglings that either came from the surface, or were spawned in the cavern, had simultaneously formed cocoons around themselves. It was obvious that the greater threat was the biggest sand snake that they had ever encountered.

"And that would amount to nothing if we don't protect our drones and hatcheries from that thing!" Kay yelled, pointing at the direction of the colossal sand snake.

Virid nodded. _'I have ordered some of the queens from the surface to come here. Their healing abilities and defensive capabilities will be needed.'_

Kay sighed, looking back to the direction where the colossal serpent still remained. It tasted the air around the clump of pulsating protoplasm, but didn't do much else until the changeling decided to move away, prompting the colossal sand snake to snatch it up, despite the disfiguring mouth it now sported. "If this thing starts coming our way before we're done preparing, we might as well be in a world of trouble."

Several minutes had passed, and gentle silence filled the air again. Even when more overlords dotted the air, and more spine and spore crawlers were created on territory claimed by the spread of creep, Kay and Virid knew that it was only a matter of time until the sand snakes redoubled in their efforts of ridding the zerg from the home they took for themselves. The wait was agonizing, and the brood had to spend much of its stored resources to prepare for the coming attack that they knew would occur, sooner or later. Overall, it was an agonizing wait. But still, patience had rewarded Kay in the past he remembers. He could gamble to wait even more.

After half an hour of time had passed, the attack happened.

The colossal sand snake slithered forward, its body making deep lines in the sand as it passed. From what Kay could judge from its path, it was either following the overseers scent, or the scent trails of the zerglings and drones that had retreated to the established creep territories. A few changelings died in its path, but it continued on until it reached the edge of the established creep fields. When it strayed too close, the spine crawlers that were in range launched their defensive attack to ward off the colossal sand snake. After the first three attacks, it started to dodge the impaling tendrils and retreated back to relative safety. Out of range of the spine crawlers' range of attack, the colossal sand snake took a brief pause. It was then that Kay was beginning to understand that this creature was not only huge in size, but it was also ancient and intelligent.

"Is Mr. Half-Jaw here thinking up something?" Kay wondered aloud. He saw the colossal sand snake in its entirety, and he guessed that the beast itself must have been around ninety or a hundred meters long! There was no way that something this big could exist here without a food source to derive from, Kay figured.

Virid looked up at the huge serpent. _'It knows not to intrude, or the banelings would take it down.'_

Kay looked at Virid, but then returned his gaze back at the bigger snake. "It learns?"

After around twenty seconds of pausing in what seemed like a tactful manner, the serpentine beast reared its head and bellowed out a deafening, rumbling roar that shook the cavern walls. The sound was loud and impressive, but it soon dawned on Kay and Virid that it also had some strategic meaning.

It was a call to battle.

Another twenty seconds later, several more sand snakes erupted beside the colossal sand snake that called them. There were tens of them, and they all slithered onto the colossal snake in an unusual manner. They licked at its scales as a heavy scent filled the air.

"... Uh. What?" Kay replied.

Was it actually a mating call?

The colossal sand snake then did something else that Kay hadn't expected. It charged forward and into the attack range of the spine crawlers, using the smaller sand snakes that were slithering all over it as living armor! Whatever kind of attack that the spine crawlers or the banelings tried to counter, it was to a new strategy that they were unprepared for. The banelings did most of the damage to this living armor, burning and dissolving each giant sand snake in half or turning their heads into soup, sloughing off the colossal sand snake's armor. The spine crawlers managed to distract the snakes making up the armor of the colossal snake, and were quickly taken out by either other spine crawlers focusing their attack on them, or a baneling that got lucky enough to face a lone giant snake that diverted away from the colossal snake.

But even then, the colossal snake was making an effort to attack the spine crawlers while its living armor protected itself from the banelings. To Kay, this could only mean that these giant sand snakes and their colossal 'friend' were definitely intelligent.

There were now fewer banelings than what was needed to take down this monster of a threat. It would threaten the forward zerg base in the cavern if it wasn't dealt with in time, and Kay felt sure that that would happen soon.

 _'The queens have came to defend our forces.'_ Virid announced. As she said that, several queens have came crawling out of the entrance into the underground village, spreading themselves out and surrounding the colossal snake, its living armor already stripped away to a significant degree. The queens fired their spines at the giant sand snake's living armor, forcing them to peel off of their master and making the colossal sand snake more vulnerable to damage. Only two queens ended up being devoured by the sand snakes, both by a giant and the colossal, but the queens were plentiful and was able to slay the foe with superior numbers. The hatchery remained untouched and undamaged, and was now being fed with a supply of nutrient rich creep, collected by the few remaining drones in the cavern.

Kay exhaled and flopped onto the creep, feeling drained. "Hooh! That was close!"

Virid hissed. _'You could have joined the battle, you know.'_

Kay raised his hand and held a finger up. "Here's the thing: We didn't know what we were facing. You think I could stand up to all those snakes at once? Besides, you didn't do anything too."

 _'I was busy tending to the hatchery.'_ Virid replied.

"We both have our excuses."

 _'Must I fetch the zerglings again?'_

"... Shutting up now."

 _'... Do you still want to investigate this village cavern?'_

"Hmm? Oh. Yeah. Just give me two minutes and I'll get back to that."

Virid shook her head and continued to tend the hatchery. Three other queens joined her, and they took their turns injecting hormones to promote larval growth.

And once Kay recovered from that near loss, he would continue investigating the mystery that is the Hidden Water Spring Tribe's underground village.

* * *

 **A/N: To the random reader that wrote this:** I don't know what to say, other than you're too descriptive about zergs, and its a bit slow. Also, technologicaly advance-ish lizard people? Weirdly shape moon? This is a crossover right? Can you please tell me what you used?

 **Answer: I'm sorry about the plot being a little slow, but being descriptive is the hallmark of good story writing. You gotta paint the picture with words somehow! Not only that, but the gilanian species, Virid and Kay, are the OC's in this story so far. But the technology is derived from something else that I would only hint about at the moment, and that tech would give you the hints needed to figure out what universe planet Kiln takes place in. Only one other person I know of has figured it out at the time of writing this. :3**


	10. Chamber of Snake-Rats

**Chapter 10: Chamber of Snake-Rats**

* * *

A while ago, zerglings were hatched to help reduce the giant sand snake corpses into manageable chunks of meat, so that the drones could carry the nutrient rich gore to the hatchery in the underground cavern. The flesh would be redistributed and re-purposed as the muscle, fat, bone, ligaments, nerves, blood, skin, veins and carapace of the future zerg spawn. Alas, without any minerals or vespene gas to rely on, alternative resources were deemed a necessity. The zerg would even consider self-cannibalism a method to convert the resources used to make one organism, or several, into a different combat strain.

And with many of the giant sand snakes culled after a decisive battle, the creep spreading efforts were significantly easier.

The spine and spore crawlers would move up in pairs. The spore crawlers would detect the underground shifting of any hidden foe, letting the spine crawlers know when to react violently to a perceived threat. There were a few spine and spore crawlers dedicated to the protection of the underground hatchery, in case the snakes tunneled deeper in the sand and circumvented the detection range of the spore crawlers that fielded the creep expansion. As the creep grew, covering more ground and gaining new land to potentially extract minerals from, it would give more areas for the spine and spore crawlers to root into.

Several groups were sent out into the underground village with more protection this time around. There were five groups scouting the city, and each group consisted of six zerglings, two drones, and an overseer that would occasionally deploy changelings into areas that might be possible ambush locations. So far, the attacks enacted by the current slithering residents of this underground village were varied, but the spore crawlers were effective in rooting them out, and the spine crawlers penetrated the sand to wound and kill the giant sand snakes that thought they were safe from being hunted themselves. The only casualties that the zerg suffered after that major battle were the changelings that were sent to scout undiscovered terrain, or to draw out any sand snakes that might still be hiding.

Once the cubed spiral structures outside the wall were sufficiently searched through by the zerglings, drones and changelings, the buildings would then be slated for deconstruction or infestation. No matter how ancient the bones, the genetic information the bone marrow contained would be sufficient enough to gestate infested gilanians. Infested spirals would dot the cavern, and they would soon be accompanied by their zerg neighbors.

But there was a lot of ground to cover still, and there were still many mysteries to investigate. The drones' pincers were able to carefully handle objects with care, but complex tools and sensitive equipment required dexterous hands to use them. The zerg queens only had two clawed fingers to work with, so their ability to interact with gilanian technology was slightly limited. Thankfully, Kay had the necessary digits on his hands to expertly wield whatever gilanian-made tool or object that was in this tomb. He was thankful that Virid didn't change the biology of his hands to be bone-tipped tentacles or scything claws.

One of such marvels that the gilanians made was a small children's toy. A remote-controlled miniature flying machine of triangular shape was carefully inspected by Kay's hands. He didn't know where the remote control for the thing was located, but he could tell that it was a toy due to the small pictures and drawings that was drawn onto the thing. Of course, it could be fitted with a camera and might be used for military uses, but even kids need something to entertain themselves until they grow older. At least that is what Kay assumed.

Several piles of reclaimed technology had formed around Kay as he was investigating a long lost culture, sitting in the center between the piles. After poking into the machine guts of the miniature flying machine, Kay assembled it back together and settled it back down. "Hard to imagine what the culture of another species was like when all you have to work with is cobwebs and corpses."

Virid, taking no interest in the plundered baubles that Kay was insistent on investigating, hissed her complaint. _'The metal in that device could be used to strengthen our force's carapace.'_

Kay sighed. "No respect for the dead. ... But I suppose you're right. We need everything we can get." He threw the gilanian toy plane at a pile that contained other gilanian children toys. At least he assumed that they were toys. Plastic, rubber and latex can be converted to biological materials, and it was a feat that the zerg can easily accomplish in an organically possible way. As the drones got to work sifting the neatly organized piles of recyclables, Kay stood up and turned his gaze toward the central tower of the underground village. "... But I wonder what we can get in there?"

Virid turned her gaze to where Kay was mentioning and sighed. _'That is something I have no interest in. Proceed at your own will. I still have duties to attend.'_ Virid replied, tending to a new hatchery that was forming.

Kay sighed and nodded, proceeding forward and going toward the underground tower, forgetting about the piles of technology that he had spent many hours sorting through. And soon, those piles would dwindle to nothing as the drones carried the ancient relics for deconstruction and material redistribution at the hatcheries.

The tower in the middle of the cavern was definitely a large structure, making Kay assume that it once served some purpose long ago. The cubes that formed from the many spirals interconnects between the various spiral staircases, and that many cylindrical shapes connected to each cube horizontally. It was a safe assumption to assume that those spirals and cylinders enabled a means to access the different cubes within the tower.

Kay investigated the base of the tower and looked at the impressive indent on the tall wall. The colossal sand snake's strength was surely impressive, but Kay would prefer not to tangle with another one if the battle could be avoided. At least for now.

But at the moment, the wall was weakened enough for Kay to make his own entrance with ease.

"Group one, with me." Kay said aloud when he clawed a new opening for himself. At his command, one of such groups that was scouting the underground cavern village met up with him as he finished creating the entrance. As he stepped forward, the zerglings, drones, and changelings followed after him, while the overseer remained outside as lookout.

As he ventured into the halls of the tower, Kay took his time to carefully take in any details and clues that mentioned or documented the dead tribe's past. A dead city had so much history, and preserving history was something almost each and every human excelled at. Or in Kay's case at the moment, understanding the history of the lost culture using what information that was available and in his grasp.

From his understanding on the information relating to the underground village, this tower happened to be where the warriors and the high-classed citizens lived.

A zergling stopped its gallop at the front of a fancy white door with several inlaid designs. Upon clawing its way through, it found itself in some kind of room where every piece of furniture was gilded with precious metals, and the walls looked as though silvery crochet was used to design or paint everything. Accents of gold was also present on nearly every surface. Could this signify that someone of noble birth lived here? The zergling didn't care as it was joined by two other zerglings, using their claws to make gashes in the furniture. One of them even started nibbling on the gold accents of some of the furniture to see if it really was gold. Alas, it was only gold plated. There was twelve other cubes that had rooms like this.

Another room consisted of weapons of various make. Many of the weapons were of medieval design, consisting of swords, maces, axes, knives, morning stars, and javelins, and many more that were stored in weapon lockers. Other weapon lockers contained ranged weapons that consisted of crossbows both small and big, bows of various sizes, and even small arms weapons that looked to be the shape that was similar to pistols. Some of the other heavy duty weapons, like heavy machine guns, semi-machine guns, and rifles, had their own dedicated weapon lockers. Two zerglings and a drone broke into the armory and were tasked to bring all of these metal-rich weapons outside. More drones would be needed to carry the sweet loot to the hatchery. There were twenty nine cubes that were armories. The cots within them suggested that the warriors slept near their weapons.

Kay was followed by two zerglings and a drone as he traversed the highest part of the tower, having already went through many cubes and the rooms they contained. He eventually happened upon the largest cube of this tower, and looked into the darkened chamber inquisitively. Kay had no trouble seeing in the dark since he had already adapted to the low light conditions of the underground. And since he was zerg now, the adaptation came quickly. The room was very wide, with several gray walls that had seven large painted faces. Seven chairs was located at the center of this large room, surrounding a septuple sided table.

"... Some kind of conference room?" Kay said to himself, taking a chair for himself and sitting in it. The chairs had a very ornate design to them, but Kay felt as though that he was missing a few pieces to the puzzle of understanding this room's significance.

 _'Pointless for the zerg.'_ Virid said, using the awareness of Kay and the zerg that was with him to inspect the room and provide her opinion.

Kay nodded. "Yeah yeah. Why need a conference room when all the zerg can communicate through telepathy?" He said, leaning back in his chair. The chair, however, was not designed to be leaned back on. Kay felled backward as a result of his carelessness.

 _'Have you searched through the entire building yet?'_ Virid asked Kay.

After picking himself up and setting the ornate chair back upright, he replied. "Uh... Yeah, I think so. Why? Is there something you want to do?"

 _'Demolishing these buildings and claiming the minerals and metals.'_

"Oh, ever the simplistic zerg desire. Virid, where is your sense of curiosity?" Kay asked Virid.

 _'The swarm does not become curious. We search for resources and enemies. We find new territories and claim them as their own. We evolve and acquire traits from other organisms.'_

"My gosh, you lack the vision to see a whole world of potential possibilities! I know that the zerg are supposed to be a dangerous force of nature that consumes all in its warpath, but you are making yourselves out to be a simpleminded hivemind race of insects. If you keep going on like this, then you can't improve as a collective."

 _'Do not mock the swarm! What good is this 'vision' you speak of anyway? It sounds like something that would be very pointless to us since the overseers can see invisible enemies.'_ Virid hissed.

"Virid, Virid, Virid." Kay said in a disappointed way. "Wrong kind of vision. Leaders of all kinds have a lot of vision, and it is through their vision that they make important decisions when leading their troops into battle. The point of having vision is to determine the best strategy using all of the pieces on the battlefield to your advantage, and to use the pieces that your enemies don't see to their disadvantage."

Virid paused. _'...Interesting. So this 'vision' lets me see potential tactics and strategies that can be used against our foes?'_

"Well... That's one way to put it."

 _'Could you teach me vision?'_

"Hmm..." Kay paused before answering Virid. "... I guess I could. Can't be any harder than programming a computer."

 _'Programming a what?'_

"Computer."

[Computer system activating. State your command.]

Kay froze for a split second before wildly turning his head. "... Who is there?"

 _'... Is someone with you?'_ Virid asked.

[Query detected. I am the artificial intelligence programmed to be an information repository for this facility.]

"... Really? How do you know how to speak my English language?" Kay said to the voice that seemed to originate from the entire room. Even the zerglings sniffed the air to try and find the new person. Alas, they smelled no living thing nearby.

[Query detected. Audio from current user language matches Earth English. Usage of the Earth English language suggests that you are an earthling. Analyzing. Analysis incomplete. New species detected. Accessing data banks for specie information. Data not found. Submitting query to anonymous information network.]

"Okay okay okay, hold up." Kay said, raising his hands for the voice to stop as he tried to think for a question that would not have this... thing... go off on a tangent. "Let's take this a few steps at a time. Can you tell me who you are, please?"

The computer voice seemed delighted to answer. [Query detected. I am the artificial intelligence programmed to be an information repository for this facility. My personality designers modeled me after a late chieftains daughter, whom had died abruptly from a fast-acting disease from five hundred and ninety ni-... Correction. six hundred years ago. Designation: Maiden.]

 _'This 'Maiden' sounds like an adjutant. Shall we dissemble her?'_ Virid asked, seemingly hissing at what might be a threat.

Kay shook his head, thinking very hard at Virid about how bad that idea was. "Uh... Kay. Maiden? Do you know where I am?"

[Query detected. You are currently in the underground village of the Hidden Water Spring Tribe.]

"Kay. What happened to the villagers?" Kay asked Maiden.

[Query detected. Accessing memory banklsssklsssklsssklsssklsss... ... ... Memory files have been encrypted. Access unavailable to certain files.]

Kay stared blankly at nothing before nodding his head. "Kay... How about the files we CAN access? Care to peek into those and share them with me?"

[Command detected. Accessing unrestricted memory files.] A wall had lit up with blue light behind Kay and the zerg in the room. They all turned to see several words in Gilaish. The accenting was different from what Kay understood, but it seemed as though the computer program called 'Maiden' was translating the ancient words into modern English. [Access complete. Three files detected. First file name: Some Hope for the Lovechief. Data type: Word document. Made by: Warchief Contyan. Use artificial intelligence for text-to-speech translation?]

Kay nodded. "Yes please! Go ahead, Maiden."

[Command detected. Accessing document. Document reads: Kragnon, if you get out of your cold-pod and read this, know that I want to personally say to you that you are a fucking idiot. But if the others really believe that you are the only piece of shit that can save this world from that monster's wrath, then I suppose that you are the person to do it. But the village has been invaded by the shryik serpents, and restoring our numbers through natural population breeding will not restore our village to its full luster. Damn those shryiks. In any case, if you read this, then this means some gilanian or other miraculous miracle saved your sorry ass from an eternity of waiting. Eternity sounds like a hot goddess, and I recommend seducing her immediately. Grab that tail for me. Anyway, it's time for me to try and kill these invaders like an honorable fighter. It's how I would want to go. Goodbye forever, but I'll see you again when you die too. With tolerable respect, Warchief Contyan. End document.]

Kay nodded as Maiden finished. "Contyan seems like the kind of guy I'd love to meet. Too bad that won't ever happen now. What about the two other documents?"

[Query detected. Second file name: Log Entry 1. Data type: Video. Made by: Lovechief Kragnon. Third file name: Resurrection Instructions. Data type: Word document. Made by: Lovechief Kragnon.]

"Can you play the second one? The log entry?" Kay asked.

[Command detected. Accessing video file.]

The blue lightened wall suddenly bursts with several colors that took shape of times long past. Kay could see several types of broken pods, but one of them seemed to be intact. An albino gilanian stood and faced Kay, or rather, the camera's perspective, and wore what looked like a white lab coat. After fiddling with the camera from outside its perspective, this albino gilanian began to speak. [Hello, world. This is Lovechief Kragnon speaking. After much deliberation, the council has decided that I should be the one to enter the cold-pod and enter a hyper-stasis method of hibernation. I'm actually very honored. ... But at the same time, it pains me to know that the people I know right now will grow older without me. But I have been known to melt icy hearts before, and melting Gollog's heart would be a great challenge for me. Contyan, as always is an ass.]

[Are you talking bad about me again? Fuck you!] A paper ball smacked into Kragnon's face.

He paused for a few seconds, glaring at someone off-camera before continuing. [And, as expected, our Thoughtlord is nowhere to be seen, and we had to make due with his apprentice. Apprentice Greeh might not be my first choice for a candidate for becoming the next Thoughtlord, but... She is very inquisitive, and willing to learn everything. Maiden is pretty much teaching her everything she knows. Heh. I think her friend would love to peek into the information index. What was her name? Pwaf? Or is it Pwanth? Eh. Questions for another time.]

The gilanian named Kragnon sighed before shifting his expression to a more serious tone. [... But Gollog needs to be stopped. I hope that with my diplomacy, we might be able to change his heart and prevent him from destroying our home, and other gilanian settlements. Everyone has the right to live with the freedom they fight for, and we will claw for it when our freedom to live is challenged. That is the natural law of this world. His perverted technology has extended his life to 'immortal' status, and now he proclaims himself as a 'holy' emperor. The 'Immortal Golden Star Emperor'.] Kragnon looked away and nodded. [But if that fails... I can convince his men to rebel and strike him down. The only way that society can return to the way it was is either through social reform or through his death. A great challenge awaits me. But I can get myself to be ready for then. End log entry.]

And with that, the video finally ended.

"Fuckin hell." Kay said aloud, sitting back down on the chair he had fell from.

 _'Cold-pod? Would that mean there is a gilanian survivor that is still alive?'_ Virid interjected.

"Hmm... You could be right."

 _'Is there a chance that this Kragnon can be found here? Ask this 'Maiden' that.'_ Virid asked.

Kay nodded and looked up. "Maiden. Is that Kragnon guy still alive?"

[Query detected. Analyzing cold-pod conditions. Condition: Green.]

Kay nodded. "I'm thinking we should wake him up. I want him to answer a few questions I have about this place."

[Command detected. Command denied.]

Kay cocked his head and his brow furrowed. "Excuse me? Why can't we do that?"

[Query detected. Resurrection of Lovechief Kragnon is restricted. Condition of restriction: File name 'Resurrection Instructions' has not registered recent access after appointed time limit restriction. Condition of time limit till restriction lift: Complete.]

"Huh... So you have to read the document first before we resurrect your Lovechief?"

[Query detected. Confirmed.]

Kay rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Yeesh. Sounds like someone wanted to be thorough once nap-time's over."

[Assumption detected. Confirmed.]

"Kay then. I guess we can wake up this guy by following some directions. I got nothing better to do anyway. Open the third file please."

[Command detected. Accessing document.]

Kay leaned back in his chair again, but was careful not to tip over and fall that time. The process of reviving the lovechief, as described by this Maiden computer, sounded very complicated, but he was sure that Virid was listening intently to Maiden's explanation on how this Kragnon character can be revived. And judging from the size of the document, he might be sitting there for a good while.

 _'... This might take longer than I would have wanted.'_ Virid complained.

 _'Let me do my homework in peace please.'_ Kay telepathically replied back, trying to learn everything about the revival process. So much for assuming Virid becoming interested about learning this revival process.

This had went on for several hours, but Virid kept herself busy with the other queens. Kay, on the other hand, was patient. And since he had transformed into a zerg organism, he could wait until the universe completely cooled and experienced its heat death. Zerg immortality had that advantage. He would wait and learn about this world until he was ready to act.

* * *

Elsewhere, a gilanian research facility was in a complete uproar. They couldn't believe it! The organisms that they pulled out from the void were somewhere else in the world! But what was worse is that the image that was sent onto the anonymous network for community analysis had a completely new face for them to research. It was definitely similar to the organisms that attacked the inside of their base that escaped to somewhere else on Kiln. Worse still was that these purple and beige bug creatures were now greener, and at a facility they didn't recognized. But they recognized the chairs that was in the image. Somewhere, an old-styled council chamber had those purple and green creatures inside, and that would mean that they were in a major city!

The researchers in the research facility would have to warn everyone about this breach of security.

* * *

 **A/N: Might give this zerg crossover story a break. Now I want to go back on my Overlord/Saints Row fanfic. :V**


	11. Survivor

**Chapter 11: Survivor**

* * *

Kay was silent when he proceeded to a hidden chamber that zerg eyes had easily overlooked, which happened to be hidden by a sliding floor hatch. He eventually came into a cold and secret place that supposedly contained this Kragnon character. Of course, they would have found it anyway if the zerg had deconstructed all of the structures for resource redistribution, but finding this hidden chamber put the discovery way ahead of schedule. But Kay, on the other hand, was very agitated and quietly fuming. After all that time carefully being explained on how to revive the lovechief, the conversation ended up being more pointless than telling a fat kid with ADHD to keep his hands to himself in a candy store.

 _'You are angry, Kay.'_ Virid stated, unseen but still telepathically heard.

Kay stood before a console with several buttons, and this console was overlooking a capsule that contained a safely preserved individual. "Fuck yes I'm angry."

 _'Why are you angry?'_

Kay sighed, raising his clawed hand and getting ready to access the console. "I am angry, because..." He tapped a button. "... All that time spent listening to Maiden amounted to nothing noteworthy. In summary: Only a single button was needed to be pushed."

[Assumption detected. Confirmed.] Maiden politely answered. [It was necessary for each part of the document to be read thoroughly. Otherwise, the restrictions of access into this particular facility would still be in effect.]

Kay sighed again. The revival processes of the cold-pod was entirely automated, making the simple process of rejuvenating a hibernating gilanian a simple matter. As the machine whirred to life, the pod slowly warmed up and proceeded with the revival process of the creature within. After several minutes of time passed, the pod eventually opened to reveal an albino gilanian that was inclined and laying within the cold-pod. He wore a sanitary medical gown upon his person, and had several tubes and intravenous needles connecting to patches on his legs, arms, abdomen and neck. The patches loosened and fell from his person after an audible 'click' sound broke the silence.

The albino gilanian groaned and languidly rubbed his eyes, slowly emerging from the cold-pod and taking in fresh breaths of air for the first time in a long while. After shaking his head awake, he finally spoke. "Maiden. Are you there?"

[Query detected. Maiden, standing by.]

The gilanian stretched himself and got out of the pod, leaning down to rub his legs. "Guh. Tell me the current date, Maiden."

[Command detected. It is currently day 1 of the hot season, year 600 of the Age of Ascension, and the light cycle is 42.818% waxing.]

"Erh..." The albino gilanian squinted at nothing in particular, then looked up at the ceiling once his pause was over. "... 600? ... _600?!_ Maiden, are you telling me that I have been asleep for eighty years?!" The gilanian shouted.

[Query detected. Confirmed. Complications have been detected, which has prompted the hibernation period to be extended.]

"What was the cause?! I was only meant to sleep for thirty!"

[Query detected. Organisms designated 'shryik' intruded into facility surroundings and exterminated the resident population. Remaining gilanian residents: 1.]

The gilanian hissed and kicked at the pod he was once frozen in. "Gods-damn shryiks!" After that outburst of frustration and pain, the gilanian looked up again. "What about the other chieftains? Counselors? Farmers? Any information on any survivors?"

[Query detected. Full data unknown. Cause of data blank: Possible subterfuge. Summary of available data. Gollog Empire prompted the isolationist lifestyle from resident populations outside of the tower facility. A barricade was made, and a select number of warriors were chosen to fill the tunnels with sand. Shryik infestation occurred years later.]

The gilanian sighed and sat down with his palm to his face, sighing deeply and hissing madly. "... Oh gods no." The gilanian took a long pause before a confused expression soured his face. "... Maiden. The cold-pod is designed and programmed to only be opened by an outside party, right?"

[Query detected. Confirmed.]

"Who opened my cold pod?"

[Query detected. Outside party. Designation: Kay.]

"A woman saved me, huh?" The gilanian said, nodding in surprise and with a smirk on his face.

"A woman?!" Kay shouted.

The gilanian looked up at the sudden outburst and saw a giant bug-man that was before him. A second later, he screamed. " _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH~!_ "

* * *

After a few hours had passed, the albino gilanian had stopped running around in a panic and finally had decided to listen to Kay. ... That is until the gilanian was forced to the ground and had his mouth gagged with his own gown in order to be explained that Kay had no intentions of hurting him. After that, Kay then calmly talked to the albino gilanian, known as Kragnon the Lovechief, and explained his side of the story to him as they walked to the council room.

Currently, they were safely situated in the council room with the seven chairs, and Kay had already neared the end of his story. Kragnon had a glass of water with him, supplied by an ancient machine that Kay somehow overlooked, and was shakily settling the glass down after hearing Kay finish his tale. "S-s-s-s-so... Uh... You really are not from around here?"

Kay, now sitting on the other end of the septuple sided table, simply raised his arms and shoulders in a shrug. "Duh."

Kragnon nodded, leaning forward and sighing. "Huh... Well... I'm glad that you didn't eat my face when we first met."

Kay scoffed and petted one of the two zerglings that was next to him. "I don't eat faces. These guys do, however." The zergling started purring as it was petted, nuzzling into the hand that was running over its carapace.

Kragnon looked at one of the zerglings and shuddered. "... I want to say again that I'm sorry that I called you a woman."

"I kinda want to ask about that. Why did you assume that I was a girl?" Kay said, huffing a little.

Kragnon paused. "Well... Your name had one syllable. Typically, for our species, the males are given a two syllable name, and many females are given a one syllable name. It would be rare or uncommon for a gilanian to be given a name that does not follow this naming tradition. ... But I can tell that you are not one of our own, even if you can talk like us perfectly."

"M-hmm." Kay nodded with an unamused glare.

Kragnon looked down and sighed. "... It's amazing though. You coming here at such an unusual time, I mean. I was taught that there were no accidents or coincidences when it comes to fate guiding your life. But... I'm starting to think that luck is a type of tangible thing that actually exists. I never would have imagined something like you ever existing."

Kay nodded and leaned back on his chair, careful to not tip over and fall again. "Believe it or not, I'm now part of this world. All I'm doing is trying to survive."

Kragnon looked down again. "Right..."

Kay sat up from his chair, his expression changing to that of interest. "Well? I told you my story on how I got here, and how I lived in your neighborhood during your nap. Share your story next."

Kragnon looked up and stared at Kay, exchanging eye contact. The bug-man beast-master was polite, but Kragnon the Lovechief knew better to insult someone that had the power to break somebody in half. And he knew that it would be rude to disrespect his currently intruding guests, especially when they were responsible for bringing him back from an endless sleep that would have lasted eternally if he hadn't came to help! Kragnon nodded and decided to talk. "Well ah, there isn't much to talk about." Kragnon began. "I was born and raised in the once proud capitol of my world, Glitter Towers. However, about... Uhm... one hundred and twenty years ago, Gollog attacked my city and took all of its resources. I survived with several other gilanians, but we had to travel through the desert for our safety. A lot of us didn't survive, even though it was supposed to be the wet season at the time. Many of us died either by the heat, dehydration, or by the hungry jaws of a shryik serpent.

"But a handful of us found this mountain," Kragnon said, waving his hands around himself. "and there was a tribe of people that used to live here in this underground cavern. We introduced them to the technology that was discovered by our ancestors in the Age of Ascension, and we built them manifestation altars, air purifying machines, and various other tools and gifts for taking us in."

"Manifestation altars?" Kay replied, cocking his head.

Kragnon nodded and pointed to his glass cup. "The manifestation altar outside this room and in the hall made this. It converts the energy into matter by manipulating the protons, neutrons, and electrons into basic elements. Like this glass of water you see." Kragnon then inhaled and continued his story. "Anyway, the Hidden Water Spring Tribe treated us like family, and we treated them as family too. But when we heard that Gollog was becoming an emperor and conquering the whole world, the chieftains, our thoughtlord and I made plans to put me into a cold-pod. I was supposed to meet Gollog one day and force him to reflect on his madness. But now... it looks like I am way past the deadline of meeting him." He said, looking down and frowning.

Kay raised an eyebrow. "Huh! Sounds like a pretty interesting past! But I have a question about these altars. Does that glass of water really taste like ordinary water?"

Kragnon chuckled. "No, no, it kind of doesn't. The water I pulled from the altar would become too electrically charged, or whatever material really, if you don't remove it from the altar quickly enough. But it still acts like water, and functions like water, and is physically similar to water in every way. But using the altars too much will end up short circuiting them, and a technician would have to repair it."

 _'Once we have an evolution master on our side, we shall find out how to reverse-engineer these devices. To see if we can acquire additional resources in an organic way through such processes would be beneficial to us. Ask if these machines can recreate hydrocarbons that can be found in volcanic conditions.'_ Virid urged.

Kay nodded to no-one in particular and then leaned forward. "So these 'manifestation altars' manifest resources like water? How about more useful materials to the zerg, like say copper, iron, silver, gold, platinum, carbon and various other materials? More importantly, can it manifest something like volcanic hydrocarbons?"

Kragnon nodded his head. "Well uh... Things like those metals you mentioned are a little difficult for the machines to manifest, since they were mostly only ever designed to manifest water. But it can be done if there is enough energy to supply into the altar. Gods know that we have done it to make our weapons and armor!" Kragnon leaned back into his chair slightly and shifted his gaze upwards. "And as for the 'volcanic hydrocarbons'... I honestly have no idea. If what I understand is correct, you said that you lacked something called 'vespene gas'? Is it like evaporated petroleum fuel?"

Kay shook his head. "Not exactly. We have been siphoning volcanic fumes from the freshwater spring on the surface as an alternative to vespene. The process is very slow."

Kragnon shook his head. "It shouldn't be a problem, but I don't know if it'll be similar to your precious 'vespene'."

"Don't worry about us. We're the zerg! We can adapt to any situation better than any other species could." Kay chuckled and said, saying so in utmost confidence.

Kragnon sighed and smiled. "I don't doubt that." He picked up his glass of water and finished it with labored gulps, taking in the fluid slowly and enjoying the hydration it brought to his scaly lips. Once he was done, he set the glass back down and got up from his seat. "I think it's time I have a talk with your joint-commander."

Kay raised both of his hands and waved them side-to-side frantically. "No-no-no-no-no, bad idea." Kay could feel Virid's complete contempt of the possible meetup. She might even be tempted to injure Kragnon if she was even slightly offended.

"... Why?" Kragnon asked, his scaly brows raised in curiosity.

"Because if you pissed her off," Kay said, pointing at Kragnon. "she _will_ feed your face to one of our zerglings." Kay then pointed at one of his zerglings. The zergling being pointed at hissed and licked its mouth.

Kragnon paled even more. "I'll uh... Keep that in mind."

Kay sighed as got up from his chair. "But for the moment, the entire chamber is now under zerg control. I recommend staying in your tower for your own safety."

Kragnon sighed, nodding his head. "Mm. I understand."

"Also, I want to ask permission to dismantle your manifestation altars for analysis."

"Ah, I'm afraid not."

"Why not?" Kay asked, crossing his arms.

Kragnon pawed at his empty glass. "Because with all the altars dismantled, I would not have the means to hydrate and feed myself."

Kay paused for a moment. "... You know, you could willingly join with us. Become one with the zerg, I mean. You would never have to worry about food and water ever."

Kragnon paused before looking at Kay. "Would that mean I would look like you?"

Kay paused before looking at himself. "... Well... Maybe not exactly like me, but... It would definitely be less lonesome than having the computer lady for company."

Kragnon smiled and chuckled. "Thank you, but I would prefer to remain pure and un-infested. The warden god wouldn't cotton to me becoming different by an alien infestation for my own benefit, or someone else's."

"Well, that's another new thing I don't know about. Lovechief, warden god, the different seasons. It's a lot of new information to take in!" Kay said extravagantly, taking the hint that Kragnon didn't feel comfortable with being infested with the hyper-evolutionary virus.

Kragnon chuckled. "I'll summarize what those are then, starting with my role. I happen to be a lovechief, if you hadn't already knew that. I make sure that the population of the gilanian doesn't inbreed, ensuring that the next generation of children are not hatched with health defects and grow into a stronger generation."

"Uh... Kay. Why would that have to do with the 'love' part in lovechief?" Kay asked.

"Well... I make sure that the lovemaking in the gilanian population doesn't become corrupted." Kragnon said bluntly.

"Oh..." Kay said, putting his palm to his face.

"Do you zerg have anything similar to the role of a lovechief?" Kragnon asked.

Kay un-hidden his face from his palm and spoke. "Not really. The closest example that I can think of would be an evolution master. Not only that, zerg do not breed in the traditional sense."

"How so?" Kragnon asked.

"Well... We have giant organic structures called 'hatcheries' that give birth asexually to larvae. And once the larvae acquire the nutrients they need, they go through a metamorphosis and turn into any of the several zerg strains that are needed for our zerg swarm. In fact, the zerglings you see here are the weakest infantry forces."

Kragnon's eyes widened. "... I... See. Well... To continue with your other queries, our world has several gods of several types of mythos. One of which that happens to be the oldest in recorded history was an individual called 'The First Warden'."

"Sounds like some kind of guardian." Kay said, leaning forward.

"He does sound like one, true. In fact, The First Warden used to be a man in the old tales. Legends say that this man had once died, but then ascended into a great and powerful deity that watched over the denizens of Kiln and their children. Before his godly death, that is."

"So he _was_ some kind of guardian?"

"Once. He merely prevented the prisoners and their descendants from ever leaving this world, and he did so because he was convinced that the sins of the ancestors were passed down to the descendants. It is said that the lineage of sin prompted the start of his insanity, as the story goes."

"... I feel as though you might want to explain that. Sorry for being slow to understand."

"Oh no no, it's my pleasure!" Kragnon insisted. "You see, The First Warden was turned into a deity that was believed to be so large, that the entirety of Kiln could fit within his belly. And once he achieved godhood, and becoming insane later, he swallowed our world whole. But in doing so, he choked to death and became a dead god. Our world eventually passed through his throat and ended up in his stomach, forever bathed in his body heat and forever to remain in his insides. But the moon and sun you see during the nighttime and daytime periods is said to be the entrances to oblivion and to the paradise worlds. Many old beliefs would say that the sun was the entrance to the paradise worlds, but others would argue that it was the moon instead. But uh... That about sums up that religion."

"Does that have something to do with this 'Age of Ascension' I keep hearing about? " Kay asked.

"No no no. It merely marks the day when the descendants of the prisoners had found the means to recreate the technology that our precursors once wielded a long time ago. The manifestation altars, the energy caster weapons, the information network, the protection charms, magic wall projectors and the MEM devices were all rediscovered technology that was re-purposed. Such technologies was supposed to benefit everyone."

"Sorry, but uh... MEM device?"

"Acronym for 'Matter to Energy to Matter' device. It enables travel, and transportation of resources, from great distances away. Perfect for tourists to go completely around dangerous territory without the need to pay an exorbitant sum of water or vouchers for the travel expense!" Kragnon explained.

"Well fancy that! I think I would love to use such a device when I have the chance." Kay said, amazed by such a technology.

Kragnon nodded and smiled. "It's currently only used by the upper class of the cities on this world, but I'm sure it will be available to everyone soon. Now, I'll tell you about the seasons."

"Alright, shoot." Kay replied, sitting straight and attentively listening.

"There are five seasons on this world. The cycle starts on the dry season, then cycles to wet, cold, humid, hot, and then back to dry. Each season is divided into forty days, and there are two hundred days in the entire year. However, most cities utilize a different calendar for commercial shipping or holiday celebration, but most gilanians use the standard five season calendar to plan for droughts and survival."

"Any significance to these seasons?" Kay asked.

"Indeed, there is. In the dry season, much of the water on Kiln would evaporate, save for certain areas like in the north or south polar regions, and certain oasis' and tropical forests. The south pole is always engulfed in shadow, and is said that much of the moisture, especially at the end of the dry season, turns into a hardened water in the form of flakes that congregates there. It's only in the dry season that this solidified water starts melting again."

"... You mean ice and snow?" Kay questioned.

Kragnon scoffed. "On a desert world, ice is nothing more than a myth compared to the rarity that is water, the blood of all life." Kragnon settled himself into his chair and continued. "Anyway. After the dry season, the wet season comes next. It often brings temperate rain that showers most of the tropical areas in life giving water, but rainstorms happen once every year in nearly all deserts. Here in the Red Desert, however, there was never a record in history that said that a rainstorm soaked the surrounding sands.

"Once the wet season ends, the cold season comes next. With water falling from the skies comes cooling winds that would ease many sunburned gilanians. Being a cold blooded species, this season usually brings lethargy to our kind. But it also helps us store our energy for when it is needed. There have even been cases where some of my people died in the chill of the cold season. A great way to die, in my opinion. Can't really stand the warmth of a desert, or the sun stinging my pale skin, you see.

"After the cold season, it becomes the humid season. Muggy weather usually creates the perfect breeding conditions for insects of all sizes. It is also when the water supplies starts lingering due to the rising heat that is evaporating everything. Clouds may offer some shade, but those too are burned away by the heat of the sun. In fact, much of that moisture starts to collect at the south and north poles. Moisture farmers in the deserts would have to be hard pressed to collect precious water deep beneath the sands, even risking an encounter with the shryik serpents."

Kay shook his head. "Those huge snake monsters that swim in the sand like fish? Yeah, I can see why they can be dangerous when there is no solid ground to safely stand on."

Kragnon nodded. "Indeed. Shryik serpents have taken many of my brothers."

"So uh..." Kay said. "What is the final season about? The hot season, was it?"

Kragnon sighed. "Yes, I mentioned that season. The hot season, coming after the humid season, is when the temperature becomes hot enough to drain many various lakes and rivers of all moisture. Only with closed and strong containers can precious water be safely stored and used later. If the container is not strong enough, the moisture would turn into pressurized steam and force the container to burst! Typically, it is when the temperature stops rising that marks the day when the dry season starts."

Kay nodded his head and placed his hand on his chin. "Then this would explain the water hoarding behavior that became part of your people's culture."

"Very much so." Kragnon said, relaxing his posture and sounding unamused. "To the point of using it as our currency, in fact."

"You sounded like you don't approve of water being used as currency just now." Kay mentioned, analyzing Kragnon's tone.

Kragnon sighed. "Yes. We have finally developed the manifestation altars to provide water long ago in my past, but we also needed to curb the people's habits to hoard the water. They were simply too grounded in the dependent mindset that the manifestation altars were a permanent method to a long-term problem. They requested to have their own manifestation altars, but the chieftain council and the thoughtlord knew that the altars would be abused easily. It was by my vote, and five others, that limited the use of the altars to only a privileged few, as well as fulfilling any requests we reviewed that we deemed favorable or beneficial."

Kay perked up. "Could you explain what the other chieftains are? And could you tell me what a thoughtlord does?"

Kragnon smiled. "Certainly, but I think it's time I took my rest. My jaw feels like it has been flapping for well over a time. My throat is even beginning to feel sore."

Kay shrugged his shoulders and got up. "Must be from all that yelling. Anyway, I got a hive cluster to manage. If you feel like talkin-"

 _'A hostile force is approaching the southwest encampment!'_ Virid shouted.

"Gh- Virid? What's going on?" Kay said, turning away. Kragnon only gave a confused expression since he was unable to hear the telepathic link that the zerg had.

 _'Several vehicles have been spotted, and they look to have the colors and symbols of the Crescent Arms Division. They must be the reinforcements that will be aiding the colonel of the nearby encampment. I suggest we route them and prevent their advance!'_

Kay sighed. "Fucking figures. I guess we can't get too leisurely with the Crescent Arms Division, since we already know that they're going to become a bigger problem if we don't stop them now."

"The what arms what?" Kragnon asked, his face emoting confusion.

"Hush you. I'm talking to Virid." Kay said, turning to Kragnon and then turning away again. "Virid, what's our current force compliment?"

 _'176 zerglings, 20 roaches, 1 infestor, 1 hydralisk, 1 overseer, 50 overlords, 25 drones, 16 spine crawlers and 16 spore crawlers are available at the freshwater spring hive cluster. Shall I list our mutations?'_

Kay raised his eyebrow. "When did we get so many roaches?"

 _'I had sent a drone to find another volcanic spring in the tunnels. It found one and turned into an extractor there. Other drones were sent down to chisel the rock to make way for a hatchery for faster accelerant collection.'_

Kay nodded. "Oh! Very good then. It might take a bit of time, but stall them for as long as possible until I get there."

 _'No need to waste time running. A nydus worm shall bridge the distance.'_

Kay paused.

A rumble, starting low and quiet but soon becoming deep and cacophonous, had broke into the silence of the moment. Kragnon fell out of his chair and was on all fours as this happened. "WHAT IS HAPPENING?! ANOTHER SHRYIK ATTACK?!" Kragnon yelled out loud.

Kay turned away and proceeded out of the council room. "One of the zerg's specialized transport organisms. You may have a look outside and see for yourself. But remember my warning that I gave you. Do you remember what I have told you to do?"

Kragnon peered up from the table once the tremors stopped, watching Kay leaving the council chamber. "... That... I should stay in the tower?"

"Exactly." Kay said, finally taking his leave as he was followed out by the two zerglings that seemed to guard him.

Once Kay and his beasts left, Kragnon stood up and straightened his gown before speaking again. "Maiden. Show a camera feed outside of the tower."

[Command detected.] One of the walls emitted a multi-colored screen that showed... a type of horror that Kragnon would have never expected to see in his lifetime.

"... Oh gods. What even _ARE_ the zerg?!"

* * *

Kay left the tower and strode quickly on the creep covered ground. The overlords and few overseers milled about with nothing to do in this underground environment, but they resigned to their fate to being a hidden reservoir of mental control, supplying management a distance away from under the ground. As Kay looked onward and walked forward, he spotted the entity that Virid called 'the nydus worm'.

A huge monster jutted out of the ground and disheveled much of the sand and creep around itself. It sported two sets of 'jaws', one set that closed around its mouth and prolapsed throat, while another extended upward and over its mouth in two broad fleshy 'lips' that contained hundreds of teeth on the underside. Giant protracted spikes jutted out from its body, which seemed to be stabilizing its head. The creature had no brain, but it responded to the zerg and the zerg's will all the same, but could also see around itself and be able to recognize pain being applied to itself. Kay walked up to the thing and inspected the beast, gulping. "... So... I just step in this thing's mouth?"

 _'In!'_ A zergling telepathically said, pushing Kay into the awaiting maw with its attack claws.

Kay lost his balance and flailed before colliding into the mouth, swallowed whole as he fell.

* * *

 **A/N: Don't mind me. Just a lot of world-building here.**


	12. Flanked

**Chapter 12: Flanked**

* * *

A bio-structure was made a while ago, created during Kragnon and Kay's long-winded conversation. Virid cared not for the individual's desire to reach out to another to engage in conversation. The zerg's hivemind psionic link was all that was needed to transmit commands to other organisms. As she overlooked the process of the fifth, and final, evolution chamber, she noted that the roaches and infestor at the southwest encampment had gained information involving the reinforcements that would soon arrive. They were close, and would soon be supplying The Crescent Arms encampment with this MEM device they spoke of. And with the added information that Kay had uncovered, Virid suddenly pieced the pieces together and considered that the arriving gilanians is the primary threat.

The bio-structure responsible for the creation of the nydus worm was a hemisphere of growth, consisting of several worm-like things that slid and slithered around and on one another. The entrance into this bio-structure contained a toothed entrance of a circular maw that would, more than happily, gulp down any zerg organism and transport them to any nydus worm or network that has been established. That, or eject them out of its mouth should the swarm require them here. The peristaltic process within the guts of the nydus worms enabled almost instantaneous travel between two points. Kay was ejected from the orifice of the nydus network, the peristalsis, almost organically pneumatic in nature, forced him to flop onto his face when coming back into the new day, morning light brightening the world anew.

Once Kay got up and reacquired his bearings, he looked back on the structure that jettisoned him back to the hive cluster on the surface. "... So this is where the other end of that nydus worm leads to." Kay paused for a few seconds. "... Or is THIS where the nydus worm begins? ... Questions for later." Kay said, turning around and walking to Virid.

Virid was tending the lair, with the four queens aiding her and taking their turns with larval injection. Virid turned when Kay approached her. Kay knew which one was Virid from the other queens quite easily. He didn't know how, but like ice creams having many flavors, Virid's consciousness had a personality that was easy to recognize, which made it easy for him to tell her apart from the other queens. The zerg hivemind made this possible, of course. _'The reinforcements will be coming soon. What is your strategy?'_ Virid asked.

Kay looked down and nodded, tapping a foot into the creep. It jiggled like jello due to his consternation. "... No fuckin' idea, but I really want to avoid conflict as much as possible. If things start to get hairy, I want a nydus worm to sprout near my position." Kay said, looking up and snapping his fingers at an overlord that was overhead.

The overlord grumbled and lowered itself, allowing Kay to enter its ventral sack. Virid looked up at the overlord that contained Kay. _'Will you be fighting the Crescent Arms soldiers?'_

Kay made a telepathic gesture of shaking his head. _'No. I'll be warning them that there will be fighting if they don't get off our damn lawn.'_

Virid paused. _'... We don't have a lawn.'_

Kay shrugged. _'Lawn. Creep. Whatever. Forget it. Just another terran expression.'_

* * *

As Kay floated ten kilometers southwest, he had his overlord deposit him ninety meters away from the encampment. When the overlord came into view of the gilanians at their encampment, they alerted everyone and scrambled to fortify their defenses. Kay proceeded forward in a slow walk, his hands held up in a harmless gesture. He slowed his walk even further when the gilanian soldiers aimed their weapons at him, and Kay stopped when he was twenty meters away from entering the encampment.

It was then that Kay started shouting at them in a calm manner. "I call upon the resident leader of your encampment!" He shouted in Gilaish. "Contact him and say that I request his presence! Failure to do so would chance a grave outcome for everyone that has set an unwanted foot in zerg territory!"

The gilanian soldiers hissed and clicked their language with one-another for a long while. They were confused at first, but it only took a few minutes till a gilanian in uniform decided to leave the main tent. He wore silver and blue, with symbols and medals of various designs. Obviously, it was Phelioc. He stood five meters away from Kay, standing like a stoic statue. He hissed a sigh before speaking. "... So you really can speak Gilaish? I somewhat felt convinced that a Hidden Water Spring Tribe member was responsible for teaching you our language, but I am starting to doubt that."

Kay lowered his hands. "It's thanks to your men, really. I'm sorry, but it was a necessary evil to learn as much as I could from the one soldier you left behind."

"Impossible." Phelioc scoffed. "The bondman armor he had on him registered his heart rate stopping, so we can assume that the cause of his death was quick. Something that I, or anyone, would likely blame you for."

Kay shook his head. "Don't act like I don't know what REALLY happened. The moment I spoke in Gilaish, you became privy to my conversation with your soldier named Rothef. Once you learned that I could divulge in the secrets in his mind, you slated him as a security risk and opted to have him terminated. In fact, I have already hypothesized that you had a camera, microphone, and special explosives installed in his armor to make sure that he remained loyal to you. Not only that, it also enabled you to analyze whatever information and data you could gain from us."

The colonel stiffened his stance. "You have no proof of that."

Kay kept his pose. "But you know that I'm right."

Phelioc paused for several seconds before huffing. "What is it you want?"

Kay nodded then gestured behind himself. "This land is now my property. The Hidden Water Spring Tribe was already dead long ago, thanks to the shryik serpents that replaced them. I came and replaced the shryik serpents afterwards. And now, it would seem as though your men has made contact with my pets. I thought it would be fair if I asked you to kindly get off my land so that further conflicts could be avoided."

Phelioc chuckled with a smirk. "Really now? This place is yours? I'm sorry to say this, and I really am, but the holy emperor, Gollog the Immortal, wishes to have this area claimed in his name. You are in the way sadly, and I hate to be in disagreement with a... unique character. But alas, you killed my men, so I must be firm in delivering righteous punishment onto you."

Kay cocked his head and raised his eyebrow. "Judging from your tone, you're not willing to reciprocate my request. Perhaps you didn't listen to me when I said I eliminated a shryik serpent infestation?"

"And the blood of my men was spilled by your hands, and your... blade hounds. That spine serpent of yours was an unusual and unexpected ploy, I'll admit." Phelioc inhaled and exhaled. "I can't lose favor with my emperor if he found out that I retreated with only one patrol ending up being defeated. I'd lose face with my other colonels! I'm afraid I'll have to stay instead, rather than let my superiors know that you tried to politely let me leave through civil discussion. I'd be humiliated for sure!"

"... But... But I eliminated a shryik infestation. Did you not hear me when I said that?"

Phelioc raised his hand. "That is not important. What IS important is the will of Emperor Gollog. I ask you that you leave this area peacefully, and allow our forces to investigate these lands. However, if you tell us the location of the tribe, then perhaps in return, our research division can give you a safe place to frolic? They will surely analyze you and your creatures uniqueness in an agreeably safe environment, if you were to agree to assist us."

Kay narrowed his eyes. "And if I refuse?"

Phelioc slowly turned around. "MEN! TAKE AIM AND FIRE ON MY COMMAND! IF I FALL TO THE GROUND, FIRE! IF THIS BUG-MAN ATTACKS, FIRE! IF YOU SEE HIS BLADE HOUNDS COME TO HIS AID, FIRE!" His men quickly aimed their weapons and trained them on Kay, expecting a fight to commence soon. He then turned back toward Kay with a shit-eating grin. "Do we understand each other?"

Kay frowned. He then placed two fingers into his mouth and whistled loudly. Suddenly, roaches emerged from the ground violently, situated behind the firing squad of the gilanian soldiers. Two of Phelioc's men panicked and retreated to the safety of the encampment, while others remained stationed in their places, albeit startled by the ambush. Phelioc turned around to find the source of the sound of disheveled soil and screaming, and paled when he saw what caused the sounds. Phelioc turned around again to find Kay making the same shit-eating grin that the colonel once made. "I think we understand one another perfectly well, Phelioc."

Phelioc paused for several seconds before his expression soured. "This is not over. Call off your beasts and I'll call off my men."

Kay crossed his arms. "Aaaaaaand?"

Phelioc paused again. "... That's it."

"No." Kay said. "You were supposed to say 'And we will leave you alone too.'"

Phelioc stiffened his posture. "Like hell that would happen."

"... Even if I said 'please leave my swarm alone?'" Kay asked.

Phelioc quickly unsheathed a weapon from his person and aimed it at Kay and slowly backing away from him. "This isn't over. MEN! RETREAT TO THE ENCAMPMENT! SET UP THE AUTOMATED TURRETS AND PLACE SEISMIC SENSORS ON THE ROCKY GROUND _AND_ THE SAND SURROUNDING THE BASE! THE ENEMY CAN BURROW THROUGH THE ROCK!" Phelioc shouted, cautiously walking backwards and holding his pistol in Kay's direction.

Kay waved at Phelioc. "I'll give you until midday for your chance to leave. Peace out." As Kay said this, the roaches buried themselves back under the earth, leaving the gunmen with no nearby targets to aim at. The gilanian soldiers hurried back to their base, followed after by Colonel Phelioc. Kay, meanwhile, turned around and strutted toward the overlord he rode in, a cocky smile across his face.

Virid didn't seem pleased. She decided to speak when Kay was halfway on his approach to his overlord. _'The roaches could have melted those soldiers easily. Why use this approach?'_

"Simple." Kay replied. "I wanted to make a statement. I expect 'Phelly' over there to contact his superiors and report about the recent events. He'll get his orders and it would be either to remain at his position, or to retreat out of our territory. If they stay, then I'm going to enjoy sending our zerglings to 'play' with him and his men. But if they decide to go, then it'll give us more time to further adapt to this world."

 _'The reinforcements will arrive in two hours. Midday on this world will occur in five and a half.'_

Kay looked up as he walked, noting that the air was quickly becoming less cool due to the sun. "It'll give them enough time to think."

Kay could tell that Virid was hissing. _'Kay, I highly recommend we route the reinforcing forces soon.'_

"Virid, Virid, Virid!" Kay said, chuckling. "You still need to learn how to envision all the possibilities of strategy, tactics, as well as diplomacy and politics! Tell you what. Once I get back, I'll see if Kragnon has any games that can help improve your mental capabil-"

Ching- _ **KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA-DOOHF!**_

Kay was thrown to his side as several simultaneous explosions interrupted Kay's conversation. After a few seconds of silence, Kay got up and looked around weakly. He tried to stand, only to find that his arm, leg, and wings were completely torn apart. All he could do was sit up straight or hobble around on one leg. His head was swimming in confusion and had a dizzying feeling, but that cleared up quickly when he looked back up and squinted at the gilanian encampment. ... And from what his eyes could see, the soldiers there had a mortar-type weapon that was aimed at his position. The bombs they used had apparently landed to his left and behind himself. The shots had landed very close too, some almost landing on his head! Kay Growled. "... I think it's time for a good ol' fashioned zerg rush."

Kay immediately burrowed himself into the ground. It was a tactic that he hadn't expected himself to use, but he needed to protect himself until he could fully regenerate his lost limbs. But as of now, the zerg swarm was at war with the southwest encampment.

* * *

"That is my report, Commander Kralluf." Phelioc said with his four top men behind himself and standing in front of the widescreen, once used for communicating with General Pallax in a prior conversation.

Kralluf was a stout gilanian, but he carried a large bladed hammer over his shoulder, with six men behind him. He wore a very ornate set of armor of silver and blue, with a blue cape that trailed behind his back. Metal plates were surgically implanted into his head, and the symbol of The Crescent Arms Division was painted on them. [Mm... So this bug-man beast-master calls his beasts 'zerg'? A rather funny sounding name.]

"It's what the bug-man called them, sir."

Kralluf shifted in his stance as he reached to the side and fished out a set of papers. [So from your report that I can recall: He has command of several dangerous creatures, some that you have classified and given names to; He can pluck memories and knowledge for those that become 'infested', as you claim; He has eliminated a nest of shryik serpents, as you say he did; He has taken refuge in the Hidden Water Spring Tribe's headquarters, which you assumed; He has access to a poison that can melt gilanians, bones and armor and all; You have collected biological samples for transit to The Cube Research Division, of which they will be thankful for; He has figured out the functions of the bondman armor, which you have doubted; He has displayed superior tactical acumen over your own, which seems to dwarf yours in comparison; And finally, he knows your name and wants you to leave your stationed base. Did I get all that?]

Phelioc nodded his head. "Sir, yes sir."

Kralluf nodded, throwing away the papers. [This is a rather interesting turn of events. I bet ten gallons that Faddoh would fall in love with you once he gains your samples!]

Phelioc winced and frowned. "Uh... The infatuation would be acknowledged, sir."

[Even so, I would not let this insignificant insect stall our emperor's plans. You are to get rid of him and now. Kill him and his pets however you wish.]

Phelioc nodded and turned to one of his officers. "Tell the men to set up the trench buster and fire it as soon as possible. Use a smart-cluster explosive." The officer nodded and retreated. Phelioc turned back to face Kralluf. "And what about my patrolling captain that was injured by the spine serpent, or the medical officer that had his hands deep in the melted corpse?"

[Hmm... Better have them travel to the reinforcements. Their desert platform is already equipped with a MEM device that will transport them to a Cube facility. Do you have a dune boat available?]

"We have two, and several sand-boards at our disposal." Phelioc snapped his fingers, telling one of his officers to transport the very important people off-base.

[Good, good.] A loud mechanical sound was heard, followed by a cluster of explosions from a distance away. [Keep doing good things like this, and I might put you into a safe desk job.]

Phelioc smiled. "Thank you sir, but I prefer to scuff my boots every now and then."

[Heh-heh-heh, ah. I always appreciate a fellow soldier that doesn't mind getting his hands dirty once in a while.]

"Colonel Phelioc! Those big bugs are back and they're puking on us! They're melting us very fast!" An officer called out.

Phelioc turned around with a dangerous glare. "WELL? MAN YOUR GODS-DAMNED POSITION, PISS-ANT! KILL THE PUKERS!" As the soldier ran out of the tent, Phelioc turned back to face Kralluf again. "I'm sorry sir, but my men need me."

Kralluf nodded. [Have your camera feeds link with this communication channel. We'll record the events and send the info to the scientists for data analysis.]

Phelioc nodded, snapping his fingers again to tell one of his officers to do just as their commander commanded. As phelioc turned and walked toward the exit of the tent, he was greeted with war once he was on the other side.

The roaches had already unearthed themselves to attack the mortar installation, their acid quickly melting the machine and the soldiers that operated it. That was when several automated turrets, placed before their arrival, started firing on the roaches and doing minimal damage to their targets.

Phelioc was incredibly agitated when the roaches ran away and burrowed themselves outside the sensor range of the seismic sensors. "THROW THE JAVELIN SENSORS! EXPAND OUR MAXIMUM TURRET RANGE!" Just as Phelioc shouted his command, several of his soldiers started throwing spear shaped devices, landing near the burrowed roaches. The second after they impacted the ground, the turrets opened fire on their enemies that were further away, yet still underground. The bullet holes trailed further up the ground till the turrets stopped firing, either killing the roach it targeted or that the vomiting beasts finally moved out of their range again. As expected, such a tactic had bought them more time. But that time was scant and too precious to waste for the Crescent Arms soldiers at the forward base, and Phelioc knew it.

He eventually heard the telltale noises of a dune boat being brought to life. At least he'll be getting some of his men to better hands. Phelioc smiled, but he knew that his fight was far from over. It was then that he noticed a shadow that was looming over him. Looking up, he found a... giant... balloon... creature. Was it the one that his men said they saw in the distance? One of his men managed to voice his question. "How long has that been drifting there?"

Drifter. A good alternate name for the overlords, 'drifter'. For something like these bug things that this bug-man commands, this one didn't look too particularly threatening. "I don't like it. Shoot it down." Almost immediately, the flaps underneath it opened and released a collection of zerglings and yet another new thing that Phelioc didn't expect. They rolled around and collided with his men, turning them into a screaming corpse as the fluid that splashed onto them made them vanish. Phelioc aimed his energy pistol at one and it instantly exploded into a shower of acid. "TARGET THE JUICE FILLED BURSTING THINGS! DON'T LET THEM GET CLOSE!" Bursters. Another good name for these new creatures. They were actually called banelings, but semantics mattered little during the battle.

After the 'drifter' was blown out of the sky, the 'bursters' and 'blade hounds' were dealt with next. A Pyrrhic victory was felt by the soldiers in the encampment, but Phelioc knew that it couldn't be that easy. One of his top officers coughed before speaking. "Sir? Should we recall the patrol groups to defend our base camp?"

Phelioc shook his head. "No. Those pukers are going to kill them in an ambush if they so much as get near our camp. Tell them that they're on their own until reinforcements arrive."

The 'pukers', as Phelioc called them, erupted out of the ground and started puking on one of the sensors. The soldiers fired at the sudden emergence of these buggy monsters, but a few seconds later, they dug themselves into the ground at the same time. Several seconds passed and the 'pukers' targeted another sensor, further removing the turrets' ability to target enemies at its maximum range. One of the soldiers understood what was happening. "These bugs are smart, sir! I think they're learning!"

Phelioc silently cursed to himself. "Hmm... Could we just tie one of the javelin sensors to some rope and pull it in if it is at risk of being destroyed?"

One of his soldiers shook his head. "Once the javelin goes in, it implants itself into the ground, sir. There's a button that needs to be pressed in order to retrieve it."

The roaches rose again and started attacking the sensors further into the camp, only to dig into the ground and restart this guerrilla tactic. Phelioc hissed his contempt. "... Link the turrets with the long range sensors and automate the turrets within the intervals. It's the only chance we have for a long-term solution."

His men nodded and went to work giving the turrets new programs. More were set up closer to the sensors, whilst five tall poles were slowly erected and installed. Once they became active, the turrets instantly started firing. The turrets fired a shot every time the long-range sensors 'pinged' and detected either movement or something underground that was organic. Anything that didn't register as a gilanian triggered the anti-underground turrets into aggression. However, Phelioc's mood completely changed when the turrets started firing INTO the camp. He quickly became worried.

And that was when he saw them. Horrid, lurching monstrosities with expanded chests and tentacles flailing in their mouths. They grouped up on a soldier and one of the long-range sensors, whilst one of the turrets started attacking the other turrets and his own men. "DISABLE THAT TURRET!" Phelioc demanded. Three men were shot down as a fourth forcibly removed a pin to an axle, forcing the machine to shoot straight up.

The victorious soldier gave the machine a cursory glance. "... Colonel! Some kind of stinger is embedded into the turret's processor!"

Phelioc was able to see a beige and red line that connected the turret to... something else that was buried in the ground. Another surprise. "MEN! GET A JAVELIN SENSOR AND SET IT IN THE BASE!" The soldiers looked at Phelioc when he made his order. **"MOVE IT!"**

Phelioc's dwindling soldiers mowed down the... monsters that couldn't possibly be gilanian... and went near the center of the base. Once they had set the javelin sensor, the turrets instantly shot at their feet. It was then that some large thing erupted out of the ground. It was the lone infestor that had followed Phelioc around when it first came to their base. Phelioc had no idea that he was being followed by it, but his face seemed to pale even more when he learned of the creature's existence.

The infestor coughed up a green growth and it covered the men, making them scream in anguish as the fungus bore into their skin and forced them to stay paralyzed in their places. The infestor then vomited several oblong spheres that seemed to pulse for a brief time before turning into more of those lurching monsters that looked so similar to a gilanian. Phelioc was feeling as though his voice might give out soon. "ATTACK THAT THING! ATTACK THAT THING THAT IS SPAWNING THOSE THINGS!" Spawners and its pawns. More apt names that might sound better for the infestors and its infested. More semantics, really.

The large monster burbled as it crawled around on its short stocky insect legs. It threw more of that green fungus that severely wounded, even killing, Phelioc's soldiers as it tried to make its escape. That was when the roaches decided to join the fray in another battle, this time deciding for the final push. It was also when a rumbling sound was heard. Phelioc did not know what that sound meant, but he kept blasting the 'spawner' with his energy pistol, burning and shearing the flesh of the giant organism that screeched in pain. The battle was joined between the remaining Crescent Arms soldiers and these creatures collectively called 'the zerg'.

It was the toughest battle that Phelioc had ever fought, but he could easily tell that the battle would not be his. Another hour and a half, and the reinforcements would finally arrive! But by then, he knew that it would be too late.

The ground erupted, and a huge thing emerged from the disturbed rocky soil near the camp. As it shot out of the ground, the ground around it became purplish, dark and gooey. Phelioc looked at that thing with a transfixed stare. A soldier of his, avoiding a wad of sizzling acidic spittle shot from a roach, had made his way to his colonel and started panicking. "Colonel Phelioc! What are our orders?!"

Phelioc simply just stood there, watching the nydus worm's mouth expand.

"Colonel Phelioc, sir! Orders!?" The soldier shouted again, sounding more concerned and panicked.

Phelioc dropped to his knees and stared at the monster. "... What kind of cruel god made our odds so unfavorable? What kind of monster can control beasts like that? What kind of underground hell awaits us in its belly?" He said as zerglings, or 'blade hounds', emerged from its orifice and rushed toward his encampment. Kralluf had decided that this new monster should be called 'under beasts'.

As the Crescent Arm's encampment became overrun with the zerg, Kralluf sighed, looking through the cameras of men and panicked soldiers that soon became dead men. He turned around to his own men. [Alright, my lads. Let us mark this day as an unusual turn of events. We need to send this information to Pallax and Faddoh right now. You send this info to Pallax and you send a copy to Faddoh. You and you will muster all of our forces in case Gollog issues a full-scale assault on Red Desert's mountain. You, get my desert platform ready.]

[What about me, sir?] One of his officers replied.

[... I don't know. Look pretty, or something.]

"Commander Kralluf, I presume?"

Kralluf turned around to find a bipedal zerg creature. The bug-man beast-master! [Gilaish talking mother fucker. You have a lot of nerve, attacking my men.]

Kay, with arm and leg finally healed, stood in an aggressive stance. His wings were still small, but were slowly growing back to their original size. "They threatened me first. They attacked me first. I will say this to you, and you better understand what I have to say. Don't you fucking come near my hive cluster, or we are going to have problems, and I will solve my problems with my zerg. Do you want to know what solution I use to solve most of my problems?"

Kralluf was hesitant to ask, but he asked anyway. [What is the best solution?]

Kay motioned behind himself and a pair of zerglings dragged a simpering colonel to the front of the camera. His arm and legs were eaten all the way past the knees and elbow, but gauze had prevented the wounds from making him bleed out too much. Kay picked up and held the colonel by his neck, which made him whimper even more and began choking from a squeezed windpipe. A clawed hand swiped at the last intact arm, making the colonel scream at the top of his lungs in extreme pain. The limb was quickly eaten up by the ravenous zerglings that swarmed close to the bug-man beast-master. Kay made a sinister smile at Krullaf. "Biting... Swallowing... And ingesting. Here's a warning for you, Kralluf. Leave me the fuck alone, or I WILL KILL YOU IN A WAY THAT WAS WORSE THAN YOUR COLONEL'S. This is your final warning. Tell your emperor that if any of you empire gilanians so much as draw tasteless graffiti on my land, I will search for the one who was responsible and wash the illicit depiction with their blood, making this mountain even redder than it needs to be. Do you understand, fat-boy?"

Kralluf stood still for several seconds before breathing in. [You have gonads of heavy brass, bug-man. You have large, heavy brass gonads indeed. I'll pass this message in its entirety to my emperor by myself if I have to. But if he so wills it, then I'm afraid that we will have no other choice than to fight. And believe me, the emperor will see this as a challenge to him. YOU have been warned.]

Kay approached the camera that recorded his face, dropping the colonel and letting the zerglings surround and attack him. "The zerg are never forgiving when enraged. Know that if you provoke our wrath, I am beyond forgiving you if you continue this. I'll even come for your Gollog and make him suffer a mortal death the likes of which that no one will soon forget. Tell your reinforcements to bail and return to wherever they came from. Now"

Kralluf paused before speaking. [What is your name, bug-man?]

Kay paused. "... I have been suffering amnesia lately, so... Call me Kay, for now."

[... A monster like you killed one of my best colonels, and you're named ' _kay'?_ ]

Kay sighed. "It's a temporary name. Yes, it sounds like a woman's name, but remember that I am not gilanian."

[Then what are you?]

"I am zerg." Kay said, slashing the camera whilst the zerglings in the tent started matching their master's aggression toward all the technology in the tent.

Kay could feel a pang of contentment from Virid. _'Our enemies shall review their course of action with the swarm more carefully now. You have done well.'_

Kay looked at his new left hand and flexed it. It felt the same, but he knew that he had to be more careful if he is to deal with this gilanian empire. _'Any more information with the gilanian reinforcements?'_

 _'I had sent a pair of zerglings to follow after the vehicle that escaped the battle. They will track them and ensure that the escapees never return.'_

 _'good.'_ Kay mentally said, turning around and letting the zerglings cause further mischief and destruction to the entire encampment, and also letting the colonel drag himself around on his bloodied stumps, bawling as he moved, while the zerglings tortured him relentlessly till he died. Kay had decided that the colonel would be left there, letting the zerg eat his flesh once he died of blood loss.

* * *

 **A/N: It's fight time! :D**


	13. Royal Arrival

**Chapter 13: Royal Arrival**

* * *

With the fifth evolution chamber fully formed from yesterday, accumulating enough resources for creating this 'evolution master' would take a great amount of time. Much of yesterday was spent spawning the zerg that was lost in the battle at the encampment, but after the roaches and the zerglings were restored to their previous numbers, Virid and Kay decided to be patient and allowed their resources build up, which eventually enabled them to generate their own bio-engineered bio-engineer with bio-engineering abilities.

With the constantly expanding creep fields and two barely active extractors producing little resources, Virid estimated that they will achieve enough bio-matter and accelerant in two days. If the manifestation altars can supply the zerg with the hydrocarbons they needed, then their deadline would be cut even shorter, and thankfully, Kragnon was helpful enough to supply one manifestation altar to supply usable hydrocarbons. With a new stream of hydrocarbons being supplied to the zerg swarm, Virid re-estimated that the new evolution master could begin spawning as soon as tomorrow.

* * *

Yesterday however, Kragnon's worry was weighing down on his shoulders. Kragnon the Lovechief was currently searching though this 'information network', which happened to be a glorified alien internet application, and was looking through the current events after his eighty year long sleep. Elsewhere, after a few hours after the battle, and waiting if the gilanian reinforcements would come, Kay finally decided to join Kragnon once he felt comfortable in knowing that his hive cluster would be safe if left alone for the moment. Once Kay made his way up the tower and into the council room again, he knocked on the entrance's door and made his way inside. "Kragnon! Hey! I'm back! ... What are you doing?" Kay asked, watching several words in computerized gilaish and several pictures move up the wall-screen.

Kragnon turned around and glared at Kay. "There you are!" He turned back to the wall of text. "Maiden. Put 'zerg' into the search engine."

[Command detected. Loading results based on search parameters. Loading results in: Most recent; Most popular; Trending; And recommended.]

Kragnon turned back around. "Kay, tell me what you did out there."

Kay stared blankly at Kragnon. "I uh... Killed a bunch of gilanians that belonged to the empire."

Kragnon hissed lowly and turned toward the large wall-screen again and pointed to an image. "Tell me, Kay. What does that look like?"

Kay looked up at the image and saw himself. "... Is that me? Huh. I think I gained some weight."

"Your weight is not important, Kay." Kragnon said, turning around. "You have made a statement toward the emperor and warned him not to bother you again, and you threatened that you would kill him if he did so. Kay! You just don't go and say that to someone very powerful, and not expect their ego to make things worse! Since the bandit lord has achieved the status of emperor and immortal, I'm willing to guess that he's going to test your power with a show of force. If he manages to defeat you, then he'll be getting me after all these years of hiding. But if you manage to defeat his forces he will be sending after you, then I am willing to bet that he will be using all of his immortal powers to take you down!"

Kay raised an eyebrow to Kragnon's exclamation. "Immortal powers? Can he raise the dead to fight me, or something?"

Kragnon took a breath and shook his head. "Well... No. But I have been researching his capabilities and how his domain had grown over the years. Apparently, he can summon the power of our orbiting sun to smite the foes that dared angered him. He can summon the light of the moon to make people and objects vanish and reappear by his will. They say that he makes his home in an avatar body in Empire City, in a palace said to be made of ethereal metal and thoughts made physical."

"Avatar body? Hmm! Kinda sounds cool in a sort of weird way." Kay said.

Kragnon went up to Kay and flicked his forehead. "I'm being serious here! Since I have been asleep for eighty years, I don't know what else I need to prepare for! Coincidentally, I happen to be VERY unprepared in this age I just woke up in."

Kay rubbed his forehead and felt annoyed. "Okay, mister 'lovechief'. Why are you getting so serious about this anyway?"

Kragnon took a deep breath as he stared at Kay, but then sighed before looking down. "I have a talent, you see. My ability to calm others and to convince them to see reason is something that many politicians and leaders would kill to have. In fact, my ability was very much renowned over several cities. That was when the bandit lord heard of my skills and wanted me to join him. In fact, I used to be called 'Golden-tongue Kragnon' back in the day. Heh."

Kay nodded. "Sounds like you could have been a great diplomat."

"Yes, I could have. However, it was also a time when I joined with a resistance group that wanted Gollog's 'empire' to fall off its perch. The plan was to put me into a cold-pod and wait for thirty years, come to Empire City, gain an advisory role, and convince Gollog that his rule was incredibly tyrannical over his people. At that time, the rumor had spread around that Gollog was a being that somehow achieved immortality. If my persuasion couldn't stop him, then I would have to resort to assassinating him." Kragnon turned back to the wall of text and images. "Looking at the eighty years of history that has passed, it seems as though this Gollog guy is somehow still around?"

"How old is he?"

"Well... Last time I checked he was around two hundred, so... three hundred years now? The gilanian lifespan is normally one hundred and twenty if they eat healthy, exercise, and have a great health plan. Some live longer if they're lucky."

"Well, consider me a bit skeptical." Kay said, walking past Kragnon and inspecting the information network that had all the details regarding 'zerg' in the search engine. There was surprisingly little info, but there was several entries that was labeled 'military document'. "... But I'm kind of curious on what kind of fan-fiction these guys wrote about me."

Kragnon followed Kay's gaze. "Whoawhoawhoawhoawhoa no! Don't access any of the military documents!" Kragnon said, rushing in front of Kay and shielding the document from his eyes.

Kay backed away from Kragnon. "Uh... Why?"

"Because if you made a requisition of information, the ones that made that document will accept our request on the grounds that we give our permission to share our transfer handle to them. If we did that, they can track the handle to our physical location, and I would be fucked." Kragnon explained.

Kay stared at Kragnon, but then shrugged. "Alright. I'll leave the military documents alone."

Kragnon shook his head. "Not good enough. I want you to NEVER request info from any document, video file, audio recording, recreational network games, or ANYTHING that requires permission to share our transfer handle. The network connection here is strictly for data mining."

Kay stared at Kragnon for a long time before sighing. "Alright, fine. It's your house. Just one thing though." Kay said, reaching his hand toward Kragnon.

"What is i-OW!" Kay flicked a clawed finger at Kragnon's head, making his head jerk backwards violently. Kragnon pawed his head and discovered drops of blood that was coming from his new injury. "What was that for?!"

"That was to remind you to not be a rude host when you have guests in your house."

"Didn't you walk right into my home?" Kragnon said, agitated and pressing his hand onto his forehead.

"I knocked, didn't I?" Kay retorted.

Kragnon stared at Kay accusingly before turning to the wall-screen. "If you need me, I'll be healing and reviewing what had happened during my eighty years of hibernation here. I'll be using the network for a while."

Kay nodded. "I'll be managing my swarm with Virid. If you need me, step outside and start yelling at a zergling. Talk as though I am it, if you can."

Kragnon turned around to look at Kay with a puzzled expression. "... So when you said that you ARE the swarm..."

Kay poked at his own head and smiled. "Psionic link. Every zerg organism and their thoughts and my own are shared. Like your information network, except more... intimate. It's very useful, but you kinda have to watch your own thoughts sometimes. Think of a dirty thought, for example, and the zerglings might get sexually excited or something."

Kragnon blinked two times. "... But I thought you said that many of the zerg castes were asexual?"

"I don't see nothing wrong with a little bump and grind." Kay said as he waved goodbye to Kragnon and leaving.

Kragnon blinked a few more times before sighing and shrugging, only to return to his task of finding more information of the year he was in, and learning of the events that happened over the past eighty years.

* * *

A day later, Kay was watching over the zerglings that were running around and chasing each other. He had given a small group of zerglings free will as a test, but regretted his decision when those zerglings attacked each other and the other zerg strains. After that, Kay had given a different group of zerglings conditional free will in another test, meaning that they were allowed to do anything they want, provided that they don't harm one another or a friendly organism, refrain from venturing off the creep or too far from zerg controlled territory unless specified, and sound a warning through the hivemind connection when something unusual has been detected.

Overall, Kay quite enjoyed this new kind of control over the zerg, so he opted to have nearly all of the zerg have this level of free will. The only zerg that were not allowed to have this kind of free will was the bio-structures and many of the queens and drones. Sure, a queen or three, sometimes Virid, would change shifts and take turns reveling in moments of metaphorical nakedness from command. Or something close to nakedness, since it was free will with a condition. It was likened to wearing invisible brain underwear, but stripping oneself of their mental clothes and armor. However, if a fight was going to start, the zerg would shift gears in an instant and await the command of their masters, eager to battle.

But even so, Kay could tell that much of the zerg organisms enjoyed this level of freedom.

The zerglings played their games of chase and tag, did flanking practice on friendly zerg and each other, and sometimes danced to their own form of music, using animalistic roars and howls, stomps, and their own carapace as musical washboards. The only zerglings that didn't follow this command, as expected, were the zergling twins that hounded Kay's perceptual awareness.

The roaches kept to their own, traveling in packs of six or more, either walking above ground or burrowing through it. They seemed to prefer circling the outer territory of the creep fields, and never straying off of the creep. It kind of made them seem more like guard dogs that patroled the front of a yard.

The overlords did little, but they were content with just witnessing the antics of the zerglings, and letting the roaches know if any areas seemed like it needed a much needed patrol. Sometimes they even provided shade for the ground-bound zerg, or for each other when it grew too hot in the daylight.

The overseers didn't seem to enjoy having free will or free time to themselves. Once Kay had given the overseers conditional free will, the overseers simply darted around the entire hive cluster and moved outward. They appeared semi-content with just flying around in their random patrols. Since they were content with zipping around within the established territory, he left them alone to their own form of idle activities.

The infestor, although slow as it bumbled around from one place to another, felt included when it chased the zerglings around or burrowed with the roaches. It would sometimes vomit up an infested gilanian for the zerglings to try and play with, but stopped doing so after the first few times once the infested gilanians ended themselves with suicide when they wrested enough free will for themselves. Apparently, any time an infested gilanian wrested enough willpower from the zerg hivemind, they would suicide themselves by ripping their own heads off. Even when they were clones that were grown inside of the infestors' belies, they were too genetically incompatible and weak minded, and were driven into insanity when allowed some control of their mental faculties.

The few remaining banelings joined with the zerglings as much as they could, but they never got themselves into any form of roughhousing. After all, one errant claw could blow them up! But they were content enough to just roll around in circles.

The elder hydralisk seemed more than content to just languidly swim in the freshwater spring. Kay would have wanted it to have more hydralisk friends to play with, but he knew that a deadline had to be met. At least it enjoyed chasing the zerglings away from its freshwater pool.

The drones were very busy, having little time to divulge in this new freedom called 'conditional free will'. Besides, with the creep constantly expanding, and more drones being made to expand their creep collecting duties, they seemed more content with performing labor instead of going off on their own adventures.

The queens were a surprise. Like the elder hydralisk staying in the spring, the queens opted to stay near the central part of the hive cluster. They mainly preoccupied their time with grooming themselves, the other queens, the bio-structures, and any zerg creature that felt like it wanted the attention. One would be surprised how often a zergling tried to bite at a random object and get something stuck in its teeth, only to have a queen assist in getting it out of their mouth.

Before Kay could get comfortable, Virid interrupted his current hobby of zerg-watching. _'Kay. We have acquired enough bio-matter and accelerant to create an evolution master.'_

"Kay!" Kay said, getting up from the rock formation that he was using to overlook his swarm from. The rock formation also happened to be atop the cave entrance that lead into the underground tunnels and the hidden tribe village. "Where do you think we should make him?"

 _'Someplace safe. I recommend we should conceive and gestate the evolution master at one of the underground hatcheries. The hidden village appears to be our best option.'_ Virid suggested.

"He'll be mighty far from the five evolution chambers." Kay stated.

 _'Once we gain more resources, it can have its own evolution chamber._ _'_

"... Fair point." Kay said, walking to the nydus network. Taking the long way to the underground village would be pointless when one had a living subway at your beck and call. This time around, he was careful when entering the beast, allowing the guts to not only support him, but also direct his movement. In a transit that lasted seconds, Kay was already in the underground village in no time flat. He turned and made a short trek to the hatchery there, the three queens tending and protecting the hatchery with the larvae it produced. "Need me to choose which lucky larva will spawn into our evolution master?"

 _'The swarm does not believe in luck.'_ Virid hissed. _'We adapt as evolution dictates. There are no mutations that affect luck, so it is useless to us.'_

Kay nodded as he listened to Virid. She did have a point. Luck was kind of pointless, unless you had a lot of good luck, or a lot of bad luck. Karma, on the other hand, was something that Kay would easily find himself believing in. He reached his hand forward and picked the closest larva in front of him. "You. I pick you. Become our evolution master and help me, Virid, and the zerg swarm that only an evolution master could."

The larva shrieked in glee before turning into a cocoon. A flood of nutrients spilled from the nearby hatchery, nearly drowning the newly christened evolution master. The cocoon absorbed the nutritional fluid, growing in size quickly as veins were threatening to burst from the insane pressure building within them. Kay felt a resounding amount of pride, since a new evolution master would quickly provide them many new kinds of strains in quick fashion, as well as many adaptable mutations that the zerg would be unable to achieve on their own without one.

PANIC!

 _'There is a gilanian standing near the nydus worm. From its appearance, it would appear to be the wide gilanian you had talked with yesterday.'_

Kay paused. "... The Crescent Arms commander, Kralluf?"

 _'How do you terrans say this expression? 'Bingo?' Is that the right thing to say?'_

Kay chuckled. "It's a good expression, but you might want to work on the delivery. Anyway, I'm going to talk to him and see what he wants." Kay said, turning around and sprinting to the nydus worm.

* * *

After yet another transfer through the guts of the underground intestines, Kay was now in the presence of Kralluf yet again, this time in person. Kay noted that the commander didn't come by way of a vehicle. Instead, he brought a copper and green suitcase with him, for whatever reason. After looking the commander up and down, Kay noted that he was two heads taller than the gilanian before him. However, that bladed hammer looked deceptively heavy. Kralluf took his turn to inspect the infested zerg command organism. "... The video channel made you look smaller than I thought."

"And uh... you're pretty short." Kay traded.

Kralluf sighed and lowered his bladed hammer. "I'm afraid that I have came with ill news. After hearing how your zerg beasts managed to slay my Crescent Arms encampment, my holy emperor has decided to give you an audience."

Kay was surprised. He crossed his arms and loosened his stance. "Does uh... Does this mean I need to go to his golden city and make an appointment, or whatever?"

Kralluf placed the suitcase down and opened it. "He will be here soon." The suitcase extended into a broad circular plate, while several antennas extended out and became angled. He tapped several buttons on a control pad, and then grabbed a mobile communication device from his person. "Oh holy liege, the dreaming immortal, the incarnate of divine will, I call upon you. Emperor Gollog, I answer your request to give audience to the person of your choosing, now standing before me. Sending coordinates for the MEM shift."

After a few more button presses, the machine came to life as blue and white static hovered over the metal plates. The sound it made was similar to a tuning fork resonating next to several metal wind chimes. The blue/white static faded away to reveal yet another gilanian. He was an albino, and he wore a long white robe with opalescent trimmings. He also wore extremely ornate metal gauntlets, boots, and a tall crown that was impressively opalescent. He stepped off of the platform and smiled at Kay, spreading his arms wide as though greeting Kay. "You are the one I wanted to see today. Kay, was it?" The gilanian said in a deep, yet baritone voice. "I am Emperor Gollog, and it is a pleasure to finally meet you." He spoke with an air of regal authority, but his voice was quite deep. He talked with a sultry softness, but Kay could tell that there was a darker side to him.

Kay kept quiet.

"Nothing to say? I shall move to my next topic then." Gollog said, folding his arms behind himself. "You see, Kay, I wanted to meet you because I have heard about your little battle with the scout forces of the Crescent Arms Division here. I have seen your brutality, and I have grown impressed with your feats and triumph. You are well deserving of the respect and fear among the mortals. But I have grown interested in other regards to your prowess. And believe me, I am greatly impressed by your beasts, and you."

Kay remained silent.

"As you might have heard, I am an immortal with simple desires. Even though I have ascended, I did not feel the need to throw away my flights of fancy, or my baser wants, just yet. In fact, as an immortal with an entire empire at my disposal, I have the power to grant any wish within my power. I can even grant immortality to others, and let them bask in the glow that is my divinity. I can even grant one of your wishes, if you have any! But it is at a small cost, I'm afraid. The price is allegiance." Gollog took a breath before he spoke again. "So what say you, bug-man beast-master of Red Mountain? Will you join my rule and allow me to fulfill your wish within my power?"

Kay was mute in his reply.

An awkward pause passed before Gollog turned around to Kralluf. "Kralluf? Were you able to hear me as I talked?"

Kralluf straightened up and stiffened. "Yes, my liege. Every word."

Gollog turned back to Kay, and Kay could see his face emoting an annoyed expression. "Please answer me, Kay. It is rude to leave an emperor's question unanswered."

Kay frowned. "You're not real."

Gollog's scaly brows furrowed. "... Excuse me?"

"Yeah, you're not even here right now. That, or brain dead. I'm going to assume that you didn't hear me the first time, seeing that you had sent to me a very fancy answering machine. Now then. Allow me to make myself perfectly clear." Kay said, almost growling. "We are the zerg. We evolve by fighting. We have taken resources from many lands. We survived monsters that you couldn't even imagine. We even survived the wrath of a god. We are not to be bartered with. We are not to be trifled with. We are not to be crossed." Kay took a deep breath before speaking again. "Now get out of here, and leave us the fuck alone." He said, turning around and heading for the nydus worm.

Gollog clenched his fists. _"YOU DARE TURN YOUR BACK TO AN IMMORTAL EMPEROR?"_ Kay spun around and shielded one of his ears with a hand. Gollog's voice became incredibly loud in that instant. _"YOU DARE RESCIND THE DIVINE GIFT OF WISH FULFILLMENT? YOU DARE ANGER ME WITH YOUR ALOOF BEHAVIOR? THEN LET IT BE KNOWN THAT IF YOU DO NOT ALIGN YOUR ALLEGIANCE WITH ME, THEN YOU SHALL BE AN ENEMY TO THE GOLDEN STAR EMPIRE! I MAY NOT BE A GOD, OR BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE SAME WRATH THAT YOU SOMEHOW SURVIVED, BUT MY DOMAIN IS ALL OF THE LANDS AND THE WATERS OF KILN! YOU ARE A PRISONER TO THIS WORLD, JUST AS A COLLARED SLAVE IS PRISONER TO HER SLAVE-MASTER! IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT MY GRATITUDE, THEN THIS TIME TOMORROW, I SHALL SEND FORTH AN ARMY THAT WILL SQUASH YOU AND YOUR MONSTERS LIKE THE INSECTS THEY ARE!"_ Gollog took a deep breath before speaking again. "I will give you one more chance to reconsider. What say you, bug-man beast-master of Red Mountain?"

Kay uncovered his ear before speaking. "Can you get me off of Kiln?" Gollog's expression furrowed further, telling Kay that he either didn't want him to leave, or he didn't know how to. Kay turned around once more. "Then we're done here. If you really want to start a war with the zerg, just know that you have been warned. See you tomorrow. Or not. You are free to choose what will happen next." Kay said, entering the nydus worm once he was done.

* * *

He could tell from the nydus worm's point of view that Gollog was fuming. The, supposedly immortal, emperor stormed back to the metal plates that Kralluf had used to summon his emperor with. Kay figured out that the device Kralluf used to summon Gollog was a MEM device, and that both Gollog and Kralluf used it again to make their leave. Ten seconds later, it detonated and prevented anyone from using it further. Kay thought about retrieving the device, before it had unexpectedly exploded after the blue and white static vanished. Perhaps a counter-measure to prevent the device from being reverse-engineered? Virid had questions, however. _'Why did you say that he was not real?'_

"Because I couldn't read his thoughts." Kay said, emerging in the underground village again. He walked to the hatchery that was supplying a cocoon with more nutrient rich fluid, which was still slowly growing.

 _'Would this mean that your psionic abilities are recovering?'_

Kay nodded. "It's possible, even if it's a little slow. If I had to rate my mental state on its psionic potential as it is now, I guess I'd rate it about a... five, or maybe five and a half, out of ten on the psionic scale. I was able to read some surface thoughts from that Kralluf guy, but I got completely nothing from Gollog. Hell, I'm pretty sure Gollog was never in front of me to begin with!" Kay said, nearing the still enlarging cocoon that had the evolution master swimming inside it. "How long until the evolution master emerges?"

 _'I estimate that the gestation will complete at sundown.'_

Kay groaned. "Let's get as many combat strains good and ready for tomorrow."

 _'Our economy of bio-matter is slowly dropping. We may need to expand the creep fields and move our drones to new areas.'_

"Ah shit. ... Well, we can extend our nydus network coverage to expand our territory farther. Have seven more nydus worms emerge ten kilometers from our hive cluster, and space them out evenly. We already have a nydus worm that is southwest from our position, so all we need to do is to finish expanding to other areas. Once the nydus worms are in place, we can then quickly cover the land with more creep and give the drones more ground to harvest nutrient rich creep from. The queens will have to be hard at work laying lots of creep tumors, so have the overlords help them. And Virid?" Kay said, pacing back and forth.

 _'Yes, Kay?'_

"We need to surprise them with something they won't expect. We're living on borrowed time, and I want to make good use of it!"

* * *

 **A/N: I could have finished this yesterday, but my internet connection became a derp and I forgot to ctrl + C my document before pressing the save button. :c**


	14. The Flesh Scientist

**Chapter 14: The Flesh Scientist**

* * *

The joint-commanders of the zerg swarm on planet Kiln was feeling overwhelming and underwhelming emotions.

Virid was perfectly calm about the situation, being the underwhelmed party if Kay were to imagine so, but Kay was the one that had a plethora of confusing thoughts running through his head, whilst feeling happy that he is going to get an evolution master on his side.

Once the sun went down, the cocoon started to crack open little by little. From it emerged a slug shaped body with many spindly spidery arms. Four of such arms seemed to be used for grasping, whilst another four were specifically made for offense or stabbing and injecting something into a host, or siphoning something out of a host. Little legs dotted the sides of the 'slug-footed' lower torso, while the upper torso was a giant bulbous head with several cysts on the sides, the face having four eyes and a sideways mouth. This evolution master came at a close second in terms of ugliness, almost surpassing the changeling in every respect.

In fact, this organism looked more dangerous than a changeling! Kay looked up and down at the monster that was before him, drinking in every detail that he could. "... So uh... Virid? Is this what that Abathur guy looked like, back in our sector?"

Virid was present when the evolution master hatched, and she checked the health of the organism thoroughly before making her statement. _'Yes, Kay. This organism has Abathur's appearance. But this is not him, and this one has been born to the purposes of assisting us.'_

"... I am born." It said with a deep, graveled and guttural voice.

Kay stepped back and stared at the new creature. "Huh! Already speaking English, I see. That's... surprising."

Virid finished grooming the newly born evolution master and stepped back, coming next to Kay. _'The hivemind link enables information to be stored and accessed by all of the swarm. This one is drinking every available piece of information that you, I, and all active organisms in our brood have learned. Vital knowledge is collected and shared, but things like random trivia and personal experiences are often kept for the individual.'_

Kay nodded. "Care to explain how it can talk?"

 _'It has a mouth, for one.'_ Virid deadpanned.

Kay rolled his eyes. "Now you tell me." The slug organism turned around to look at everything, it's tiny eyes scrutinizing everything before setting his gaze on Kay. Kay didn't know what to say within that moment. "Euh, you are one UGLY mother fucker."

If the thing could tilt its head in confusion, it would. "... Mother... Fucker? Don't understand. Need explanation."

"Uh... Yeah, no. Maybe later." Kay turned to Virid. "Is his head broken?"

Virid shook her head. _'Abathur has a similar speech pattern. It could be that this speech pattern has been imprinted within the swarm at a genetic level. The key genetic codes are safely stored within every drone, hatchery and larva. When a key genetic mutation is seen as viably important in the active organisms, the mutation slowly bleeds into the stored genetic information, which will strengthen the swarm. This is a method of evolution that is deemed the fastest by Abathur himself.'_

Kay shook his head at that thought. "Man. The zerg get more and more scary every day."

The evolution master fidgeted on the spot. "Query. Born recently. Have no purpose. Only directive: Help swarm. Need assistance?"

Virid stepped forward. _'We require more resources for a battle in the next day. There is no minerals and vespene gas deposits on this world, and the swarm adapted with great difficulty. However, gilanian technology may hold the answer. There is a device called a 'manifestation altar' that can provide alternate materials similar to minerals and vespene gas. Reverse engineering it may be key to acquiring unlimited resources.'_

"Location of altar?" The evolution master asked plainly.

"Whoa whoa whoa, hang on. Can't we give you a name first? I mean... It is your birthday after all." Kay said, interrupting Virid and the new evolution master's mission of potentially destroying gilanian technology.

The evolution master stopped and turned to Kay. "Name unimportant. Swarm important. Must help swarm."

Kay rolled his eyes. "Kay... Well um... How about this? You can help the swarm by a degree, if you help me by helping you gain a new name. How does that sound?"

The evolution master paused. "... Fails to see need for name. However, if gaining name assists swarm, then will accept name."

Kay clapped his hands together. "Kay, um... I'm kinda drawing on a blank here." He said, pausing awkwardly.

 _'I suggest the name Corvurn, and be done with it. May we continue to the altar?'_ Virid impatiently suggested, already scuttling to the manifestation altar. For convenience, the altar that the zerg were given permission to use was on the first floor of the underground village's tower.

Kay stared at Virid with annoyed eyes as the newly anointed 'Corvurn' followed after her. He sighed after nine seconds and then followed after them.

* * *

Once they reached the tower and went inside, Corvurn watched the drones requesting hydrocarbons and pure ore metals from the manifestation altar. Since the decline in the bio-matter resource economy, the altar was creating more metal based resources to make up for the decline in resource production. "Query. Manifestation altar?" Corvurn asked, pointing one of his four grasping claws at the machine. Once Virid nodded, Corvurn slithered to it and looked at it from every direction possible, pushing past and disrupting the drones' duties. After the inspection, Corvurn grumbled. "Altar non-organic. Machine operated. Difficult to replicate function."

Kay sighed. "Well, there's that hope gone."

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?" A yell brought everyone's attention to an albino gilanian. Kragnon was staring at Corvurn with great concern.

Corvurn turned abruptly and stared hungrily at Kragnon, then started to approach him. "Lifeform detected. Unknown essence. Extracting samples."

Kay didn't know what kind of samples that Corvurn wanted, but he acted on the occasion and quickly stood in front of Corvurn. "CORVURN, NO! He's not to be harmed!"

Corvurn stopped. "Not swarm organism. Contains unknown essence. Require essence sample."

Kay shook his head. "Not this one. Any other gilanian corpse I would be fine with, but this one is off limits. He's labeled as an allied non-zerg organism, and he is not to be wounded in any way."

Corvurn stood there for several seconds before returning to his original task, which was inspecting the altar. Kragnon decided to break the silence that followed. "Kay. What the fuck is that?"

Kay stared at Corvurn for a few seconds before replying to Kragnon. "Our evolution master. He was recently born a couple minutes ago, and apparently doesn't understand the concept of 'polite discourse'."

Kragnon looked at the slug creature up and down several times before shuddering and turning to Kay. "Master or not, why the hell is he looking at my altar like that?"

Kay sighed. "He's trying to figure out how it makes metals and hydrocarbons."

"... Why?" Kragnon asked.

Kay shrugged. "Blame Virid. She told him about it."

Kragnon looked at the other creature intruding into the tower. "Is this the 'Virid' I heard about?"

Virid turned to Kragnon and made a small hiss. "I am Virid, yes."

Kay slowly turned toward Virid and slowly blinked, staring at her with surprise. "... Virid."

Virid turned to Kay. _'What is it?'_

Kay waved a gesture to Virid. "You just talked. Like... AUDIBLY talked."

Kay could tell that Virid was quickly becoming annoyed. _'I am aware.'_

Kragnon looked between Kay and Virid with a confused expression. "... I think I'm missing something here."

Kay nodded at Kragnon. "I think you and me both! Virid, why didn't you tell me you could communicate through sound?"

Virid trilled lowly, who was obviously annoyed by this line of questioning. _'There was no need to communicate through sound. The hivemind connection is the only efficient method.'_

"Efficient or not, I think this was something I would have liked to know about beforehand!"

 _'There was no point in telling you this beforehand. If you had known, then our exchanges would take longer.'_

"Now you're just being cheeky!"

 _'I can't be cheeky. I don't even have a mouth.'_

"Quit changing the subject!"

Kragnon raised his hand sheepishly. "Can we not use telepathy to the only non-telepath here, please?"

Kay turned to Kranon and nodded before turning back to Virid. "Alright Virid, here's a new rule. Any time we are face-to-face like this, or when you're in the company of friendly non-zerg, or friendly non-telepathic non-zerg, then you are to limit your communication abilities to using sound, unless it was for something important or urgent. Understand?"

Virid paused for several seconds before hissing loudly. "As you command."

"Uh, quick question if you don't mind." Kragnon asked meekly. "But uh... How are you talking without a mouth?"

Virid looked down at Kragnon, her gaze making him shrivel slightly. "I have no need for a mouth. I have enough psionic power to excite the air to produce sonic vibrations of specific wavelengths to let me shape my exhalations, so I can exchange words in verbal dialogue."

Kay nodded. "In short, complex zerg biology."

Kragnon paused and nodded his head too. "... Well... C-can you tell me why your... 'evolution master' is looking at my manifestation altar like a ceremonially prepared krell?"

Virid hissed again. "Corvurn is investigating the properties of the manifestation altar. He wishes to replicate its abilities using an organic process."

Kay raised an eyebrow at Virid, then turned to Kragnon. "You wouldn't mind if we let Corvurn try and understand your altar tech, Kragnon?"

Kragnon scoffed. "Go ahead, and good luck with that! I only have my computer tell me how to fix them whenever they break. I don't have the technical know-how to know how they work."

Corvurn stopped his analyzing of the altar and slithered toward Kragnon, apparently overhearing the conversation. "Non-swarm organism. Query. Computer helps you fix altars? Can computer explain functions? Explain materials required for object and resource synthesis?"

Kragnon stared at the slug monster for a long time before saying something. He sounded a lot meeker than normal. "Uh... Yes?"

Corvurn caressed his grasping fingers together. "Require access to computer. Must learn about altar. Reverse engineering of altar required."

Kragnon turned to Kay to give him a worried expression. With a nod from Kay, Kragnon slowly sighed and shrugged before turning around to lead Corvurn to the council chamber. "Uh, sure. Corvurn, was it? I'll show you to Maiden, this tower's artificially intelligent computer interface. You can ask her as many questions as you need, but I'll have to ask you to not disclose our transfer handle if you're going to access information from the information network. My name is Kragnon, by the way. Lovechief Kragnon."

Corvurn followed after Kragnon. "Current conversation unimportant. Swarm evolution important. Computer access required. Information regarding altar functions, mechanics, properties, designs, and materials needed. Must research and analyze. Proceed with haste."

Kragnon slowly nodded before picking up his pace into a jog, with Corvurn matching his speed despite being a slug-footed monster.

Kay crossed his arms and nodded. "So uh... I guess that went well. For a second there, I thought Corvurn was looking to eat him."

Virid hissed. "He was going to take samples from Kragnon."

Kay turned to Virid and paused. "... I can't help but notice how you veiled that. Was he really going to eat him?"

Virid took her turn to pause. "... He was only going to eat a small part of him."

Kay raised his hands in a defeated gesture. "Now you tell me!"

Virid paused again, but then decided to scuttle back to the underground hatchery. "Kragnon should be fine in Corvurn's company. In the meantime, I have work to do in preparing our defenses."

Kay looked down at the ground before nodding. "... I don't really have anything to do for the moment, so... I'll help you out." Kay offered, following after Virid.

* * *

The preparation for the coming battle was going along well. The cover of night didn't stop the swarm from swaying, since they had adapted to forgo sleep completely. Sleep was now something that was habitual instead of being something that was necessary. As nydus worms popped out of the ground one after another, ten kilometers away from the first hive cluster, queens emerged from these nydus worms and deposited their creep tumors, which had spread more creep as a result. Several overlord groups eventually met with the queens near the nydus worms that were laying the creep tumors, whilst another group of queens and overlords focused on expanding the creep fields outward from the first hive cluster.

It took several hours, but several kilometers of land that was once bare of creep was now blanketed by a layer of oozing nutrition fit for only zerg consumption. There was still some uncovered ground when midnight came, but the creep-less grounds soon became part of the zerg territory, extending to twenty kilometers in diameter. Several spore and spine crawlers had been situated around the nydus worms, and a dedicated hatchery was created beside each nydus worm.

The creep around each nydus worm had been extended by five hundred square meters, which ensured that whatever ground-bound hostile force tried to focus on the nydus worm would advance at a slower rate. Not only that, but several more drones had mutated into spine and spore crawlers between the nydus worms in a circumferential pattern. A giant circle of anti-ground, anti-air, and cloak detection was created.

It was thanks to the expansion of creep that the drones have gained more areas to collect nutrient-rich creep from. However, the drones were suffering from a lack of numbers. The hatcheries quickly became busy, with the help of the available queens that were either spawned or moved into the area to inject larvae, which would eventually morph into more drones and overlords.

Five more nydus worms were created, each five kilometers away and distanced from each other evenly from the main hive cluster, with drones that emerged from those worms going to work collecting nutrient rich creep, feeding it to the worm they arrived in. The nydus network was vomiting copious amounts of nutrient rich creep, and the drones within the main hive cluster area went to work collecting the collected creep easily. But once the hatcheries were morphed next to those new nydus worms, the collection of nutrient-rich creep became even easier.

After the drones started focusing more on creep harvesting, bio-matter production was soon becoming a moderately plentiful supply. However, accelerant production remained the same. Even when two sources of volcanic gas didn't amount to much, even if the hydrocarbons provided by one of Kragnon's manifestation altar assisted in generating more accelerant, using the nydus worms to extend the zerg territory enabled for a rapid harvest of bio-matter. As of now, Kay and Virid's brood had the ability to produce a roach every eighteen minutes.

With that said, the only organisms that had no need for accelerant were the drones, zerglings, queens, spine crawlers, spore crawlers, overlords and hatcheries.

The drones were the only vulnerable and important organisms that would be caught in the coming battle, and they would need to quickly burrow when they start sensing danger coming to them. However, they would be necessary for replacing any destroyed bio-structures, so a group of dedicated drones would be burrowed near the nydus worms to replace what was destroyed.

Zerglings could be produced en massed, and very cheaply. They would become the primary, fast-acting defense for the entire hive cluster. Once the static defenses have been set up, much of the primary defense will consist of A LOT of zerglings. Kay was hoping for an entire ocean of them!

Zerg queens could provide ranged support from behind the zergling forces, or help defend and heal strategic bio-structures or groups. The zerglings might be slightly expendable, but the queens were six times more expensive than a single zergling, and required more time to gestate. Their inclusion into the foreseeable battle would have to be limited.

The spine and spore crawlers forming the massive defensive ring around the main hive cluster would be the first line of defense. Since Kay didn't know where the attacking forces would strike from, he figured that creating the ring of crawlers would ensure that no enemy force would burrow under, fly over, or walk through without suffering the consequences. Not only that, the spore crawlers that make up the ring of crawlers would stop any invisible intruders. Coupled with the tendril barbs of the spine crawlers, or the aerial-denial seeker spores of the spore crawlers, no one should get past without suffering from sever injuries first. Unless they had satellites that could attack the zerg from orbit. Kay doubted that, but his doubts have been proven wrong before.

The overlords were going to be tricky. They had no means to fend for themselves once the battle comes, but the overlords with ventral sacks could provide slow transportation. However, such transportation wasn't really needed since the nydus worms provided a fast means of transport anyway, and the creep acted as a giant sensory organ for the swarm. So much as step on the creep, or fly over it, and all of the zerg will become aware of the intrusion. But the overlords will also be supplying synaptic control to all of the zerg forces, so there will be a great number of them that would be needed as well.

The small number of roaches would have to be managed carefully, and only in areas where certain defenses have been weakened, or where an attack would weaken said defenses. They were perfect as anti-infantry, but would need to burrow to avoid enemy air forces. As such, being led to battle by a queen or two would assist them greatly, since the queens can provide them an efficient means of anti-air cover. However, Kay and Virid had no idea how powerful their enemy air units would be.

The twin zerglings, elder hydralisk, single infestor, and the only overseer on the surface would have to be dedicated to a special forces group, taking part in tactical excursions and special covert operations. Kay imagined that they would be mainly used in taking down important targets. Despite the infestor having an excellent survival record, and the elder hydralisk and twin zerglings being the most experienced zerg organisms, not counting Virid, and the overseers ability to detect hidden enemies and create changelings, their group was incredibly small. They'd have to be used carefully if they are to survive, or bear many successes in an impossible mission.

Somehow, Kay and Virid's brood managed to accomplish their goals in setting up an effective defensive once it became morning. It gave them extra time to create a thicker defense, producing more overlords, zerglings and drones as a result. The drones were directed to the ring of crawlers, which then promptly morphed into either another spine crawler or another spore crawler. Several more hatcheries were created near the main hive cluster, whilst a queen, sometimes two, tended to each hatchery. The lair, the center of the main hive cluster, would be tended by four queens. Virid had decided to command the zerg in the relative safety of the underground village, its own hatcheries being able to provide additional assistance in replacing lost zerg strains.

But then there was another problem. The deteriorating overlord that had two sick queens within its ventral sack. The queens kept each other healthy, and kept the overlord from dying, but no one knew what kind of affliction effected these diseased zerg strains. The zerg had the ability to adapt to any illnesses, but that logic had failed when that hunter introduced that poisoned crossbow bolt to that overlord, which was now affecting the zerg within itself! Kay hoped that when Corvurn finally had the free time to spare, he would tell him about the poison.

But as of then, Kay and Virid was going to prepare against a siege.

* * *

Corvurn was looking through many diagrams involving the manifestation altars. As he perused through many designs and how they worked, and how the mechanisms and machinery had fitted with one another, he was slowly beginning to understand the properties of the gilanian technology. However, Corvurn also found out that the altars uses special elements and a type of fluid that the zerg are unable to produce by themselves. But these elements and fluid could be produced by the altars paradoxically.

That was when Corvurn got the idea.

"Kragnon." Corvurn growled, turning to him. The lovechief looked like he was about to up and leave until his name was called.

"Uh... Yes?" He said, rubbing his tired eyes. He had spent the whole night answering Corvurn's questions regarding gilanian tech, and sometimes answering his queries on the nature of the world's politics.

If Corvurn could smile, he would. But smiling was not beneficial to the zerg swarm, so it was a useless trait to him. "Reverse engineering of altar required. Permission for single altar deconstruction?"

Kragnon sighed. He was not willing to anger the zerg over such a simple sounding request. "... If it's just one manifestation altar, then I'm fine with it. But you are only allowed to destroy the altar on the first floor."

Corvurn slithered out of the council room. "Need only one."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm going to see if I can write double the amount I normally write for this story tomorrow.**


	15. MB1: Blood at Red Mountain

**Chapter 15: Major Battle 1: Blood at Red Mountain**

* * *

There was still time before midday arrived, so Kay and Virid have finally decided to get their troops ready.

The army of zerglings were moved into the ring of crawlers and burrowed behind and next to the defense line. One out of two hundred and fifty zerglings were chosen to run out into the desert wilderness beyond the creep to act as scouts, traveling a kilometer outside the zerg territory. If Kay could estimate on how many zerglings there were in total, he could at least count around ten thousand, perhaps eleven thousand and a half. More and more zerglings could join them, even when much of the ground had many of its resources leached already. Since the expansion, using nydus worms and creep tumors made by queens, the drones were more than happy to diligently harvest nutrient-rich creep for the hatcheries they tended. It was slow work, but it turned out that fifty drones assisting and feeding a single hatchery had barely made it equal to twelve drones gathering from a semi-circle of mineral deposits.

The overlords were floating over their fellow zerg, but the main concentration of them mainly hovered over the central hive cluster. The overlords, from a distance, could be seen as a giant mass of purple, dark beige, and green. There were so many of them that they had formed a literal cloud in the center of the zerg infestation. It provided nearly constant cloud cover for any zerg at the cluster, though light rarely trickled down from above at times.

The roaches sharpened their claws using their own carapace as they got themselves ready for the shit-storm that was about to occur. Aside from the roaches, a few queens also joined them as field medics and anti-air personnel. A small amount of accelerant was used for mutating certain overlords at the furthest nydus worms to have ventral sacs, which could help assist the queens off of any areas that had no creep to boost their speed.

But the zerg swarm's main problem was the infected overlord and the trickle of accelerant that hindered their mutations. At least Kay was happier to know that the offensive and defensive capabilities of the zerg mutated further, making them even more lethal and more hardy. But still, how would one protect an overlord when their enemy could potentially strike them from any side? The answer was simple. Take the infected overlord out of the fight. The infected overlord would be joined by its own overseer bodyguard that traveled with it. Once they received their commands, they flew high up in the air and several kilometers away from the battlefield. It would at least ensure that if the zerg hive cluster ended up becoming decimated by the coming battle, the infected overlord would not die and spread its deterioration to the other zerg strains. The drones within itself had already died, but the queens kept themselves and the overlord they were riding inside alive.

Speaking of space-bound overlords, the one that had been sent to the hexagonal moon a long time ago was slowly making progress. Sure, it suffered severe sunburns, but it still made good progress. If Kay was correct in his calculations, then another day needed to pass in order for the overlord to make it to the hexagonal moon, more or less. A new hive cluster on the moon had the potential to benefit Kay and Virid's swarm. However, the elements that could be found there was a mystery. What kind of resources could a geometric moon hold anyway?

PANIC!

A zergling that was north-northeast looked up when it felt a rumble in the ground. A wide machine, with four tall rectangular towers on wheels attached to the sides of this giant vehicle, was rolling forward noisily. It looked to be more than two hundred and fifty meters long, and one hundred meters wide. Several cylindrical shapes was stored on the underside of the machine, and a large square hatch was located in its center. The whole central machine somehow kept itself even, even when it ran up and down the sand dunes while it loudly strolled forward. Large metal screws, the size of trucks, were seen in each rectangular tower that connected to the giant vehicle, and each screw would turn to keep the whole machine balanced. The zergling had no idea what was above this vehicle since it was underneath this massive machine.

However, that didn't stop it to investigate and attack the great machine. The machine was large, but the zergling wasn't deterred from attacking one of the wheels that was connected to these towers. The wheel at one of the towers was immense in size, but it traveled at a slow enough pace for the zergling to damage it. The wheel was made of metal, but stronger claws was able to make it slowly dwindle in size.

The whole machine then stopped. The zergling backed off from its attack to watch the machine with curiosity, eager to see what happened next. As it absorbed whatever information it gleaned, it was instantly shared with the whole swarm. That is to say, both Kay and Virid was using the zergling to analyze this giant machine's reaction to its tiny atacker.

The central hatch opened up and a platform suddenly dropped down, revealing machines of an oblong diamond shape that floated. Five gilanian soldiers stood on these machines and shot off from the platform, and they used these machines to hover above the ground with expert movement. They slid and surfed above the sand as though it was water, propelling themselves forward by an unknown force that was unexplained. They proceeded to circle the zergling that dared to gnaw at the rectangular tower's wheel.

One of them began shouting. "Jeembawb, shoot your tranq gun! Boss wants this one for the copper coats!"

A shot from a rifle added to the noise of the humming oblong diamond devices and the zergling felt force applied onits left flank. A tranquilizer dart tried to enter its carapace, but it had only ricocheted off of the living armor, punching straight into the ground instead. The zergling screeched and tried to rush after its potential attacker. Once the zergling came close enough, it struck out with its claws and teeth, only to have the surfing machine uppercut it. "Whoa! Kleetis, this thing is a grumpy one! Tranq round didn't connect! I'm thinkin' this thing got a tougher hide than we thunk!"

The other soldiers arrived to assist the tranquilizing expert, using roped sticks to try and tie down the zergling. One managed to tie the looped rope onto an attack-claw. The soldier was having difficulty trying to maintain his hold. "WHOA! Need some help here! Get some more capture nooses around it! Watch out for the pointy bits! This thing is stronger than it looks!"

The zergling gnawed at one of such capture sticks, which resulted in it breaking apart, its rope noose no longer useful. However, more capture nooses assailed the zergling right after its brief freedom. Two nooses were tied to one of its legs, another onto its neck, while another noose was lucky enough to tie over both attack claws. "Its tusks are hard to get around. Jeembawb! Use some shocker rounds this time!"

The sniper changed ammunition by the request of his teammate. "Aight aight, Kaisie, I heard you. After that though, I'm shootin' the jag in its mouth." After including a new bullet to his weapon's cartridge, the sniper fired a specialized bullet that paralyzed the zergling with electricity. The zergling tried to scream in pain, but the effort was futile as another round shot right into its mouth. Its senses quickly deadened, forcing it to lay limp. After a few seconds of analyzing their subdued target, the sniper reached into his person for a short-range handheld radio. "Boss, this is Jeembawb. Mission accomplished. We got the jag to sleep, and are ready to move it on board."

[Excellent work, Jeembawb. Commander Kralluf would be pleased with our work. We might send you a dune boat to transport that blade hound back to Kralluf's desert platform, so sit tight.] Jeembawb's radio barked.

Jeembawb cocked his head. "Yeah uhm... Why are we not usin' the MEM device again?"

[I heard that the scientist that tried to transfer zerg related samples found a complication. However, we will attempt to MEM shift the blade hound as per standard extraction protocols. Send the blade hound up to us. We'll send a dune boat down to you afterwards. You are to remain down there and protect our desert platform.]

Jeembawb sighed. "Got it, boss." He pocketed the short-range radio with another sigh.

"More jags! Blade hounds coming in toward the front of the desert platform!" One of the oblong diamond machine riders shouted.

Jeembawb turned to see a small collection of zerglings had grouped up and decided to start their attack. Jeembawb threw down his tranquilizer rifle and took out what appeared to be SMG like weapons. "Alright fellas! Get your sand-boards ready for a tussle with them blade hounds! Protect the desert platform! EMPEROR BE BLESSED!"

"EMPEROR BE BLESSED!" All of the other sand-boarders yelled in unison before splitting off and circling around the front wheels of the giant machine, which Kay assumed was what they referred to as the desert platform.

The sand-boarding soldiers rode forward and matched the speed of the zerglings, gunning them down with alien weapons that shot pistol, SMG, and assault rifle bullets of gilanian craftsmanship. The zerglings would suffer minimal damage, but had to burrow into the sand should their carapace became close to being compromised. The sand-boarders were quick to this tactic, and opted to strike down a single zergling with enough firepower to prevent it from burrowing and entering the safety of the sand. The zerglings changed tactics, losing interest with the sand-boarders and going for one of the wheels of the desert platforms. The damage that one zergling had caused was multiplied by a factor of ten, and they quickly ruined the wheel. Jeembawb fished out his hand-held radio. "Boss, it's Jeembawb! Them blade hound jags are cuttin' up the platform's front-right wheel up good! Use your turrets on the dang things!"

[Request accepted. Offering assistance now. Hold your tails!] Eight cylinders under the platform opened up and revealed a type of rotating turret system. The zerglings could see that these were manned by gilanians, and the turrets opened fire on the zerglings at the giant front-right wheel. They were being mowed down more quickly than expected, so they all quickly burrowed themselves at once. After a few seconds more of continuous manned turret fire, Jeembawb's radio barked again. [Jeembawb, the blade hounds are under the sand. Looks like they're copying the shryik serpent's main strategy. How's our wheel?]

"Alright, fellas! Get our sleepy jag on board the platform so the boss can deliver it!" As Jeembawb shouted that command, his subordinates dragged the drugged zergling onto the lowered platform, and then slowly brought it into the hatch that closed afterwards. Jeembawb hovered over the wheel and gave it a long once-over. "It don't look good boss. Looks like the wheel was chewed off."

[Chewed off? But it's made of solid metal!]

"Yeah, but I'm tellin' ya, boss! It's been chewed to bits, and it looks like we'll be draggin' our feet if we don't cut off a leg."

[Can we still roll?]

"Uhh... Nope, not as we is. We might have to ditch the wheel support tower entirely if we want to speed out of here." Jeembawb said, slightly leaning over his sand-board.

[*sigh* Damn it all. Engineers! We lost the front-right wheel-tower! Cut the extra weight off, and cut a half from the front-left and back-right wheel-towers! We're going into low-terrain mode!]

As the entire rectangular tower made heavy clunk sounds, it shifted its weight and fell down, landing on the sand to make a 'whump' sound. Two other rectangular towers bent in half and then fell onto the sand in a similar manner, but with half of the impact. However, Jeembawb quickly reeled backwards reflexively when a zergling tried to surprise him with a claw to his face. "WHOA! These jags are sneaky! Boss, it's gettin' pretty molty down here! Request permission to board the platform?"

[I haven't gotten confirmation from the technician that the MEM transfer was successful. Sit tight for ah... Excuse me for a second. Hmm? ... Dammit. Alright Jeembawb, new mission. Our MEM device is incapable of transferring the blade hound to a secure location. Were sending you a dune boat down, and it has important live cargo. Think you can outrun your little zerg monsters?]

Jeembawb rotated his sand-board and smacked a zergling in the face. "That's what I hope! These jags are quick little critters, but I'm feelin' pretty sure we can be fast enough to outrun em'."

[I'll tell the driver to slow down so you can get on. We'll send out our combat fliers to assist you.]

Jeembawb circled a zergling before running it over. "I ain't much for the stratergizing type, boss, but could you send some scout fliers too? Ol' Jeembawb is gettin' a bad feelin' bout' this."

[*sigh* Fine. At least we might figure out how far these blade hounds have traveled just to meet us.] A minute later, several triangular flying machines flew into view, originating from the top of the desert platform. Some appeared to have weapons installed into their frame, while there were others that had none, containing different equipment. The hatch under the platform opened up again and a new vehicle was introduced. A trapezoidal shaped metal contraption rolled off of the lowered platform, which ran over two zerglings as it disembarked. The zerglings decided to burrow to safety, just before they risked becoming more roadkill victims. The machine had several rotating turret placements on its front, sides, and rear, making it an effective light-armored anti-infantry weapon. There was a zergling that was placed into a cage and tied onto the top the vehicle.

"Alright fellas! Assist the dune boat! Don't let them jags get their jag buddy back!" Jeembawb announced, hovering next to the dune boat and matching its speed. The 'combat' fliers, as they seemed to be called, followed after the escaping dune boat with its cargo. The 'scout' fliers went in the opposite direction and fanned out, avoiding the ground battle completely.

However, the zerglings didn't pursue their 'jag buddy' held captive. More zerglings did eventually appear over the horizon to assist in terrorizing the desert platform, but none gave chase to the retreating party. The eight turret emplacements underneath the desert platform shouted their physically wounding complaints to their attackers, but the battle had soon become short lived once the damage became more than superficial. The desert platform tilted dangerously when another leg was whittled down to nothing. When the entire structure managed to finally tipped over, it gave the zerglings a chance to see what the desert platform's top looked like. There were a series of tents that was located at the back of the platform, and several siege sized weapons were located on the front. Several vehicles of different designs, mostly dune boats and sand-boards, was littered in the center. From the zerglings' perspective, they could see all gilanian personnel quickly entering a circular plate and disappearing in what looked like static light. The zerglings killed at least twenty six soldiers, but many more survivors used the MEM device and managed to escape with their lives. The zerglings quickly destroyed the machine, and then proceeded with the disassembly of the desert platform using only their claws.

The sand-boarders and combat fliers assisting the escaping dune boat had an easier mission. It was a ten minute ride before they reached safety that was away from the theater of war. One of the dune boat's protectors decided to pipe up.

"Yo, who's drivin'?" Jeembawb asked as he knocked on the heavy metaled cockpit, where only slits showed the inside of the driver's uniform.

"It's me Jeembawb. Jub." Said the driver.

"Jub?! Oh hey sis! I didn't expect seein' you here!"

"Clamp your jowl, Jeembawb."

"Yeah, well, not till you give me info on when we're nearin' safety an such."

"You can already see it in the distance, Jeembawb. Quite bugging me."

And as per Jub's declaration, they were already quickly closing in on an enormous desert platform. It was a giant machine that had six wheel towers, and was three hundred meters long. The machine was decorated with various cloths of silver and blue, signifying its importance as a desert platform that belonged to someone of a high military position. Oddly enough, a line of several other desert platforms were beside this huge machine. The swarm knows of this because the zergling that was tranquilized was slowly becoming more lucid and in control, since the zergling played the 'tranquilized animal' trick in the presence of the other soldiers. It was a lot like the 'playing dead' trick, except the zergling made them believe that it was tranquilized.

The hatch under the desert platform opened, and the dune boat plus sand-boarders boarded the impressively large machine. The zergling's cage was handled delicately and placed on a wheeled carrier before moving to the back of the desert platform. Once there, the zergling was able to see Commander Kralluf silently cursing to himself. When the wheeled carrier brought the zergling cage to a stop in the command tent on what was supposedly Kralluf's desert platform, Kralluf turned to inspect the organism from a safe distance. "Hmm..." Kralluf said, voicing his curiosity. "Never saw these things up close and in person before. The video communication link made them look larger than I thought." The tent was filled with many kinds of computer equipment, and there were many screens that showed the first-person perspective of a gilanian soldier, or showed a camera perspective that was on a desert platform or vehicle.

Jeembawb slammed his hand on the cage a few times. "Yep. This 'un blade hound here nearly took my face off. Managed to bite a capture noose in half before I needed to get an electric shocker round into its hide, and then tranqed it in the mouth right afterwards. But then we had to leave when more of them jags came and crippled the desert platform I was stationed on."

Kralluf sighed before turning to talk to Jeembawb. "What was the assigned number of your desert platform?"

"Oh. Uh..." Jeembawb seemed to forget what number it was.

Jub stepped forward, sighing. "It's desert platform nine hundred, sir."

Kralluf shook his head. "Condition of desert platform nine hundred?" When his staff changed the screen that showed the condition of the desert platform, Kralluf couldn't help but sigh when he saw its destroyed condition. "Figures. One of our machines have been destroyed, and we ended up with a hick on board my platform!"

Jub coughed. "Sir, I mean no disrespect, but he is my brother."

Kralluf looked at Jub for a second before scoffing. "Then congrats, Jub. You get to stay on my desert platform, while your brother and his men goes out to do the fighting for you. As for you, trapper, you go ahead and get on that MEM device and transfer to desert platform eight-nine-nine." Kralluf said, pointing to a nearby circular pad.

Jeembawb looked taken aback, but he sighed before going onto the MEM device. After some console fidgeting from the technicians, Jeembawb's matter was shifted into energy, and then sent away to be turned back into matter somewhere else. His fellow sand-boarders joined him shortly since they too used the MEM device. Jub, on the other hand, was indifferent to this event. Jub saluted to the commander. "Lieutenant Jub, sir. Reporting for duty."

Kralluf lazily gestured to Jub. "Eh, stand there and look pretty." He turned to his staff. "Observation and surveillance teams. Relay the recordings of Desert platform nine-zero-zero to me, then send copies to General Pallax and Commander Faddoh. Play the recording on the main screen and sub screens here." After looking at the carnage that had occurred, added with the audible commands that were issued by the higher-ups and the screaming of the dying gilanians, Kralluf made a very deep sigh. "I swear. Every time I look at these critters, it seems like they get even more dangerous."

Jub nodded. "I think dealing with these monsters might be a more difficult task than previously thought. In fact, dealing with these enemies might as well be a jagged affair, sir."

Kralluf turned to Jub and pointed a finger to her. "Don't you start calling them jags too, Jub. Especially since I know the guy that seems to be breeding them. He isn't any ordinary jag. He's smart. That much I can tell just from looking him in the eyes."

Jub blinked. "... You have been close to the enemy, sir?"

Kralluf smiled. "Close enough to hear him breathe." He then turned to his staff. "New orders from the Crescent Arms command! Desert platforms zero-zero-two to eight-zero-zero, form a perimeter around that purple slime on the ground, but don't enter too far in that the blade hounds start nipping at your heels. You have permission to fire at will on anything that is colored purple, brown, green, and looks like it will eat you. Desert platforms eight-zero-one to eight-five-zero, provide assistance to the assault force. Desert platforms eight-five-one to eight-nine-nine, you will be the assault force. Desert platforms eight-zero-one to eight-nine-nine are to gather southwest of the zerg territory and acquire two explosives that will route these monsters. The mission will commence by my command. Once all forces are in position, I shall order for the assault operation to begin. Get in position, soldiers of Gollog! Know that your service to the empire will be heavily rewarded, if our immortal emperor deems your conduct worthy of reward! Go forth and make him proud!"

* * *

"... So Virid. Do you think he knows that we can eavesdrop on his commands?" Kay asked, completely calm.

Virid hissed. "He thinks that we don't know where he is, too. He is completely wrong. Shall I summon a nydus worm and send the special forces group to assassinate him?"

Kay tapped at his chin. "... You know what? We could be a little daring. Let's play that card at the end of the war. If Kralluf decides to flee the scene when he knows that he would lose, that would be the window we need to we spring our little surprise for him."

Virid sighed, but then nodded. "I would suggest allowing him to believe that we are close to being defeated. That should be when we spring our trap."

Kay nodded as well. "Then a compromise. Turn it into a war of attrition and let both our numbers dwindle. Simply put, we match their strength instead of trying to overcome it. Only then do we spring that trap when both sides on the surface have suffered."

Kay couldn't help but hear Virid trilling happily. "As you command."

* * *

The ninety eight desert platforms moved into position, taking much of the late morning to get ready. It was obvious to understand that once midday arrived, the command to attack would begin. Fourteen kilometers Southwest from the zerg infestation, the desert platforms congregated and got ready for the assault.

Kralluf nodded, seeming to be pleased of the speedy positioning of his men. But they are not to act. Not yet. Kralluf turned to his men. "Staff. Send a call to the holy emperor. Six of my best, stand behind me. Jub. Have you ever wanted to see the emperor with your eyes?"

Jub's eyes widened with surprise. "Uh... If it's not too much trouble, then yes, sir."

Kralluf nodded as six of his highest officers stood behind him. Kralluf waited whilst the call for Emperor Gollog was requested. After a few seconds passed, the image of an albino gilanian wearing white and opalescent clothing was shown on their screen. Kralluf saluted. "Oh holy liege, the dreaming immortal, the incarnate of divine will, I call upon you. Emperor Gollog, I request your command to lay waste to the enemies of our empire. Awaiting your commands."

Emperor gollog smiled. [Allow us to revel in the moment. It isn't quite midday yet, and I wish to see this unique enemy through my godly eyes first.]

Kralluf bowed. "Yes, my liege."

Gollog turned and shifted the camera to pan its view to a pearly white interior with several ivory columns. A new screen showed the top-down view of the area of battle. Several blue dots surrounded a purple circle, and there was a collection of several more blue dots on the lower-left part of the screen, within the blue circle. [As you are well aware, these 'zerg' entities have the impressive ability to expand their control of the land in response to an aggressive threat. I have witnessed the speed of their growth, and have considered them to be a threat to my rule and the empire. The purple slime on the ground has spread at a phenomenal rate, and several more zerg organisms have been located and identified. There is a possibility that there is an underground nest that is breeding more of themselves. From what I am able to glean, these monsters might have been a result of genetic engineering, and they have made their home in the Hidden Water Spring Tribe's base of operations, most likely an underground village. Due to their speedy method of expansion, I predict that it would take these monsters a little more than a week to overtake Kiln. I decree that this must not be allowed.]

"Uh-uh-uh-A week?!" Kralluf exclaimed. Even the officers behind him paled as their emperor said that, while audible cussing was whispered by Kralluf's staff.

The view returned to Gollog's face. [Fret not, my young people. Your deaths shall determine the validity of these dangerous monsters. In fact, since the day is reaching its peak, I shall see about assisting you in the battle.]

"You don't mean..."

[Oh, but I do. It stands to reason that much of my abilities have only ever been used in ceremony over the years. But as it stands, I must break tradition in order to save it.] Gollog paused before his gaze shifted somewhere else. [Oh! I see that you have one of his beasts. Send that creature to Commander Faddoh at once.]

Kralluf bowed. "I cannot, my emperor. The soldiers on desert platform nine hundred reported that their MEM device experienced a malfunction when they tried to shift the blade hound to Faddoh's facility."

Gollog raised a scaly eyebrow. [Really? May I see this malfunction in effect?]

Kralluf nodded, snapping his fingers to prompt one of his officers to deliver the, convincingly paralyzed, zergling to the MEM device that Jeembawb and his group used. After placing the caged zergling onto the MEM device's shifter plates and inputted the coordinates to send the zergling to the facility that had someone called 'Faddoh' in charge of it, they activated the device. The MEM device started to glow its blue and white static that chimed its use, which enveloped the caged zergling a second later. However, several beeping noises was heard from the machine and the glow immediately dissipated. The officer checked the device several times before he came back with a conclusion. "Uh. ... I apologize, sir. The MEM device indicates that the blade hound has some kind of biologic defense against energy conversion. That, or it's too biologically advanced for the device to shift it to its destination. I am unsure of which."

Gollog frowned, whilst Kralluf sighed. "I apologize, sir."

Gollog raised his hand. [There is no need to apologize, Kralluf. I wanted to see the error for myself. As it stands, you may need to keep the beast as it is. You have a long trek to one of Faddoh's nearest facilities, and I suggest starting now! In doing so, you may take command of your forces as you travel there. If by chance you need my assistance, simply request it.]

Commander Kralluf snapped his fingers again, prompting one of his officers to bow before leaving to tell the new orders to the pilot of the desert platform. Kralluf sighed. Judging from the facial expression that Kralluf was just emoting, it was going to take a long trip. "Yes, my liege. It shall take a good time before I arrive, but by my will, and your grace, it shall be done."

[Good. I believe it is already midday by now. You have my blessing to start the attack. I shall observe, unless requested. May your efforts reward you in my service.] Gollog said, tilting his head up and spreading his arms out before the communication channel ended.

Kralluf nodded with a sinister smile. The commander's personal desert platform came to life as he made his command, posing and raising his left hand forward. "New orders from Crescent Arms command! Initiate the assault! EMPEROR BE BLESSED!"

The gilanian soldiers shouted Kralluf's last sentence in unison as the desert platform roared to life and turned, moving away from the battle and beginning its long trek.

* * *

Elsewhere, the 98 desert platforms that had collected southwest of the zerg territory came to life and began rolling northeast. 49 of those desert platforms moved ahead of the slower group. Several flyers, both that could scout or had weapons attached to them, flew from the desert platforms and proceeded forward. The combat fliers would swoop down to the ground toward the zergling scouts and gunned them down. The zerglings that had managed to evade the aerial attackers were blown to pieces by the artillery cannons and turrets of the desert platforms.

[Hahahahaaaa! Another one bites the dust!] [Easier than sucking krell eggs.] [Blade hound dug under the sand. Pockmark that spot with artillery.] [There's even more of them the further up we go? How many of these jag zerg are there?] [No idea. I killed at least twenty by now.] [I'm on my thirty fifth kill.] [This is Kandyork, the scout captain of the primary assault force. I see a forest coming up ahead.] [A forest? In a desert? That's weird. From what I recall, there are no forests near Red Mountain.] [Those are some funny looking trees though!] [I don't think they are trees.]

But when the scout fliers neared the ring of crawlers, that was when the air-born machines started suffering casualties and losses.

[What the-AUGH~! *static*] [This is the scout captain Kandyork of the primary assault force, can I get a report on that scream?] [One of our scout fliers ran into something in the air. His aircraft looked like it was smoking before it crashed.] [Care to explain?] [No ide-HOLY SHIT! I'M GOING DOWN! REPEAT, I'M GOING DOWN! *static*] [Sir, something green looking flew from the zerg territory and attacked one of our scout fliers. Recommend proclaiming the area above the purple ground a no-fly zone.] [Not until we figured out how our own scouts are falling out of the skies. Can I get a volunteer to sacrifice himself?] [Well... I have an incurable cancer growing in my lungs. I might as well be the one to volunteer.]

A third scout flier had slowly hovered forward, whilst the other fliers, both combat and scout, hovered in place and watched. They then saw that the trees were not actually trees. A few of them began releasing a green projectile that seemed to follow after the scouting flier! No matter how much the flier tried to maneuver out of the path of the projectiles, they found their mark and damaged the scout flier.

[THEY'RE NOT TREES! THEY'RE NOT TREES! THEY'RE NOT AAAAAAAAH~! *static*] [Primary assault force, this is scout captain Kandyork. Be advised. The trees ahead of your position are not trees. They are anti-air defenses. Over.] [We read you, Kandyork. You are to come and dock on the assisting assault desert platforms. The primary assault platforms shall use artillery to woodcut our problem. Over.] [Acknowledged. Over and out.]

The fliers flew away from the ring of crawlers, splitting their flight paths in half when the forward assault group of several desert platforms started unleashing their artillery. Just as the rounds started hitting the 'trees', they uprooted themselves and started moving away from the defense line.

[... Well THAT is something you don't see every day! Commander Kralluf, be advised. A new zerg organism has been detected. They look like some kind of tree that can uproot itself and walk around. Looks like there's two types. We know that one kind of them can shoot aircraft down.]

Kralluf sighed distressingly. "And just when I thought I saw everything! Proceed as planned, but stay cautious assault force. Don't take any necessary risks. Blast those things that think they're sentries for the zerg. ... Say, I think that's a good new name for them!"

[Uh... Yes sir. Targeting the zerg sentries now.]

The desert platforms rolled more slowly forward, the artillery shooting down any spine and spore crawlers that was close by. The turret and cannon emplacements rained down on any nearby scouting zergling that decided to strike out against the incoming warpath of 49 desert platforms. Despite the slow progress, their movement was made slower when the platforms finally drove over the expanded creep fields. An attack from under the desert platforms finally began when 20 of those platforms crossed over the creep. Roaches unearthed themselves and began covering the wheels of the large machines with bubbling liquid spit. Around five to ten roaches per group focused on one of two wheel towers, which severely crippled the desert platforms' movement.

[Fucking jag zerg! Be advised! There are underground enemies! Looks like them pukers the briefing talked about! They're melting our wheels too!]

"Enter walker mode. Be sure to keep moving and strike down all hostile organisms that you see. If you need to evacuate using the MEM device, then only do so when your desert platform is about to be compromised."

The wheel towers of the desert platforms changed from rolling around, to moving forward in a walking motion. The joints of the towers would rise up, rotate, descend down, counter-rotate, and repeat this process to enable this mechanical means of motion. The acid of the roaches reduced the size of the legs, but the desert platforms kept walking forward uninterrupted, for a time. There were a few desert platforms that had been permanently grounded, but the crew of those crippled vessels managed to escape before too many of their numbers dwindled dangerously.

[YOW!] [What was that?!] [New zerg organism detected! ... What is that thing?!] [It's brought company! Is that its sister or something?!] [It's firing at our manned turrets! Shoot at it! Shoot at it!] [There's another one!] [Shoot at that too!]

Three new organisms had been newly discovered by the Golden Star Empire today. The third that has been discovered by them was the zerg queen. It strode forward with purpose and towered over many of the other zerg organisms. When it reared back, whatever its 'wings' was pointed at had a spine lodged into it. Whatever those spines was embedded into created a lot of steam as bubbling fluid trickled from the newly made holes a few seconds later. At first, it was the anti-air spore crawler organisms that crippled their air superiority. Now, another type of zerg organism was directly attacking the turret and cannon emplacements on the desert platforms. They seemed to move in groups of two or three as they targeted the intruders in their territory. Kralluf leaned forward and stomped his feet. "TARGET THOSE JAGS LIKE THEY FUCKED YOUR SISTERS! THEY HAVE A RANGED ATTACK, AND ARE TAKING DOWN YOUR DESERT PLATFORMS' WEAPONS! USE AN ARTILLERY STRIKE ON DOWNED PLATFORMS IF YOU HAVE TO! ... Oh god. Now I'M calling them jags."

20 of the 49 desert platforms that crossed the creep fields have been slowly torn down, and then destroyed. However, the surviving primary assault group, and the assisting assault group, opened fire with their artillery in an impressive show of force. Many of the roaches and queens burrowed themselves into the safety of the ground, but a few of the zerg units that was still attacking at a leg or destroying a desert platform was unmade by an artillery explosion. Much of the other desert platforms were also unmade as well.

And that was when the zerglings emerged from the ground. Literally hundreds of zerglings emerged from the creep and sprinted toward their enemy with excited interest. The fusillade that struck the roaches, the queens, or the newly emerged zerglings did little to deter them, and they didn't back off when yet another barrage of shells rained down on them. Another 20 desert crawlers had their legs reduced to nothing, with the platforms later becoming destroyed. Kralluf stared at these events with wide eyes. "So many..." He sighed in surprise for several seconds before he turned to his staff again. "Dammit. They took down the platform carrying the bomb. Make the call to the emperor."

After one of his officers connected Kralluf to Gollog, the emperor had gave the commander of the Crescent Arms Division a serious stare. [Kralluf. You are aware that by asking for my power, you are willing and prepared to sacrifice something of my choosing. Do you have a request?]

Kralluf nodded and bowed. "Yes my lord. I have need of your smiting powers, and I request that you smite the monsters that their leader calls 'zerg'. A great number of these beasts have killed my men, and I wish for them dead. I pray that your power can fulfill my request."

Gollog smiled and nodded. [I find your request within my power to accomplish. _AND NOW, WITNESS AS I LET A SLIVER OF MY RED HOT RAGE FLOW OUT, LIKE THE WRATH OF AN EXPLODING STAR! I SUMMON FORTH MY DIVINE SMITE!_ ]

Kay and Virid didn't see it coming. Kragnon should have been more specific when he said that 'he can summon the power of the orbiting sun to smite the foes that angered him'. All in all, the attack acted similarly to the energy pistol weapon that Raxa used. However, the damage of that energy pistol, compared to the current bullshit that was happening, was multiplied around a hundred times, if not more!

* * *

"Oh fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck, how do we defend against THAT?!" Kay said, holding onto the sides of his head and tugging at his hair. He winced when he forgot to refrain from pulling his mock-hair.

Virid hissed loudly. "Such a powerful weapon! Anything that is akin to a protoss purification beam must be destroyed!"

Kay nodded. "Yeah, it should be destroyed, but how do WE destroy it?! Is the super beamy death weapon the sun itself?! How do we even destroy a sun?!"

Virid sighed and stepped on Kay's foot. He yelped as he grappled at his foot that now had a deep and bloodied hole. Virid then turned to Kay. "We shall adapt to a way where we can, and will. Remember that we are not in a conventional space. The people of this world have said that this was a prison world after all. So, if you think you can be calm, help me command the brood as we fight our trespassers."

Kay looked at his foot, and saw that the gash Virid made with her crabby/insect feet was healing quickly. He got up from the ground and stared intently at Virid, slightly agitated that his foot had been injured. "... Are you seeing a strategy that I'm missing?"

Virid bowed. "Corvurn holds our answers. He spoke to me that he will soon create new strains. He is currently making a spore cannon that can transmit special mutations to guarantee our success, or attack enemies that are great distances away, even in orbit. I believe this is what you might call vision."

"Spore cannon?!" Kay said, shouting his surprise. Since it was wartime, everyone was a little on-edge. Even Kay.

"It is not available to us yet, but soon." Virid replied.

Kay paused for a long time before slumping and sighing, feeling defeated. "... Kay. But if you're going to knock my senses back into me, try a less painful method first?"

* * *

The battlegrounds was razed with energy that was shot from the sun above the battlefield in a raising blaze of destruction. The beam burned the creep away with such speed that it caught fire and vanished. The zerglings that were caught in the tyrannical attack suffered for a split second before disappearing in a flash of flame, gore, and char. The zerglings tried to burrow under the safety of the creep and sand after several seconds of the beam weapon striking them from the heavens, but only the zerglings that wasn't directly under the deathly weapon survived. Some were cooked partially under the glassed sand, but the zerglings' regeneration enabled them to auto-cannibalize themselves and reintegrate their barbecued flesh back into their bodies. The attack was so devastating for the zerg forces, but they felt no fear from the experience. The roaches and the queens were better off since they had more health and armor, compared to the zerglings.

Kralluf sighed before issuing his next command, even when he was retreating with his stored zergling on board his desert platform. "How many survivors in the assault groups?"

One of his staff checked the numbers. "Uh... I'm counting about 8 desert platforms still functional in the primary assault group. 49 are undamaged and intact in the assisting assault group."

Kralluf grunted. "Have the assist group merge with the primary group, and cannibalize whatever tech they can from the disabled or destroyed desert platforms. Their main goal is to retrieve the bomb from the primary assault group. After that, they are to proceed further into the heart of zerg territory. Once they are in the center, activate the bomb timer and get them out of there."

As the assist group and the remaining primary assault group merged together, hidden monsters ran to and burrowed underneath the wrecks of the fallen desert platforms. When the sand-boarders and dune boats were deployed to salvage the wreckage for ammo and parts, they would be silently assailed by stealthy assassins of carapace and claw. However, there was a surprise that would occur during this recovery operation.

[Salvage group 1, standing by.] [Salvage group 2, standing by.] [Salvage group 3, standing by.] [Salvage group 4, standing by.] [Salvage group 5, standing by.] [Salvage group 6, standing by.] [Salvage group 7, standing by.] [Salvage group 8, standing by.] [Salvage group 9, standing by.] [Salvage group 10, standing by.]

[This is Colonel Zongtoth, acting officer for the salvage operation. This will be a quick sweep, people. Find the explosive in this mess and we can double our yield to our jag zerg fuckers. You'll be looking for a rectangular box that looks copper and green. It'll have a lot of blinking green and yellow lights and two handles on either side. It'll be big, and it'll take at least two people to carry it. The bomb also has a beacon installed into it, and it will emit a shadow frequency signature that can be tracked. By now, all of you should have your locators aligned to its signature. The captain of each salvage group will have their own, and it is your job to retrieve it.] Said Colonel Zongtoth over the radio, slowly.

[Uh... Sir? It's moving.] [Yeah, I'm reading that too. Two hundred feet east. Two hundred twenty five. Two hundred and fifty.] [Colonel, I think that takes it outside the initial search areas.] [What the hell? Is it past the sand platform wrecks of the primary assault group?!]

[... To hell with this. Can some scout fliers fly east and see if the bomb is moving over there? Be sure to avoid the zerg sentries.] Said Zongtoth.

[Scout Flier Group 1 of desert platform eight forty four, taking off now.]

A sand platform's vehicular cargo came to life, as weaponless triangular fliers took to the skies and speedily flown to where the bomb box was said to be located. It didn't take the fliers long to spot two zerglings carrying a rectangular box on their back, running in synergy. They balanced the box on their backs while their attack-claws were carefully holding it so it didn't fall or slide off of them.

[Uhhhhhhhhh, this is Scout Flier Group 1, we found the explosive package. It's being carried away by two blade hounds.]

Colonel Zongtoth was now clucking mad. [Salvage groups, get on your dune boats and sand-boards! Chase after those jags and get that bomb back!]

The dune boats and sand-boarders were swiftly deployed, riding off of the desert platforms in a mad dash toward the two zerglings making off with their explosive. [Dune boats are a little slow, so sand-boarder units better go on ahead. What even is this purple stuff?] Despite the dune boats being slow and having slight difficulty catching up to the zerglings, the hovering capability of the sand-boarders were better suited to the pursuit.

The chase took a good while, and a little longer than the chasing gilanians expected, but the chasing party was met with an impasse. They got close to the two zerglings carrying the explosive device, but the zerglings escaped into a forest of spine and spore crawlers. The fliers were wise enough to avoid confrontation with the spore crawlers, but the ground crew had no experience with the spine crawlers. Two sand-boarder soldiers were impaled through the chest, three through their limbs, and that was when the soldiers decided that they gained just enough experience with the spine crawlers.

[Colonel, some of the guys sent for the bomb recovery mission got killed by the zerg sentries. The ones that look like whips tore a hole through their chests. Some lost some arms and a leg. But more important than that, I think I found some new zerg organisms.]

Kralluf stood forward. "This is commander Kralluf. What is your description of the creatures? My observation staff is cycling through the camera network to see them on your end."

[Well, uh... One looks like a big pyramid to be honest with you, sir. But not like one made of stone, or metal, or wood, but... it kinda looks like its alive. Little wriggling things are coming out of it. There's also what I think is called an under beast next to it. ... Oh shit, and one of those shooty things are here! The ones that shot them acid spines! Looks like it's taking care of that pyramid thing. Sir, I have reason to believe that this pyramid thing is a zerg nest, and that the six legged thing is its caretaker! There's also some floating things that are hiding behind that nest too. To be honest, it kinda looks like something I might steam, and then baste in some butter, sir.]

Kralluf nodded. "Congrats, recovery team. You just named the new organisms." Kralluf said. As an image was patched through to the main screen, Kralluf was able to see what the soldier described. He noticed the larvae coming out of the 'nest'. "... Make that four. Caretakers, nests, wrigglers and floaters. Commander Faddoh is going to love drinking all of this up."

[Oh shit, here we go! Sir? I believe I found the two jags that took our explosive. They're standing next to that under beast!]

Kralluf squinted his eyes as the image zoomed-in to view two zerglings that was carrying the explosive package. They seemed to be looking straight back at the sand-boarder group that followed them. He had a bad feeling about this. "See if you can retrieve the package without teasing the whipper or barnacle sentries. Assault group, you are to arrive at the nest site of the zerg. Avoid using artillery fire. You might hit the bomb."

The sand-boarders accepted their orders and circled around the expansion cluster. The hatchery and nydus worm was heavily surrounded by the spine and spore crawlers, which made retrieval difficult. The sand-boarder retrieval team couldn't intercept the thieving zerglings' cargo, or they would suffer the consequences of the spine crawlers' impaler tentacles. The dune boats eventually met with the sand-boarding soldiers and they decided to make their attack. They kept out of the spine crawler's range as much as possible, and fired at the 'sentries' from a longer range than normal. They were slightly inaccurate, but the spine crawlers' health began to dwindle. This provocation made several zerglings emerge from the nydus worm and rush toward the current attackers. The dune boats were quickly bogged down as dangerous claws cleaved its armor distressingly. No matter how much the dune boats tried to run over the zerglings and get away, the combination of creep and a horde of zerglings had immobilized the vehicle. The sand-boarders fared slightly better, but the zerglings seemed to have renewed vigor as they seemed to move faster on the creep-covered ground. [Get here soon, please! These blade hounds seem like they're faster on this sludge!]

[Nearing your position soon. Redirect your forces to intercept us and we'll provide cover fire.] The sand-boarder soldiers ditched their dune boat vehicles, allowing those vehicles to be assailed and destroyed by the zerg. After the zerglings were finished with the dune boats, they directed their attention toward the absconding soldiers and rushed again to meet them, their metabolism fueled wings improving their sprint speed to reach maximum velocity.

However, the pursuing zerglings, despite getting close to the sand-boarders, were decimated by the cannon and turret fire of the approaching desert platforms. The sand-boarders successfully joined with the desert platforms, and the platforms took their time to surround the nest before rolling forward and firing their cannons and turrets. When the first shots erupted around the hatchery and nydus worm, explosively delivered from the Crescent Arms forces, the two zerglings carrying the bomb went into the maw of the nydus worm and disappeared in its mouth. [... Uhhhhhh sir? Be advised. The blade hounds went into the mouth of that under beast.]

Kralluf sighed and rubbed at the temples of his head, most likely a migraine slowly forming within his skull. "Dammit. Seems like were's going to have to dig for it. Recovery team, can you tell how far the bomb went underground?"

There was a pause. [... Sir, it's not underground. It's... northeast.]

"Come again, recovery team?" Kralluf hissed, looking annoyed.

[The uh... the locator is telling me that the hollow signature is now originating ten kilometers northeast from our position.]

Kralluf started pacing and gritting his teeth. "What the hell is going on?! First these things made off with one of our bombs, and now you're saying it's ten kilometers into zerg territory?! This doesn't make any damn sense! Why would these beasts act like thi-" Kralluf paused, but his expression became stern and smirked. "So it's in the heart of the zerg territory? Looks like my job became easier. Where did I leave that remote detonator?" Kralluf said aloud as he went to the side of the command tent. He rummaged through several devices on a workbench before plucking some kind of fancy looking remote controller. His staff raised their eyebrows while his highest ranked officers remained motionless. Jub didn't know how to react. "Assault group, you are to remain where you are. I will activate the satellite relay to remote activate the explosive, starting on the countdown of ten seconds." The observation staff returned to their work as Kralluf started counting down. "TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE! RECOVERY GROUP, REPEAT TO ME THE LOCATION OF THE SHADOW FREQUENCY SIGNATURE!"

A brief pause later, Commander Kralluf got his response. [What the... The hollow signature states that it is now twenty kilometers from our position.]

Kralluf smiled venomously. "Thought so. MEN! WE HAVE A MOLE IN OUR MIDST! SOMEONE IS RELAYING OUR RADIO COMMUNICATIONS TO OUR ENEMY, AND THEY ARE ADAPTING TO OUR STRATEGIES AND TACTICS! ASSAULT TEAM, RETREAT BACK TO THE PERIMETER DEFENSE! COMMENCE SHADOW FREQUENCY COMMUNICATION MODE UNTIL THE MOLE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AND NEUTRALIZED!" Kralluf turned to his highest officers. "You you and you, see if there is someone using a rogue signal. Communicate with the other desert platforms to find the double agent helping the enemy zerg. You, detain Jub here and frisk her for any kind of equipment that she might be hiding."

As one of his officers went to Lieutenant Jub to detain her, she struggled a little bit. "Wha- sir! Is this necessary?!"

Kralluf walked toward Jub and stared at her in a predatory manner. "I'm afraid so, Jub. I can't have a traitor in our midst, and I can't risk compromising my forces with a dangerous advantage that is in enemy hands. Until then, I'm detaining you until I find the double agent. Get her out of here." Jub was moved out of Kralluf's sight, despite her protestations. As Kralluf became silent, so did much of the staff as they became more invested in their work. A desk and chair was brought into the command tent, which was then bolted down in front of Kralluf. Once several wires, cables and computers were installed, Kralluf sat in the chair that was brought in and sighed. "I really hate using this thing." After setting his bladed hammer down, he quickly and busily typed on the keyboard with incredible speed.

Once the order was given, the assault group turned tail from the southwestern forward hatchery and retreated off of the creep territories. Their retreat was underway and it went without any further casualties. Once all of the active desert platforms had moved to creep-less sands, the drones immediately went ahead to replace the lost spine and spore crawlers, harvesting dead bodies and metallic junk to re-purpose into the swarm, or collecting nutrient-rich creep for the hatcheries. The circle of crawlers was slowly restored to its former glory, and most of the zerglings that was still discreetly burrowed within and around the forest of spine and spore crawlers became active. Some of them would replace the scouts that scouted a kilometer from the creep territory to ensure that the inner territories would still maintain and have an early enemy detection system. Overall, the zerg forces have forced the gilanians to run back in a humiliating retreat.

* * *

"Welp! Now he knows we've been listening to him!" Kay pointed out.

Virid trilled. "He is a smart one. Corvurn will want to dissect Commander Kralluf's brain when he gets the chance. Capturing him alive and infesting him will reveal many secrets to us."

Kay nodded. "Yeah, well we don't know what he's typing, so this is going to make our defense a bit of a pain to manage. But it does seem like he's willing to pull his assault forces, so this might as well be a Pyrrhic victory for us."

Virid hissed. "Our zergling forces can be easily replenished, but if we must replenish all of the replacements soon. Our stored bio-matter resources will dwindle to nothing if we tried to defend against an assault that's four times larger than that last attack."

Kay chuckled before trying to imitate Commander Kralluf. "Have the zergling newborns merge with the existing zerglings, and cannibalize whatever dead zerg flesh or scrapped metal they can from the disabled or destroyed gilanian machines. But their main goal is to further protect the hive clusters and the creep territories from any future assaults. Then they are to proceed further into the heart of enemy territory. Once we have expanded further and reached the heart of our enemy, we activate the bomb timer and get out of there."

Virid turned to Kay and blinked a few times. "... Did you just imitated Commander Kralluf?"

Kay smiled and shrugged. "Not my best impression of him, to be honest. OW!" A zergling gnawed on Kay's heel again. "AGAIN WITH THIS ANKLE BITING!? GRAH!" Kay punted the zergling several meters away again, and another zergling that was close by hissed at him.

"Humor is not conducive to the swarm's evolution. Therefore, your outburst was a distraction." Virid said.

Kay harrumphed. "Let me have fun once in a while."

"Now wasn't the time." Virid retorted.

Kay nodded and decided to change the subject. "How about we review the unit composition our enemies used?"

Virid paused before continuing. "... Fine. Their army seem to be mainly composed of gilanian soldiers that focuses on using machines for travel. Their weapons are crude, but slightly less effective than terran technology. However, their technology are advanced in other respects. Each 'desert platform' has a built-in MEM device, which can easily supply soldiers or transport them to battle. Their 'sand-boards' appear to hover over the ground and prevents them from making physical contact with the creep, but their 'dune boats', though hardy and able to fire its six turrets, is slow, acting more as a light tank. But the most distressing things I have learned from our battle was the purifier beam, the bombs they tried to use against us, and this 'shadow frequency communication mode'."

Kay nodded and paced back and forth. "Yeah... You'd think you've seen everything, until you get hit with the metaphorical curve-ball. Maybe we should make redundant bio-structures within the village cavern? You know, another roach warren, a nydus network, evolve the hatchery there. Just in case that smite attack ever happens again."

Virid looked up in thought before nodding. "That is a reasonable tactic. If that purifier beam strikes at the main hive cluster, then we would lose the means to morph the larvae into the other combat strains on the surface. However, our accelerant would be greatly depleted."

Kay sighed. "I know you want to focus on storing as much of that stuff as possible, but we can't spend all our time just building up our resources and doing nothing else. What we REALLY need is to find more volcanic springs to place our extractors on."

Virid shook her head. "We found nothing else in the branching tunnels. The creep has spread to every dead end and found nothing else."

"Grah." Kay said, walking away from Virid and trying to think. "There has got to be something that we could do to stall the Crescent Arm's army from just amassing more of their numbers and bog us from all sides. We need to get past... no... Under the perimeter?"

"There is a chance that the perimeter defense knows of our burrowing capabilities, and has set those tremor sensing sensors to detect us."

Kay sighed and stomped on the creep. "Well... I dunno! Send an overseer over there and have a changeling run past the desert platform perimeter, get a nydus worm to sprout next to the changeling before it expires, and then spread out from there or something!"

Virid shook her head. "They are going to question the changeling, even if disguised as one of them. We were lucky the first time around that they did not became aware of this tactic. However, sending another changeling might risk a greater chance for them to discover the changeling, making them review their strategies. They might devise a means to target infiltrating changelings and become more intent on our destruction as a result."

Kay growled. "Dammit."

 _'Cease bicker. Evolution complete. New strains available.'_ The voice of Corvurn filled their heads, making Kay and Virid turn toward the tower in the underground village.

The both of them paused before Kay spoke. "... I can't tell if I should be excited or terrified with what Corvurn created."

Virid scuttled forward, seeming eager to meet with the evolution master. "We shall soon see."

Kay followed after Virid. "I hope that he's treating Kragnon well, or I'm going to have a word with him."

Virid neared the broken entryway into the tower. "The swarm is not known for their hospitality."

As Virid entered, Kay rolled his eyes as he followed after her. "Well... Making friends is a good way to make allies. To make friends, sometimes you have to be accommodating to a person's needs. That's pretty much how most friendships start. With camaraderie."

Virid hissed. "Sounds like some type of exotic fish food."

As Virid and Kay traveled up the tower, Kay would overtake Virid and travel ahead. In the biggest cube of the cubed spiral tower, Kay saw that Kragnon was next Corvurn, still searching through the information network. Kragnon seemed to be... listing somewhat. Corvurn seemed to be unchanged in his stance. Kay decided to break the silence at that moment. "So uh... I heard that new strains are available."

Kragnon turned and rubbed his eyes. Corvurn turned too, and pleaded his grasping hands together as he spoke to Kay. "Mentally created evolution chamber in underground village. Psionic hivemind input involved new materials and processes. Created new strain variant of creep tumor. Developed new strain variant of extractor."

Kay nodded in surprise, feeling like the evolution master had found something significant to work with. He turned to Kragnon and noticed his condition. "... Corvurn, don't take this the wrong way, but did you do something to Kragnon?"

Kragnon, the albino gilanian lovechief shook himself before speaking. "Hmm? Oh uh, no, he didn't do anything to me. I was just making sure he didn't break anything, or accepting any requests for a handle transfer."

Kay looked at Kragnon for a few more seconds. "... Have you been up all night?"

Kragnon blinked a few times before yawning. "Aaawn... Um. Yeah, I think I was. What's the light cycle, Maiden?"

[Query detected. The light cycle is 74.223% waning.]

Kragnon sighed and slumped. "Oooh wow. Yeah, I think I'll be going to bed early."

Corvurn hissed. "Sleep unnecessary trait. Can remove. Swarm virus make better. Stronger. Able to be active indefinitely."

Kragnon held his hand up. "No, Corvurn. A thousand times no and more. You can ask whatever questions you need from Maiden or me at any other time, but I need sleep right now. Maiden, lock access to the information network to me only."

[Command detected. Access to information network is locked.]

As kragnon went past Corvurn, Kay decided to be the one to give a friendly goodbye to the gilanian. "Rest well, Kragnon. Sorry if my evolution master kept you up." He said, waving. Kragnon raised his hand and gestured his acknowledgement to Kay before proceeding out of the council chambers and disappearing. One could guess he was going to his own bedroom. With that out of the way, Kay turned to Corvurn. "So what are the new strains you developed?"

* * *

 **A/N: Above this line has a total of** **10K + words for you guys to read. Enjoy!**


	16. To Make a Better Brood

**Chapter 16: To Make a Better Brood**

* * *

Kay and Virid followed after Corvurn as he lead the two out of the tower, coming to the evolution chamber that was created just for his purposes. There were four queens that have gathered in front of the evolution chamber, and Kay could only guess why they were there. Virid didn't seem to have an idea as to why, but she went along all the same. Once Corvurn stopped at the gathered queens, he turned to Kay and Virid. Both Kay and Virid didn't notice the huge thing that was behind the evolution chamber and next to the hatchery.

Once Kay and Virid met up with Corvurn, Kay decided to pipe up. "... So uh... Does the new strain mutation involve the queens?"

Corvurn pleaded his fingers. "Yes and no. Presenting modified strain. Intestinal evolution. No major physical changes required for queens." Corvurn turned to the gathered zerg queens and gestured to them. The four queens laid down their creep tumors all at once, and then moved away from the tumors to allow Kay and Virid to look at them.

Kay's face soured into a scowl. "Ewww, Corvurn, what the hell? You could have warned me before those queens did that!"

Corvurn was indifferent. "Was presenting modified strain. Discomfort irrelevant. Creep tumor modified to mutate when clustered. Minimum of four required in adjacent pattern. Merges and mutates into resource tumor." As Corvurn said this, the four creep tumors merged together when they were finished developing. After a longer gestation period than what the creep tumor would normally take, the resource tumor emerged. It looked like an even bigger creep tumor, except it had small vines growing out of it that dug into the creep around itself. Tiny small marbles on top of the bio-structure slowly appeared and pulsed, becoming visibly bigger over time.

Kay noticed that the creep next to it seemed to shift more than normally before it settled. "Kay. So what does it do?"

"Resource tumor creates resource veins." Corvurn explained. "Spreads into established creep. Absorbs ambient kinetic and radioactive energies. Electricity, thermal, magnetism, gravity, compression, nuclear, and chemical. Elements found in manifestation altars converts energy into bio-fuel. Resource tumor creates altar element, resource vein uses altar element. Bio-fuel made in veins. Veins pump bio-fuel to resource tumor. Converts into bio-matter. One drawback. Resource tumor cannot burrow."

Kay raised his eyebrow and nodded. "Oh... You know, I think I might appreciate creep tumors a little more, now that I know that they can turn into this and make bio-matter for us. Though we might have to place them close to the hatcheries anyway. Anything else I should know about these tumors?"

Corvurn nodded. How he did that with no neck, Kay would never know. "Requires creep infested areas. No radial distance limit, compared to creep tumor creep spreading. Requires area only. Spreads long distances, or spreads in circular pattern. Veins spreads ten times more than creep tumor spread distance."

Kay nodded. "Must require a big area in order to absorb enough energy, and then to convert into bio-matter."

Corvurn held up a hand. "There is more. Can grant adjacency bonus. More resource tumors expands vein spread. Two adjacent tumors increases resource vein reach, factor of two. Maximum of twenty adjacent resource tumors recommended per hatchery, per forward hive-cluster."

Kay paused for four seconds. "That's a BIG area."

"Indeed." Virid said, sounding pleased with the new strain.

Corvurn started slithering away. "Follow." As per Corvurn's request, Kay and Virid started following him again.

Kay was surprised when he finally noticed the new, huge structure before him. "Waaaaah~?!"

Corvurn turned to Kay and Virid, gesturing to what looked like two extractors fused together perpendicularly in the middle, and then quadrupled in size. "New extractor variant. Dubbed 'carbonation extractor'. Uses manifestation altar elements. Energy and bio-fuel stored in carbonation extractor. Pressurized, electrified, boiled, and agitated. Accelerant element created. Not exact to vespene gas. Lesser alternative. Can be used for evolution."

Kay could feel his smile stretch from ear to ear. "Oh hell yes. I've been wanting a means to generate our own accelerant." Kay said, coming up to the brainless creature and petting its side.

Virid seemed more pleased than before. "A means to generate our own accelerant would be greatly beneficial. It was wise to have an evolution master formed so early."

Corvurn continued. "Requires bio-matter to operate. Accelerant production exponential. Bio-matter input, relative. More bio-matter required for abundant accelerant resource in short time-span. Organism size necessary for changes. Helps compression of bio-matter. Larger target, problematic. Need for accelerant, more problematic. Made compromise."

After looking over the massive bio-structure once more, Kay turned to his evolution master. "You have done wonderful work, Corvurn. Thank you."

Corvurn made a dismissive gesture. "Gratitude not required. Live to serve swarm. Purposed to assist swarm. Query. Establish mutations into swarm?"

Kay nodded. "Go ahead. And once you're done with that, you can unlock the spore cannons and the rest of the locked zerg strains. I'm thinking that our moon-bound overlord, and its cargo traveling with it, might want the genetic information to make their own resource tumors and carbonation extractors."

Corvurn bowed. "I obey." After that, Corvurn turned and headed back to the evolution chamber.

Kay turned to Virid with a smile. "So Virid? Are you happy?"

Virid turned to Kay and trilled. "You would know your answer if you used your hivemind connection more often. However, having these new strains shall benefit the swarm greatly."

Kay sighed and nodded. "Yeah yeah. ... But I also agree with you." He said, turning around and deciding to take the nydus worm to the surface. "Now that we will have an abundance in accelerant, perhaps now we can have more zerg strains assist us? Let's go and meet them!"

* * *

The queens in the underground cavern had went to work creating creep tumors in clusters of four around the hatchery. Those creep tumors, grouped in fours, merged together and eventually transformed into resource tumors. The vein rivulets had went under the creep to spread out at a slow pace, but the twenty resource tumors was already slowly creating bio-matter in the form of slimy, slightly translucent legume shaped pods that were light grey and purple colored. These resource pods were easily collected by the drones near the hatchery, and was absorbed by the hatchery shortly after. The resource veins wormed their way under the creep fields in the underground village cavern floor, drawing on the heat and air pressure to turn into bio-fuel. It took a little more than half an hour, but the resource veins had completely spread to every available square area that had creep infesting it in the underground village. The resource veins even began spreading through the cavernous tunnels, even reaching to the dedicated hatchery that was at the second spring underground.

Once the resource tumors set in the underground village had stopped spreading, the queens laid more creep tumors to turn into more resource tumors near the lair at the first hive cluster on the surface. The hatcheries that were five kilometers away from the main hive cluster also received the same treatment by the queens. Based on the growth of the resource veins, Kay found out that the less ambient energy there was in the environment, the farther the veins would spread. If he were to guess how much the veins themselves could occupy underneath the creep fields, he would estimate that the resource tumors could spread their veins under the creep to a total area of 250-300 kilometers squared.

The hatcheries that were ten kilometers away from the main hive-cluster were also given resource tumors, but the available space for the resource veins became quickly contested, which told Kay that there was no longer any room for the veins to grow. But the answer to this problem was simple: To spread more creep on more ground.

When the resource veins had completely covered the central area of the hive cluster, the carbonation extractor was made next to the lair. It was quickly filled with bio-matter produced from the resource tumors, and it was creating vast amounts of accelerant. The plethora of drones that collected creep to feed the hatcheries were finally given the means to relax, and many of them hovered near the hatchery and the new extractor. The need to acquire nutrient rich creep was made into a completely forgone solution, now that the drones had resource tumors to work with. But they also had a carbonation extractor to work with too, and accelerant was being produced at dizzying amounts.

Once resources became a negligible problem for the swarm, the need for more numbers began to rise.

There was already a plethora of zerglings, queens, drones, spine crawlers, and spore crawlers to work with. Instead of making those zerg strains, the hatcheries produced organisms that the swarm desperately needed. Roaches, hydralisks, banelings, infestors, and some new bio-structures and faces that Kay had completely forgotten. That or had the memories of them dissolved in a slowly disintegrating void.

The hydralisk den was created in the hidden underground village, and it bore the resemblance of a giant, heavily carapaced structure with five clawed 'fingers' hovering over it like a giant palm. It was a bio-structure that enabled the larvae to transform into hydralisks. However, such a structure acquired a new neighbor shortly after. After a time of quick morphing, the lurker den was later formed. It bore a similar appearance to the hydralisk den, under the exception that it bore even more carapace than before. It had no 'fingers', unlike its bio-structure cousin, but large spikes instead dotted its sides.

First and foremost of the new cast of monsters joining the zerg were the lurkers. The evolved form of the hydralisks enabled their serpentine bodies to transform into a multi-limbed organism. It crawled along the ground with long insect legs and a hunched, spiked shell that gave it its telltale look. Despite their horrendous visage, the monsters are only ever dangerous when one doesn't actually see them. It is in the ground that this zerg strain truly shines when they burrow under and send forth subterranean spines that can unleash an enema of pain and suffering to their enemies.

The next organisms to come was the ravagers. They were dangerous looking creatures with many long spikes growing out of their backs, and on the center of their backs had an intense glowing light coming out of them. Despite losing the ability to move while burrowed, since they are a strain that have evolved from roaches, which resulted in their carapace to slightly decrease in protection, they instead had gained the power to throw plasma at their enemies! Their plasma discharge might be very fearsome, but their most powerful attack happened to be their artillery, which was a corrosive bile-like projectile that could destroy entrenched positions easily. They could even aim their corrosive bile with such precision that they could knock planes out of the sky. If they're lucky.

Another monster that joined the zerg swarm army came from the infestation pit. The infestor might be a dangerous monster that specializes in anti-infantry combat, this other organism that spawned with the morphing of the infestation pit was the perfect siege unit, otherwise known as the swarm host. Giant fore-claws and hind-claws granted this creature movement forward, while its large, triangular skull was partially covered by its main weapon. An overly enlarged abdomen that was semi-spherical, that contained many indented pockets. Within those pockets, a sphere-like membrane formed over a tiny creature. These creatures were known by the zerg as locusts, which crawled around with fat abdomens, and are able to launch acidic spit. These locusts had plump bodies and crawled forward with the single-minded determination of finding nearby enemies and shooting their saliva at them. They were quite similar to the infestor's infested in that respect, but the locusts could only attack ground-based enemies when on the ground, but had the ability to temporarily fly to meet their enemies in the air. A dangerous combination.

Then came another monster that was sorely left wanting. The skies quickly filled up with the beating wings and screeching calls of an airborne strain of zerg. Mutalisks. The mutalisk is a dangerous creature, seeing as though it can attack both land and air units. With its leathery wings to keep it aloft, followed by its long ovipositor 'tail' that launches its most devastating weapon, mutalisks would become an easily recognized threat. A sharp, spinning, acid drenched organism, that redirects itself to another enemy after striking the first and second foes, were known to come out of the mutalisk's ovipositor. Glaive worms.

And then there was the anti-air flying zerg strain. Resembling a squid almost slightly, this tentacled beast had a jagged maw with various sharp cutting mandibles that help projects and directs its parasitic spores, which it can use against flying enemies or against massive enemies. Or against flying massive enemies. Or structures, using a caustic spray to dissolve the enemy buildings. The creature would float about, using its gravity defying cancer cells in its tentacles to move in its environment. This monster was truly grotesque in its appearance! It was almost like the spirit of a calamari dish returned from hell to seek vengeance on the people that ate its flesh in a past life.

Kay's grin was stretched ear-to-ear as he witnessed the birth of each of these creatures, the new bio-structures responsible for their forming in the lair of the underground village. "This is like... I don't know... Some kind of ceremonial holiday event or something."

Virid hissed in indifference. "The swarm does not celebrate holidays."

Kay turned to Virid with a concerned glare. "... And you had to ruin the moment."

Virid cocked her head. "I ruined the moment? What moment did I ruin?"

Kay turned back to the new zerg organisms with a sigh. "Because I was reminded that I'm zerg too."

Virid paused. "... It was not my intention to agitate you."

Kay scoffed. "Funny way of saying that you're sorry."

Virid hissed. "Shall you explain the semantics further, or must I fetch the zerglings?"

Kay sighed and nodded, but smiled. "No need to. I get what you mean."

There was a pause before Virid spoke again. "Shall we evolve the lair into a hive? We will finally acquire the remaining core zerg skirmishing strains. We will become an unstoppable brood in doing so."

"... Actually... I'm thinking we can wait to do that." Kay said, smiling ear-to-ear again. "Sometimes, you just have to appreciate the little things that fate gives you. I mean, what else could we possibly get when we upgrade our lair into a hive anyway?"

Virid answered. "If the lair mutates into a hive, we will have the next, and final, set of mutations that will increase our offense and defense. Well will also be able to gain the ability to morph brood lords, vipers, and ultralisks."

Kay turned around to look at Virid. "What are those?"

Virid responded and bowed. "The brood lords are heavy-assault organisms that can launch broodlings at ground forces. It is the brood lords' primary means of attack. The vipers are flying support organisms that have the power to change the battlefield to suit the swarm's needs, such as abducting enemy forces to swarm infested areas, transporting swarm organisms to areas that cannot be easily accessed, create a blinding cloud that limits vision, or launches parasitic bombs that can destroy several aerial units. And the ultralisks are heavy ground units that has impressively strong armor. They are also the largest combat units available to the swarm. Nearly nothing can withstand an attack from an ultralisk."

Kay paused for what felt like ten seconds before blinking and opening his mouth. He then closed his mouth. He then finally decided to speak after shaking his head. "No, I don't think so. Not now. Nope. I'm gonna wait till I really feel like I want those guys helping us."

Virid paused. "... Is there a real reason to procrastinate from evolving our forces? I will get the zerglings if you don't give me a sufficient answer." She warned.

Kay stood still for a second before turning. "Well uh... Um... Because... Because uh... Because then Emperor Gollog would take us seriously and be more destructive to our forces?" Kay said with a shrug.

Virid paused for five seconds before sighing. "I will allow this uncertain tactic of yours to play out. But head me well. If we do not further the evolution of our swarm soon, then you would have more to worry about than the zerglings this time. Especially since we now know that Emperor Gollog has a purifying beam attack he can use against us. We don't know what other tricks he may still have at his disposal. Be careful with yourself, Kay. The future for our brood is still uncertain, even now." Virid said, turning away and heading into the nydus network.

Kay stared at Virid as she left him there, and continued looking at the nydus network for about eleven seconds. But after he returned his gaze at the new batch of organisms, he couldn't help but start smiling again.

But playing with the new units will have to wait. There was a certain zergling that has some needed screen-time.

* * *

The captured zergling was still aware over what is happening around itself. It laid in its cage convincingly well, fooling the gilanians around itself that it was still tranquilized by the tranquilizer gun. However, Kay figured that sitting still indefinitely might give analysts unnecessary data. They might suggest that zerglings are a hivemind animal, or that they are smarter than previously thought. That would certainly be the case if they posit the theory that zerglings could 'act' when given their invisible instructions that was sent to them by their masters. Better to be a witty fool, than have a foolish wit.

With a new-found purpose, the zergling would slowly 'wake up' and investigate its surroundings. It was still traveling in Commander Kralluf's desert platform, though the day was slowly shifting into dusk. The zergling could see that two armed soldiers stood at the sides of its cage. Slowly getting up, it looked around to investigate the topography of the land it was in. It didn't find anything meaningful, but it knew that it was far away from the zerg hive cluster.

Nobody on the desert platform knew that the zergling was awake, so Kay decided to let the zergling create some mischief and enjoy itself. The zergling slowly reached through the bars of its cage and slowly grabbed at the uniform of the gilanian that was stationed next to it.

And then there was the screaming. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH~! GETITOFFMEGETITOFFMEGETITOFFMEGETITOFFME!"

Kralluf turned around to see a zergling pulling the gilanian soldier's uniform through the bars of its cage. He immediately strode forward and used the hilt of his sharp hammer to bludgeon the zergling's head, instantly making it let go of the, now ruined, uniform. "Looks like our captive animal is now alive. Keep your wits about you, lads! I want four officers here keeping their eyes on this blade hound! If it starts eating or tearing the cage up, tranq it or kill it!"

Four soldiers with tranquilizer rifles and precision rifles quickly came to the scene and aimed their weapons at the zergling. It hissed at their appearances, but it kept its eyes mainly focused on the commander. The commander went back to his installed desk, typing away on his keyboard and remaining silent. After staring at the commander for twenty seven seconds, the zergling became bored and started to look at one of the soldiers that were training their rifles at it. It trilled softly as it waved its paw through the bars.

"Nuh-uh, you ain't getting a bite outta me, ya jag." The officer said, cocking his gun and stepping back. The zergling whimpered a little, but then started clawing the floor next to the cage. The zergling quickly clawed around itself, ripping out heavy slivers of metal with its claws, making horrendous screeching sounds as it did so. The sniper officers stepped back when the zergling started doing this. "Uh... Sir? It's scratching up the floor."

"Hit his nose and tell him he's been naughty." Commander Kralluf replied in a sarcastic tone.

The officer smiled, then reared back his rifle to butt the zergling, only for the zergling to react fast enough to bite at the butt of the officer's gun. The rifle now had a chunk missing from itself. After looking at the damage done to his own weapon, the officer shook his head and decided to punish the zergling in a different way. Silenced shots were fired at the zergling's attack-claws, which made the monster screech in pain. After six or seven shots, the zergling's attack-claws were quickly sheared off. With a quick motion, the officer then grabbed at an amputated zergling attack-claw from the cage and pulled it out in a fluid motion. The officer then waved the zergling attack-claw around, and gave the wounded zergling an evil glare. "Mine now."

The zergling hissed at the offending officer, but didn't move since it was severely wounded and was de-clawed in both limbs. Kralluf turned when he heard muffled rifle rounds being fired, and then shook his head when he pieced together what happened. "If that blade hound bleeds out before we get to Faddoh, you best believe that I will let him perform his experiments on you with my express permission. With that said, curb your sadism." He said, turning and going back to typing on his computer desk.

The officer stepped back and got his pistol out. "Doesn't matter. He's a jag animal. Jags don't deserve to live." He turned toward the caged zergling with a smile, but raised an eyebrow when he saw that the zergling was already eating its other attack claw.

Kralluf sighed. "Where the hell did that word come from?!"

Eventually, another officer came up to his commander. He saluted to his commanding officer before relaying his report. "Sir. I regret to inform you that we haven't found the mole that was transferring our strategy and plans to the bug-man beast-master."

Kralluf sighed. "Have you and the other officers traveled to every other Desert Platforms, and relayed through the shadow frequency communication net?"

The officer sighed. "Yes sir, I have. If you don't mind my saying so, sir, but it could be possible that the bug-man had a radio receiver that listened into our conversations."

Kralluf nodded and gotten out of his desk. "If that was the case, then I would agree. However, it also presents an easier solution for us."

The officer tilted his head. "Uh... How so, sir?"

Kralluf turned and pointed at the zergling. "Let me answer you by asking you a rhetorical question. How the hell did the blade hounds know that they were carrying a bomb? I once assumed that the bug-man was using some kind of implanted transmitters that controlled the beasts, and directed their actions to make off with the explosive. Yet you said you didn't find the mole that transmitted information to him. OUR OBSERVATION OR SURVEILLANCE STAFF DIDN'T EVEN FIND ANY ROGUE SIGNALS THAT WAS EMITTED FROM THE ZERG TERRITORY!" Kralluf shouted at his staff. They averted their eyes and quickly went back to their work. Kralluf turned back to his officer. "So, I am lead to believe that the next logical conclusion would be that he had used a radio receiver to listen into our conversations. It would have to be a powerful piece of machinery to intercept radio signals more than fifteen kilometers away, with its energy signature being easily detectable from our scientific imaging equipment. Therefore, that would lead me to believe that he had a listening device installed and had a mole that was sending a directed signal towards him, using a signal sending device. And you just now told me you found no such mole that collaborated with our enemy, even after I had initiated shadow communications mode. Now, hear me out on my next question." Kralluf said, walking toward his officer. "Would General Pallax be elated to know that our 98 desert platforms we had sent on an assault mission, was felled by nothing more but queer little beasts?"

The officer paled, finding no courage to say a word back to his commander.

Kralluf had his answer. "Just as I thought. It's obvious by now that there are more things going on that we don't understand. My personal advice for you: Stay professional, and don't ask stupid questions."

The officer nodded quickly, then took a step back. "Sir, yes sir. I understand completely, sir."

Kralluf shook his head and grumbled. "Bring the girl out of containment. Tell her that I'm sorry to imprison her under accusation of double-crossing. She is obviously clean in this."

"Right away, sir." The officer said, turning around and running off to where Lieutenant Jub was.

Kay had to admit, Kralluf was much smarter than he looked. Kralluf turned to look at the zergling and paused. "... Wait a minute. Didn't you shoot off the blade hound's extra claws?"

Everyone turned to the zergling that was now sporting a new set of smaller attack-claws. It trilled as it was given attention.

"... I might need to contact Faddoh about this." Kralluf said, going onto his computer desk again and typing on his keyboard like a madman. "When do we reach Faddoh's forward research site?"

One of his officers piped up. "It will take one more hour, sir. Dusk will arrive by then."

Kralluf nodded. "Good. We're earlier than I expected."

* * *

Kay was surprised with the information he gathered from the zergling's perspective.

But alas, once Kralluf has transported the zergling to Commander Faddoh's forward research base, Kay decided that the ambush would be sprung then.

* * *

 **A/N: Was it a good idea to get rid of the resource restriction, but kept Kay and Virid's brood restricted to the lair tech level?**


	17. Blade Hound of Whisper Stones

**Chapter 17: Blade Hound of Whisper Stones**

* * *

As predicted by Kralluf's officer, the desert platform rolled to a stop once it reached the end of its journey. It traveled a long way to get to the edge of the desert, and to its destination. Various rock formations that looked like pillars towering into the sky was located at the front of the desert platform, resembling a forest of weathered sandstone in a way. The zergling, or Kay, had no idea how large this rock forest was, or what it might contain. However, patience was a virtue, and Kay did not doubt that wherever the commander of the Crescent Arms Division was going to, Kralluf was confident in delivering the captive zergling there, and Kay was confident that the ambush would still be effective. It soon became dusk.

Jub was released from her containment, and she took her position well away from the zergling. She did glance over at it now and again, and it would stare back at her and trilled. She looked away from the zergling and sharply inhaled every time. The four of Kralluf's six officers had their precision and tranquilizer rifles trained on the zergling for the rest of the trip, and they looked relieved when they learned they would have a chance to relax. Kralluf, on the other hand, was madly typing on his desk's keyboard without any hesitation. It was only when one of his officers coughed that he was brought out of his trance, to realize that they were close to where they needed to be.

Kralluf got off of his desk and turned to talk with everybody. "Alright, men. Get that blade hound onto a dune boat. We're meeting with Faddoh."

His officers groaned silently. Did Kralluf's men had some history with this other commander? Jub stepped forward. "Commander Kralluf, sir. If is not any trouble, I wish to be at your side to visit Commander Faddoh, sir."

Kralluf turned to Jub, paused, then sighed and nodded. "Fine. But if he starts becoming too personal with his questions, gesture to me and I'll put a stop to it."

Jub slowly cocked her head, but then nodded and followed after Commander Kralluf. The four officers had some difficulty trying to pick up the caged zergling, for they knew that if they were careless, the zergling would bite and claw at them. The decision to tranquilize the zergling quickly became a unanimous decision, prompting the tranq rounds to fly into the zergling's right eye. The tranquilizer drug was less effective than before, but it didn't stop the zergling to hiss angrily before pretending to nod off and eventually go to 'sleep'. It kept its eyes slightly open, however, but only enough to trick them into thinking that it was incapacitated. The four of Kralluf's best officers picked up the cage and carried it, but not without some difficulty.

"Ugh... I think this thing is somehow heavier than before." "You wouldn't know that. The trapper team brought the jag in." "You know, I'm kind of curious. Where DID that word come from?" "What word?" "Jag. That word." "I think I remember that trapper saying it?" "Oh yeah. The tropic accented gilanian. I swear, they make up a new word for any new occasion." "Think he survived?" "Oh yeah, I remembered that he was transferred to platform 899. Very unlikely if he survived."

"Quit the chatter, you four." Kralluf barked as he lead his men that carried the 'tranquilized' zergling to the central hatch of the desert platform, a dune boat already prepared for the zergling to be strapped into. "Wouldn't want to start a conversation with the motormouth."

The four officers, Commander Kralluf, and a few other reinforcing soldiers Kralluf pointed at and gestured for them to come with, traveled down a descending elevator platform that made landfall onto the ground with a gentle 'thud'. Kralluf and company then marched and rode forward toward the towers of stone pillars, while they carefully guarded the dune-boat transport. As gentle winds picked up, the wind that would blow past these pillars became terribly choppy. Jub strode next to Kralluf and looked around as though she was experiencing a new environment. "What is this place?" She asked aloud.

Kralluf didn't turn, but instead spoke his answer. "A pillar forest. Each and every rock formation you see here was naturally weathered by sand storms over several years. This place has a particular name too. 'Whisper Stones' is its most well known name, since the wind can blow into this rock forest and make it sound like someone is talking behind your back from a distance. Due to how high these pillars go up, it'd be difficult to pinpoint where you are in this area, even with a map and compass. A self-tracking device used with a digital satellite map would be necessary to have if you don't want to get lost. It keeps going on like this for more than a hundred kilometers before you enter a tropical zone. Hell, this stone forest is the main reason why it never rains in Red Desert. Only blood moistens those battle-torn sands in days past. This also happens to be where the remaining unaligned gilanians reside, as well as resistors to Gollog's rule, an abundant number of bandits, and hungry shryik serpents patrolling between the pillars for an easy meal. Stick close to us."

Jub nodded and gulped.

The ride within the dune boat was smooth for the zergling, but the officers next to the rolling machine had to jog to keep up. Twenty minutes seemed to pass before the group was able to see an unusual, massively large cube structure that was mainly copper in make, but had green accents and similarly colored banners. Some of these banners were draped over the entrance, and they parted when mechanical hands manipulated them away, revealing a tall, mechanical machine that was copper and green colored. Its face was green and showed an LED display of another face that was a gilanian. Kay couldn't tell if this other gilanian was albino, like Pallax, or Gollog. It then began to spread its arms wide to its guests. "AS THE EMPEROR BREATHES! Kralluf, it is so good to see you again! How long has it been?! Three, four weeks? Oh it has been a good while, I think! We were bound to meet again anyway, since we only ever find ourselves in each other's company either during a holiday or when an important meeting involves us. In fact, last time we met, we had only shared exactly thirty seven sentences before we parted ways. Oh how I would LOVE to hear how your life has been! I'll start, and we can share from there. Yesterday, when I heard that there was a new organism on our world-"

Kralluf jabbed at the automaton. "Enough of that, you idiot. I have an organism belonging to the bug-man of that zerg faction he mentioned. I'm going to leave that thing in your care. Do your science thing and let me do my work."

The machine, if it was possible, looked crestfallen. "Oh, very well. Have you brought me this 'blade hound' that you named?" Kralluf snapped his fingers and his officers got to work lifting the caged and 'tranquilized' zergling off of the dune boat. After carefully setting the cage down onto the sand, the copper machine walked towards it and inspected it. "Ooh! So THIS is the 'blade hound' you captured. Despite having a very unimaginative name, I could see why it has a 'hound-like' appearance. Let me see..." The machine leaned down to look at the beast before him. "... Seems to be able to stand at a meter height, if I counted its pair of dorsal limbs on its back. Able to stand on its hind-legs, but looks like it evolved to travel on its fours. Seems to use a type of carapace as a natural armor, which suggests an insectoid origin. From the reports you have given me, it has incredibly sharp claws and fangs that can damage metal. Not a lot of things that can tear through the wheel of a desert platform, yet this little guy could do it with the same destructive power of a low-powered laser-cutter. And from your recent message, you say that it can regrow lost limbs after losing them? Most curious! Now lie still as I..." Faddoh pointed his finger onto the carapace of the zergling, poking it slightly. "... There we go."

Kralluf turned around and started leaving. "I'll leave it in your care, Faddoh. I got business to do elsewhere."

At that moment, the zergling instantly came to life and forced its cage open in a flurry of claws and fangs. This had startled the apparently named Faddoh, as he jerked and stumbled backwards, falling onto the rear of his chassis. "GUWAH~!"

Kralluf turned around to see what was happening, but was unable to do anything since the zergling had already zipped away. Kralluf fumed. "MOTHER FUCKING GODS-DAMMIT! MEN, GET YOUR SAND-BOARDS AND GET THAT THING BACK! KILL IT IF YOU HAVE TO!" As Kralluf shouted this, his four officers went into the dune boat and got out their sand-boards. After getting onto their devices, they prepared to recapture the zergling that escaped.

The copper machine named Faddoh got up and laughed. "Hahahahaha, oh what temperament! I simply have to find out how that blade hound came to be on Kiln! Kralluf, if you don't mind terribly, could your man there spare that severed claw he took as a trophy? I simply must have it, since it is the only readily available sample from that blade hound." Faddoh said, pointing a coppery hand at Kralluf's officer that carried the holstered zergling limb like a weapon. Kalluf turned and nodded toward his officer, which prompted him to reluctantly give up his new trophy weapon to Faddoh. Faddoh gingerly grabbed at the makeshift weapon and looked it up and down before bowing. "Thank you so much for donating to science, my friend. Not a lot of people appreciate the hard work that goes into researching new innovations, or discovering the answers to secretly veiled mysteries. With this limb, I bet I would be able to find the elements that gave this creature the power to wreck your precious desert platforms! However, I would also appreciate it if you found more samples, preferably more live zerg organisms, for me to play with! It would be a once-in-a-lifetime moment that I would cherish forever! After all, there should never be a shortage of patients to practice your work on! Why, I remember a little lass who was no more than two years of age-"

Kralluf jabbed at the automaton again. "Enough out of you. MEN! CAPTURE THE BLADE HOUND!" Once his officers were kitted up, they zoomed forward and followed the tracks of the zergling. After his four of six top officers left, Kralluf turned around. "Faddoh, my four top men are in your care now. Once they retrieve your blade hound, have them return to me through a MEM device. Understand?"

Faddoh sighed, but his green LED face displayed a smile shortly after. "Of course. I'll let you know what I find. Should I send you a word document, or can I request a communication link?"

Kralluf sighed before walking back to his dune boat. "Word document is fine. As of now, I have a perimeter defense to maintain. Last time I checked, my long-range surveillance observation staff said that there was even more organisms appearing in the zerg territories."

Faddoh was about to say something else, but was cut off when Kralluf's dune boat started back up and began leaving the area.

Kay was able to listen into this conversation because of the ear and small brain that formed within the zergling's dismembered claw, transmitting the whole conversation to him. However, the attack-claw slowly deteriorated, finally becoming useless after that conversation.

* * *

The zergling quickly ran forward with blinding speed, feeling the sweet taste of wind and freedom blowing past its wings and legs. The warm day would slowly become chilled as the desert night would roll over the horizon and eat away at the dusk. Twilight may wane, yet the zergling can adapt to both the day and the night. But Kay urged it to quickly find refuge, as it was told it had pursuers that would put it into a confining cage again. The zergling found it to be very boring in that cage, so the zergling quickened its movement. It also had another purpose: Find a secluded area for a nydus worm to take hold.

A furred animal the size of a football wasn't paying attention when the zergling ran over to it, which snatched it up in its jaws and ate it while it ran. Without creep to feed from, the zergling had to adapt on the run. After all, there were sand-boarding empire soldiers that were chasing it! After some time of searching, the zergling discovered a cave, but it didn't know whether or not it had an occupant. Taking a wild guess, the zergling went into the cave, made several false tracks, walked backwards to the mouth of the cave and burrowed there to hide in plain sight.

Kralluf's four top officers followed the sandy tracks the zergling made, and was stopping at the front of the cave entrance. "Looks like our blade hound took a hiding spot." "I don't like it. There's too much traffic going into this cave." "Think a shryik serpent lives here?" "I don't think so. They either make lots of straight lines in the sand as they side-wind, or make a very curvy river-like depression on cooler grounds." "So the blade hound is in here?" "The jag must be. Let's separate into groups of two. I volunteer to go in." "I'm coming with. You guys okay with that?" "I'm good." "Fine with me." "Alright then, let's Split! Anything happens, radio it in." The officers said, splitting their group in half, two staying at the entrance, while the remaining two ventured into the cave.

A few minutes had passed, but they had not found hide or claw of the zergling they tried to seek within the cave. It was still safely burrowed at the front of the cave, and the two officers that decided to guard the only entrance was standing next to the burrowed zergling. It was around this time that they had received a call from their radios. [Hello? Hello? Hello? I am calling for the officers that Kralluf left on my doorstep. Hello? Hello?]

One of the officers fished a radio from his uniform. "This is first officer Thathal. Do you want our report?"

[Oh! Yes please! Have you found the 'blade hound' that escaped from that metal cage yet?]

Thathal nodded. "We managed to track the jag to a cave. We had sent two of our own to follow the tracks into the cave to get the creature."

[Oh dear oh dear, you really shouldn't be going into any caves in this area, my dear boy! What if a shryik serpent is inhabiting it?]

"We looked at the tracks in the sand, sir. There doesn't seem to be any indication that there is-"

There was a sudden screaming from within the cave, followed by the shrill hiss of a huge snake.

"... Oh boy." Thathal growled, dreading the possibility of having to face a shryik serpent.

[You should have been warned beforehand, first officer Thathal! Shryik serpents are known to dig under the sand whenever they get the chance, and they'll most certainly refrain from creating tracks that would lead any shryik trappers, or their natural predators, to their lair! Despite their rather large size and tenacity to hunt down prey for miles on end, they are actually very territorial creatures by nature. They would only ever leave their territory if they were pushed out of their home by a bigger shryik serpent, or if food and water became too scarce. The pillar forest is a natural habitat for these creatures, and within this place, you are in THEIR territory. I would avoid caves as much as possible if I were you.]

Thathal sighed. "Yes sir, understood. I'll exercise more caution."

[There is no point to exercise more caution now, I'm afraid. Once you enter a cave that belongs to a shryik serpent, they'll track you down until you die of exhaustion! It's a good thing that you have your sand-boards, but I suggest breaking off from the search. The blade hound might fare better, but it's hard to get a body back from the stomach of such a terrible beast, and none are so terrible than those shryik serpents! But fear not. The bio-tracker implant I installed under the blade hound's carapace will let us track him in the future. Once it becomes daylight again, we can resume our attempt to re-capture our patient. It's not the first time I dealt with runaways, mind you. In fact, let me tell you a story! Once upon a time ago, a little lass who was no more that two years of age-]

Thathal turned off his radio and turned around. The other officer did the same as they left their position. Once they got onto their sand-boards and zoomed out of sight, the zergling emerged and trilled its successful escape from those gilanian officers. Kay, on the other hand, had only grown more worried. Thankfully, eavesdropping on the conversation revealed that these shryik serpents in particular were proficient in hunting exhausted prey. But the zerglings have evolved to never get tired, and the escaped zergling would put that to the test.

The zergling instantly zipped away, whether or not the shryik serpent that belonged to that cave would follow the zergling. The zergling traveled deep into the stone pillar forest, eating whatever kind of biological matter it could to build up its size and strength. Eating desert grass or shriveled flowers, the odd root, or even the scrap remains of another animal helped fuel the zergling, and helped replace the biomass it lost from growing back its attack-claw.

And then the zergling found it. A secluded spot!

By the time the hexagonal moon showed its face once more, the pillars had revealed a wide area that had fewer rock pillars dominating the center of this clearing. The area was wide enough to support around four hatcheries, and perhaps a few spine and spore crawlers for defending the area. But one of those hatchery spots would have to be sacrificed with something more important. Like a nydus worm, for example.

After looking around for the perfect spot, the zergling relayed the information as best it could to Kay, and the zergling got its response. Since the nydus worm was coming from a far distance away, roughly seventy kilometers away from the edge of creep established territory, it would not be arriving any time soon. But arrive it will.

Unlike most skirmish sized areas, which would normally take a nydus worm around fourteen seconds to breach the ground within a kilometer sized area, the distance between here and the nydus network at the hive cluster would take much longer. If Kay was right about his math skills, then for every kilometer that the nydus worm had to travel, it would increase it's arrival time by two and a half times. So... (14 seconds x 1.5 for every kilometer) x 80 kilometers = 46 minutes and 39 seconds, more or less? The sand of the desert might be easy to shift, but there was other burrowed monsters to worry about, hence the 'more or less' tacked onto the previous sentence. At least the corrosive creep that the nydus worm produces should deter shryik serpents from trying to take bites from its hide. Emphasis on 'should'.

Speaking of shryik serpents, one of such had entered into this clearing, tracking the disturbed sands that contained zergling footsteps. Its streamlined thorns and scales around its lip had a hint of red to them, which could only suggest that the beast had killed prey recently. Its eyes had poor vision, but the zergling's vision was phenomenally better than the serpent's. Once the shryik serpent slithered forward, its tongue dancing onto the sand, the zergling skittered off and maintained a safe distance from it, well away from its effective sight. These creatures seemed to be able to sense movement fairly well, but they also track their prey with scent with greater efficiency.

For several minutes, almost twenty minutes in estimation, the zergling ran out of the serpent's range of sight, making sure to keep its path random, but stopped from turning too much when it looped around and risk the shryik serpent seeing it. When the zergling went over the tracks it had already created for the umpteenth time, roughly twenty times or so, the serpent suddenly stopped. It licked at the intersected paths and paused for several seconds. Kay already knew it before the serpent did: It was figuring out that it was being duped.

The serpent hissed madly and burrowed under the sands. This was bad. Kay knew that the shryik serpents had the ability to burrow and swim through the ground, but the only zerg organisms that could do the same were roaches and infestors. The sand underneath the zergling became the enemy, and the zergling needed to find some way of defeating this terrestrial foe.

... The pillars seemed like a good idea to capitalize on.

The zergling instantly sprinted toward the fattest pillar possible and started hacking its claws into the sandstone, weathering it down artificially by a factor of several simultaneous years. It clawed and clawed on the rock for several seconds before sprinting away at another direction. Kay didn't want for the zergling to wait around for the shryik serpent to strike while it was busy. It sprinted toward a different pillar in the clearing that was the shortest, but also thinnest. The zergling's speed enabled it to reach the pillar in no time, and it took a longer length of time to try and cut the pillar down.

There was no sign of the shryik serpent, and that in itself was a danger to the zergling. Kay didn't know how fast the shryik serpents can travel through the sand, and he wasn't sure how durable the zerglings upgraded carapace mutation would compare to its attack. In fact, the beast could swallow and chew on the zergling at its leisure, if it could catch it.

The moment the zergling finished with cutting the pillar, the shryik serpent attacked. However, the shryik serpent confused the shards of rock cut from the pillar as footfalls, and gained a mouth full of sandstone for its penance. As the shryik serpent gagged on stone while the short pillar fell and landed, the zergling took the opportunity to run onto the pillar, but then slowly fox-walked to the farthest end of the felled pillar.

Once the shryik serpent finished coughing up the cut rocks it caught with its mouth, the serpent hissed and went back to flicking its tongue, with more determination this time around. It tracked the scent of its prey and slithered up onto the fallen pillar to pursue the zergling's scent trail. It was an odd sort of tactic that the shryik serpent wasn't expecting. Since it could sense vibrations through the sand very easily, it could track prey through that medium. But solid rock was a different matter entirely when it sits on top of an object that blocks the subtle seismic vibrations in the sand that it had evolved to detect. Still, the shryik serpent was hungry for more meat, and it sought it from the zergling it hunted.

Despite its ability to track prey using movement, vibrations through the sand, and scent tasting, the zergling was able to get an advantage over the slithery enemy using sight and instinctual cues from the hivemind. Once the shryik serpent got close enough, the zergling launched forward at the right moment when the shryik serpent was sticking its tongue out. After a quick attack from its claws, its jaws latched onto the tongue in a quick motion and yanked it off, spraying the sand with a wet line of giant snake blood.

The shryik serpent shrilled a roar as it reared back and thrashed its head around in agony. That gave the zergling another window of opportunity to run toward the fatter pillar it was whittling on earlier. Several seconds later, the shryik serpent recovered and hissed loudly, like its anger was summoned forth similarly to someone crushing a fat kid's doughnut box with a bare fist. Without its tongue to track its prey, the shryik serpent is left without too many other options to continue tracking the zergling. It instead burrowed itself into the sand once more.

The zergling worked hard on the fat pillar, chiseling bare stone little by little and making small progress over time. But after several seconds, the zergling zipped off again, this time with a maw belonging to a shryik serpent nearly catching the zergling as it erupted from underneath. The serpent was not rewarded, while the zergling's lucky streak continued as it ran for the smaller, fallen pillar. The shryik serpent, however, chased after the zergling in a maddened slithering sprint, mouth opened in agitation. The zergling got onto the pillar and used it to gain higher ground. The shryik serpent cared not for higher ground, simply wanting to exact its revenge on the zerg organism that intruded into its home, escaped its most natural method of ambushing its prey, and removed its tongue.

The zergling double-backed when it reached the end of the horizontal-ed pillar, using its claws to drift and turn quickly, dodging a mouth that was adapted to ambushing prey in sudden, lightning-quick strikes. However, the shryik serpent tried to catch its prey in a sprinting charge, which only made its attempt to catch its prey clumsy and easily telegraphed. The shryik serpent narrowly missed the zergling, and caught its triangular rows of sharp teeth and fangs on the side of a pillar instead. After creating a quick slash onto the beast, the zergling then ran back to the fat pillar again.

The shryik serpent roared in pain. A section of its impaling tail was now missing, and it now craved for the vengeance that only a slain zergling could fill. The zergling chewed on its stolen prize as it continued to the fat pillar and continued where it left off. The shryik serpent was now hissing as though it was livid. However, it became wise to the zergling's tactics and proceeded forward cautiously. It curved its neck into an S shape once it came closer and closer to the wily zergling, making sure that if the zergling darts away again, the shryik serpent would easily pursue.

The pillar suddenly started to rumble, and the zergling changed its tactic. It raced forward to instantly attack the shryik serpent. The serpent was surprised by, yet another, change of the zergling's tactics. It reared its head back and rolled its head on the ground when a piercing pain emanated from its eye, and much of the right side of its face. The zergling risked attacking the shryik serpent in a blink of an eye, and the reward was ironic since the zergling's current enemy now had a missing eye.

The zergling was flung off of the serpent as it pulled jellied, red meat from the socket. The shryik serpent became so agitated, it breathed in and releasing an enraged roar at the beast that had somehow tricked it so many times by now. It followed after the zergling with reckless abandon as it cared only for the death of its tricky prey. The shryik serpent was now very sloppy, and the zergling ran circles around the supposedly apex predator of these lands. However, as it berserk-ed, trying to eat the zergling in a fit of livid intent, it didn't expect the fat pillar to fall down on its own head. Blood, brain-matter, and snot jettisoned out of its eye-socket in a geyser of blood and gore, creating a deep splash of pretty scarlet in the sand. The head may have been crushed and pinned, but the body past the skull was still wriggling madly, looking like electricity was filling the mindless corpse with an urgent purpose. However, the wiggling serpent body started slowing. Its movement lazed until it made a few twitches before becoming as still as a deadened corpse.

The zergling approached the pillar-killed cadaver, made a roar of victory, and then began feasting on the body, starting from the stumped impaling-tail. And that was when the nydus worm was heard, as it began shifting the earth from under its entry point.

* * *

 **A/N: David = Zergling, and Goliath = Shryik serpent**

 **Also, a review from a guest:** 10k words.

...

10k WORDS.

...

Can I ask you something? Like, how the hell do you update THAT fast? Let alone write 10k words? I mean, bruh, you just like, updated a day ago!

I'm being serious right here! I can't even write a 1000 word chapter for a day! Do you have that much time!? No wait, you just updated a day ago. Skills? Good grammar? A mastered the art of typing? Pls, tell me your secrets, I need your help! I just wanna write something but I can't!

 **Answer: I just say my sentences out loud like a doof as I type. In fact, I would recommend proof-reading your own material and correcting any spelling errors that you might find, using a similar process. If it doesn't sound right coming out of your own mouth as you read the sentences you typed aloud, (silently aloud, if you happen to have people in your house) then something needs a revision until it starts sounding right in your view. So long as you know what to type as you storyboard what events you want in your own head, then you can't go wrong!**


	18. Trojan Zerg

**Chapter 18: Trojan Zerg**

* * *

Once the nydus worm popped out of the sandy ground and made its terrible war cry, it vomited several queens, zerglings, hydralisks, banelings, and drones several seconds later. Chemically stimulated peristaltic travel is, by far, the fastest way to travel!

Three drones took positions adjacent to the nydus worm and formed a fleshy cocoon around themselves. Becoming a hatchery would enable them a means to create zerg organisms here, rather than rely on the nydus network for zerg unit transportation. The zerglings joined the victorious zergling and feasted on the corpse of the previously slain shryik serpent. Many of its organs were consumed, but the victorious zergling kept the jawbone as its trophy. The queens started laying their creep tumors around the nydus worm and congregated near the soon-to-be-formed hatcheries. Some of the drones will assist in collecting the resource pods that is produced from the resource tumors, but most of them will be turned into spine and spore crawlers to help defend this forward base. The banelings were positioned further away, either burrowed or un-burrowed, from the future emplacements of the spine and spore crawlers as an early defense against both ground-bound enemies and burrowing shryik serpents. Swallowing a baneling whole would be the last thing that a shryik serpent will ever do. And to add to an already impressive air defense that the spore crawlers provided, the hydralisks could shoot down nearby fliers with pinpoint accuracy. In summation, the forward hive-cluster became quickly well protected from both ground and air forces.

Unlike the main hive cluster that had a plethora of overlords floating around, this hive cluster would spawn no overlords, or any air units for that matter. Air units that can be seen above the pillars would turn them into a target for the empire gilanians, and overlords hovering over the hatcheries would reveal the hive cluster to the zerg's current main enemy on Kiln.

But then there was another problem. The scientist robot... thing... said that he implanted some kind of tracking device on the victorious zergling. He also said that he would start tracking the zergling in the morning.

* * *

Kay sighed as he walked back and forth. "Oh yeah. I almost forot about that."

"Forot?" Virid asked, peering out from behind the hatchery she was tending. "Do you not mean 'forgot'?"

Kay rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah. That's what I meant to say."

Virid crawled toward Kay and cocked her head. "Is there something you want to inform me about?"

Kay nodded, turning to Virid. "Remember that zergling that got captured by that scouting desert platform? Well, I told the zergling to break out of its cage and find a place for a nydus worm to be summoned at. I directed it to kill a shryik serpent on its own, and we now have a forward base in a place that the gilanians call 'Whisper Stones'."

Virid directed her attention to the far-off location of the Whisper Stones hive cluster. After focusing on it for a few seconds, she turned back to Kay. "I recommend morphing a few overlords in the new area."

Kay shook his head and smiled. "And give away our position to the gilanian empire? Nah. No air units for the moment. I want to have the element of surprise for as long as possible before I try and capture their scientist commander."

Virid cocked her head even further. "You found a gilanian scientist?! Why haven't you told me about this?!" She asked, almost hissing and trilling her surprise.

Kay shrugged. "You looked busy with the other queens, setting up all those resource tumors and injecting hormones into those hatcheries. I didn't want to disturb you."

Virid stared at Kay intently, and he could feel her mental focus probing his mind. Kay was resistant at first, but he allowed her to psionically probe his head. After several seconds of mental probing, she sighed before speaking. "Return the zergling to the cube structure it was taken to."

"Why?" Kay asked.

"If the scientist discovered the hive cluster, then he would contact The Crescent Arms Division and warn them of its location." She answered.

"... Oh. I see now." Kay replied, looking down and placing a hand to his chin. "If we did that, then it would take the empire gilanians longer for them to find our secret hive cluster. We'll have to be quick then."

Kay and Virid redirected their focus on the far away hive cluster, now that a plan had been quickly formed. The cloud of overlords redirected their mental power to transmit their control to the tagged zergling, whilst the weaker signal from the zergling was relayed and concentrated on at the same time.

* * *

The victorious zergling received its orders. Carrying the bloodied jawbone of the shryik serpent, it ran in the dark of midnight with nothing but the glow of the moon to guide it. Thankfully, the faraway overlords that witnessed the zergling's survival saw through its eyes and remembered the terrain well. It was a simple matter to find the way back to that copper and green colored cube. The zergling panted noisily as it held the jawbone in its mouth, but it wasn't willing to part with its precious trophy. It went up to the structure and decided to claw at it viciously, making several long gashes in the copper colored metal.

Several seconds later, several sand-board riding gilanians, wearing orange and green uniforms, flew out of the cube structure and circled the zergling that dared attacked their base. They gave the zergling a wide birth, but circled around it and pointed their alien pistols, SMGs and assault rifles at the beast.

One of them fished out a radio from their person. "Commander Faddoh. Forward research cube B-022 has been attacked by a blade hound. Orders?"

[Oh really?! So early in the morning too!] Faddoh's voice rung from the radio. [What is the light cycle again? Looks like it's about... 32.229% waxing. Hmm... I'm going to mark this in a note and continue with my research. ... And... Done! I wonder if it's the same blade hound that escaped yesterday? Uh... Oh, it is! Very interesting! This also might need to be noted! Anyway, here are my orders, gents. You are to contain that rascally little blade hound and bring it into the cube research facility in a contained condition. I have constructed a cage where this dangerous little varmint will find it difficult to escape from this time around! I'm sure that our little 'patient' is eager to see what kind of procedures I'll be giving it.]

The gilanian holstered his radio and retrieved his capture noose. "Alrighty fellas! Trap that jag and bring it into the facility!" Once that gilanian gave out the order, the other gilanian sand-boarders brought out their capture nooses and tranquilizer rifles. The zergling stood its ground, angrily hissing as it was challenged by the trapper team of the copper science cube.

* * *

The zergling was eventually put down when a tranquilizer dart struck true into its mouth. The zergling had wizened to the tactics employed by the capture nooses, and opted to strike any that got near its limbs or face. This had made it more difficult for the trapper team, so they had to take more risking actions to ensure that the beast was captured. Sadly, their efforts got one of them killed and another wounded. One gilanian trapper in particular was unlucky enough to be chased right into a wall, which crashed his sand-board in the process. The zergling dropped its trophy to bite at the neck of the screaming gilanian to make him stop about the broken bones he received, and killed him him. The wounded gilanian suffered a crushed collarbone when he decided to leap off of his sand-board to tackle the zergling to the ground. It gave the other trappers scant seconds to use their capture nooses on the surprise body-slammed zergling, force its jaw open, and deliver a tranquilizer dart into its maw.

After 'passing out', and being transported into the copper cube facility afterwards, the zergling was put into a large cage with several grills that surrounded it from all sides. The interior was orange and shiny, with hints of glowing green patterns that lined the wall like inset lighting fixtures. The walls were lined with many cabinets, filled with vials of things, machines, and boxes that stored scattered folders.

Faddoh was busy talking with his trapper team in front of the zergling. He was rapidly shaking the leader trapper's hand. "Well done! Well done! I am very proud of the work that you have done, capturing that blade hound and bringing him here! Wait a minute... Is it a him, or a her? I'll find that out later. Anyway, I want to thank you for bringing it here. I'll take over with my science team. You may continue to stand guard in any area you see fit. Oh, and thank you, thank you, THANK YOU a hundred times more!"

The trapper pulled his hand from the machine's grasp quickly. "Enough of that, you geek. We're not paid enough to be your nannies and animal wranglers. Let me be clear to you that we are only hired to be your bodyguards. Nothing more. Now leave us alone so we can get on with what we are hired to do." After saying that, the trapper leader and his fellow gilanians, or 'bodyguards' as they called themselves, left Faddoh's company.

The machine, if it was even possible, looked dejected. "Hey now! I payed liters of water to have your services! If I wasn't so short-staffed here, I would send a complaint to Kralluf and have you replaced in the next minute!" The gilanian bodyguard showed Faddoh a rude gesture. "OH DON'T BE CUTE WITH ME! Gaugh. Some people have no respect for science nowadays." Faddoh said, turning around to look at the zergling. "... Hmm... At least I have a specimen to analyze. T'gai. Message the biology division in cube facility S-01 that we have a live blade hound for analysis and research."

[Command detected. Sending request for resources.] Said a very monotone and low baritone voice. The zergling would have looked around to find the source of the voice, but it knew that it still needed to pretend to be passed out.

After several more seconds had passed, part of the room glowed with blue and white light as the sound of an activating MEM device was heard. Orange and green coated researchers rubbed their tired eyes as they walked off the MEM device's shift platform. One of them spoke up. "YAWN! Okay, Commander Faddoh, we're here. What do you need."

"Ahem!" Faddoh said, tapping his mechanical foot and crossing his metal arms. The LED face contorted into a frown.

They all groaned, and then stood at attention and saluted. "Head scientist of the biologist department, Doctor Hektar, reporting for duty, sir."

The LED face turned back into a smile. "That is a lot better. Now then, you are given a very special task, and that task is to analyze this creature here." Faddoh said, gesturing to the zergling. "Given the name 'blade hound', which was coined by Commander Kralluf, you are to analyze its behavior, biology, socialistic capabilities, strengths, weaknesses, and possible unseen abilities that we have not yet detected. I shall leave this creature to your capable hands."

Hektar grunted. "What about the sample acquired from the 'melted' gilanian I heard about? It's a popular topic of discussion back at the science headquarters."

Faddoh emoted something that seemed to be similar to a sigh. "No matter how many times I tried to send a sample to the main research facility, I always end up finding something wrong with the MEM device's transmitter. I can't tell you how many times I modified that MEM device, the same one that you have used to get here I might add, trying to send that melted gilanian sample. I tried turning off the safety functions, increasing power, changed resolutions several times, found out a way to make a new form of plastic, and calibrated the microbial sifter. It's like the corpse fluid just doesn't want to be transported, or is simply too complex to simply turn into energy for transfer. I am completely stumped!"

The head scientist nodded. "Yeah, that is odd... Can't we just analyze that sample at a forward facility instead? I mean, we could requisition any equipment we might need in order to analyze the sample on site."

The commander glowed a smile at Hektar. "Very well! Since you have provided an alternative solution to that pesky problem of mine, then YOU can be the one responsible for researching the sample! I, on the other hand, shall be busy researching the blade hound!"

Doctor Hektar stared at Faddoh with wide-eyed disdain. "Whah~?! But... Sir, I was requisitioned for the analysis of the blade hound!"

Faddoh dismissively waved his metal hand. "I have the right to change my orders around however I see fit. Pray that I don't alter them further." Faddoh turned around and searched for something on a shelve before picking out what he had stored there. "Now then! These five little vials contain the liquefied remains of an unnamed gilanian soldier. I need you to find out what, and which, elements of the poison are responsible for the destabilization of the body. In short, find out what had transformed the victim into a liquid state." Faddoh said, giving the five vials to the head researcher.

Hektar glumly accepted the vials and sighed. "Fine. I'll get a microscope and see what I can discover."

The commander pleaded his fingers. "Excellent! Oh, and use the manifestation altar to make and provide a few necessary tools for your team too." Faddoh then turned to the other scientists. "Your head scientist will be working on a different project on his own, at the moment. As of now, you are to work under me as we delve into the scientific understanding of this creature we have captured! We don't know if it is a boy or a girl yet, but we hope to find out soon. I shall have the privilege of giving this creature a fitting nickname. Raise your hands if you all agree to the name of 'Blixon'! We can change the name later to 'Blix' if the creature happens to be female." After the biologists raised their hands, Faddoh grasped his metal hands together. "Good! Good, good, good! I shall also count that as volunteering to retrieve a blood sample, in case you didn't know. You may use the bodyguards' capture nooses to subdue the beast. The electric cage controls are found on the side of the entrance. It WILL turn on if the sensors inside reads fast movement, any slamming on the sides, or registers damage. The cage itself is a modified slave containment unit, so don't mess around with the advanced controls, or let the beast out. With that out of the way, I want to see your notes when the light cycle waxes 50%, so don't dawdle!"

One of Hektar's scientists raised their hand. "Commander Faddoh, sir? I believe it's already around 45% in the light cycle, sir."

Faddoh paused, and then face palmed. "... Oh, I am such a motormouth! Well... Make a single page report on what you think of Blixon's name then. And maybe put some theories or assumptions into the mix. After that, I want you to research the HELL out of that organism! Now get your info-squares and start writing! I'll be busy sterilizing the inner environment of my lab to help assist in your research. After the report, however, I want you all to do what I had described prior. Begin!"

Once the scientists dispersed to their corners to start writing their impromptu reports, with Commander Faddoh getting to work on cleaning up the research team's work space, the zergling, given the name 'Blixon', yawned and got up. Blixon had decided in that moment that it wasn't going to pretend to be tranquilized anymore. It looked around in this new environment it was in, and saw that it was strewn with several equipment that was haphazardly placed everywhere. It was a cluttered and messy chamber, but Faddoh was slowly reorganizing everything for his guests.

Kay and Virid was getting the impression that the prisoner of science, now named Blixon, was going to stay there for a long while.

* * *

Meanwhile, the zerg creep had extended by several more meters at the primary hive cluster. However, the creep tumors that developed and grew the creep were identified and blasted with artillery. The short-range accuracy of the artillery shells could blast creep tumors at an effective range of 350 meters away, but were incapable of hitting burrowed creep tumors with accurate success. The perimeter defense that surrounded the zerg territory also more than tripled in size, and Kay could tell that the desert platforms now numbered around three thousand.

Kay theorized that the size of the zerg organism would give them a bigger target to blast, so the artillery crew could easily adjust their weapon's firing distance. The spine crawlers, the largest ground-based organism that Kay and Virid's brood could employ, was easily killed when artillery fire was focused on it. Using its corpse as a ratio, Kay estimated that their range would drastically change when they have a larger target to focus on. They killed the spine crawler at their effective distance of 600 meters away.

And that was when Kay figured out an effective plan to counter-attack the desert platforms right back!

Thousands of hydralisks and roaches were being hatched by Kay's command, and they were all being directed toward the edge of the zerg established territory. A few of the zerg organisms were sent forward and sacrificed to test the desert platforms' effective artillery ranges. After the death of five hydralisks, Kay had discovered that the desert platforms would fire on the hydralisks when they got 420 meters close.

The hydralisks buried themselves under the creep, but were also given the order to wait until they were needed, or when a light excursion force decided to venture into their territory. There hadn't been an excursion force yet, but the hydralisks would still be prepared for such a tactic. The roaches would burrow their way forward and proceed to get as close as possible before the gilanian empire's seismic sensing equipment detected the roaches and directed their automated turrets to fire ground-penetrating bullets at them. The roaches managed to get as close as 100 meters before they were targeted and fired upon by the turrets. Once the effective range of the sensors were established, the roaches would burrow-move just out of sensor range of the seismic sensor system and wait, like an underground mob of shoppers during Black Friday, waiting for those 80% off Wii-U's.

But the hydralisks were still key to a long ranged defense, simply because they can fire at targets that were half a kilometer away.

And the roaches would provide an effective defensive front, since their heavily carapaced armor would protect them and absorb damage.

But the real backbone would be the zerglings.

They had already been amassed to tens of thousands, and they were already speedy little monsters. The roaches could absorb much damage before dying, but the zerglings would be used as the main meat-shielding cannon fodder unit. And, if they needed to, they could turn into banelings and shower their enemies in super-hot acid in a one-shot attack.

The overlords increased in number drastically when more zerg organisms were produced. The cloud hanging above the hive cluster grew tremendously large, increasing by 1.8 times its size. Several more hatcheries had also been produced to account for the increased production of zerg.

Despite the fact that Kay could upgrade his only lair into a hive, and in effect, be able to access the mutations and powerful units that could turn the tide of any battle, he knew that he needed to adapt slowly. Kay knew that Emperor Gollog had several aces up his sleeve, and Kay didn't know all of them just yet. Instead, Kay had to wait with a featureless poker face. He will not flinch when Gollog shows his four-of-a-kind, but instead will smile at him when he revealed his royal flush near the end, and deal a gratifying blow to the prideful emperor.

... Since when did Kay learn poker?

* * *

In a soft bed, Kragnon was waking up after a long sleep. He needed some rest after he had been constantly looking over the shoulder of that... thing... from yesterday. Its main interest was looking at all complete DNA sequences of each animal for several hours, then looking at the composition of several different types of gilanian technologies.

Once he dressed himself in his normal attire, consisting of a red overshirt that had the symbol of the Hidden Water Spring Tribe's emblem of leadership on it, padded leather pants that was built for mobility instead of comfort, foot-wraps that covered his digitigrade feet, and a short-range wireless earpiece that had a glass semicircle cover his right eye. All of it was eighty years older, but it still felt serviceable. He rubbed his sleepy eyes after a night of much needed sleep. "Ghmn... Maiden. What is the time?"

[Query detected. It is currently ten seconds from 65% waxing of the light cycle. Morning alarm imminent.]

A blaring klaxon broke the silence of Kragnon's room, lasting five seconds. Kragnon covered his ears and allowed the klaxon to cease before speaking to Maiden again. "Alright then! Hoh. Nice to know that I slept so well, I woke up before that alarm clock did its job! Anyway... Maiden, can you tell me what Kay has been up to?"

[Query detected. Organism designated as Kay has been standing next to several unidentified organisms. He has left the underground village, but returned shortly after.]

Kragnon nodded, activating his glass eye device. "Calibrate my info-lens. Show me the outside of the tower."

[Command detected. Calibrating.]

Kragnon was able to see that there were more organisms outside of the tower than usual. He sighed. "And now there is more of those things. ... I think it's about time I had a talk with Kay."

Kragnon walked down the spiral staircase and made his way to the base level of the tower. After deploying the staircase/ramp that went over the wall, Kragnon stopped at the edge of the ramp. He saw the ground writhing as the purple ooze tried to climb up onto the platform he was on. He saw in the horizon several shapes and shivered when their eyes focused on him. A zergling decided to skitter up to him. This made Kragnon take a few steps back. After several seconds passed, the zergling sat on the ground and looked at Kragnon intently, making an inquisitive bark before being silent.

Kragnon stood where he was. "Uhh... Hello there, little, uh, zergling, was it? I wish to have an audience with your master, if possible. Could you call your master? Or... Do I just talk to you?"

The zergling barked and trilled, wiggling in place.

Kragnon paused. "... Right. I think we need to establish some means of communication if I ever had the need to talk to you through your... zergling. What would you say if you wanted to say yes?"

The zergling pawed at the ground and trilled.

"And what would you say if you wanted to say no?"

The zergling swiped at the ground and hissed.

"Scary. If you wanted to say maybe?"

The zergling snorted and laid down.

Kragnon nodded. "Alright, alright. What if you don't know the answer to my question?"

The zergling cocked its head.

"And if you don't want to answer my question?"

The zergling turned around and sat, facing away from Kragnon.

"Alright! It's simple, but it gets the point across pretty quickly. Anyway, is Kay available?"

The zergling turned to face Kragnon, and then pawed the ground and trilled.

"Can I have an audience with him?"

The zergling pawed the ground and trilled again, and then ran off in a direction. Half a minute later, Kragnon could see Kay coming into view. As Kay approached, he had several other zerg organisms that followed after him. Kay raised up his hands to greet Kragnon. "Hey, you're awake! Slept well?"

Kragnon smiled, waving his own hand at Kay. "I slept well enough. Woke up a few times when I heard growling, but it's better than being in a cold pod, let me tell you."

Kay chuckled. "Heh. So, any reason why you wanted to talk to me?"

"I was just curious. How many of your zerg organisms are there?"

"... You want me to count just the mobile organisms, or do you want me to count the immobile ones too?"

Kragnon crossed his arms and sighed. "Make a rough estimate then. I promise I won't scream at you, like when we first met."

"Uh..." Kay did some rough math in his head. "... Close to a hundred million?"

Kragnon paused and paled. "... A-A-A-A-A-A HUND-*COUGH COUGH COUGH*" Kragnon started coughing, choking on his own words.

Kay sighed. "Kinda started yelling at me there. You need a drink of water or something?"

After clearing his throat, Kragnon shook his head. "Where in the hell do these beasts come from?!"

"From a hatchery of course." Kay said, pointing to a pyramid shaped structure behind himself. "It pretty much produces hundreds, if not thousands, of zerg larvae every day. And that is without the assistance of a queen injecting hormones to help it produce more larvae."

Kragnon paled even more. "... I don't... even KNOW how to react to that. This must mean that your zerg forces are much more abundant on the surface!"

Kay nodded and smirked. "Pretty much, yeah."

"Then Gollog is going to start blasting your forces, using the power of the sun. Not even zerg can withstand such an attack." Kragnon said, slouching and shaking his head. "I don't think they all can evacuate and fit down here."

Kay rubbed the back of his head. "Um... About that, he already did attack us with his orbital laser."

Kragnon looked up at Kay with a deadpanned stare. After a long pause, Kragnon breathed in deeply. "... Kay. I think it's about time I get up to current events."

* * *

 **A/N: I think the title is witty. Don't you guys think so?**


	19. Mind Game

**Chapter 19: Mind Game**

* * *

Kragnon patiently listened as Kay explained the events that occurred, from the day that the zerg came to Kiln three days ago using a void portal that brought them here, to the now where a nydus worm had created a forward base in a place called Whisper Stones, 80 kilometers from the main hive-cluster. Once Kay finished his story with how a zergling, now named 'Blixon', was delivered to a research cube that was also in whisper stones, and how the zerg creep had expanded closer to Kralluf's perimeter defense of three thousand desert platforms, Kragnon nodded and sighed. "I can hardly believe that the zerg can expand that far and quickly."

Kay sighed as well, sitting in the creep. "That's pretty much our history on this world. You looked quite impressed with our ability to fend off that assault force of a hundred desert platforms."

Kragnon nodded. "I was impressed, yes. However, I also have some concerns I would like to discus."

Kay smirked. "Concerns? Ha ha, oh come now! Are you afraid that I'm not being chivalrous enough to Gollog's empire forces?" He said sarcastically.

Kragnon scoffed and scowled. "Gollog can suck his own hemipenes for all I care. What I am more concerned about is why Gollog is not using the full extent of his power to eradicate you. I might also be against your decision to let them capture your zergling named Blixon, or how you made a forward base from so far away, but my former concern is more important."

Kay nodded, looking bemused. "Alright then. Please explain."

Kragnon leaned forward and pleaded his fingers. "You see, Emperor Gollog has a habit of being a very showy and prideful ruler. If he doesn't get what he wants, then he would take it by force with a show of power. If he knows that you are a threat to his empire, then he would use his sun smite attack to graze your lands and limit your forces. Judging from your means of expansion, I would predict that, if left unopposed, you are very well capable of infesting this entire world in a week. If Gollog was serious about your presence, then he would definitely target your hive clusters when the light cycle is so much as 55% waxed. I'm thinking there is something we are not realizing here that is making Gollog limit his power. It's some kind of element, or some political puzzle piece, that is beyond our understanding and we don't know what it is."

Kay's face changed into that of surprised realization. Kay got up and paced around. "Really? Hmm... Then that must mean... Then that must mean there must be something here that he wants intact. If what you say is true, then it could only mean that he has narrowed down his search of the Hidden Water Spring Tribe to this location. I heard his men talk about trying to find the headquarters of the village, but I don't think he knows about the entrance that leads into it."

Kragnon scrunched his face into a confused expression. He held up his hand to his info-lens. "Maiden. Have you submitted any anonymous questions to the information network?" Kay paused to look at Kragnon, tilting his head. "Show all anonymous questions from most recent." A pause later, Kragnon paled. "... Welp. Looks like I found out why Kragnon is so interested in keeping this area intact."

Kay walked forward. "What is it?"

"Maiden submitted data to the anonymous network with a picture of you and your zerglings, and the image happens to contain the interior of the council chambers. Gollog must have acquired this data, acquiring definite proof that the underground village is here. He's not using his sun smite attack because he doesn't want to risk damage to the tribe's ancestral home." Kragnon replied.

"... So uh... Is water really that precious of a resource or something? Or does he want your computer lady?" Kay asked slowly.

Kragnon shook his head. "No gods-damn idea. Altar technology can create water very easily, if you have the energy for it. I doubt it's that, but it doesn't relinquish the fact that there is something Gollog is trying to acquire. If he's trying to capture you, he would have acted by now. Whatever he's trying to achieve, we don't know what it is."

Kay paused before speaking. "Didn't you say that you escaped his rule before you went into a cold-pod? Maybe he's trying to find you?"

Kragnon sighed. "An awful amount of trouble to look for someone that's a hundred and five years old."

Kay gestured dismissively. "Well, no but... What about something that belonged to you? You know, something that he might be interested in having?"

Kragnon paused thoughtfully before giving an answer. "Again... No gods-damn idea."

Kay sighed and nodded his head. "... Then I guess I'll have to continue as I am now."

"About that." Kragnon said, telling Kay to wait. "I want to make a request before you start escalating this war with the empire. Please don't harm or infest anyone that is not affiliated with Gollog and his allies. The last thing I want is the remaining resistance groups, if they are still around after all this time, to start attacking your zerg organisms. Even provoking them just so they could attack your animals would be something I would look down on."

Kay turned around, looking hurt. "What? Come on, Kragnon! The zerg are not animals!"

Kragnon sighed. "You say that, and I would normally have no trouble believing in you. But from your description, the zerg ARE animals that have been infested, are psionically linked to a hivemind intelligence with you and Virid set as its hierarchy, and, last time I checked, the zerg won't be winning any kind of friends with charming good looks alone."

Kay crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow at Kragnon.

Kragnon sighed. "The sad truth is, if I view them as animals, then the other gilanians will. You could use that to your advantage as much as you want, but it won't get you any allies to assist your efforts any time soon."

It was then that Corvurn approached Kay and Kragnon from out of their view. "Assistance can be achieved."

Kragnon jumped. "GAH! ... Oh, it's just you."

Kay turned to face the evolution master. "Corvurn, there you are. Why are you interrupting my conversation with Kragnon?"

Corvurn pleaded his fingers. "Eavesdropped. Heard topic regarding assistance. My purpose: Assist swarm. Proposal: Assist resistance groups and non-empire affiliates. Chance of alliance. Can assist swarm."

Kay nodded. "So... We help people in need to bring them to our side? Sounds like a good way to get more leverage against Gollog, but I'm not sure how we can do that when many zerg strains are incapable of talking. And using the changelings as they are now would just be a very temporary method!"

Corvurn nodded. "New zerg organism created. Mitochondrial introduction. Organism lifespan indefinite. Used for long-term reconnaissance. Mutation of changeling. Dubbed 'changelisk'."

Kay smiled. "Oh, that's what I'm talking about! Have you been talking to Virid?"

"Correct."

"Can it self destruct?"

"Correct."

"What else should I know about it?" Kay said with a brighter smile.

"Changelisk requires small amount of bio-matter and accelerant. Requires four times more energy from overseers. Need to retrieve to integrate with swarm."

Kay paused and furrowed his brows. "... Retrieve? What uh... What does that mean? You mean we need to get it in order to make them?"

"Correct. Changelisk organism product of gilanian experimentation. Gilanian infected with changeling protoplasm. Protoplasm absorbed gilanian mitochondria. New organism formed. Contained in empire research facility. Must extract for genetic data." Corvurn replied.

Kragnon blinked a few times. "Changelisk?"

Kay turned to Kragnon and sighed. "Sounds like I'm going to be busy for the moment. See you again some other time." Kay said, turning around and leaving.

Kragnon switched his gaze between Corvurn and a leaving Kay before shaking his head. "What about the resistance groups?! Will you tell your zerg to not harm them?"

Kay stopped to turn around. He gave a smirk to Kragnon. "I'll just focus on any gilanian that wears empire colors or attacks my zerg. Is that good enough for you?"

Kragnon didn't answer. Kay paused for a little bit before nodding and finally taking his leave. After watching Kay enter into the mouth of the nydus worm, Kragnon finally broke his timid silence. "Corvurn, please answer this question."

Corvurn turned to Kragnon. "State question."

Kragnon paused before he started asking. "What is going to become of Kiln?"

Corvurn didn't hesitate. "Infestation likely scenario. Gilanians resistant to empire spared. Can allow infestation by choice. Less aggressive mutations. Allowed free will. Swarm brood will attempt to leave Kiln. Success unknown."

If Kragnon's albino colored scales could pale any more than before, it would and did just then.

* * *

Faddoh, the commander of The Cube Research Division, was eagerly going through page after page of the scientists' reports on Blixon's name, and their theories that surrounded the creature. Possibilities on what its nest might look like or how it bred, what kind of sociology it had and what language it used with its pack, and what kind of dietary needs it had were all speculative. Besides, speculation is key to, and half of, science. To test those speculations is the other half!

The scientists were busy ensnaring the zergling with several capture nooses, while the lucky sap that was drawn from a lottery was chosen to draw its blood with a needle. With several ruined needles later, the scientist decided to use a knife to draw the blood they needed instead. It was less ceremonious than using a medical needle, but the team of researchers really needed that blood. They didn't want to disappoint Commander Faddoh after all!

Hektar, on the other hand, was working by himself. He took a small sample from the five vials of corpse fluid from the 'melted gilanian', and sandwiched a drop from one of the samples between two thin glasses before putting it into the microscope. Hektar adjusted the scope for several seconds, and he saw several wiggly things swimming under the glass subjected to his scrutiny. "... Hmm. Computer of this facility. State your name."

[Query detected. Designation: T'gai.]

"T'gai, take video and still images of the sample in this microscope for analysis. Scan material composition of sample and tell me what it is."

[Commands detected. Video and images compiling. Scanning microscope sample operated by head biologist, Hektar. Scanning... Scanning... Scan complete. Sample consists of protoplasmic substances. Organic. Microbial organisms detected.]

Hektar cocked his head. "Hmm... Let's test this stuff to see if it has gilanian DNA still remaining." Hektar took a small sample from the same vial and introduced the sample to something that looked like a gene sequencing device. After putting the sample into the machine, Hektar turned the device on and sat comfortably. "T'gai, list the DNA sequences of the microorganisms in the organic sampler. Also, try to look for any DNA sequences belonging to a gilanian that are either intact or fragmented."

[Command detected. Scanning... Scanning... Scanning... Scanning... Scanning... Scan complete. Detecting more than one thousand unidentified microorganisms. Analysis: Microorganisms are a combination of viral infection agents of bacteria and parasites. No gilanian DNA detected.]

Hektar paused. "... No gilanian DNA? Not even a fragment?"

[Query detected. Full segments or fragmented segments of gilanian DNA not found. Conclusion: Sample has been taken from organism that is not gilanian.]

Hektar paused again, with a pang of worry traveling up his spine. "... Uh... Commander Faddoh? I think you might want to come in here."

The mechanical footsteps of a mechanical commander echoed in the copper halls, and they neared Hektar soon enough. "What's this now? Do you need your hand to be held while you alphabetize the germ examination dishes? You know that I don't tolerate any hand holding. Metal hands defeat the purpose of tactile touching, you know."

Hektar got up from his seat. "Commander Faddoh, sir. Are you sure that these samples were taken from a gilanian that had melted?"

Faddoh's LED face raised an eyebrow. "Well, that is what Commander Kralluf had said when his colonel transported the samples to one of my forward bases. I believe there is even a recorded event that detailed the gilanian melting on the spot, and the medic scooping up the corpse-goop into five vials. Now, unless you have definitive proof that that gilanian in particular was not gilanian, then I want to hear an explanation, Hektar."

Hektar nodded. "T'gai, relay your last response."

[Command detected. Response: Query detected. Full segments or fragmented segments of gilanian DNA not found. Conclusion: Sample has been taken from organism that is not gilanian.]

Faddoh pushed Hektar out of the way and inspected the organic sampler. "Ooh. Very interesting! I don't understand what that means, but it's still very interesting! This can mean one of two things. One is that the gilanian that had melted had his DNA fragmented so much that it was unable to be scanned!" Faddoh turned to Hektar. "If that's the case, then I would have to re-assess your contribution to my division." Faddoh turned back to the organic sampler. "But this could also mean that this sample in particular didn't originally come from a gilanian. ... Unless the sample was switched with something else. T'gai, what was the analysis data of the melted gilanian samples?"

[Query detected. Sample consists of protoplasmic substances. Organic. Microbial organisms detected. Detected more than one thousand unidentified microorganisms. Analysis: Microorganisms are a combination of viral infection agents of bacteria and parasites. No gilanian DNA detected.]

Faddoh looked as though he was going to have a casket burst. "WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?! This is absolutely absurd! Would this mean that the gilanian was infested with these parasites and was turned into MORE parasites?!" Faddoh ran to Hektar and grabbed him. "Don't you know what this means?!"

As Hektar was shaken around, he managed to squeak his reply. "What?!"

Faddoh dropped Hektar. "It means that these zerg organisms are much more dangerous than I previously thought! Hektar, could you tell me which of your researchers that you brought to my cube is your least favorite?"

Hektar hesitated. "Uhh... Polteg?"

Faddoh turned around. "POLTEG! GET IN HERE NOW, OR YOU ARE GOING TO BE REMOVED FROM YOUR DIVISION AND ALL SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS IN THE FUTURE!" Faddoh shouted.

Cluttering was heard, followed by a very sudden entrance of a gilanian scientist. He saluted a split second later. "Polteg reporting, sir!"

Polteg was grabbed by the neck with Faddoh's mechanical hand and hoisted up in the air. Faddoh had also taken a vial of the melted corpse and a syringe with him. Hektar watched in horrified surprise as Faddoh made off with his least favorite researcher. "What are you doing?!" He yelled after the mechanical commander.

Faddoh went to an empty slave cage, stabbed a syringe into the sample, injected the sample into the scientist, and then sealed the cage with the scientist still inside. "Science, Hektar. Glorious science. A scientist must sacrifice everything in order to pursue his theories, and that would include the men that works under him. And now that we have a patient, we shall see what kind of reaction an injection of that corpse fluid does to him."

Once Polteg got his bearings, and rubbed a spot on his arm where a needle had jabbed him, he turned around and slammed on the cage. "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?! I DIDN'T COME HERE TO BE SOME ANIMAL TO BE TESTED ON! GET ME OUT OF HERE NOW, YOU FUCKING ANIMALS!"

Faddoh dismissively gestured to Polteg. "Now now, Polteg. We need to document everything that happens here. Since I have a theory that the 'poison' that killed that gilanian was, in fact, parasites and viruses, I hypothesize that you would die similarly if you were injected with the fluid just administered to you."

"WHAT?!" "WHAT?!" Both Hektar and Polteg exclaimed.

Faddoh nodded. "Think about it. If it WAS the parasites that rapidly destabilized the previous host's body into a fluid state, then perhaps we can get a similar result when the parasites have a new host to play around in. However, I will have to warn you, Polteg. Any kind of name calling or attempt to break out of this modified slave cage will prompt me to turn on the electric containment generator. You have been warned."

Both Hektar and Polteg were at a loss for words.

Faddoh smiled innocently. "Now then. Polteg. Describe to me what you are feeling now?"

Polteg hissed and bared his teeth. "Like I was betrayed by the empire, dammit."

Faddoh nodded. "I am aware of your emotional distress. I want to know about your physical condition. Any itchiness? Swelling? Rashes? Cracking between the scales? Indigestion?"

Polteg sighed, but his expression slowly changed to an uncertain mixture of surprise and shock. "Uh... There is something else that I am feeling. Like... Aching in my chest, almost."

Faddoh smiled widely. "Really? Could you describe the feeling?"

Polteg clutched his chest. "Feels like it's getting worse. Oh. OH! OW! _OW! AAAUGH! AAAAAAAAAAAAH~!"_ Polteg lurched over, clutching his chest harder as he screamed. "I THINK-cough-, I THINK I'M HAVING A HEART ATTACK!"

"Is that so?" Faddoh motioned for Hektar to come closer. "Hektar, over here. I want you to take notes of your dying research associate."

Polteg screamed for a minute before collapsing to the ground and started having a seizure. Faddoh and Hektar could see that several parts of his chest started expanding and contracting at uneven intervals. Polteg gagged horrendously and coughed blood. It was only until five minutes later that Polteg became motionless. After another two minutes, Polteg slowly got up. "... Ow."

Faddoh looked at his current test subject with predatory intrigue. "Oh good. You're alive. I honestly thought that you were going to perish, and that we would have an autopsy on our hands. Either way, this is great information! Since you're awake, can you tell me how you feel now?"

Polteg clutched at his chest and groaned. "Like... someone was... stabbing my heart and veins with... tiny needles. Ugh... My head... also feels a little congested."

Faddoh nodded while Hektar looked on in complete horror. "That is good to know." Faddoh said. "The symptoms of acquiring the parasites and viruses in your bloodstream seems to have an immediate effect. Pulsations of the chest and abdomen were detected, which must relate to your organs being shifted around by the parasites themselves. Seizures and convulsions were also witnessed, which must relate to complete muscle and nervous system reorientation. And finally, your coughing and gagging must be a result of the sudden sickness changing the composition of your lungs and/or larynx. I have to admit, these parasites and viruses can adapt very quickly!"

Polteg sat on the cage flooring and relaxed. "Hektar. Can you make a cure to get rid of the parasites in me?"

Hektar paused before saying something. "It's too soon to tell, Polteg."

Faddoh smiled and walked away. "T'gai, please record the new patient, and start the recording at five seconds before he entered the modified slave cage."

[Command detected. Documenting video recording from designated time.]

"I'll leave Polteg in your capable hands, Hektar! Make sure he's comfortable! Feed him well! Entertain him until he's turned into fluid! Collect the fluid if he does melt. I'll be doing research with the blade hound and your remaining science team. Take care!" Faddoh said, leaving Hektar with Polteg stuck inside of a modified slave cage.

Hektar and Polteg looked at each other for several seconds before sighing. Commander Faddoh was well known for his eccentricity and his unorthodox methods of getting results in his scientific pursuits.

* * *

Faddoh was walking down a short hallway, eventually coming into another room with several scientists and another modified slave cage, this time containing a zergling within it. It was busily chewing on the shryik serpent jawbone. No matter how much the science team tried to pry it from the zergling, it seemed to clamp down on the jawbone even harder. The scientists assumed that it found a dead shryik skeleton, and the beast took the jawbone because it was teething at the time. But that didn't bother Faddoh as he spreads his coppery arms widely and smiled. "Hello, my science team! Any progress discovered?"

A lady gilanian in an orange copper and green science coat spoke, nodding. "Yes, Commander Faddoh sir. We discovered that the blade hound's blood contained several microorganisms that have not been identified."

"Is that so?" Faddoh said in a curiously piqued tone. "Let me ask my computerized artificial intelligence. Oh T'gai? What can you say about these microorganisms in the blade hound?"

[Query detected. Organic microbial organisms detected. Detected more than one thousand unidentified microorganisms. Analysis: Microorganisms are a combination of viral infection agents, bacteria and parasites.]

Faddoh blinked a few times. "... Hmm. Either this blade hound is going to melt sometime in the future, or I have accidentally introduced a sickness to a patient without fully understanding the consequences."

The lady scientist cocked her head. "... Sir?"

Faddoh shook his head. "Oh, never mind. Continue with your research and tests! I expect reports at the end of the day. Once I get those reports, I will allow you to eat, sleep, and take your breaks! That is until the next day after, where you will pretty much have to continue with your work in a similar manner. Fret not, however! You will be easily rewarded with your efforts done here. After all, doing hard work will put you in good favor with Emperor Gollog. He may be terrible to his enemies, but he is also fair to his allies. And his love knows no bounds. He's like the ultimate father figure than no-one ever knew they had! Although, I do look up to him as a very wealthy uncle, occasionally. And yet, family does make us do crazy things sometimes. Why, I remember a little lass who was no more than two years of age-"

Everybody groaned when Commander Faddoh began his story about a two year old girl, for seemingly the umpteenth time.

* * *

Meanwhile, the overlord that was sent to the hexagonal moon made landfall.

Well... It tried to. Apparently, the celestial body didn't have any gravity to begin with. All it had was the centrifugal force that rotated around Kiln, since all it was is a completely flat land. In order to actually land on the artificial moon, the queen had several of the drones hold on tight to her while she flung herself off of the overlord. The moment that the queen, and the drones holding onto her, landed off-center on the hexagonal moon, one of the drones instantly became a hatchery cocoon and embedded itself into the fake ground. It was impossibly clean, consisting of several glass hexagonal tiles, and these white glass tiles seemed to stretch on into the endless, bright, horizon. Kiln itself was in a constant eclipse, but both twilight and dusk could be seen on the planet's silhouetted surface, as the sun's corona on the other side was barely seen.

The queen and several of the drones held onto the developing hatchery, desperate to keep from sliding off of the hexagonal moon and enter the black of the night, or risk the fall back toward Kiln. Only two drones were unlucky as their grasps faltered, and they screeched as they slid away to the distance, their own pincers or webbed legs finding no purchase on the surface of the hexagonal moon. In fact, the remaining drones had to turn off their anti-gravity producing organs just to further stabilize themselves in this new environment.

Once the hatchery was fully developed, its embryonic cocoon exploded open in a shower of gore, and the creep it produced began spreading itself around, allowing the queen and the drones more stable ground to walk on. The centrifugal force might produce an artificial gravity, but the surface was simply too slick for spindly insect legs to walk on normally. With creep being produced, it would enable the drones and queen the ability to move around freely. That is at least on areas that has established creep. Once the creep had extended far enough, the queen had went to work producing creep tumors.

Sadly, this queen, or the drones and hatchery, did not have the necessary elements to produce resource tumors or carbonation extractors. Specifically, the elements that were only found in manifestation altars. All the queen could do at the moment is lay creep tumors and expand the creep, but were incapable of creating resource tumors.

However, Corvurn was close to solving that problem soon. With the unlocking of a certain advanced strain of bio-structure, known as the spore cannon, Corvurn would have the ability to solve that problem of theirs. Corvurn commanded a drone to turn into the specialized strain, and it obeyed its evolution master.

Virid was the one that had relayed this news to Kay. _'Kay. Our evolution master has mutated a drone into a spore cannon. It shall be used to deliver the altar elements, and the genetic information needed for the established hive cluster on the hexagonal moon to flourish.'_

 _'Kay! Glad to know that we have friends in far-off places now!'_ Kay sounded impressed. _'Will that be the only function for the spore cannon?'_

 _'The spore cannon can also provide defense from orbital enemies, or strike at foes from great distances away anywhere on the planet itself, provided that we know of their position first. If we are to become stronger, I recommend acquiring another useful strain to have with our forces, like the bile launcher. It can provide an effective short range defense against the desert platforms.'_

 _'Tell Corvurn to get the bile launcher whenever it's convenient. ... So does this mean we can attack the sun now?'_

 _'Theoretically, yes. The spore cannon projectiles might burn in the event of our attempt, but that is to be expected.'_

 _'Good to know. First, we send the materials and genetic information to the hive cluster on the moon. Once we can confirm that they have the genetic data and altar elements, we can_ _then_ _attack the sun, or anywhere we want.'_

 _'Agreed.'_

Kay smiled. Emperor Gollog would never expect an attack from the moon.

* * *

 **A/N: THREE DAYS...**


	20. MB2: Attempt at Diplomacy

**Chapter 20: Major Battle 2: Attempt at Diplomacy**

* * *

Kay overlooked the behavior of the new strains introduced to his swarm of zerg. Overall, he was impressed with the new additions when the new zerg strains mingled with the pre-existing organisms.

The multitude of hydralisks were welcomed by the elder hydralisk, allowing them to join him in swimming in the freshwater spring or basking in the sun next to the extractor. There was little room next to the extractor, so many of the hydralisks opted to bask on the creep covered banks of the spring. They even joined in on the elder hydralisk's favorite pastime of chasing away the zerglings that drinked from the spring, or tried teasing them by nipping at their tails.

The lurkers were also welcomed at the spring pool, and they spend much of their time basking in the sun with the hydralisks, resting at the banks of the freshwater spring. The zerglings would pick on them by gnawing on their new, spindly legs. To escape them, the lurkers would burrow into the ground and avoid their bullying. But they also joined with the patrols of the roaches, though they were unable to burrow-move with them.

The ravagers, the evolved form of the roaches, joined with the lurkers and roaches in the roach patrols. Despite having weaker armor that the roaches, they had their impressively destructive bombardment weapons, their plasma discharge and corrosive bile attacks, to aid in striking groups of foes with massive damage. Even if they lost the ability to burrow-move, they often paired up with the lurkers.

The swarm hosts were an unusual bunch. They seemed to enjoy being in the company of the infestors the most, likely being that they share common ground with their origin of the infestation pit. They cannot burrow-move like the infestors could, but they did mingle with the lurkers and ravagers in their patrols with the roaches, mainly near the outer border of the most recently established creep fields. They produced locusts from their bodies regularly, compared to the infestors that had stopped producing their infested gilanians a while ago. The locusts would flit away from their host or stay with it, even though their lifespans were incredibly short anyway. But they happened to be the only kind of 'prey' that the zerglings could hunt without costing the swarm resources when killed, so they were hunted by zerglings rather extensively. The locusts were used as the main prey to the zerglings' playful practice to a deadly game. The zerg needed to adapt their strategies in any way they could.

Mutalisks flapped around and screeched loudly overhead, adding to the already large cloud of overlords. They seemed to love to chase each other around in a fashion similar to the zerglings, even forming packs of their own numbers. They also tried to rest themselves on the floating 'heads' if the overlords, which made the overlords grumble in complaint. If a mutalisk tried to lie on an overlord for too long, the overlords would assist one another and 'nudge' the overstaying mutalisk off.

The corruptors also chased each other, as well as practiced their dog-fighting and perfecting their aerial moves with themselves and the mutalisks. They also flew over the roach patrols regularly, seeming to provide them a defense against airborne enemies that would otherwise target the roaches with impunity. The ravagers did have a limited ability to damage flying enemies, but it was the corruptors that were the kings of the sky, and any that dared challenge their rule would meet their wrath.

And with a spore cannon now developing, Kay knew that he was going to become more powerful soon.

But his grin became a frown when a familiar presence entered his territory. Gollog, the emperor of the gilanian empire known as Golden Star, trespassed into his creep fields. Kay sighed. "What the hell does he want?"

Gollog kept on approaching the southwestern hive cluster, looking as though he was unafraid to pass through creep dominated territories, and seemed to be carrying a copper and green suitcase with him. He must have not known that the ground he walked on was zerg infested territory! A hydralisk popped out of the ground in front of the emperor a distance away and hissed lowly at the royal intruder. Kay wondered if Gollog's own soldiers would fire at that hydralisk from such a distance away, if such an act would involve protecting their precious emperor in hopes of gaining a reward for their efforts.

And yet, Gollog strode forward with a bemused smile as he passed the hydralisk. Another hydralisk popped out of the ground and joined the first hydralisk that was tailing after Gollog. After walking for such a long while, seeming to be unimpeded by the creep, Gollog eventually arrived at the southwestern hive cluster expansion, ten kilometers away from the main hive cluster. The queens and drones stopped their work to analyze their intruder, as he scrutinized them back in the same way. He then took a deep breath after he was done scrutinizing. "I REQUEST THE JOINT-COMMANDER OF THE ZERG SWARM TO GRANT ME AN AUDIENCE! COME ON OUT, KAY! I KNOW DAMN WELL THAT YOUR BEASTS ARE CONNECTED TO YOU, AND THAT YOU ARE AWARE OF MY PRESENCE THROUGH THEM! WILL YOU GRANT ME ANOTHER AUDIENCE SO THAT WE CAN DISCUS AN EXCHANGE? I MADE THE EFFORT TO CARRY MY RETURN MEM DEVICE HERE, AND I WOULD SURELY BE DISAPPOINTED IF I HAD TO USE IT SO SOON!"

After a few seconds of time passing, Kay had emerged from the 'under beast', a name that the gilanians used to refer to the nydus worms, and walked toward Gollog with a scowl. He popped his knuckles and cricked his neck. "Hello again, Gollog. Still using your answering machine to send your messages? I don't really care at this point. You attacked my zerg, and now I have to teach you a lesson."

Gollog smiled. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha~! Is that so?! Well then! Feel free to deliver the first blow! Deliver many if you need to!" He said, spreading his arms wide.

Kay raised his eyebrow, but he kept walking forward and jabbed a wing straight through Gollog's right arm. Kay didn't feel the warmth of blood, or cold, mechanical cogs of a machine. Instead, Kay could feel some resistance but... there was nothing past the skin and cloth! When Kay removed his bladed wing, the wound he was expecting to see didn't appear there. Raising an eyebrow even further, he poked at the arm he supposedly 'attacked'. Kay could tell that his claws can go through Gollog's cloth and skin like it was cloth and skin, but... there was no flesh, and the skin and cloth turned into mist before reforming back into what it was before. Kay even tried to hack the entire arm off, only for the arm to turn into mist and reform back into an arm that was undamaged and un-severed by Kay's attack. Kay sighed, feeling as though he was cheated from what might have became a simple pleasure, only to be robbed by this strange illusion. "... Huh. You know, if you really were real, then this would turn out very differently."

Gollog chuckled. "So you say. Why must it matter if I was real to you? I am still an immortal! I happen to be in a higher plane of existence that enables me to transcend death. No matter how many times you attack me with your little wings, you can do no harm to me."

Kay sighed and crossed his arms. "Doesn't mean that I can't try, just so I see for myself. Why are you here?"

"Simple, really." Gollog said, pleading his fingers. "I came here for the location of the Hidden Water Spring Tribe. Finding out where it is located happens to be an objective that's important to me."

"Why?" Kay asked.

"It just is to me. You can't possibly understand the musings and thoughts of an immortal. You said so yourself." Gollog said with cockiness in his voice.

"No, I said that you're not real. That doesn't mean you're immortal. You're just using some kind of illusion to hide your pathetic self from real danger. That alone makes you a very inventive coward." Kay growled.

Gollog immediately swung his hand out and slapped Kay's face with a depreciating frown. The pointy fingertips of his gauntlet grazed Kay's flesh, but Kay didn't take his eyes off of Gollog. Gollog then gently retreated his hand and smiled again. "Illusion. A funny word, that. Did you know that everything is literally an illusion? Time, space, life, death, dreams, nightmares, thoughts, emotions, matter, energy, literally everything is an illusion! But the best thing about illusions? They can be controlled." Gollog said, raising and clenching a hand into a fist.

Kay sighed. "Get to the damn point or I'm going to have my zerg deal with you."

Gollog paused, but smiled as he lowered his opalescent gauntlet. "I have told you before, I merely wanted the location of the tribe."

"... If I were to guess, you want something that can be found there. Is it an illicit photo of you doing something perverted?" Kay teased.

Gollog scoffed. "Normally, I would have you put to one hundred years of hibernation in a cold-pod as punishment for that comment alone. I am now seeing that coming out here was a mistake. I shall see to it that your death is quick, and your body shall be studied for science." Gollog said, placing a copper suitcase down.

"Or perhaps it is 'someone'?"

Gollog paused.

Kay nodded. "Mm. I see. So there _IS_ someone that you're looking for. Let me guess... You are trying to find this person after disappearing... eighty years ago, correct?"

Gollog blinked a few times. "Do... you know this person?"

"And now that you have gotten so close to achieving your goal, you are willing to sacrifice your soldiers just to capture that one person. You have narrowed your field, and now you have summoned nearly all of your forces just to take control of a small, small village that can't be seen above ground. I can already tell that you were holding back your power just so you don't damage something, or you would potentially accidentally kill that special someone you have been searching for and live to regret it. Tell me, am I close?" Kay said with a smirk, crossing his arms.

Gollog paused for several seconds before smiling. "Sounds like you found a very important person, seeing as though you yourself are gloating an awful lot."

Kay smiled and waved his hand. "I got all the information I need anyway. Now get off my property." He said as he turned around and walked away.

Gollog turned red and stepped forward. "YOU DARE TURN YOUR BACK ON ME A SECOND TIME?! YOU PLAY A DANGEROUS GAME, BUG-MAN BEAST-MASTER OF THE ZERG MONSTERS! I SHALL SEE TO IT THAT YOU WILL LEAVE AN UGLY CORPSE AS I FORCE YOUR LIFE FROM IT! BUT THE PERSON THAT YOU ARE PROTECTING SHALL BE FORCED FROM YOUR HOME AND INTO MY CARE! AS OF NOW, I AM **_DONE_** BEING LENIENT WITH YOUR INSINCERE RUDENESS!"

Kay stopped, then slowly turned around and smiled. "I didn't say it was a he."

Gollog frowned even more, his right eye twitching. "AND YOU STILL MOCK ME?! I WILL SEE TO IT THAT I WILL MAKE YOUR EXISTENCE A LIVING HELL, BEFORE I END YOUR LIFE! MARK MY WORDS, KAY! I WILL DESTROY YOU, AND YOUR ZERG CREATURES!" Gollog shouted, pointing at Kay.

Kay scoffed. "And I didn't hear you deny that he is a male. Funny thing, anger. You might say that emotions are illusions, but anger can be easily controlled if you know what kind of buttons to press. In fact, they can be controlled so well that you can gather information without even asking direct questions. Now, if you don't mind, I have a brood to prepare. And don't worry. He's been keeping me very well entertained. But now, I must bid you adieu."

"AH...ADIEU? WHAT-WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!" Gollog shouted.

"Your time is up here. I would kill you, but it looks like I can't. Instead, I'm going to move you off of my property by force. And since I can't kill you by my own clawed hands, I think I will settle for killing your people. I hope that you don't ever come here to see me again." Kay said, snapping his fingers and turning away. Once he turned to walk to the nydus worm, several roaches popped out of the ground and used their sickle-claws to try and make Gollog back away, whilst the hydralisks used their scythe-claws to guide him back to where he came from.

After a hurried pushing and shoving by the zerg, Emperor Gollog was transported to the place where he had approached from. The gilanian soldiers shouted indistinctly as their emperor was being pushed toward them. It was only when Gollog was thrown at the ground in front of the perimeter defense, and the zerg going back to their territory, that the soldiers fired at the retreating zerg organisms. Some of them died, but many fled.

"That is the darnedest thing I have seen all day! Jags done threw our emperor out of their home and onto our doorstep!" One of the soldiers reported.

Kralluf appeared and pushed aside the soldier before meeting with Gollog. He bowed to his emperor before speaking. "My liege. It is good to see you well. I was worried that these monsters might inconvenience you further! If you don't mind me asking, why have you not used the MEM device?"

Gollog got up from the ground and hissed madly, his eyes and posture displaying rage. He boomed his outrage. "THEY HAVE DONE FAR MORE THAN INCONVENIENCE ME, KRALLUF. KAY HAS INSULTED ME FOR THE LAST TIME, THE ZERG HAVE POLLUTED THESE LANDS FOR FAR TOO LONG, AND THE PRIZE REMAINS OUT OF MY REACH. I SHALL NOT DELAY MY WRATH ANY FURTHER! COMMANDER KRALLUF OF THE CRESCENT ARMS DIVISION!" Gollog yelled. Kralluf straightened his posture. "YOU ARE TO ERADICATE ANY AND ALL ZERG ORGANISMS, IDENTIFIED OR NOT, AND TAKE THE HIDDEN WATER SPRING TRIBE'S ANCESTRAL HOME BY ANY MEANS!"

Kralluf bowed. "Yes, my emperor! At once! Shall I commence the attack by moving the perimeter defense upward?"

Gollog took a few breaths before speaking. "No. I shall make a way for your forces with my powers. As of this moment, I shall allow you to use my divine resources in a less frugal manner. No longer must you send a sacrifice or offering to summon my powers regarding the destruction of these insects. My heavenly smiting bombardment shall make it easier for you." Gollog said, then he tried to find something on his person. His face filled with rage a few seconds later once he remembered Kralluf mentioning about a MEM device. "THOSE ANIMALS! ... Kralluf, I have need of a MEM device as of now. May I use one of yours?"

Kralluf saluted. "Of course, my lord! My resources are yours to use, sir!"

Gollog nodded. "Very good. I shall tell you of the coordinates I need to get to."

* * *

As Kay came back to the underground village, carrying a MEM device over his shoulder, he was greeted by Virid. She hissed in excitement. "We are going to fight again?"

Kay nodded, setting down a copper colored suitcase and looking at it. "Yeah. How far along is that spore cannon developing?"

"The spore cannon will finish in five more minutes." Virid replied.

Kay nodded. After taking a long pause, he made up his answer. "The time has come."

* * *

Once the beams of death rained down from the sun, five in total that zipped across the surface of zerg territory like a deadly laser-disco party, the zerg initiated their counter-attack.

The zerglings were called by their masters and given the order to rush into battle. They trilled and roared their war cries as they swarmed toward the closest defense line created by the gilanians. The mutalisks were also joining with the zerglings that sprinted below them, and they were also itching for a fight. Once the mass of zerglings started emerging from the ring of crawlers and rushed toward their enemies, they were fired upon. It did little to deter the single-mindedness of the zerglings, but the perimeter tried it's best to vanquish any mutalisks that hovered over their airspace. Many scores of zerglings and mutalisks were reduced to nothing when the beams struck them, yet the zerg organisms continued on. Once the zerglings reached the maximum sensing range of the seismic sensors, another tactic was brought into the mix.

All of the roaches that have gotten close to the defensive perimeter without triggering the seismic sensor equipment rose up from the ground and rushed forward with the zerglings. Their shells were pelted by turrets, both automated and manned. Even focus fired artillery cannon shells launched by the soldiers and the lasers coming down from the sky reigned down on the mass of roaches. Even aiming slightly upward from the target was liable to hit something! The acids of the roaches burned and melted anything they spat on, and it was soon discovered that their main target was the seismic sensors.

But they were soon pelted by spines the shape of thin needles several seconds later. Hydralisks, way behind the platoons of roaches, rose from the earth and switched from launching spines at their enemies that were a great distance away, and then moving forward by a length of their tails before firing a spine again. There were many hydralisks, and their spines rained down on their enemies like many painful raindrops of death. Soon, the hydralisks became more and more accurate as they launched their long-range attack, but their numbers were slowly lessened and vaporized by the sky laser.

"Blade hounds, pukers, and now some spine serpent-looking things hitting us from long range! What the hell?! I really hope this doesn't get worse!" One of such gilanian soldiers complained. When he looked up upon hearing leathery wings beating in the sky, he was rewarded with his chest developing a deep, oblong oval cut passing through him, filled with a silhouette of acid. This killed the soldier.

A command was then called in by Kralluf. [I NEED ANTI-AIR DEFENSES READY LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY, NOW! TARGET THOSE FLYING THINGS! THOSE... BAT THINGS IN THE SKY THAT'S LAUNCHING THOSE RAZOR DISK THINGS! FUCK THEM RIGHT UP!]

The gilanian defenses that was aided by the beams of death and light were holding up somewhat well, but the casualties were very evident. Of the three thousand desert platforms that were deployed at the edge of zerg territory, 17% of Kralluf's entire deployed forces had perished to the zerg so far.

[Sir! New organism detected! And it's big! Looks like some kind of shelled lizard insect hybrid.] [... What the hell is that?! WAIT! IT'S LAUNCHING SOMETHING FROM IT'S BACK! THERE'S MORE OF THEM! THEY'RE COMING AHHH~!*static*] [THEY'RE SWARMING! THEY SPIT ACID LIKE THOSE PUKERS! THEY FLEW OVER THE FRONT LINES AND THEY'RE COVERING EVERYTHING IN ACID! AAAUGH~!*static*]

Kralluf gave out his commands, showing no fear in the presence of his men. [TARGET THE ZERG CARRIERS! THEY ARE BREEDING THE PESTS! KILL THE PEST CARRIERS!]

[FRIENDLY FIRE, WATCH IT!] [FoR tHe SwArM~!] [Why is one of our desert platforms attacking each other?!] [Oh gods! one of our own is killing friendlies! Stay alert!] [What is that thing sticking into the computer drive?] [Automated defenses not responding! Someone hacked into their command pathways!]

It was at this moment that Kralluf was feeling his own hope wither away when he saw an infestor approach the perimeter defense, shooting its neural parasite at its target, then burrowing into the ground. Kralluf was unsure on why an automated turret malfunctioned and shot at the soldiers, until now. He barked further orders. [MEN! THE ZERG ORGANISMS IDENTIFIED AS SPAWNERS ARE USING SOME KIND OF THIN TENDRIL TO MANIPULATE OUR MEN, MACHINES AND VEHICLES! TRY AND TARGET THE SPAWNERS! THE THIN TENDRIL IS A GIVEAWAY TO THEIR POSITION UNDERGROUND!]

[More organisms detected. ... What the... WATCH YOUR HEADS! ARTILLERY!]

Kralluf noticed yet another new organism. He watched in awe and horror on how it discharged its plasma at faraway enemies. Kralluf was losing his men, and fast. "ZERG BOMBARDIERS?! Uh... DAMMIT! FIGHT THEM BACK, MEN!]

[Spikes?! Why are spikes going through the- *static*] [Something's coming! Wait... It burrowed? WHOA! BE ADVISED, BE ADVISED! THERE ARE ZERG THAT ATTACKS THROUGH THE UNDERGROUND!]

Kralluf was beginning to feel like he was at his limit. [THEN USE THE GODS-DAMNED SEISMIC SENSORS! TRACK THE... What the hell would I call these? ... AMBUSHERS! USE SEISMIC SENSORS TO DETECT THOSE AMBUSHERS!]

It was at this point that Kralluf's command over his forces was waning quickly. With the inclusion of the new zerg organisms, 46% of Kralluf's deployed forces in the defensive perimeter were being quickly vanquished. Emperor Gollog's beam weapon was indeed powerful, but the day continued to slowly turn. Soon, when it became night, Gollog's greatest attack would be redered useless.

[Incoming! New zerg organisms!]

Kralluf almost had a coughing fit. [M-MORE?!]

The corruptors came into battle and focused on the massive desert crawlers, quickly damaging them with ease and forcing Kralluf to feel uneasy. Anti-air was focused on the 'bat things' in the sky, so the corruptors had an easier time to attack the desert platforms. Their parasite spores were launched with deadly accuracy at the giant vehicles that were once the pride of the empire gilanians.

[We're being slaughtered here! Focus anti-air on the- *static*] [It fell in twenty seconds.] [Man that turret! Shoot at everything!] [It fell in twenty seconds.] [GAAAAAAAAUUUUUUGH!- *static*] [It fell in twenty seconds.] [Can someone shut up that channe- oh OH OH NO- *static*] [It fell in twenty se- *static*]

The loss of Kralluf's forces jumped from 46% to 83% and rising. Kralluf slammed his hammer down. [DAMMIT! THOSE NEW ZERG ARE DESTROYING US AND SLAYING OUR DESERT PLATFORMS! I'M SOUNDING THE RETREAT, EVERYONE! PUT YOUR DESERT PLATFORMS INTO AUTO-ATTACK AND DRIVE THEM FORWARD! USE YOUR MEM DEVICES TO ESCAPE TO YOUR RESPECTIVE BARRACKS! SHIFT THREE PEOPLE PER MEM DEVICE WHEN YOU COMMENCE EVACUATION OF YOUR DESERT PLATFORMS! THIS IS COMMANDER KRALLUF, SIGNING OUT!]

Gollog's voice could be heard in the radio transmission. [A very powerful enemy, to be sure. I am certain that if these monsters are not stopped soon, then my empire will become empty and hollow of all subjects, servants, and loyalists. Today is a sad day.]

Kralluf sounded as though he gasped. [My emperor! I apologize for my defeat, my lord! These zerg monsters are very dangerous. Especially with their new flying creatures.]

[Which ones are these again? Drifters? Wait, no, those are the ones that like to drop the bursters. The bat things in the sky? Oculars? Those oculars sure are very strange ones. They don't attack, much like the drifters, but they do seem more speedier. And they sure do like to poop a lot, much like those drifters.]

Kralluf sighed. [No, my lord. It was the new flying zerg organism that was destroying my desert platforms.]

[Mm! I believe you said that they were 'slaying' them, correct? Well, have that be their new name and be done with it.]

[... Slayers? Uh... Very well, my lord. They shall be named 'slayers' from here on out, by your command.]

An audible sigh was heard. [Kralluf, I want you to go to General Pallax and submit yourself for disciplinary action. I shall continue smiting these monsters when there is still daylight to be had. There is a chance that some may have escaped, but defending this area has proven to be incredibly disastrous for our efforts. And yet, we must keep our focus on curbing the zerg. I'm afraid that if this gets any worse, I might have to enact the machine sentinel protocol.]

Kralluf paled and paused. [... You don't mean to summon the Kiln Keepers?!]

[Yes. The same ancient prison guards of our world and our ancestors. They may have the means to stave off these monsters, but to summon them is a heavy burden to bear. I shall continue eradicating the zerg infestation. You go to Pallax. Understood?]

[... Yes sir. Going to Empire Capital now.]

Once Kralluf issued the retreat, many empire soldiers escaped out of the battle using each of their desert platform's MEM devices. After that, the desert platforms were programmed to drive forward and run over as many zerg organisms they could. They squashed many zerglings, roaches, hydralisks, infestors, swarm hosts, lurkers and ravagers in the machine stampede. The corruptors and mutalisks had put them out of commission violently, and the banelings reduced their wheel-towers to nothing. But there was still the five beams of death that still danced on the ground. Several zerg were smote by the ultimate orbital weapon, which was something that the zerg would not normally have a defense against.

During the battle, however, the zerg had gained the means to attempt that.

The spore cannon was sending shot after shot of the altar element, and genetic information on how to use it, to the hive-cluster established on the hexagonal moon. Once the day ended, the zerg there will be able to spread at incredible speeds on the artificial moon. Once several of the spores were launched, though some did not survive the beams of light and fire, their flight path was projected to hit the hexagonal moon at the end of the day. After that, the spore cannon was now focused on shooting Kiln's only sun. Kay was unsure if shooting the gilanian's sun would do anything, but he had to at least try!

But to spread the zerg to farther territories, other agents will have to be put into affect with a certain mutation that was needed. Specifically, one that is contained at a research facility. Despite Kay and Virid's defending forces having suffered a 91% mortality rate, they still won against impossible odds of another Pyrrhic victory. But they still needed a unit that could infiltrate the enemy forces without having to concern concern themselves with a temporary lifespan.

* * *

"Any symptoms?" Faddoh asked Hektar as he went through his notes. Faddoh was going through his own notes as well.

"I think there are a few I can count that are readily observed." Hektar began. "It appears as though that the first observable symptoms in the first few minutes to injection, or infection of the zerg virus, relates as follows: angina, costochondritis, bloating in chest and intestines, hemoptysis, and seizures. After five minutes of ongoing symptoms, symptoms completely disappeared and patient appears to be fine. Neural oscillation is somewhat disrupted from the initial symptoms, and could be yet another symptom in itself. Blood samples taken from the gilanian patient 'Polteg' has revealed that he now has similar viral agents within himself that almost exactly matches the blade hound research subject 'Blixon', and his blood samples. Polteg has displayed lethargy and less desire in his actions several minutes later. This malaise is possibly another symptom. Might develop into a despondent state. Later symptoms are unknown at the moment."

Faddoh nodded. "Very good. It seems like we have been making progress here. Good progress, in fact. Good progress indeed!"

Hektar sighed before speaking. "I have also detected that the neural oscillations in patient Polteg is creating an abundance of delta waves. Surprisingly, there is also a higher amount of delta waves detected in the blade hound's neural oscillations as well. Theory: Perhaps the virus somehow alters the brain and changes its chemistry, targeting the infected host's anterior insular cortex, the part of the brain that determines empathy? There must be more tests to determine if this viral agent can be controlled, or cured. As per the original hypothesis that pertains to the parasites and viruses that could 'melt the gilanian host', its starting to become doubtful, since the supposed duration for a gilanian to melt has surpassed the assumed period of expiration. The virus and parasites seems to be transferable with contact of open wounds, or water soluble environments. More ideas for possible research projects regarding patient Polteg, or research specimen Blixon, is pending with think-tank at cube facility S-01."

Faddoh's LED face smiled. "Excellent. Excellent. The correlating data between Polteg and Blixon is astoundingly fascinating! The organisms the zerg faction employ seem to spread viral agents as they combat their forces. What might be a slight wound would turn out to be an advantage for the zerg to exploit at a later date. I will have to submit this document to everyone at facility S-01 as soon as possible! That is, until your researchers try and discover the gender of the other organism. That or the technicians have figured out the problem why the MEM devices are inable to shift zerg-related biological materials."

Hektar sighed again. "Yes sir. May we see my team and listen to their progress?"

Faddoh looked up and turned to Hektar. "... Hmm. Oh, I suppose so. But this will count as your break period. Understand?"

Hektar bowed and nodded. "Yes sir."

"Good. Let's visit your research team!" Faddoh exclaimed happily, getting up and leaving for the short hallway.

Hektar got up and followed after Commander Faddoh, leaving Polteg in the modified slave cage he was forced into. Hektar walked behind the mechanical footsteps of the copper and green colored robot that was the commander of the Cube Research Division. Hektar was unsure if the machine was a robot that was an extension of his control, or that the robot was a cyborg that contained his brain, and that his face was a digital analogue constructed to emote his emotions to other gilanians. Or that it could have been a robot the entire time. Hektar wondered which was the correct answer, but he was too polite to ask. When Faddoh and Hektar came into the room where the research team was going through their notes, Hektar's researchers looked up and saluted. Hektar raised his hand. "At ease, lady and gentlemen. I and Commander Faddoh are taking a break from our work, and I suggested to see you. Can you report to us what data you have collected so far?"

Faddoh clapped his mechanical hands together. "Yes yes! Please do share with us your findings!"

The female gilanian scientist with the orange copper and green scientist coat came up to her head biologist and commander. "Yes sirs." She said, saluting and turning around to walk to the cage that had a zergling pacing back-and-forth. Small segments of the cage had holes, which signified that the zergling tried to escape from its confinement. It gave a mean look at Hektar and Faddoh before giving them a lowly snarl.

"Now now, Blixon. Behave, or you will not be rewarded with treats." Faddoh said, replying to Blixon's snarl.

Blixon did not care, and it kept snarling.

"If I may grab your attention, gentlemen?" The female gilanian said. Faddoh and Hektar redirected their attention to her. "Thank you." She pointed to the zergling. "The blade hound, affectionately named Blixon, has displayed several irregularities as time passed. The medical micro-machines we have injected into the specimen has completely broken down in minutes, preventing us a means to actively scan his biological processes. However, in the scant last seconds of analysis, we have detected several specialized cells that have been developing in the fatty tissue. These cells seemed to have developed the ability to store or release electricity. These 'electrocytes' may have been the means to short-circuit our micro-machines, but I theorize that they might be a defense mechanism that was created for the purposes of counteracting the modified slave cage's means of electrical containment."

Faddoh furrowed his brows. "Wha... Are you saying that Blixon could create new adaptations in seconds when he is given some kind of environmental stimulus?"

The scientist nodded. "Yes sir. I believe it's a product of rapid evolution."

Faddoh scoffed. "My dear... Er... I don't think I have your name."

"It's Braif, sir."

Faddoh nodded. "Braif then. Please, my dear. Explain this rapid evolution to me."

Braif nodded, then held up two fingers. "There are two types of cells that we have identified, of which enables this rapid evolution. One of such cells that we have identified has been labeled the 'zerg M.F. cell'. This zerg M.F. cell, or mutation-factory, creates several different strains of DNA and RNA viral agents that affects the blade hound's genetic code."

Hektar raised his hand. "But wait... If that were the case, then wouldn't the mutations that the 'mutation factory' cell produces would destabilize the zerg organism? I could see that as a liable means to die and turn into a puddle."

Braif shook her head. "There is another cell that prevents complete cellular breakdown in the assumed scenario of over-mutation. The key lies with another cell that hunts down those mutations. These other cells has been labeled the 'zerg M.P. cell'. M.P. is an acronym that, in this case, stands for 'mutation predator'. Apparently, its role is to hunt down over-redundant, useless, or recessive mutations that would not advance the evolution of the blade hound, Blixon. I will assume that the other zerg organisms may also contain the factory and predator cells as well. In short, I estimate that every hour that passes will result in four thousand generations of blade hound evolution, compared to the normal generational evolution of gilanians."

Hektar paused before turning to look at the baring teeth of Blixon. "... The zerg are far more dangerous than I thought."

"There is more." Braif said, making Hektar turn back to her with a perplexed glare. "The creature contains millions of tiny muscles that 'vibrate', and enable it to quickly burrow into the ground. The blade hound also contains a unique set of dominant R group amino acids. From what I can tell from the damaged tissue our blade had sliced into, the zerg amino acids enables any damaged or dead flesh to be reabsorbed and remade into living cell matter. In short... This blade hound is effectively immortal. It can't die of old age, it won't ever get sick, or suffer from fatigue or starvation."

Hektar was now shaking his head. "I'm starting to think that you're making half of this stuff up! Please tell me you're making this up!"

Braif looked at Hektar with a stare. "... Head biologist Hektar, may I continue please?" Hektar paused before taking an inhale of air and sighing, nodding at Braif. "Thank you, sir." She nodded back before continuing. "The micro-machines have also detected unusual activity in the central cortex of Blixon. From later tests after the discovery, using a device that had an artificial means of replicating the theta waves of brain activity, the specimen had an immediate reaction. The claw marks that you saw on the cage was one result of such a test."

Hektar nodded. "What's your conclusion of your test?"

"That this blade hound has the ability to receive and send theta waves, and other brainwave signals, to other zerg organisms, or organisms that are sensitive and receptive to externally transmitted brainwave signals. In simplified terms: Telepathy."

Hektar paled even more.

"Like a hive queen marcher insect using pheromones to control the workers and soldiers to do her bidding, these zerg organisms use telepathy to guide their actions. I have to admit, it's a very effective method than implanting transmitters as a means to command your troops into battle."

Faddoh raised his hand to speak up. "Is Blixon male or female?"

Hektar and Braif paused to stare at Faddoh when he asked his question. "... Uh... The medical micro-machines did not detect a possible sex dichotomy of Blixon's physiology. It has no reproduction organs, nor does it have sex defining genomes."

Faddoh, Braif, and Hektar paused for a long time. Faddoh decided to speak up again. "So uh... Do you think we should keep calling it Blixon, or just Blix from now on?"

Braif paused before shaking her head and sighing. "I don't think naming it is important, sir. What matters is that we send the data to cube facility S-01 immediately."

Faddoh nodded and sighed too. "You are quite right, Braif. T'gai. Send all accumulated data of patient Polteg and specimen Blixon to cube facility S-01."

[Command detected. Sending data.]

Faddoh nodded, walked forward to Braif and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Braif, I have to admit, you are dedicated to your work. I think you and your team of scientists shall be heavily rewarded for your efforts here today. How does being an operator of a new experimental cube facility for each of you sounds?"

Braif paused, but then smiled. "Ah... That sounds wonderful, Commander Faddoh, sir!"

"Good!" Faddoh said with a smile. "Every one of you will receive an experimental C-series, mobile floating cube facility. Except for Hektar."

Hektar turned to stare at Faddoh. "WHAT?!"

Faddoh turned to Hektar and smiled. "I can't have someone taking the initiative. That is where I come in. I don't need an upstart, like you, to do my work for me, so consider this a lesson in manners. Sound fair?"

Hektar paused with his mouth opened, but then sighed and nodded. "Yes sir." He said, dejectedly.

Faddoh clapped his coppery hands together. "Right. I think all of us shall take an extended break. Bring out the Krell eggs and a water boiler! I think we shall celebrate our speedy research progress with a snack!"

Suddenly, T'gai had ruined the celebration before it began. [Failure detected. Radio transmitter offline. Data cannot be sent.]

Everyone paused. After the pause, Faddoh looked up. "What?! What happened to the radio transmitter?!"

[Query detected. Radio transmitter was deactivated.]

Faddoh looked like he was about to blow a fuse. "Who the hell was responsible for deactivating the radio transmitter?!"

[Query detected. Biologist Polteg was responsible fororororororrorororororoooo-forforforforforforforfor fo-fo-fo-fo-fo-fo-fo-fo-fo-fo-fo-fo-fo-fo-fo-fo-or _*static*_ Failure detected. Failure detected. Failure detected. Failure detected. Failure detected. Fai-ai-ai-ai-ai-ai-ai- _*static*_ ]

After another pause from the computer AI, T'gay, finally silenced itself and the entire interior became blackened by darkness. Only the phosphorescence of the green patterns in the copper science cube glowed a soft green color, and Faddoh's LED face emitted the only bright light within the building. Faddoh's face changed to that of concern. "... Well. This is, um... Unexpected."

Hektar decided to speak next. "Are we being attacked?"

"Maybe." Faddoh brought his right arm up. "Beenglin. You're my bodyguard that is meant to protect me. Have anything odd to report?"

[I have been trying to get into the cube facility ever since I learned about the radio transmission going out and getting disrupted. Other than that, the emperor is smiting something fierce at someplace a few miles away from our position. Five rays of wrath, and it's been going on for a good minute. Someone must have insulted him to his face or something.]

"If anything, you are our only contact to our headquarters now. Relay a short-range message using the recording of the encrypted code I have given you. Think you can do that?"

[Uh... Does this mean that the backup power is off too?]

There was a sudden crash and a wrenching of metal. Faddoh, Hektar, Braif and the other researchers turned around to see that a modified slave cage was empty. A hole was ripped open from its side, and the patter of claws struck the ground. Faddoh ran up to the cage and inspected it. "Dammit! Our specimen has escaped! Beenglin, I need you to get us out of here, and I mean NOW!" He turned around to face the science team. "Everyone! Gather yourselves and find some weapons to use! I have my magic armor and manipulator tech, so stand behind me! If we find either Polteg or Blixon, I'll be able to subdue one of them. It's sad, but we may have to kill them both. Our priority is to get our computer back online, and reactivate the radio transmitter. Got that?"

Hektar nodded. Braif nodded. The other scientists, of which there are nine in total, including Hektar and Braif, also nodded and accepted Faddoh's instructions. They quickly armed themselves with the weapons they carried on their persons, consisting of either knives or pistols. For optional weapons they improvised on, they had decided to wield chairs, or use a beaker of acid to throw at a potential target. One scientist, Braif, had opted to use a thin chain with a weight at the end. Many of their tertiary armaments consisted of flashlights.

Once everyone looked prepared, Faddoh walked in front of everyone. "Okay everyone, behind me. No heroics. We will slowly make our way to the main power generator and backup power generator. We'll fix the problems with the generators, go to the radio transmitter to reactivate it, then send our distress signal to Kralluf. We'll tell him that our blade hound specimen is loose."

"What if the blade hound destroys the generators? And what about Polteg?" One of the other scientists asked.

"Well... Let's hope that the blade hound doesn't, and Polteg is finding a quiet place to refrain from bothering us." Faddoh said, moving forward. His LED face display was brighter than any of the scientists flashlights, and he had a powerful mechanical body, so he lead the way. They walked forward with careful trepidation, looking at every shadow and at every distant noise. The copper science cube might be a forward research base, but in its powered down state, it looked completely different. Like something out of a horror film.

The progress was slow, but they could see the generator when they turned the corner at the end of the short hallway. It was ruined, as the telltale signs of destructive and animalistic tampering was seen. This panicked one of the scientists.

"Polteg, what the hell are you trying to do?" "Shut up." "But it has to be him, right? I mean, you heard what Braif said. They have telepathic powers!" "Shut UP, Qufus." "It's a theory, I know, but... What if I'm right?" "Polteg couldn't have done it. How did he get out of his cage?" "Maybe with his mind powers?" "Shut the fuck up, Qufus."

"Actually, Qufus might be right." Hektar said. Everyone turned to him. "My research has discovered that both the blade hound and Polteg can produce a high amount of theta waves in their neural oscillations. I think, somehow, Polteg relayed the information he knew about the ins and outs of a B series research facility to the blade hound. The damage looks directed, like it was specifically attacked with the claws of a blade hound."

"Would that mean the backup generator is damaged too?" Braif asked.

Faddoh sighed. "We'll have to assume so. And if that is so, then the MEM device might be put out of commission as well. Armed with that knowledge, we may have to find the radio transmitter and create our own makeshift generator to supply it energy."

"Where do we get the parts to create our generator? This isn't a junkyard." Braif replied.

The zergling rushed at them and attacked the scientists when they weren't paying attention. Qufus had his neck fatally gouged with a claw, and then the zergling quickly darted away. The 8 scientists armed themselves, whilst Faddoh tried to catch the zergling with his arm, firing a type of distortion of air that hummed. A chair was caught in its hold and it floated in the air, while the zergling got away. It went down the corridor that they came from.

Faddoh sighed. "Dammit. We'll have to adapt. Let's continue going to the radio transmitter now. And let's not dawdle."

"tHEy are comINg."

Faddoh turned to look at the distorted and strained voice. He saw a face peering out from the corner. Everyone looked at where Faddoh was facing and they saw Polteg. Faddoh scrunched his face into anger. "Everyone, back up behind me, and keep going for the radio transmitter. Polteg, are you responsible for the blackout?"

Polteg didn't come out from his corner, his face still halfway exposed to them. "YeS."

"How did you do it?" Faddoh asked.

"T'gai, open modified slave cage 02." Polteg answered, copying Faddoh's voice perfectly, even the mechanical hum that occurs when he stopped talking after a long-winded topic. Polteg then growled. "I then tOre Out t'gaI's bRAInS. I ThEn Destroyed YoUr GeneRATors. i tHEn ruInEd yOur RADio TrAnsmItTEr. thE Swarm IS COMINg. anD ThEy WaNT yoU."

Faddoh cocked his head. "Why?"

"i heAr tHeRe ThoUGhTS. tHEY Know THaT yoU hAvE INjeCted ME wITh THat FlUiD. i Am turnINg inTO ONE Of theM. ONE OF tHe ZERg."

As Faddoh backed away with the researchers behind him, he heard Hektar speak. "The transmitter is over here, commander. Looks like Polteg ruined it. He must have had abnormal strength to rip off the panel! What do we do now?" Hektar asked, which told Faddoh that Hektar was checking the radio transmitter of its damage.

Faddoh paused. "... Polteg. You can talk with the swarm, can't you?"

Polteg hissed lowly. "ThEY DoN'T tALK With me, I Listen to ThEm. their VOIcES aRE BEAuTIFul. THeY wAnT ME tO sTOp YOU. YOu Are An eNeMy To tHE SwArM."

"OH GOD, IS THAT HIS HAND?!" As a scientist said that, a triangular, sharp object that looked like it was made of ivory came into view.

polteg's eyes looked like they were bubbling. "yOU arE our enEmY becAuSe You SidE WItH GoLLog. YoU ArE oUr EnEmY BeCausE yOU aRe allIEd With the EMpIrE. yoU aRE OUr eNEMy becaUsE YoU HAvE TRIED tO sHare inFormAtIon oF oUR WeaKnESsEs. _YOu WiLl Be DEvOured BY the SWARm!_ " Polteg leaned out and shot a pistol at the group of scientists.

"HE'S GOT A PIECE! BEHIND ME!" Faddoh shouted. The scientists huddled behind the metal commander as bullets whizzed past or clanged noisily on Faddoh. Two were shot in the head and fell to the ground, reducing the scientists numbers from eight, to six. The pistol that Polteg had brought with him eventually made a 'clack' noise, which signaled to them that the gun was out of ammunition.

"Dammit!" Hektar cursed. "He must have found a place to hide a weapon! Whatever that bony blade was, it only distracted us!"

"Hektar, there is something worse than an empty pistol to worry about." Faddoh said, turning. Several bullets had impacted his face, and the LED display was showing a static signal. "I can't see."

Hektar paled. "Then what the hell are we supposed to do now?!"

Faddoh gestured with his hand, nearly hitting Braif in the head. "Calm down. We can still send a signal to call for help, if we can use an energy source to power the radio transmitter."

"We can do that?" Another scientist asked.

"Yes, indeed!" Faddoh replied. "But you will have to be my eyes. If you can rig the radio transmitter cables to my wires, my mechanical body can power the transmitter. After the transmitter has been powered, we have a limited amount of time to boost the transmitter signal to send out a message. The external systems of the radio transmitter should still be operational. Here." Faddoh reached toward one of his arms and detached it. He then held it out with his hand supporting it from underneath, its wiring attached by a bulky, curly cord. "This is my manipulator. The green button inside toggles the activation of the manipulation field, while the slider increases its range. Try and catch the blade hound or Polteg with it. Be aware though, if it activates, it'll drain my body's battery. The drain will be faster while I'm hooked into the transmitter. Use it sparingly."

Hektar nodded. "Alright then. I guess I'll hold on to it." He said, grabbing onto the arm and lifting the copper colored weapon. It was a little heavy, but Hektar would try to use it only in urgency.

Faddoh sighed. "Alright then. Now direct me to the transmitter. Are we close to it?"

"Yes." One of the scientists said. "It's around the corner."

"LOOK OUT!" A scientist announced when a chair was flung at the group. Hektar fired Faddoh's arm at the incoming furniture, but it proved to be a distraction. Blixon zoomed out again at the fleeing scientists, but was knocked in the head by a weighted chain. The chain broke when it snagged in the zergling's jaw, which ended up destroying Braif's weapon. Polteg came out of view and rushed toward them, brandishing a huge organic bone knife that jutted out from his arm where his hand used to be. Striking quickly at a scientist's chest, Polteg then quickly ran away from their sight, going around the corner and trailing drops of red. Five, and Commander Faddoh, remained.

"What happened?!" Faddoh exclaimed, using his only arm to protect himself.

"The gods-damned jag blade hound broke my weapon, that's what!" Braif complained.

"And another scientist is dead. Poor Kardeen." Hektar said, slowly getting used to the manipulator arm, but his strain in wielding the weapon could be heard.

"Then I still have five pairs of eyes to help me." Faddoh said with urgency. After they rounded the corner, the group stopped at the transmitter that was on the wall. "Now then. I'll open my back panels so you can access my wiring. Do not touch the black wires, or red wires that connect to my power unit just yet. Instead, reach for a green and blue wire. Those should be to your right."

"Got it." A remaining scientist said. After opening Kralluf's back panel and the transmitor's access panel, the scientist listened for further instructions.

"Attach the blue wire to the computer relay conduit and attach the green wire to the radio receiver. I need the relay conduit to have some of the subsystems activated, but I also need the radio receiver to recieve a message of confirmation." Faddoh instructed.

"Okay... Uh..." After a few seconds of pulling wires and attaching them to different devices of the radio transmitter, there was a beep. "The interface has been turned on!"

"Not good enough." Faddoh explained. "That's just the subsystems activating. The tricky part is to boost the radio signal. Now, listen to my next step. I need you to CAREFULLY remove the two red wires that are located at the right of my power unit. Strip the wires if you have to. Now, connect the wires to the exposed machine parts. I will tell you if I am able to send a signal."

"Help. *cough*"

Everyone's attention was drawn to a new face. Technically, it was a face they remembered. Hektar was the one who recognized him. "... Qufus?!"

Qufus was limping forward and holding a tightly bandaged neck that was red with his blood. "When that *cough*... When that jag blade hound got my throat, and you guys left me, I tried to play dead. *cough* I think that worked."

"Is that Qufus? Didn't you die?" Faddoh asked.

Qufus shambled forward toward the scientists and Commander Faddoh. "It was just a superficial wound. My throat was almost torn through, but I bandaged it back up. I *cough* fooled you guys pretty good, didn't I?"

Faddoh sighed. "In any case, arm yourself with a weapon. Ah! Right there!" Faddoh shouted behind himself. "That was the exposed radio transmitter wire we needed. Firmly place the red wires on that and it will boost the radio transmitter enough for me to send a signal."

"Got it." A scientist said.

"YOu WIlL aLl dIE!"

Qufus yanked Hektar's borrowed manipulator, knocking Hektar down in the process, and used it to launch a scientist down the corridor. Frantic screaming and zergling growling was heard later. Immediately after, Qufus sprouted a bone blade and stabbed it at another nearby scientist. It would have went for Hektar, but another scientist decided to be a hero. Qufus then yanked the manipulator curled wire from Faddoh's person and made off with the arm, despite a scientist managing a lucky pistol shot to his shoulders. Once he escaped, Hektar got up and stared at the absconding Qufus. "QUFUS, WHAT THE HELL?"

"What?! What happened?!" Faddoh exclaimed.

Hektar looked at the crumpled corpses that was the recent victims of Qufus' assassination. They did not move. "Qufus took the manipulator arm and killed two scientists." Hektar replied.

"I don't think that was Qufus anymore. Didn't you see his bone blade coming out of his hand when he used it on Tradar?" Braif answered, breathing deeply.

"Hmm... Then there is the possibility that Qufus is not Qufus." Faddoh theorized. "Our recent studies have shown that a host's infection to the zerg virus doesn't occur that expediently. I theorize that it was Polteg all along, whom has somehow changed the appearance of his face. It would appear to that he has developed an ability to assume the guise of another. To think! A zerg organism that is capable of being an infiltration specialist! Commander Kralluf will have to be warned."

Hektar picked out a knife from his person and handed a pistol to Braif. "Request help first, then have a pleasant conversation later, please. Time is a resource that is not in our favor." Hektar hissed.

"Actually, I only needed the radio transmitter to send my consciousness to another avatar body. As of now, you are on your own!" Commander Faddoh said, his green static LED face blinking off and his body crumpling over. Hektar and Braif had never felt so betrayed before.

"yOu wilL aLl DIE!" Polteg/Qufus screamed as the zergling named Blixon came out around the corner. The zergling was shot at a few times from Braif's pistol, which made the beast flinch and hide behind the emptied commander's copper body, which was still connected to the radio transmitter, but was also devoid of consciousness.

This made the last scientist, Braif, and Hektar, back away from the zergling and the infested/changeling hybrid. "RUN!" Hektar shouted, prompting the group of the remaining three to run to an enclosed room to barricade themselves inside. The claws of the zergling and the bone blade of the zerg infiltration specialist were struggling to find their way past the barricade with little success.

As several cabinets were put in front of the only door to the storeroom, Braif panted heavily. "Faddoh's bodyguards must have gotten into some kind of trouble if they haven't found a way inside this facility yet. Something must have happened to them!"

Hektar used his own weight to keep the doors from opening. "And you're only realizing this now?!"

"We were under a lot of pressure!" Braif shouted back.

Polteg decided to add to the chaos. "YOu ARe OUR enemy becAuse YOu sidE WiTh golLOg. YoU ArE our ENEMy BecaUsE You ARE AlLIEd wITh The EMPiRe. YoU ARe OUr EnEMy becAUse You HAve trIED TO sHare INfORMatIon Of OuR WEAKNeSsES. _YOu wiLl BE deVourED By tHe SwArM!_ "

"Gollog is going to kill all of you, you goddamn jags!" The last of the three scientists said, counting Braif and Hektar. A thin needle suddenly embedded itself into his skull, prompting him to fall backwards and die once when he landed.

More tougher beasts broke apart the barricade, and both Braif and Hektar could see the monsters coming through. They both slowly walked backward as more zerg organisms came into view, ranging from hydralisks, roaches, and several more zerglings. The gathered zerglings, roaches, and hydralisks followed behind Polteg and matched the scientists backpedaling speed.

Braif's panicked breathing did not help. Hektar only watched in complete horror. "Please don't do this, Polteg. I knew you before you turned into this. You don't have the heart to betray science! Would you sacrifice your gilanian sympathy to hurt your colleagues?!"

Polteg slowly shuffled forward. "I aM noT GilanIaN, I AM PaRT OF thE sWArm nOw. You are OuR ENeMy Because yoU siDE witH gOlLOg. You are our eneMY BecauSE YoU Are ALlIed wITh tHE EMPIrE. You aRe Our EnEmY BECAusE you haVe tRiED to sHarE INFoRMaTIOn of Our weAKnEsSeS. _be DEVoUreD bY THE SWARM!_ " Polteg said, raising his bone knife as the other zerg organisms got ready to attack.

That was when Hektar had developed a crazy idea at that very moment.

He went to his knees with his arms stretching out widely. "THEN I DENOUNCE MY LOYALTY TO GOLLOG!"

All of the zerg organisms stopped. Polteg was centimeters close to cleaving Hektar's head, but the blade was slowly pulled away. Polteg tilted his head. "yOu dEnouNcE yOuR loYaltY TO hIM?"

Polteg turned his head to look at Braif. She looked down at Hektar with bewildered eyes for a few seconds, and then matched his posture. "I-I denounce him too! Please don't kill us!" Braif said, practically begging.

Polteg pointed his blade at Braif. "That rEMAinS tO BE sEen. oNe oF oUR mASters wisHes tO SEe yOu."

A low rumble and a roar sounded in the distance, which shook the facility slightly. Several minutes later, a set of footsteps echoed in the halls of the cube facility, while the zerg organisms remained silent. The footsteps got closer and closer until a carapaced bug-man walked through the walls of the darkened facility, coming into the storeroom that Hektar and Braif had barricaded themselves inside of. His presence bellied respect from the other organisms as they parted and allowed him to enter. He clapped his hands together when he stood before the last two scientists in the facility. "So! I heard that there is someone here that needs to be extracted! Polteg, was it?"

"I Am HiM. i waS Him." Polteg answered, bowing to the bug-man.

Kay pointed at Polteg. "Go to our evolution master. He's going to incorporate your adaptations to the swarm."

"I obeY." Polteg said, walking away from a confused Hektar and Braif.

"Uh... What's going on?" Hektar asked aloud.

Kay turned toward Hektar, staring him up and down before sighing. "I am judging whether or not I should let you live or die."

"You-you command the zerg organisms?" Braif said, her perplexed gaze telling Kay that she was finding it hard to believe that Kay could command such dangerous beasts.

"Duh." Kay simply said. There was a long pause that lasted for many seconds afterwards. Kay decided to break the monotony. "Let me guess. Are you underwhelmed of my presence? Or are you just... I dunno... riding off of the high of survival and are now realizing that you have a chance of surviving?

Hektar paused for a long time. "... Uh... I think both."

Kay paused, but then nodded at Hektar's response. "Good answer, I guess... Listen. I want you to do something for me. Could you, possibly, maybe, eventually, destroy all of your research notes regarding my zergling and the infested gilanian scientist?"

Braif paused. "Z...Z-zergling?"

Kay sighed. "The creature whom you have named Blixon."

Braif spoke slowly. "Why do you want us to destroy our research?!"

Kay approached Braif and leaned down. "Consider it an act of trust." He reached out and firmly grabbed at Braif and Hektar's shoulders. "I want you to destroy all of your research, and forget anything important you may have discovered about my swarm. Do this, and I will consider your denouncement to Gollog to be complete. Will you do this?"

Hektar thought about his decision hard before he spoke. His scales felt like it was crawling when he decided on an answer. "I accept the proposition. But, what happens if I didn't agree to this?"

Kay looked at Hektar, raising his eyebrow. "... Hmm. Do you really want to know the answer to that question?"

Hektar paused. "... It'll sate some of my curiosity."

Kay smirked. "Then... I guess I'll have to remove your bone marrow."

"Hektar, say yes to his proposition." Braif urgently insisted.

"Listen to her, Hektar. I'd hate to get my claws even bloodier today." Kay recommended.

Hektar nodded rapidly. "Yes yes yes, absolutely! We will forget any data we recorded about you and we will destroy our research notes about the zerg organisms!"

Kay stood up and clapped his clawed hands. "Very good! I guess I'll leave you two lovebirds to your own devices then." Kay turned and made his way to the only entrance into the storeroom. Kay then stopped, chuckled, and then turned back to Hektar and Braif. "Oh. And before I forget, I should tell you. I will find out if you so much as tell anyone that you talked to me here. So much as BREATHE a word that'll give Gollog and his empire info that inconveniences me in any way, and I will come after you. Understand?"

Both Hektar and Braif quickly nodded.

Kay smiled and waved his hand. "Then I'm done here. Goodbye. And congratulations on surviving this far."

Once Kay said his salutations, he walked out of the storeroom while the zerg organisms followed him out. Both Hektar and Braif were at a loss of words. Despite all odds, they somehow got out of a hairy situation. Or 'molty', if Kay recalled correctly from a past gilanian exchange. In any case, both Hektar and Braif were happy, knowing that they were very lucky to be alive.

They were unaware of the parasites that were recently implanted into them, however.

* * *

 **A/N: And now Kay and Virid's brood have the means to spawn changelings with infinite lifespans. Changelisks! :D**


	21. Beyond the Horizon

**Chapter 21: Beyond the Horizon**

* * *

The lasers that blasted the zerg territory from overhead proved to be quite the troublesome obstacle. The five beams of light continued to dance on the ground, which had ignited the sand and the zerg for several hours now. The zerg may have fought back the encroaching forces of Kralluf's perimeter defense army, but the Golden Star Empire's army couldn't account for the insane gestation speed that the zerg were capable of. Several hatcheries had to been reduced to ash when the lasers from up high bombarded them relentlessly. But many zerg organisms still survived, and had escaped the abhorrent battlefield that was filled with zerg death, ruined war machines, and gilanian corpses.

The speedier zerg organisms, the zerglings, ran away from the field of battle in packs of six. They were quick to distance themselves from their home, and their superior scouting capabilities would enable the zerg a greater foothold in this world, if and when they found prime areas that could hold a nydus worm and several hatcheries. The more subtler absconding zerg settled for burrowing through the sand, consisting mainly of roaches and infestors. The large numbers of zerglings were easily cut down, and have proven to be an adequate distraction. Many zerglings may have died, but the roaches and infestors continued on their slow path with little trouble. Another organism that joined the ground strains' odyssey was the overseers and overlords. Many overlords had died, and the overseers didn't fair any better, despite their quicker speed.

Kiln slowly turned in its axis, and the beams of light were leaning further and further, their destructive power still originating from the sun that produced them. The rotation of the sun eventually went past the horizon, and the beams of death ultimately stopped once dusk had came. Rebuilding was a simple matter, but the resource tumors and the creep tumors had to be replaced quickly. The forward hive clusters that was spaced out, five and ten kilometers away from the main hive cluster, had nearby drones that were ready to mutate into hatcheries, as well as providing defenses to hatcheries that were without spine and spore crawlers. The ring of crawlers was remade, but was placed further from the center of zerg territory, made to be more spread out, and thinly placed. A lot of bio-matter and accelerant was used to re-erect an effective defense to the zerg territory, and much of it had went into producing the slain zerg organisms from the most recent major battle. It was all made possible with the resource tumor and carbonation extractor strains.

With the sun finally setting, the zerglings, roaches, infestors, overlords with drone cargo, and overseers with their new ability to make two types of infiltration units, the infestation of the swarm would continue to spread across the world in typical zerg fashion. But as a precaution, Kay had several of the more vital zerg structures formed in the underground village where the Hidden Water Spring Tribe used to live. Another nydus network couldn't hurt. Plus, the nydus worms it can summon could escalate the speed of rebuilding the creep fields.

The spore cannon that had launched its materials and genetic data had reached its destination, as intended. Several of the shots didn't make it, thanks to the sky lasers, but twelve or so landed in the creep fields that were established on the hexagonal moon. The queens intestines slowly mutated to bear parasites that could produce the necessary cluster of creep tumors that could merge into a resource tumor. After that, the hatcheries on the hexagonal moon could more reliably produce more drones, queens, and other organisms.

But a problem was discovered. The centrifugal force of the fake moon provided the zerg organisms with a weak artificial gravity, and the hexagon panels that consisted of the white moon were too slippery to maneuver on. Simply put, a lightweight zerg organism, be it zerglings or the floating drones, found it impossible to walk along the surface. They would slide, reach the edge of the hexagonal paneled ground and... cease to exist. Kay was unable to sense the zerg that became consumed by that suffocating darkness.

Strange sensations aside, the safer method of travel was arguably on the creep itself. It did give the zerg organisms that traveled on it a purple glow from underneath them, but the resource veins delighted in the overabundance of light that they could convert into bio-fuel, and then into bio-matter later. The carbonation extractors would also provide a means to develop accelerant, if they were ever needed. Sadly, with the slight gravity produced by the hexagonal moon, the carbonation extractors would produce accelerant at a slower rate of production. Using the nydus worms to help expand the creep fields was thought about, but Kay wasn't sure if summoning a nydus worm on the strange artificially celestial object was a good idea. Even so, the faster ground strains of the zerg could not expand fast enough on the ground anyway, since they now relied on creep to help them stick to the smooth surface of the moon.

And then there was the problem with making overlords on the moon. Any overlord produced were incapable of keeping up with the speed of the moon's rotation, even with the mutation of a pneumatized carapace. Delivering ground strains of zerg to the terrestrial surface of Kiln using the overlords became next to impossible. The air-strains of faster flyers would have little trouble matching the speed of the celestial body. But even ground strains had their uses, and the ground based combat strains were next to useless on the hexagon moon.

If the overlords failed to be effective transport fliers, then Kay would simply have to make better transport fliers. "Corvurn. I hate to ask so much from you, but I have a question."

Kay was in the safety of the underground village, Gollog's current object of desire, since Kay believed it held Gollog's most wanted individual, which was slowly surrounded by the comforts of the growing underground hive cluster. The idea of being under the beams of death as they rained down on him didn't seem that great anyway. Corvurn looked up as he was cutting open an infested gilanian with his claws and eating the intestines, also in the safety of the underground and inside of an evolution chamber. After wiping his face with an arm, he began talking to Kay. "Submit query."

Kay sighed, and placed his hands on his hips. "There is simply no way I can transport ground strains off of the hexagonal hive cluster reliably. The overlords are simply too slow in that environment. Do you think there is a quicker method that could ferry resources and units to our ground forces on the surface of Kiln?"

Corvurn paused and looked away. After a thoughtful nod, he turned back to look at Kay. "Swarm strain carrier needed. Core strain, behemoth, required."

Kay narrowed his brows. "Behemoth is a core strain? How come I was not aware that it was a core strain?"

Corvurn explained. "Requires lair to evolve further. Hive needed. Also needed, three greater spires. Enables mutation of behemoths. Not viable to mutate during skirmish combat."

Kay took a deep inhale and sighed. "... Ah, what the hell. I have been meaning to do this anyway, since I sat on my hands during the whole light show."

Corvurn shook his head. "Unproductive. Appendages must be unseated. Cannot assist swarm in such fashion."

Kay nodded with a chuckle. His evolution master sure had a weird way of pointing out metaphors. He then turned around to shout at a certain hatchery in particular. "Virid! What do you think about upgrading our zerg lair to a hive? I think that, after getting ourselves sunburned by those sky lasers, we should probably start evolving now!"

Virid leaned into Kay's view, peering from behind the hatchery she was tending with two other queens. She hissed. "About time! May I ask why we are changing our tactics so soon?"

Kay pointed upwards. "I didn't account for five lasers hitting our forces during the entire battle. A change of pace in tactics on the battlefield is going to help us wreck Gollog and his forces. Also, I need about, oh, three greater spires at our main hive cluster, and on the hexagonal moon. I envision that behemoths are going to help us in the long run."

Virid paused, but then nodded. "I like this tactic. I will help employ it immediately."

Kay smiled like everything was slowly coming into place in his benefit. He relaxed in the soft and cool embrace of creep, calming his mind as he began commanding his zerg from great distances away. "One step ahead."

* * *

As though in an instant, three spires were created on the moon, whilst two were placed next to the first at the main hive cluster. As these new bio-structures were developing, the zerg lair had also undergone its final evolution. In what seemed like a little more than a minute, the hive emerged from its cocoon. As the hive was finally formed, all of the zerg spire bio-structures formed cocoons around themselves afterwards.

The hive looked even more menacing than its previous iterations, its tooth-like projections looking longer and more pronounced. The hive was truly monstrous in appearance, as it not only became so much more sturdier, but also provided the swarm new monsters and mutations to play with.

The five evolution chambers instantly became active when Virid directed them to invest in several, much needed mutations. Increasing the offense and defense of all zerg strains, both ground and airborne, would be beneficial. The zerglings had also achieved a beneficial upgrade. Their adrenal glands had increased in size and production of adrenaline, which had given them a speedy attack boost every time they attacked an unfortunate enemy. Used in conjunction with their other armor and melee attack mutations, the zerglings were an even more dangerous force of nature.

Another organism had hatched from a cocooned larva, revealing a new flying monstrosity. The viper. It loosely resembled a dragonfly in appearance, yet it had two arms that it would use to guide its dangerous payload of noxious weapons. It lacked the power to fight directly in battle, but it had the tenacity to assist other zerg organisms with its other abilities. Its tongue could pull victims to awaiting zerg, or pull zerg to unsuspecting prey. They can also produce a limiting cloud that eliminated ranged combat for those attacking within it, and could launch a parasitic bomb to any flying foe that shares its airspace.

However, the hive bio-structure had enabled the spawning of other fun things for the swarm to play with. Another bio-structure was unlocked by the hive, and it was one that enabled the zerg to gain access to a very powerful ground unit to use at their disposal. The ultralisk cavern had exploded from its cocoon, and revealed a highly shelled structure. Within itself contained a dangerous environment that not only toughened the unlocked DNA strands, but provided the means to generate the ultralisks. Almost resembling a fat head of an insect with no comparison to any known organism, its genetic data gave a hatchery the means to birth the monster that was feared by all ground-bound forces, and will be feared by ground-bound forces that have not met such a beast yet. One of such creatures have been spawned, which prompted Kay to approach this new beast, wanting to see this strain for himself with his own eyes.

It was big.

Like... Really big.

So big that Kay was only a little taller than its toe. ITS GODDAMNED TOE!

The ultralisk walked on four, bulky, strong legs that supported its heavy and massive frame. The quadrupedal monster had four massive curved blades, manipulated with four arms that each blade grew out of. Each of these blades specialized in cutting, stabbing, smashing, and intimidating. The Kaiser blades had monomolecular sharpness, and were virtually indestructible, though one set was marginally smaller than the other, located below the primary Kaiser blades. Near that level of indestructibility, but not by much, was their tough, tough, tough carapace armor. A thick plate of it even covered its skull, giving it a sort of mantled crown that gave it a distinct look. They earned their name through fear and respect of being living siege-breakers.

Once the greater spires were done mutating, bursting out of their cocoon when their incubation and evolution was complete, there was little physical changes. Most notably was the thicker anchor tentacles that attached them to the creep covered ground, both on the planet and on the hexagonal moon's surface, as well as several spikes that was grown on their tops. Now grouped in three's, they would provide the necessary DNA for two more organisms the zerg needed, instead of just one.

On the terrestrial surface of Kiln, a few larvae were chosen to become the brood lords. These manta-like monsters soon developed another type of almost-manta creatures, which looked to be a smaller version of itself in loose comparison. These smaller almost-mantas were broodlings, and they could be found when a bio-structure belonging to the zerg is destroyed, or when the brood lord has discovered an enemy on the ground and launched its living payload at them. A truly dangerous zerg organism.

Sadly, the brood lord, and the ultralisk, had no means to defend themselves from aerial units. A compliment of corruptors would have to follow them around to provide them with anti-air defenses. The viper had some means of anti-air capabilities, but it was somewhat limited. Plus, the viper had to cannibalize on zerg bio-structures in order to accumulate the energy needed to use its abilities, since it couldn't generate energy quickly enough.

But the opus magnum of the zerg was taking its time. Due to the resources needed for making the creature, and the time it took to gestate, the behemoths would be available in about half an hour. Far longer than any other zerg organism's gestation period that Kay knew of, but it was a tolerable amount of time. The bio-matter and accelerant necessary for feeding the cocooned larva could not be dumped onto it all at once, but instead was trickled into the cocoon over a period of time. Only two were produced.

But Kay had the patience to wait. He walked to the newly hatched ultralisk in the underground village to look at the new organism with his own eyes. He looked it up and down slowly, feeling awed by its awesome size and power. "... Holy fucking shit."

 _'Bored.'_ the ultralisk telepathically responded to Kay, using its own Kaiser blades to sharpen themselves.

Kay nodded. "You were recently born and you're now bored? Wow. The zerg definitely have a one track mind."

The ultralisk leaned down, its heavily fanged face filling up Kay's vision. _'Commands?'_

Kay paused for a minute. Now that he had an ultralisk, he had no idea on what to do with it. "Hmm... Well... I do kind of want to see what you can do." He turned to look around for a floating detector zerg organism. "Can I get an overseer down here?" Kay shouted. Seconds later, an overseer hovered over Kay and the ultralisk. "Kay, great! Deposit a changeling for us, please. Ultralisk? I want you to attack the changeling that spawns in front of you. I want to see how aggressive you can be."

The ultralisk dully looked up at the overseer in the air. After an awkward couple seconds of time passing, the overseer eventually produced a changeling. It splatted onto the ground, jiggling violently, but slowly came to rest as a protoplasmic face peeked out of its 'foot' to look at the ultralisk. Several more seconds had passed before the ultralisk roared. "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR~!~!~!~!~!"

A split second of time passed and the changeling guinea pig was instantly cut into five pieces, and then promptly stomped on in a ruthless display. Changelings, for some reason, do not share the carapace upgrades with its many other zerg organisms, with an exception to the bio-structures and the spine and spore crawlers, so it was extra squishy against the ultralisk's attack.

And speaking of things that are extra squishy, Kragnon was just about to come out of the underground tower to tell Kay something when he heard the roar of the ultralisk. After pausing for several seconds to look at the gargantuan beast, he audibly said "Nope." And walked back into the underground tower.

Kay paid no mind to Kragnon's leaving. He carefully scratched the inside of his ear, which was ringing from the ultralisk's roar, and chuckled. "Oh, Kralluf is going to LOVE you!"

 _'Kralluf? Prey?'_ The ultralisk asked, tilting his head.

Kay blinked. "... Well uh... Yeah. He, Gollog, and everyone who is loyal to the Golden Star Empire are our prey, I guess."

The ultralisk turned around and started galloping toward the nydus network. _'KRALLUF!'_ Before Kay could even register what had occurred just then, the ultralisk disappeared into the nydus worm's maw and went away to the northernmost nydus worm, which then proceeded to head further north.

Kay was stunned and surprised. "... What just happened?!"

"I took control of the ultralisk." Virid said from behind Kay.

Kay turned around to find Virid tending another cocoon that was gestating yet another ultralisk. Kay huffed, and then approached Virid. "You did? What for?"

Virid stated her answer as she turned to face Kay. "I believe the seat of power for Gollog's rule is situated at a place called 'Empire Capital'. Following your example of brash decisions, I wished to test their defenses using an ultralisk."

Kay stared at Virid for a long time. "... Why?"

Virid sighed. "Corvurn wanted to test an ultralisk's combat capability against a fortified city. I humored him, and took the one that was readily available. You weren't doing anything useful with it, making it only attack helpless changelings."

Kay narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "Whoa, wait a minute, no! I just wanted to test its strength! And it was only the one changeling!"

"Were there any other useful 'tests' you wish to implement with the ultralisk?" Virid ask, unamused.

"Uh... Not at the moment, no. It was just one test." Kay said, shrugging.

Kay could tell that Virid was smiling on the inside. And if she had the features that could be used to smile, she would do so. "Then I shall assist Corvurn in a test of his own."

Kay nodded. "Kay. How far away is Empire Capital?"

Virid turned back to tending the cocoon, then started backing away from it. "It is approximately three thousand and three hundred kilometers north-northwest from our position."

Kay paused before nodding. A question then came to his head. "So wait a minute. Do you know how big Kiln is?"

"Around forty thousand kilometers in circumference, I believe. It's a middle-ranged planet that can sustain lifeforms. The heat is a little abnormal, but it is nothing to the swarm. We shall adapt." As Virid finished her sentence, another ultralisk erupted from the cocoon that had formed a little more than a minute ago. Much of its body must have pushed the earth under it to make way for such a massive beast. Creep would quickly adapt to adjust the shifting of heavy soil, preventing the ultralisk from tipping over and fall on nearby bio-structures.

Kay nodded. "Sounds like a good sized habitable planet to me. And I do agree, it's a little bit hotter to my liking."

Virid trilled. "The heat is providing a healthy amount of energy to the resource tumors. We are lucky to reverse-engineer the altar technology."

"... It's dark right now, right? Could you check our resource production?" Kay asked.

Virid cocked her head. She concentrated on the cloud of overlords that were in the underground chamber, and those unseen from above the surface. "... We are generating half of our normal production of bio-matter!"

Kay sighed. "Can't make matter without energy, it seems."

Virid skated on the creep, heading towards the underground tower. "I need to research something! Kragnon! Kragnon! I want to ask Maiden something! Kragnon!"

After that, Virid continued her scuttle up the tower in a frantic hurry, shouting after the lovechief. Whatever kind of information she was trying to find, it seemed important. Kay blinked a couple times before opening his mouth, but he then closed his mouth and sighed, shrugging. "I think you are starting to break your fuddy-duddy zerg habits, Virid. Heh, this is probably the first time I ever saw a zerg organism make a dash to a computer to learn something! ... Well... To a computer AI to learn about something."

Kay sat back onto the creep again and concentrated on calming his mind. The night would slowly turn to midnight, or to the 0% light cycle as the gilanians might call it, and Kay would wait patiently for the ultimate prize to finish forming.

And alas, it came.

Bearing a similar appearance to manta rays, much like the manta-like brood lords and the almost-manta broodlings, the manta-shaped creature was more triangular in appearance, and had several sets of hollow chambers, appearing like sacks on the outside, that it could use to carry thousands of zerg strains. The creature was the largest zerg organism that Kay and Virid's brood had bred, by far. If Kay had to guess how large the creature was, he would estimate its size by length to about... two kilometers in size? Perhaps rounded down to two kilometers. In essence, it was just an over-sized overlord that offered no psionic control, could not create creep, and cannot transform into an oversized overseer.

But it did had two abilities that Kay wanted, however. One of such abilities was to match, and even surpass, the rotational centrifugal speed of the artificial hexagonal moon. It could even travel in less time than the overlord's trip to the moon, cutting the travel to a fourth or a fifth of the time, but it will slow down to safely release the zerg from within itself, or take the zerg into itself. The other ability was to carry zerg organisms. The behemoth produced at the hexagon moon would catch as many overlords it could, while the behemoth produced at the main hive cluster would deliver resources and thousands of zerg strains to forthcoming battles. In fact, once the moon has been covered in creep and hatcheries, it'll serve as an impressive unit production facility, which could supply the zerg forces and restore their numbers on the ground.

Already, the hatcheries on the moon were producing the overlords, and the overlords were being caught by the behemoth that was floating at the edge of the white, or creep covered, hexagonal panels. Having thousands of overlords would supply a great amount of psionic control to the zerg organisms, and help divvy other resources to the production of other zerg strains. The behemoth that hatched at the main hive cluster would acquire a few drones and queens, and fly up to the moon to release it's cargo on its surface. It would then remain there. There would be no sense in keeping such a large target at the main base of operations, after all!

Kay has laid down his full hand now. All that remained to be seen was Gollog's counter-contribution to his war against the zerg.

* * *

 **A/N: Wowzers! I didn't realize A Swarm Unleashed would be more popular than my other stories! (Despite that chapter 5 had no reviews yet.)**

 **Thank you, everyone!**


	22. Cluster Expansion

**Chapter 22: Cluster Expansion**

* * *

Kay knew that he had very little time. If he had learned about Emperor Gollog and his precious empire four days ago, then Kay would have been more covert in his operations. Had he known that this world was populated by a dangerous enemy, then he would have begun infesting the crust deep underground and slowly build up his forces. But Kay and Virid's brood had survived into their fourth night of survival on this world, and they will do what the zerg naturally does: Survive, adapt, and thrive.

The ocean of desert that surrounded Red Mountain was called Red Desert, aptly named because only blood seems to be the only liquid to ever spill and wet the coarse sand. There were a few outlying caves that have been discovered, five in total, that appeared to be perfect places to dig into and develop hatcheries in. Overlords carrying drones would make a detour and drop two drones in these caves after a zergling confirmed that it was clear. Only one of them had a shryik serpent living inside of it, but the overlords didn't bother dropping their drones at that particular cave and continued on their path.

Even with the overseers' ability to detect things that are hidden, six fully upgraded zerglings had trouble killing the shryik serpent. It was wizened to the swarming tactics, and simply swam away under the sand when it knew it couldn't hunt the zerglings with the overseer directing their attack. After a few minutes of waiting for the shryik serpent to attack again, the overlord deposited three drones and moved on. One drone would mutate into a hatchery, another would turn into a spore crawler, whilst the third drone would collect the creep for the hatchery. The hatchery would then eventually produce a queen to help protect the hatchery and provide further resources for the hatchery by creating creep tumors that would merge into resource tumors.

But the desert was huge, seemingly going out out in every direction. Whisper Stones was located eighty kilometers southwest, but that was the only area that was not within the geography of the desert. If Kay recalled correctly, he heard that there were jungles on this planet, located somewhere north from his primary hive cluster. Once the sun was down, the roaches and infestors emerged from the sandy desert ground and continued on their way with a normal walk. The infestors were the only creatures that could provide an effective anti-air defense for the roaches, using the infested gilanian soldiers to defend them. When used in conjunction with a pack of zerglings to help bog down lone enemies, as well as the overlords ability to create creep and carry drones, and the overseers ability to detect cloaked or burrowed enemies and being able to create changelings and changelisks, the expedition zerg forces would easily find new places to build their forward base hive clusters. Important, strategic locations would DEFINITELY have a nydus worm placed with those potential hive clusters.

Eventually, the entire desert was mapped out, which seemed to be nearly twelve thousand kilometers squared. There may be more secrets hidden under the sand, but the sand had to be dug up in order to get to them, and there was so much sand in the desert. Sparse trees and tufts of desert grass was eventually discovered up north, becoming more and more abundant as the presence of moist air was felt. West, east, and south of Red Mountain contained more of those stone pillar formations, and they seemed to separate other deserts in circular or oval clearings. The stone pillars were less abundant the more north the zerg went, which eventually ended up becoming a ring of sand that circled the whole equator of Kiln.

kay knew this because the overseers on the moon, the lucky few that morphed from overlords before they were swept away into the darkness, had a great, if slightly darkened view, of the entire world. The overseers there were able to tell that the world had a ring of desert because the silhouette of the world was easily brightened by the dawn and dusk of the world's rotation. The moonlight providing the night-side of Kiln with light was steadily growing more purpler and darker, and Kay hoped that Gollog or his cronies didn't notice this change in their geometric lunar orbit.

But the hive cluster on the artificial hexagonal moon kept expanding more and more. Each hatchery that was formed was tended by a queen or two, and the resource tumors reached far and wide with the help of the creep, provided by the hatcheries, and the queens laying their creep tumors. One behemoth was already being filled with many overlords, yet it still had some room to fill itself with more. Another behemoth would join it soon, and it too would soon be filled with thousands of zerg organisms, but not just overlords. The 'reserve behemoth' would always be kept out of battle to let the overlords inside itself provide control, while the 'carrier behemoth' would ship troops to the battlefield. And it would be done under the constant stealth of midnight.

One particular group of zerg organisms, out of the several others that scouted the outer reaches of the desert, discovered a walled city that was built between the divide of the desert and stone pillar forest that almost covered half of the lower hemisphere of the planet. Six zerglings neared the entrance of such a structure, but they were cautious in their approach. A roach and infestor burrow-moved their way up, while the overlord and overseer kept out of sight. This walled city was located a hundred and ninety kilometers west northwest of Red Mountain.

At the front gate of this walled city, a guard was casually snoozing the night away inside the cool shade of an open bunker. He didn't wake when the shadows of zerglings darkened his form. The zerglings sneaked their way into the gilanian bunker and inspected the inside with curiosity. The bunker itself went into the ground, but it was also wide open, which could allow many creatures of small sizes to squirrel their way in. The innards of this defensive structure had several liquid containers that was bereft of any liquid within themselves. Each of these containers also had a funky smell to them. An alcoholic drink? The sleeping guard was of no interest to the zerglings, simply because he didn't wear the empirical garb that Gollog's men wore. There was also other items down in the bunker. Half-eaten foodstuffs, magazines of... Uh... Some kind of bare-scaled gilanians with odd colored freckles in several poses? ... and communication equipment. Some of the foodstuffs were nibbled on by the zerglings, but they tried to keep themselves as quiet as dormice.

And then there was also a poster of Emperor Gollog with his face defamed by crass and rude graffiti, with words written all over that read 'DOWN WITH GOLDEN STAR' in several places. Kay was getting the impression that this guard did not like the gilanian empire on Kiln. It gave a reason for the zerglings to refrain from attacking the guard. ... For the moment.

[GOBY! WAKE THE FUCK UP!]

PANIC!

The guard in the bunker abruptly fell out of his chair and looked up to see zerglings witnessing the farcical slapstick plummet. After a few seconds of hesitation, the five zerglings made their escape and sprinted away from the guard as he shrieked in surprise. After the guard believed that he was alone once more, he got to his rifle and went to the entrance of the bunker. He used his scope to watch the zerglings zip away at astonishing speeds, but the guard did not shoot at their backs. After slapping a button, the entire bunker lowered, which made it impossible for anyone to enter into it. The bunker also formed a slit for the guard's gun to be fired out of when the roof lowered. The guard, which seemed to be named Goby, went to the area where the communication equipment was set up. "Goby here."

[Goby, It's Tren. I saw that you were sleeping on the job again.]

Goby sighed. "Yeah yeah yawh-YAAAWWWN-, I know. But uh... Tren? Did you happen to see something on your end?"

[I did. There were wild animals snooping around in your bunker. They looked dangerous, so I had to up the volume on the speaker system to scare them out. You should be thankful that I saved your life, AGAIN.]

Goby rolled his eyes. "Well thank you, queen of the surveillance system. Want an award to go with that smarm, 'Miss Smarmy'?"

[Laugh it up, peen-head.]

After sighing, he looked around and behind himself. "But on a more serious note, what were those things?"

[No fucking idea. I'm already submitting the picture anonymously on the information network. Wait... We got a reply already! Apparently it's called a... 'blade hound'? Wow, they sound very dangerous!]

Goby scoffed. "Anything that has fangs and claws are dangerous. But those... bug-lizard things looked WAY beyond dangerous. They're called 'blade hounds', you said?"

[Yes, to both your statement and your question. I'm notifying the baroness about this new creature.]

Goby nodded. "Do you think they'll taste good when we fry them up on the barbecue?"

[Baroness Tak would want a piece first.]

"Ah fuck her." Goby replied, setting down his rifle and getting back into a comfy position on his seat. "Meanwhile, can you send a repair crew to bust me our of the bunker? The roof lowering mechanism kinda has a habit of jamming."

There was a pause before Tren said something. [... I keep telling you to press the button gently.]

Goby shook his head and sighed. "Well what else do you expect me to do?! When there is going to be an emergency, the button that's been programmed to tell the damn bunker to enter into its defense mode is going to be slammed on, and hard! It's not my fault that I forget the most basic instructions when my life might be on the line!"

[Calm down, you idiot.]

"Bite me, you bitch. I could have died!"

But as this conversation was developing, it was eavesdropped on by a zergling that had decided to burrow closely to the bunker, before its other brothers' frantically retreated. But as the hunkered guard and the teleprompter lady talked, a new face approached.

"Hello?"

Goby got his rifle to his side and aimed out of the slit of the bunker. "WHO'S THERE?!" Goby shouted with a threatening demeanor.

"Don't shoot! Please! I mean you no harm!" A voice outside called. A male gilanian in worn, thin-looking rags, held up his hands in a non-aggressive manner.

Goby trained his rifle on him. "Don't move from that spot unless you want to shit through a new hole."

The other gilanian nodded quickly, looking like he was regretting something. "Alright. I'll stand right here."

Goby stared at the new gilanian with untrustworthy eyes. "Now tell me how you got here."

The gilanian took a deep breath. "I was walking with my mother and family when we were fleeing from a battle that was happening east of here. The Gollog empire forced us to detour our caravan's path, but we managed to survive this far. ... Well... I survived this far, at least. My family, my mother, and myself, walked through the desert for a long while. They're no longer with me, but I survived."

Goby watched the new gilanian carefully as he spoke aloud to someone else. "Tren. Send a repair crew, AND someone to deal with our stranger here."

[You got it. Notifying the officials.]

Several minutes had passed, and the front door of the walled city opened a small ways, letting out ten gilanians armed to the teeth with various weapons and heavy armor. Among them was the tallest out of all of the armed guards, rubbing his eyes and yawning before approaching the gilanian. The tallest armored gilanian looked at the smaller gilanian stranger and huffed. "Goby. You got me out of bed for a grubby hobo?"

Goby shook his head. "He told me that there was a war happening in the east. He said that he was the only one to survive the trip. Also, there was some dangerous looking animals that was poking around here earlier, so keep your wits about you." He said from the comfort of his bunker.

The tall armored gilanian chuckled. "I don't care about some easy meat, Goby. What I care about is finding out if this is another spy from the empire."

The new gilanian raised his hand. "Uh, actually sirs, I don't think the little spiky things are a threat to us."

The tall armored gilanian raised an eyebrow at the gilanian stranger. "Spiky things? Sounds like they're too much effort to eat then. Anyway, what's your name, boy?"

"Johnny." The gilanian stranger replied.

"Well, Johnny." the taller gilanian said. "Name's Kirkan. I'm the lead guardsman around these parts, otherwise known as the captain of Citadel Gargantua. Ever heard of this place?"

Johnny slowly shook his head. "No. I'm afraid that I have lived a very sheltered life. All my mother had taught me was to hate Gollog and his empire."

Kirkan nodded and smiled. "Anyone who hates the empire is good enough to be my friend in my books. How did you come by our city?"

Johnny smiled and nodded. "I was with my family when it happened. Five lights rained down from the sky as though the sun itself was sending rays of wrath. We were but a group of vagrants and travelers looking for food and shelter. We discovered that there was a huge encirclement of desert platforms that spanned over an area that must have been... I think thirty kilometers in diameter!"

Kirkan whistled. "Well... I did see a light-show in the east earlier today. And I heard that there has been some major activity with the empire within the last three days. I feel as though your story holds some merit, but you didn't answer me on how YOU got here."

Johnny nodded and continued. "Well, I heard that there was an oasis at Red Mountain, so my mother and family of many cousins were planning to go there to, you know, acquire water and other resources. But we didn't dare go near the desert platforms, so we headed another way. Sadly, many of my cousins perished, and I had to leave my mother behind. But when I thought I was going to die, six spiky creatures came up to me!"

Kirkan narrowed his eyes. "And these alleged spiky things didn't make you their meal? What did these spiky things look like?"

"Well..." Johnny said, looking like he was trying to remember the details of what these creatures looked like. "They stood about a meter tall, they had another set of limbs on their backs that were their attack-claws, they had tusks on their faces, had bug wings that propel them forward, galloped on two legs but crawls on four at slower speeds, and there were six of them. They seemed to have wanted me to follow them, so I did. After traveling for so far, I ended up at your doorsteps. Looks like their tracks had led me here, so I guess you must have seen them, judging by your expressions."

Kirkan nodded, and turned around to face the bunker. "Goby. Did you see six of these spiky things?"

Goby nodded, his rifle wobbling up and down from his fortified position. "Tren said they were called blade hounds. Some of them had sneaked into my bunker, but I scared them off."

[ _I_ scared them off, idiot. Kirkan, don't listen to Goby. He was sleeping on the job again.]

Kirkan eyed at Goby disappointingly, while Goby retreated back into the bunker, his his rifle frantically wiggling as though it was stuck in place. "TREN, YOU TRAITOR!"

"Enough out of you two." Kirkan growled. His growl prompted Goby and Tren to be silent afterwards. Kirkan then turned back to Johnny, breathing in and sighing. "Listen, Johnny. We are not too big on accepting visitors into our citadel. However, seeing as though that you have supplied us information of Gollog's operations, I suppose that is trade enough for some shelter, water, and safe passage. But if I ever find out that you are a Gollog loyalist, or something close to it, then I will bring my boot down on your neck on a curb. Feel me?"

Johnny slowly nodded. "I uh... I feel you, sir."

Kirkan smiled and gestured for Johnny to follow him past the doors. "Welcome to Gargantua, where the scum are scummy, and the neighbors are downright surly if you look at them funny."

Johnny scoffed. "Sounds like they're none too different from my cousins if you ask me. I think I'll do fine here." He said, following after Kirkan.

"Hey uh... Kirkan? Want to send that repair crew to me?" Goby said from the safety of his bunker.

Kirkan shrugged and sighed. "Better stop slamming that button, Goby, or this might be the last time I send someone to save your scaly hide." Once Kirkan has made his way inside the citadel with Johnny, the nine other armored guardsmen gilanians following suit.

The inside of the city seemed to open up into a long, wide road that divided the innards of the city in half, yet in the far distance, large buildings were exempt from being split in half by the broad road. Both sides of the street contained various shops and markets of differing products, containing tools, clothes, food, technology, fabrics, and many other purchasable goods. Many of these stores were closed, and the darkened street was lightened up by a few street lamps and the odd store that was open in the night hours. Vermin could be seen darting across the street during the night, some being chased by predatory birds.

Kirkan lead the way to an establishment that Johnny never saw before. After making a sharp whistle, Kirkan summoned the owner of the establishment. It was a hunched, old gilanian that was blind in one eye and wearing a grey shawl, walking around on a rickety cane. "Whadya wan'?" He spoke in a raspy manner.

Kirkan bowed and gestured to Johnny. "A friend of mine needs a place to stay. Can I pay for a room for three nights?"

The old gilanian had a soured, grouchy tone to him. "Fir' nigh's cos' wenny' voucher samps. Three nigh's cos' ya double fer each nigh'."

Kirkan furrowed his scaly brows. "A hundred and twenty voucher stamps?! This is highway robbery!"

"Blame Gollog, tha' cun." The old man grumbled, hitting the floor with his cane. "Ain' my problem tha the economy is goin' down the shi-er. Hundred and wenny' voucher samps, and the room is yers fer three days."

Kirkan brought out his pistol and laid it on the desk in front of the old man. "If you don't reduce the cost, then I'm going to file a complaint using my pen and paper skills."

The old man stared at Kirkan with a cocked brow. "... Tha's a gun though."

"It's my favorite pen. Mind if I use your scaly hide as paper?" Kirkan said, growling.

The old man paused for a bit. "... A hundred voucher samps. Final offer."

Kirkan picked up his pistol and holstered it again, then deposited several paper shapes on the table, written an amount on them, and passed them forward to the innkeeper. "That's a good innkeeper." Kirkan turned to Johnny and smiled. "I'll come back for you when morning comes. Try not to stir up trouble when I come back. Got it?"

Johnny nodded and smiled broadly. "Thank you, Kirkan. I will be sure to repay your kindness one day. You have mine, and my family's, eternal gratitude."

Kirkan raised his hand toward Johnny and gestured dismissively. "Think nothing of it. I know what it's like to travel the sandy paths with little food or water. But bear in mind: to survive in this city you have to have some kind of skill that you can contribute to the community. If you don't have any skills, then you will have to be trained to work in menial labor. Know how to shoot a gun?"

Johnny looked down thoughtfully. "... Uh. Never in my life. I do know how to build and repair manifestation altars, however."

Kirkan's eyes widened by that statement. "YOU know how to build one of those machines?! Hmm! Color me impressed! We have been trying to get a working one for our own for a long time! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Kirkan said, laughing and putting his arm around Johnny. But then Johnny was put into a choke hold, and Kirkan's demeanor instantly changed. "Tell me who taught you, or I'll interrogate you in a less cozier place than an inn."

Johnny struggled under the hold, straining to talk. "My-my mother taught me! She said she learned from looking at a blueprint before destroying it, and then taught me how they work!"

"Was she affiliated with Gollog's empire? If so, then tell me in what way." Kirkan asked aggressively.

"I was a nomad my entire life! My grandpa showed my mother the blueprint to build one, and then my mother destroyed it before the empire soldiers got a hold of it!"

After a pause, Kirkan slowly released Johnny. "... Alright. I believe you. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning, so get some rest. You better be telling the truth about your skill with building and repairing manifestation altars." Kirkan warned. He took a deep breath before sighing. "Now then, I must be off. Have a good night sleeping." Kirkan then turned around and left Johnny with the old innkeeper.

An awkward silence passed between himself and the innkeeper. After the innkeeper gestured for Johnny to follow, he led Johnny to the room he would be staying in. The only bed in the room was just a mattress on the floor, and it seemed old and torn, while signs of insect and rodent infestation ruined the inside of this room. The window was covered up by a sheet of plastic, and a few holes had formed on it. The light in the room flickered on for a brief period before shorting out.

Johnny turned to the innkeeper. The innkeeper grumbled. "Damn ligh'. Anyway, don' make any noise, or I kick you ou'." After that, the old innkeeper shuffled away.

Johnny sighed heavily as he sat on the cleanest part of the mattress and waited for day to arrive. Johnny wasn't tired, but he knew he was safe.

Johnny also wasn't tired because he happened to be a changelisk in disguise.

* * *

 **A/N: A review from Nepalepsy:**

I am honestly amazed by how quickly you can pump out these extensive, yet very high-quality stories. You're now my new favourite author!

 **OH GOODY! I HAVE A FAN! YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY~! Thanks Nep! :D**


	23. Bridge to the Badlands

**Chapter 23: Bridge to the Badlands**

* * *

Johnny had no real need for sleep. Changelings and changelisks would only ever need to if they wanted to deceive someone. Johnny had no real need to eat mundane food. All zerg organisms can adapt to thrive on any resource or slow their metabolism. Johnny had no reason to fear. He, as well as many of his 'cousins', had evolved to never be afraid to die.

But once the morning light came, Johnny knew that he would have to visit this 'baroness' person, and meeting her would have been a pivotal tactic on the chessboard of war after all. With the forces that Kralluf had displayed against Kay and Virid's brood, and the quick researching capabilities that Faddoh's scientists exhibited, Kay realized that the only way that Gollog could be effectively taken down is if his enemies were amassed against him. To form such a strategy would require a resource that the zerg initially doesn't have. Technological creativity.

A knock on the door prompted Johnny to get up from sitting on the dirty mattress, and he went to the door to greet his guest. After opening the door, he saw the familiar face of Kirkan smiling and greeting him back, with other gilanian guardsmen behind him. "Ey, Johnny. Guess what we're going to do today?"

Johnny blinked a few times. "Uh... What?"

Kirkan smiled even more broadly. "We're going to see Baroness Tak."

Johnny blinked again. "... Baroness?"

Kirkan nodded. "Yeah! I think you'll like her. Since I told her a little about yourself, she's very interested in giving you an audience. I'm afraid that this audience, however, is mandatory. Need a bite to eat first?"

Johnny shook his head. "I can eat later, if that's okay. I want to meet the baroness first before doing anything else."

Kirkan chuckled. "Oh yeah, Tak is going to like you. Follow behind me, please. I'd like for you to keep quiet during the entire stroll, if possible. You're going to pretend to be a witness to a crime. Okay?"

"Why?" Johnny asked.

"Easier to explain to the public eye. Plus, it'll give people that are jealous of your knowledge less of a reason to kill you. I don't know if the old man at this inn could be trusted, but I had two guards posted as spies to see if he'd risk sending some information to a third party. Come along now. We don't want to have her wait for us."

Johnny paused, but nodded to Kirkan. He then followed after him while the other guardsmen that Kirkan brought followed behind Johnny. This trend continued into the main sandy street, which now had shops of various kinds lined with different customers of different walks of life. They parted wearily when Kirkan, Johnny, and the guardsmen behind him continued onward.

It was at this point that Johnny became curious. The customers actively went out of their way to give them room when the guardsmen came near them. It felt obvious to Johnny that the citizens in the citadel did not like the guardsmen, but it was at an extent that Kay, or Johnny, didn't understand. As one culture looking into another, it is to be expected that understanding something so foreign would come with strained difficulty. But then again, there were several gilanian corpses that was retrieved from the war between the gilanian empire and the zerg swarm, and they provided not only biomass, but also knowledge of this world as well. The state of affairs between the guardsmen and the citizens of Gargantua were increasingly harried. With the empire clamping down on settlements, there was a great influx of people that wanted to escape from a tyrannical rule. To conform to such rules were not in their interests, so they simply migrated to places where they knew that Gollog's rule would be, at the most, strenuous.

This trend of crowd parting continued until they came to some kind of station that had metallic rectangular cuboids with windows on its sides, which hovered above two sets of rails. These rails were not connected to the cuboids, but it suggested that the cuboids themselves were designed to be magnetic. The gilanian people walked up into these cuboids which allowed the automated transport systems to deliver them, and the cargo they occasionally tied on top, to their intended destination.

After going into the station, it appeared to be a building that serviced its citizens to enable travel to different locations. Within, the condition of the building was poor since its upkeep was inefficiently maintained. Parts of its walls were even heavily eroded. After several gilanians sidestepped from their approach to one of four receptionists, Kirkan spoke out in an authoritative voice. "Requesting a rail-trolley for one-way transit to Baroness Station."

The receptionist nodded with dull eyes as he turned to his side and fiddled with some devices, and activating a console that operated his communication equipment. "This is Far East Station, requesting Baroness Station to relay information if permissions for one-way transit was given."

[Baroness Station replying to Far East Station. Baroness Station confirms that permissions were given. Relay code please.]

The receptionist huffed, then directed the device that he talked into toward Kirkan. Kirkan leaned forward, and coughed a little before speaking. "This is Kirkan, captain of the guardsmen, relaying code for one-way transit." After fishing a piece of small paper from his armor, he began to read off of it. "The code is... iduteq, omopun, anuxuf, ujidis."

[Baroness Station confirms the code. Enjoy the free transit.]

The receptionist nodded. He took a paper out and made several stamps on it before giving it to Kirkan. "Here you go. You'll be using the rail-trolley suite. Don't take out any refreshments from the cool drink container, unless you can pay for it."

Kirkan snatched the ticket from the receptionist. "Like I need reminding, leech." After pocketing the ticket, Kirkan gestured behind himself for the followers behind him, which consisted of Johnny and the guardsmen, that they were continuing their travels. A cuboid vehicle on the rails came speeding towards the Far East Station a minute later, eventually coming to a slow stop in front of them. Once it fully stopped, they went into the cuboid vehicle. It looked nicer than any of the others present, and seated themselves inside the transportation machine.

Johnny made himself comfortable as he took in as much of the sprawling city as he could when the rail-trolley started moving. The rail-trolley came back to life by switching tracks and then speeding back the way it came from. The buildings slowly grew in size and complexity as they neared the center of the citadel. After passing through a checkpoint, Johnny was instantly seeing changes in the immediate environment. The complicated buildings instantly turned into a courtyard of a lavish palace that grew tall towers that towered over all of the other buildings. Johnny didn't really care about his environment, but he had to emulate some form of reptilian emotion so that his disguise would be convincing. "Wooooow."

Kirkan sighed. "Yeah. I pretty much had your same exact reaction when I saw the baroness' palace for the first time. Do you know how to be polite in the presence of the dignified?"

Johnny paused before replying. "Uh... Is there a manual that I can read?"

Kirkan chuckled and shook his head. "Alright. I'll give you the basics. Don't talk unless a question is offered to you. Always be polite. Don't talk down to her. And most importantly, don't act like a fool."

Johnny paused before nodding. The rest of the trip resulted in a scenic view of the palace before entering a small, yet heavily armored, rail-trolley station. Once the rail-trolley came to a stop, Johnny got up and inhaled before sighing. "I hope I make a good first impression."

* * *

Johnny was led into a room and was told to sit on a rickety chair at its center, whilst a large, luxurious, soft looking chair faced Johnny. He sat at the rickety chair and remained still on it for several minutes. At least Kirkan was there with him, but it seemed as though he didn't want to talk at the moment. Kirkan kept his mouth silent, and waited for the baroness to arrive.

Before too long, four guards entered into the room and stood at attention. One of them finally broke the silence in the room. "Baroness Tak approaches. All rise in her presence."

Johnny stood up as the baroness' guard commanded so. Seconds later, a female gilanian in an ornate red dress with golden trimmings and red jewelry sauntered in. Her face had red freckles instead of the normal yellow that was seen on almost all other gilanians. She sat down on the luxurious red chair and crossed her legs, but her focus was trained on Johnny. "You may be seated." She said in a soft tone. Johnny answered her by sitting. There was several seconds of tactical pausing before the red dressed gilanian female spoke again. "So this is the individual you wanted me to grant an audience to, Kirkan?"

Kirkan responded. "Yes mam. He is an unusual individual who has came to the front of the eastern entrance of our citadel. He claims that he survived by following six blade hounds that led him here, of which there was recorded surveillance images that proves the existence of them outside of Gargantua's walls. He boasted that he could recreate empire technology known as the manifestation altars as well."

"I have heard of your share already, Kirkan." The red dressed lady said, gesturing to him by waving dismissively. "I have seen the surveillance recordings, but I wish to hear this from his lips." She paused before smiling toward Johnny. "So! You are this interesting person that I have heard about?"

Johnny bowed in his seat and nodded. "Yes, my ladyship. I trekked far in the hope of escaping a war that was happening east of here. The empire soldiers belonging to Gollog was fighting some kind of incursion. With what, I don't think any normal gilanian would know about. But I have heard recently that Citadel Gargantua residents have an interest in acquiring manifestation altar tech. With some assistance, I could provide a means to build this technology. I can also create certain parts that are not exclusive for normal trade in the marketplaces, provided that I have the raw materials to construct the exotic parts."

Tak nodded and smiled. She then stood up and approached Johnny. "Stand up, please. I want a better look at you." Johnny nodded and stood up from his chair, obeying Tak's request. Tak circled Johnny a few times, looking him up and down with a smirk. "Hmm... Not exactly the fashionable type, wearing those rags and torn cloth... But you have a lean build... And a strong jawline... I don't smell the stench of peasantry about you... I can't really tell, but you seem to have a hidden wisdom about you, just from looking in your eyes." After a careful inspection of her audience, she then went back to her luxurious chair and sat back down. "But your self proclaimed skills in building and repairing manifestation altars interests me more. Tell me your name, stranger."

Johnny nodded. "My name is Johnny, my ladyship."

Tak tilted her head. "Your father's name?"

Johnny shook his head. "I have never met my father. I was hatched from a woman who goes by the name of Smith."

Tak giggled. "Smith? Sounds sort of... masculine in a way."

Johnny chuckled. "I'm pretty sure she would have taken that as a compliment. She's a big girl, after all."

"Oh! So this would mean that you are still young in your years?" Tak quizzically asked.

Johnny huffed. "Please don't embarrass me in front of Kirkan. I think his heart might give out if we started flirting with each other. That is if you found out my age."

Kirkan only coughed while Tak giggled loudly. "Oh, you are such a treat, and a tease! Very well. Let's allow this conversation to segue into business. In exchange for the manifestation altars, what would you like in return?"

Johnny nodded and looked like he was thinking thoughtfully. After a couple of seconds, he nodded and spoke again. "Since it was Gollog's army that had caused my family such trouble, I hope to strike back against Gollog and those loyal to him. Sadly, I am not a fighter by nature, so I hope that the knowledge I have might help develop a means for the gilanian people to fight back against him and his foul entourage. The blade hounds that once saved me from the dangers of the desert had taught me an important lesson. And that lesson? Sometimes, when an oppressive force threatens your freedom, help will come from the unexpected allies that shares your enemy, or your interests."

Tak stared wide eyed at Johnny in surprise. It was almost as if she didn't expect such an answer! But she blanched from her surprise and smiled again. "It is surprising to know that you are so eager to strike back at the bastard bandit-lord-turned-emperor. Especially one so young looking! But I am afraid that I must decline such a trade."

Johnny cocked his head. "Why?"

Tak took a breath before speaking. "The Golden Star Empire is a very powerful and dangerous enemy. To insult Gollog is to put your own foot into an early grave. I have given him respect many times as he walked within the citadel's walls, since I know he wields powers that could very easily crumble them. This citadel is a bridge between two evils, you see. And since those evils cancel each other out, a lot of people here could live in... relative safety. Between the lawlessness of the land in and beyond the pillar forest, and the empirical oppression belonging to the tyrannic Gollog, we here have achieved a safe balance. In fact, disrupting that balance is considered heresy and mutiny to my rule. Since I am the rightful leader, earning my position through wit and guile, I am now a very important ruler of this protected city. A bridge between the thief drenched badlands, and a viceroy of no allegiance to Gollog.

"You see, Johnny." Tak said, pleading her fingers and leaning forward. "Out in the badlands, you are liable to die in many ways. If it isn't dehydration that kills you, then it is malnutrition, sun exposure, disease, predators, and bandits. Do you know what the bandits would do if they captured you? They would stick you into a machine that drains all of your body fluids. Any drop of moisture is valuable, especially in the hot and dry seasons. They would see you as nothing more but as a receptacle of water. But they also provide medicines, and a means to hunt shryik serpents for meat and bones for trade.

Tak leaned backward and sighed. "But to gain manifestation altar technology for our own hands... We could supply everyone with water. In fact, I can see voucher stamps becoming less and less expensive to procure if these altars become available to the public. There would be less contest for voucher stamps, and therefore, less of a reason for neighbors to quarrel with each other. I could see myself potentially benefiting from this exchange. By that logic, if there were less angry citizens of Gargantua, then it would mean that I would have more people becoming more willing to hear what I have to say, and also becoming more agreeable to my terms of leadership.

She then furrowed her brows. "But Gollog doesn't share his power with others so easily, unless they swore fealty to him first." She sat upright and changed her tone. "Johnny. I cannot offer you a revolution. Not yet at least. The time is not right. Only until I have gained the support of my people can they be willing enough to throw down their lives for something greater. My hands are tied in this manner."

Johnny absorbed all of this information. Gollog was far more harsher to his own kind that he, or any of the zerg had initially thought. Any gilanian in their right mind would just cut their losses and simply live in the comfort that a baroness' palace could provide.

But Johnny was zerg, through and through. He shook his head. "Then I guess I'll teach you everything I know, here and now. If I can't find any allies to rely on here... Then I guess I'll have to find allies that will."

Tak blinked her eyes and began staring at Johnny. "... Are you saying you would be willing to leave for the badlands, just to find some rebels to join a fight? My my my, you definitely ARE a determined fellow."

Johnny shook his head. "Pardon me for correcting you, my ladyship. I didn't have those guys in mind when I said that I'd find my allies."

Tak scoffed and smiled. "Pray tell!"

"I was more thinking trying to get those blade hounds to assist us." Johnny replied.

"They can be tamed?!" Kirkan exclaimed.

"You're out of turn, Kirkan dear." Tak scolded with a firm tone. After Kirkan shriveled into a crestfallen posture, Tak turned back to Johnny. "Please explain, Johnny."

Johnny nodded and continued. "I'd like to first say that I think the blade hounds could not be effectively tamed. But I did notice that they were very smart pack animals. They knew that I was of no harm to them, and they knew that I am not an empire gilanian that was set on attacking whatever den they came from." He then leaned forward. "If I can gain their trust, then I could gain potential allies that can help attack and take down Gollog's empire. But I would only consider this option if my original plan of building up our forces here in Gargantua didn't follow through. Most people don't know where these blade hounds came from, but I do have reason to believe that the empire is having problems with such beasts."

Tak tilted her head. "An interesting idea. What makes you think that these blade hounds really could assist us?"

Johnny emoted a knowing smile. "I think I'll chalk it up to faith. After all, I did see six of them chase away a shryik serpent on their own."

Tak nodded, impressed. "In its own sandy element?!"

"yes, my ladyship."

"I say, they must compare to the savagery of a rampant bull mongwedger! Since mongwedgers only live in the jungle circle, this might be more beneficial than I thought." Tak said, placing a hand to her chin.

Johnny wasn't sure what a mongwedger is, but he continued on with the conversation. "So will you let me go to them once I make the manifestation altars for you here?" Johnny questioned.

"Perhaps." Tak replied, a finger dancing around the lips of her mouth. She then leaned way forward and reached her hand out toward Johnny. "I will offer you a place to stay at the palace. In exchange, I will give you all you need to make your altars, and more. Is this deal acceptable?"

Johnny smiled and reached a hand out toward Tak's and gently shook it. "Yes, my ladyship. I agree to these terms and conditions."

Tak smiled back, then retracted her hand after the handshake was done. She then turned to her guards. "Oh boys? May you ready a room for our guest? And give him a change of clothes while you're at it, please? We can't have him saunter around barely clad in cloth, distracting me with my delegations!"

One of her guards bowed to her and then turned to Johnny. "Please follow me to your quarters, sir."

Johnny bowed to Baroness Tak before leaving her presence. This was even easier than Johnny, or anyone connected to the zerg hivemind, had thought! However, this also seemed to be too easy. Johnny would have to be very careful or he would be stuck in a situation where he wouldn't be able to have the required resources to build these altars. Thanks to Corvurn's extensive research on the topic of manifestation altar technology, Johnny could pool his understanding of the tech from the hivemind's knowledge and recreate it as he pleases. But even then, Baroness Tak might not be so eager as to let Johnny leave. Such an important asset like him would be too costly to Tak if he were to die or depart.

Johnny and Kay will have to think of another plan if Tak's greed prevented their current plan from changing for the better.

* * *

Kay took a deep sigh as he stood up and stretched. "Hoooh... How long have I been sitting here?" He asked no one in particular.

Operations over on the zerg side of things were expanding pleasantly well in the night. The five hatchery clusters five kilometers away were recreated, and the eight hatchery clusters ten kilometers from the center were reformed as well. The creep took a shorter amount of time to spread, since there were more overlords that hovered over the main hive cluster. Used in conjunction with several queens, the overlords deposited their creep, while the queens laid their creep tumors. The resource tumors took slightly longer to form, but the veins that branched out from them, and under the creep, have expanded to more than their regular coverage allowed.

But that had also presented a problem. The swarm on Kiln was relying too much on the potential energy that was collected on the surface of Kiln. If anything, there could be other places that such energy could be converted into bio-fuel. Specifically, underground.

Upon realizing this tactic, Kay knew what he and the zerg brood had to do. The roaches, drones, and queens got to work. The roaches used their powerful sickle-claws to dig into the earth. Rather than burrow-move through it, they needed to dig and provide space for the drones and queens that would accompany them. The drones helped with disheveling the debris that quickly filled the zerg-made tunnels, whilst the queens provided essential creep tumors that helped stabilize said tunnels. Every time they dug a kilometer's length of tunnels, they began to mine out rock to form an artificial dome-shaped chamber to morph a hatchery within, as well as a small number of crawler strains, that would help defend the zerg territories underground. From those hatcheries, more tunnels would form, spreading outward, downward, upward, and sometimes creating more hatcheries at the end of those tunnels every now and again.

This was the greatest defensive weapon of the zerg. Using the earth itself as a shield from their enemies is their ultimate tactic. Mountains may provide their phenomenally rocky cover to shield those who know the terrain well, but using the crust of the world itself as a staging area provided them with the ultimate advantage. Used in conjunction with resource tumors and carbonation extractors, Kay and Virid's brood were virtually self-perpetuating!

Even Kay doubted that Gollog's laser attack powers could penetrate through the ground and attack the hatcheries established underground! With hatcheries being made on both the hexagonal moon and under the soil, rock, and sand of Kiln, Kay felt as though he made Gollog's task of getting rid of the zerg even more difficult.

"I see that you have made good progress." Virid said from behind Kay.

"GWAH!" Kay jerked forward, but then calmed down a little. "Dammit, Virid. I need to put a bell on you or something."

"Bells are not necessary to the swarm." Virid replied.

Kay sighed and nodded. "Last time I remembered, you scuttled away to ask Kragnon about something. What was it?"

Virid bowed. "I merely wanted to know if the center of Kiln was molten."

Kay blinked a few times. "... Okay then? ... You know, I think we could use that! The pressure of the atmosphere and the heat contained within this planet will help feed our resource tumors. Sounds like we'll be having several miles of creep tumor filling tunnels far below our feet. ... Well... You don't have feet in your case."

Virid trilled an unamused sigh, looking down as she inspected her legs. "No, I don't. I sense a changelisk is deep in gilanian territory. What progress have you made?"

Kay rolled his eyes and beamed a smile. "I managed to infiltrate a faction of gilanians that are not aligned to Gollog. I'm hoping to have 'Johnny' teach them how to use manifestation altar tech, and then corral their numbers to amass a force that can punish Gollog's empire."

Virid cocked her head. "You wish for them to fight alongside us? Is that a smart decision?"

Kay had a confused expression creep onto his face. "Uh... I think so? I mean, they are against the gilanian empire. That's about as much as I know."

Virid hissed. "Gaining gilanian allies is a tactic I would not recommend. ... But I suppose they could help hinder our enemy in some way. We shall refrain from infesting our mutually beneficial comrades."

Kay shrugged. "Trying to convince them that the zerg are on their side is going to be difficult. Thankfully, I like a good challenge."

Virid bowed. "Then I will leave the changelisk, Johnny, in your careful command. I shall retire to caring for the hatcheries further below us."

Once Virid scuttled off, Kay decided that he would get a certain evolution master work on a problem that had been plaguing the zerg for three days now. Specifically, the poison that the group of tribal hunters injected into the overlord by using a crossbow bolt.

* * *

 **A/N: Watched Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. I like Bubble. :/3**


	24. Immortal Wrath

**Chapter 24: Immortal Wrath**

* * *

Kay walked to one of five evolution chambers that had been created in the underground village. The other five evolution chambers, located at the surface, were still there, and Corvurn frequented them more since he thought it was efficient to simply work with them in close proximity. But with the danger of the sky lasers raining death on many zerg strains on the surface of the world however, it only made sense to create backup bio-structures underground and have the evolution master move his work below the war-zone.

But Kay had a certain overlord that he wanted checked on. Upon approaching the evolution chamber that he knew his evolution master was in, he gently kicked the immobile beast. Seconds later, Corvurn slithered out and found Kay standing before him. He pleaded his fingers and spoke in his usual low growl, seemingly removed of any emotion. "Commander Kay. Swarm expansion, ongoing. Pleased."

Kay nodded. "Kay, nice to know that you're happy. Is there something you are doing at the moment?"

Corvurn nodded. "Unlocking blightbringer and aberration strains. Imbibed several gilanian genetic samples. Enabled evolutionary change. New improved unit over infestor. However, very expensive to produce. Produces infested organisms for infinite duration. Also expensive, but lesser resources needed."

Kay smiled. "Very good, Corvurn. I have a project in mind for you. Think you can handle it, after you're done here?"

Corvurn nodded. "Shall assist swarm. Command me."

Kay pointed upwards. "There is an overlord that has been affected by some kind of poison that three gilanian hunters used on it. We discovered this when we placed some zerg organisms into its ventral sack, and they too started getting sick. There are two more queens that also exhibit the same signs, and they are now keeping themselves, and the overlord they're inside of, healthy. They are still sick from three nights ago, and I want to find out why that is."

Corvurn seemed... perplexed. "Impossible. Swarm evolution dictates changes. Rapid development. Poison resistance mutations expected to develop."

"I still want you to check it out. Ask Virid for assistance, but I don't want her, or anyone else, getting infected with whatever that overlord has. It's clear to me that, whatever it is, it's contagious!" Kay warned.

Corvurn paused, but then he nodded his head. "Shall obey. Summon Virid after unlocking strains. Possible anti-zerg contagion detected." He said, going back to his work.

Kay nodded as he watched Corvurn slithering back into the underground evolution chamber. He had to hand it to the guy, he was diligent in his work.

PANIC!

Kay could feel the presence of Gollog strutting on his creep again, near the southwestern expansion ten kilometers from the main hive cluster, and it was barely morning. It was the same area that Kay met Kralluf once in person, and 'Gollog' twice in person. This meeting will be the third time that Kay would meet the strange person that Kay sensed no brain waves from, or any organic presence. However, Kay had expanded his creep fields heavily, already spreading outward several kilometers in distance. Kay could not have determined how Gollog got here without the use of a vehicle!

Once Kay emerged from the newly formed nydus worm, he took note that Gollog, still pristine, white clothed and opalescent from days before, was carrying another copper and green suitcase. Gollog had a furrowed, angry expression, and he was staring daggers at Kay when he finally came close to him. Gollog stopped when he was three meters away, and placed his suitcase down. After a long pause, Gollog took in a breath and sighed. "We really have to stop meeting like this."

Kay scoffed. "YOU'RE the jackass that keeps coming back! Why have you came back here, and what the hell have you came here for this time?"

Gollog took another pause before speaking. "... I want a truce."

Kay reared his head back and looked at Gollog in surprise. "What?!"

Gollog explained. "It's true. I want a truce between us. Don't act so surprised about it."

Kay crossed his arms, still feeling like he should be wary of any trick that Gollog might have had. "Why are you doing this all of a sudden?"

Gollog waved his handsoutward in what seemed like a humble and passive gesture, spreading his arms out wide. "I understand that we are at an impasse. My powers will limit your expansion, and you simply keep coming back like insects in a breeding ground. I wish to broker a truce so that we can finally stop this maddening fight with no end between us."

Kay snorted and smirked. "Is that what you call it? I count four times that I went against your forces, and I came out winning in the end through every one of those battles."

Gollog shook his head. "Even so, my divine smiting light can lay waste to your forces at an even greater level than what you had experienced yesterday. But as of now, I am granting us the means to stop this madness. I am willing to agree that I was a fool to let this continue on as it did, and let you agree that you were also a fool in starting this war. Are we agreed?"

Kay closed his eyes and thought long and hard about the offered truce. "Hmm... A tempting offer." He replied sarcastically.

"Then how about a peace trade?" Gollog offered. "Anything you would request from me and my empire, and I shall give it to you. Fame. Wealth. Power. Resources. A place in our world. Anything of mortal desire that I can fulfill."

Kay paused before asking. "... If I were to accept, then what would I have to trade away?"

Gollog placed a hand to his chin in thought. "... You're talents and mastery over your zerg beasts are quite unique. I suppose you could put them to use in targeting unscrupulous individuals. In fact, I have a certain target in mind already."

Kay looked up and stared at Gollog. "You want me to assassinate who now?"

Gollog softly chuckled. "Ho ho ho, you may call it that, but I think it is more of a 'public service'."

Kay rolled his eyes.

Gollog smiled. "But the death of a few people means nothing to me. And certainly not to you! What do you say? Kill a few people for me to achieve this truce?"

Kay paused for a long while. After mulling it over in his head, he came across several pros and cons to agreeing to this truce trade. Would he choose to accept the truce? Or would he choose the war instead? Truthfully, he didn't know what kind of answer he would give to Gollog at the moment. With nothing else to go on, Kay decided to dig for some extra information. "I dunno man. Killing people is pretty wrong anyway."

"How so?" Gollog asked, sounding confused. "You didn't seem reluctant when fighting my soldiers."

"Yeah, well, being an assassin is not my style anyway. If I didn't know you better, then I'd think you need my little monsters to clear out entire cities of its citizens that have pretty unscrupulous opinions of you. It would leave you in the clear while the public fed on the fear of being infested by my zerg. You would then comfort your people and give them an outlet of praise and worship. If anything, this truce would benefit you more than me."

Gollog nodded his head. "True."

"With that being said, this hit-list of yours must also include people of high interest to you. And, judging from your political and diplomatic standpoint, it comes to reason that those outside your influence would hold the most power. And it is power that YOU want for yourself only."

Gollog was silent.

"I'm afraid that this peace trade is not going to come to pass." Kay said, sighing and folding his arms.

Gollog furrowed his brow. "What makes you say that? Does this mean that the bug-man beast-master has his own morals to look after?"

Kay shook his head. "No. I merely have an impossible request."

Gollog blinked. "A-and that is?"

Kay took a breath and sighed. "In our first conversation, I asked you if you could get me off of this world. You're face scrunched up something fierce after you processed that question. From that expression alone, I deduced that you had no intention, or no knowledge on how, to do it. But it is my only request. Even now, I can see from your expression alone that such a request cannot be done."

Gollog stared at Kay for a long while. "... You really are intent on trying to leave Kiln, aren't you?"

Kay nodded.

Gollog looked at the ground, as though he was trying to find his answers. He then looked back up at Kay. "May I speak plainly?"

Kay nodded again to allow Gollog to explain, folding his arms behind his back.

Gollog breathed in before speaking. "You see, Kay. Every gilanian here is a descendant of a prisoner. The precursor gilanians founded this world and remodeled it to be the perfect place to store their war criminals, their mass murderers, and their tyrant lords. I believe they created a special type of veil around our world to prevent us from escaping its orbit. I heard tales of test subjects that were tied to metal chains in sealed suits and being cast into the inky blackness, only to disappear into this void. When they retrieved the test subjects, they found that the places on their body that the dark veil they had touched was completely dissolved. It was like they grated against several impossibly sharp blades that sliced their flesh perfectly. Almost as though a perfectly sharp biscuit puncher was used onto their bodies. We have tried to escape our world several times, but we found no purchase each time we attempted to leave."

Kay frowned as he was told this story. He was feeling a small amount of sympathy for Gollog. Kay felt like he knew what it meant to be a prisoner to something, but he can't tell why that was. Kay chalked up that feeling to a byproduct of damaged memories and amnesia.

After that long-winded explanation, Gollog changed his expression to one of royal demeanor. "So, Kay. If I cannot offer you freedom, then what else would you want?"

Kay stood silently before deciding on his answer. "Nothing from you. If you can't help me, then I'll find my own way out." Kay said, turning around and going back to the nydus worm he arrived from.

Gollog frowned and growled. "WE ARE NOT DONE TALKING!" This stopped Kay, which prompted him to turn around and face Gollog again, but with an annoyed expression. Gollog waited a few seconds more before speaking. "Think about this carefully. If you really want to be left alone, then all you really have to do is kill a whole city of people. Far west from here, there is a citadel called Gargantua. If you can slaughter everyone there, both men, women and children, then I will allow you your deserved peace."

Kay really wanted to smile a shit-eating grin in front of the gilanian emperor. However, he didn't when he said his next sentence. "Blow it out your ass, Gollog. I said that I want nothing from you except unless it's a means to escape this world. Since you couldn't even provide that, then I have nothing else to say to you. Tyrannical scum like you are always the type to try and buy an easy victory. Well, the zerg, as I have said before, cannot be bartered with." Kay said, turning around and leaving for the nydus worm again.

A blast of heat penetrated into Kay, and he felt pain at an unimaginable degree. After five seconds of this pain coursing through Kay's body, Kay doubled over once the flash of fiery sensations was over. He rolled over, and saw Gollog standing over him with an energy casting pistol in his hand. Gollog shook his head as he stood over Kay, looking as though he was disappointed. "I have been very patient with you, Kay. But now, that patience has ran dry."

Kay wriggled on the creep covered sand. He coughed a few times before getting back on his knees weakly.

"I will no longer hold myself back. Damn the hidden village, and damn the beasts that you command. You have payed me disrespect for the last time. Now die." Gollog said, putting the energy pistol to Kay's head.

The pistol was shot out of Gollog's hand by a row of spikes that shot out of the ground. However, they did nothing when they passed through Gollog. He stumbled backwards as these spikes poked through his feet and legs, but he still stood tall and he only emoted annoyance, rather than pain. Still, Kay had to give thanks to the lurkers positioned near the nydus worm. That was when the nydus worm also started vomiting other zerg organisms. Zerglings, roaches, and hydralisks poured out of it, and they assailed Gollog. The zerglings surrounded and savagely attacked Gollog from all sides, while the roaches and hydralisks formed a ring around gollog and fired their spit and spines at him. Even still, Gollog only looked as though he was becoming more annoyed as he was attacked by the zerg that were defending their commander. Kay took the chance to crawl away from his attacker, and stepped behind the line of roaches and hydralisks.

Gollog held his hands out. "I SUMMON FORTH MY DIVINE SWORD AND DAGGER!" Smoke appeared on his hands, which instantly formed blades he seemed to have summoned out from nowhere, and he used them to start attacking the zerglings around himself. His blades had an unusual sharpness to them, as a single strike cleaved through several zerglings effortlessly, killing them in one attack. The zerglings may have contained Gollog in the center, and that the roaches and hydralisks were doing their best to kill the emperor from a distance, yet they seemed to be doing no form of lasting damage to him.

Kay watched Gollog kill droves of his zerglings, and he stared at awe after a few seconds. Half a minute passed before Kay decided to say something. "... Fucking hell. This is getting us nowhere."

Gollog swung his sword and dagger with incredible speed, using deliberate strikes to strike down the smothering horde of zerglings that filled his vision with claws, teeth, and more claws. Gollog grunted. "I SUMMON FORTH MY DIVINE POWER! QUICKEN MY ATTACKING SPEED!" After Gollog had exclaimed that, he began cutting down zerglings even faster than before. In fact, he was killing them so quickly that the number of zerglings arriving were having a hard time replacing their slain brothers! Another nydus worm was now trying to burst from the ground, which provided more zerglings that would hopefully kill this insufferable enemy. Gollog was already making his way to the ring of roaches and hydralisks that kept trying to take him down to no avail.

 _'Virid. Send in nearby air combat strains in this area. ANY air combat strains!'_ Kay telepathically sent.

It was at this point that the flying zerg organisms started entering the fray. Specifically, the mutalisks. They screeched as they heard the call of their master and polluted the airspace with their numbers. Glaive wurms filled the air as they spun down toward Gollog to assail him, their spinning, and acid drenched, blades exploded into life as they tried to harm the emperor. But even such an attack was useless against Gollog as he kept waylaying the zerg on the ground. After noticing this sudden trend of glaive worms flying through his intangible torso, Gollog threw his knife upward. "I SUMMON FORTH A DIVINE SPIRIT TO GUIDE MY DAGGER! SLAY THESE AIRBORNE FOES!" The dagger took on a life of its own and began zipping around at a blinding speed. But even with air support, their efforts did little to slow down Gollog as the mutalisks were cut down by a blade that flitted around madly and quickly, like a demonic bird with scalpels for talons, wielded with surgical precision.

Kay slowly shook his head as he stared at the 'immortal' emperor fighting his zerg forces. He had no way to plan or counter against such an attack. "How the fuck am I supposed to kill this guy?!" This kept going on for another minute until Gollog decided that he was done wading through the swarm of zerglings, roachs, and hydralisks. He had finally decided to try his hand at slaying the apparent leader of the swarm once more. Kay noticed the emperor coming to him at a fast pace and quickly backed away as Gollog's sword came dangerously close to slicing his carapace armor. Gollog was insanely fast, and Kay was having a difficult time tracking his sword swings and other melee strikes.

Gollog started off with a flurry of quick strikes, two horizontal slashes, a rising vertical cut, and a quick roundhouse. Kay tried to trip up Gollog with a sweeping kick and quick stabbing jabs with his bone wings, but it simply opened him up to Gollog's counterattack, since Kay's own attacks merely fazed through the emperor. Kay was beaten with the hilt of Gollog's sword multiple times before his limbs were being removed methodically. Before Kay even knew it, he was arm-less, wing-less, and had only one leg to hobble on. Kay made a strategic jump toward the nydus worm, and he hoped that the spine and spore crawlers could at least slow Gollog down. But once Gollog caught Kay by the leg as he almost entered the nydus worm, Kay instantly had a realization.

After being slammed onto the creep covered ground, Gollog pointed his sword to Kay's neck. The arriving zerg organisms and the spine crawlers tried to take down the immortal emperor, but their attacks were still useless. Gollog stood over Kay victoriously, and his smile became predatory and wide. "You have struggled long enough. This fight was prolonged longer than I had thought, but I shall now cease your life. In the twilight of your mortal existence, I shall allow you to part with your last words."

Kay smiled and laughed weakly. "Heh heh heh heh heh."

Gollog cocked his head and furrowed his brow.

Kay's forehead immediately flashed light as lightning crackled forward, forming into what looked like an energy blast. The blast jumped between different locations in the air, and cracking sounds could be heard splitting the wind, making it smell of ozone. Gollog stepped back and looked around frantically, his form seeming to flicker for a bit. "WHAT?!"

An overlord that was overhead dropped down and picked up Kay with its pincers. Kay continued to laugh weakly as he was carried. "Heh heh heh. I understand why I can't kill you now."

Gollog looked up at Kay, which was hanging from the pincers that held him. Gollog took a step forward toward Kay. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

Kay smirked and craned head. "I'll tell you, you goddamned idiot. I didn't figure it out until you came closer to my bio-structures, and it was just then that I realized what was happening. You keep saying that you are immortal, but you are actually using cloaked, floating devices that is projecting your physical body in front of me. They project your physical presence and make it possible for you to affect material objects, like my zerg or my body for example. To put it simply, I attacked your projectors and limited your physical presence in the material realm."

Once an overseer flew into the crowd of mutalisks, they directed their glaive wurms to attack the flying dagger that had felled many mutalisks. Even the hydralisks joined in neutralizing the dagger, and did so with collective success. Gollog's eyes beamed with rage and contempt, turning away from Kay to witness the destruction of his flying dagger. Gollog turned back to stare at Kay with murderous intent. "EVEN IF YOU DESTROYED ALL OF MY DREAM-LIGHT HOVER-BOTS, I WILL NEVER REST IN MY PURSUIT TO KILL YOU AND ALL OF YOUR ZERG! MARK MY WORDS, AND MARK THEM WELL, BUG-MAN BE-"

A hydralisk destroyed the final dream-light hover-bot, which was inside of the projected body of Gollog. Kay shook his head, happy that the loud voice that emanated from Gollog was finally silenced. "Fuck, you're loud."

 _'Kay, you are wounded. Return to the underground hive cluster, and I will tend to your injuries.'_ Virid said from the comfort of the underground village.

"Pfft. Tis but a scratch." Kay replied. He mentally gestured to the overlord carrying him to put him into the nydus worm's maw.

 _'You need to be more careful in your future battles, Kay. If you suffered any more damage during that fight, then the main hive will have to repair your broken body.'_

Kay could feel his limbs growing back, forming little miniature versions of the hands and feet he lost. He paused, however, when Virid brought up an important detail just then. "You sounded as though you don't care whether I lived or died during that battle. That makes you way more impassive than normal, Virid."

 _'I wouldn't need to care. You base swarm instincts would have forced you to deep-burrow to the first hatchery structure, where you could regenerate to your full health. Even if your body was completely incinerated, your memories and DNA would form again within a new body that would develop inside the hive.'_

Kay paused slightly longer. "... Well NOW you tell me."

 _'I also noticed that you used an energy based attack just then. Is your psionic abilities returning?'_

Kay shook his head and sighed. "Actually, I don't really know how that happened. That was sort of a... 'spur of the moment' scenario, I guess. I did summon energy blasts, yes, but I can feel a headache coming on. I think I might have exerted myself, actually."

PANIC!

A wall of light descended downward and made contact with the sandy ground. From the perspective of every zerg organism, Kay could see that the wall of light encompassed three times the area of the reestablished zerg territory. Zerglings tried to pass through the wall of light, but they disintegrated similarly to the beams of destruction from yesterday, which had also eradicated many zerg organisms. Kay also noted that the wall of light was quickly approaching forward. Even roaches and infestors trying to burrow-move past the wall died and cooked quickly. _'Then I recommend returning to the underground village before you overexert yourself again. Or before that wall of light reaches you.'_ Virid said simply.

Kay nodded, then entered the nydus worm quickly after. All other zerg organisms that were on the ground hurriedly returned to the nydus worms, whilst the zerg organisms that were outside the wall had to continue with their respective missions on foot. The flying zerg organisms at the center of his territory, if Kay was correct, would be unable to survive the conical laser bombardment.

The laser wall was greatly slanted since it originated from the sun. By Kay's estimation, the wall would close into the zerg territory by midday. Thankfully, the laser wall didn't reach the hatcheries and zerg organisms that were below ground, but Kay was unsure if the underground village was safe from this kind of attack. Once Kay was fully healed, he knew he had to tell Kragnon the bad news.

He also wondered if Johnny was doing alright. But he already knew that he was doing well, because of the zerg hivemind psionic network connection. Johnny was enjoying the lavish lap of luxury, living it up with spiced krell-egg salad, chilled flavored drinks, and all the while being watched and protected by Baroness Tak.

Kay would love to be pampered like Johnny, instead of being cooped up in this fiery war-zone.

* * *

 **A/N: Now we know of some of the capabilities of Emperor Gollog. And then some. Yikes.**


	25. Ring of Fire

**Chapter 25: Ring of Fire**

* * *

Several zerg queens surrounded a wounded creature. It struggled as the queens fussed over and held it down as they tried to do what was only natural. Kay, on the other hand, was not enjoying this treatment. "Virid! When you said that you would heal my wounds when I returned, I didn't expect all these other queens to join in!"

Kay was pressed down as he was sprayed with healing fluids produced from the nearby queens. One of them spoke. "The laser wall is going to dismantle our established territory on the surface. We must proceed with urgency."

What would normally have taken a few minutes for Kay's body to restore itself, the queens, and Virid, had shortened that time to several seconds. Those seconds would have been even fewer if Kay didn't struggle as much. Once the queens were done, Kay stood up and wiped the transfused fluids off of his carapace. His arms, wings, and leg, had fully grown back to what they normally looked like, completely healed from Gollog's unusually strong slashing attacks. After experimentally clenching his new hands and flexing his new wings, Kay huffed. "I was hoping we had more time. I wanted Corvurn to see what was wrong with the infected overlord."

Virid crawled up to Kay as the queens left to tend the bio-structures and other zerg organisms. Virid bowed. "Corvurn had already left our hive-cluster base on another overlord. He will meet with the infected overlord and travel to the hexagon moon. I believe it will be there that Corvurn will have all the peace he needs to analyze what you have referred as 'the anti-zerg contagion'."

Kay raised his eyebrow. "Oh. Kay. I was kind of worried that Corvurn would not have access to that infected overlord, due to the laser wall in the way. But that kind of raises another question. How far does this laser wall penetrate into the earth?"

Virid huffed. "Several meters. The nydus worms on the surface is getting roasted into oblivion, but everything else deeper below ground is safe."

Kay felt relief pouring into him. "By that much, huh? Oh! Well I'm kind of glad then. Good thing, that. Means we don't have to worry about our underground expansions getting too glassed."

"Gollog doesn't know that we are expanding underground."

Kay nodded his head and smirked. "Then we'll just have to speed up our underground expansion efforts. Have the ultralisks assist the roaches in digging, and have them be guarded with banelings in case we encounter a shryik serpent nest, or a territory belonging to them. Also, the banelings would be very helpful in getting rid of debris without risking a tunnel or cavern collapse, so I suggest using them."

Virid nodded and bowed. "Our accelerant production may recede slightly, but it shall be done."

"Well there's that, but there is also one more issue to deal with."

Virid tilted her head. "And what is that?"

Kay sighed, turning around and approaching the underground tower. "We have to tell Kragnon about the situation we are in."

* * *

"Gods-damn it, Kay." Kragnon said, face-palming and laying his face on the table in the council room. Kay had ran through the stairways and met up with Kragnon to alert him of the deteriorating situation. It would have been so much easier to infest Kragnon and give him the information by telepathy, but some people would insist on prefering to not become an infested zerg organism. After finding Kragnon in the council chamber and explaining the situation to him, he seemed... more strained than usual.

But Kay shrugged and shook his head, sitting across from Kragnon. "I know that it's a bit sudden, but please know that you might have to be moved when the time comes. You are clearly an important piece to this war, and I can't let you die because of the possibility of Gollog wanting you alive, or something else relating to you."

Kragnon sighed, then gestured toward Kay. "Kay. Let me give you this analogy. You have disrespected Emperor Gollog several times now, and each time you expect nothing bad to occur afterwards. But instead, you're actions, mannerisms, and behavior to Gollog is very much like a man disrespecting a god. Provided, Gollog might not be a god, but I do believe that Gollog is simply not someone you'd want to cross without expecting serious repercussions."

Kay sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Now you tell me."

Kragnon stared at Kay for a fifth of a minute before sighing. "But with that said, you seem to be incredibly competent with his powers."

"Competent? I don't have a defense against his beamy sun attack thing."

"I know I know. BUT." Kragnon said, raising a finger to Kay. "You have been doing a lot of excavating and creating a lot of underground tunnels recently. You have completely avoided getting yourself cornered in this scenario."

Kay had suddenly fell backwards in his chair. "Gh! You... Knew about that?"

"Well of course. I saw your little monsters dig and swim through the sand like water, so it's to be expected that you would gain new territories by expanding your nests further underground. I don't mean any disrespect to you, but you are about as bad as a shryik serpent infestation in your tactics, but much more dangerous in your prolific breeding and lethal abilities. The fact that you can replace your lost units using what little resources you can scrounge up from the dead, or even the metal of their technology, or through the processes of your unique zerg nature and however a manifestation altar incorporates into it, you have definitely proven yourself to be more of a threat to this world than Gollog ever could."

Kay stood up and set the chair he had fallen from upright, then looked at Kragnon. "So... Does this mean you don't cotton to my zerg tactics?"

Kragnon pleaded his fingers and leaned forward. "The gilanian people have to decide their own fates, after they realize that the system of living that they are being subjected to is disastrous for our culture. Hundreds of years of history has determined that a tyrant in power would lead to folly and destruction. Gollog is about as dangerous an enemy as they come, and he will stop at nothing to gain everything with the support of the population backing him. But then, there is you."

Kay felt like he didn't like where this was going. "Me?"

"You don't need the voice of the gilanian people to draw on. You have your zerglings, your Virid, your Corvurn, and your... your other zerg creatures. They have displayed a power several times over that could thwart Gollog's army, despite their animalistic tendencies and surprising lack of technology. It's obvious to me now that, if you'd wanted, I and everyone on Kiln would be hunted to extinction.

"But I know you well enough, Kay." Kragnon said, sighing. "You seem like the kind of guy that wouldn't go out of his way to kill someone if it was either an accident that had set you off, or when an apology was given after the transgression. That, and you seem like the kind of guy that can also keep most of his promises. With that said, I only want to know one thing."

"... What is that?" Kay asked.

Kragnon leaned forward. "Do I need to take my jaw cleaner with me once we begin our escape?"

Kay snorted and smiled. "I think preparing a bug-out bag might be a good idea for you. But first, you might want to learn how to use a nydus worm."

Kragnon blinked. He looked as though he didn't like where this was going.

* * *

The wall of death that descended from the sun was slowly eating the sand and creep it moved over. Several scores and waves of zerg tried to run past the wall of laser, but they instantly turned to nothing the moment they entered the wall. The mutalisks and corruptors ascended, as though they believed that the sun itself was the cause for the zerg's current problem, and in such beliefs attempted to attack the sun itself. Kay would not know how far the air-strains would go, but their deaths were completely unavoidable.

Many of the many remaining ground strains had to retreat to the safety of the underground, using the nydus worms to transport themselves to the safety of the underground village. The ring of crawlers, both of the spine and spore varieties, were unable to maintain their positions, or use the established nydus worms. They uprooted themselves and scuttled to the only entrance into the underground, which was the red cave next to the freshwater spring.

Several of the spine and spore crawlers rushed into the cave, but there were simply too many that were trying to find refuge from an inescapable fate. Even the roaches tried to widen the tunnels that allowed the crawlers a means for a safe passage, which allowed the crawlers to trickle through the tunnels more and more. But it was already too late. Less than a quarter of the crawler population survived, but the remaining three quarters perished as the laser wall closed over the tunnel and destroyed the entrance.

Midday quickly approached, and the crawler population on the ground suffered greatly. Even the flying organisms that tried to fly to the sun and fight it were quickly being killed as the laser wall contracted in size. Several of the flying zerg organisms died in a line in quick rapidity as the laser wall no longer became hollow, with the few remaining spine and spore crawlers dying simultaneously.

After the barrage of lasers had completely cleared away the spine crawlers, spore crawlers, the creep, and the bio-structures of the zerg, several desert platforms, dune boats, and sand-boarders from the Crescent Arms Division populated the immediate area. The sand-boarders had gas masks on their faces as they carried with them several seismic sensor javelins on their backs or in their arms. They jabbed these sensors into the ground, while the soldiers on the dune boats deployed automated turrets that had enough firepower to strike at any underground targets. Some of the arriving gilanians' armor were also colored strangely. The silver and blue uniformed soldiers, belonging to the Crescent Arms Division, were assisted by grey and yellow uniformed soldiers that were setting up unusual, elongated oval devices that seem to have a circular hole at one end. The grey and yellow uniformed soldiers bared the color scheme of the Torus Chain Division.

One of the soldiers on the field called out to the other soldiers. "Hang on, dudes. Sensor equipment is sensing jag movement. Notify command that there is still zerg infestation here."

"JAG OVER THERE! OPEN FIRE!"

A zergling poked its head out of the rubble in the mouth of the ruined red cave, which had sunken into the ground slightly. It quickly retreated when guns began firing, its face and eyes ruined by the sudden concentrated fire. Once the gilanians stopped their firing, they continued to set up additional sensors and automated turrets around the ruined cave entrance, turning it into a bottle-neck that would kill any small zerg organisms that would dare exit the partially destroyed passage.

"Looks like a blade hound still lived." "Command, be advised. The source of the zerg infestation is coming from underground. One of our men confirms that a blade hound emerged from what used to be a cave, possibly leading to an underground network." [Understood. Have the Torus Chain enforcers set up their defenses around any areas where the zerg organisms might pop up from. After that, an infiltration team consisting of magic armor specialists, assisted by magic siege wall tech, shall infiltrate into the cave entry point, which shall be dubbed 'Entrance 1'. Await further orders.] "Acknowledged, command. Over and out."

The gilanian soldiers had set up several sensors, automated turrets, and more of the elongated ovals near the ruined cave entrance that had turned into partial rubble. Other gilanians with heavy weapons took positions as they aimed their guns toward the ruined cave entrance, their keen eyes looking for any signs of zerg activity. A roach tried to exit the cave, but the plethora of turrets quickly killed the burrowing organism. It was obvious that this elite group of gilanians were meant to destabilize the established zerg territory and prevent their further growth.

A few minutes later, Kralluf, Faddoh, and another gilanian individual that was tall and wearing an intricate uniform, colored gray and yellow with a design similar to Kralluf's armor, entered the scene. Kralluf and the newcomer coughed a few times, whilst Faddoh shook his head. "Kralluf, Ralkan, I told you two to wear the safety breathers."

"GHUH~! Smells like the inside of a burnt shryik serpent's asshole!" Kralluf exclaimed.

"Language, Kralluf. *COUGH*" The one who was supposedly named Ralkan said.

Kralluf turned to Ralkan, baring his teeth and rolling his eyes. "Kiss my cloaca and fuck right off."

Faddoh face-palmed, using his mechanical hands that would smack onto his LED face, making it static a little. "Ooohhh, I knew it was a bad idea to put you two together. What was Pallax thinking?"

Ralkan shook his head, then gestured to the both of them. "Well we have this area contained, thanks to Emperor Gollog's divine wrath. I read your reports on these monsters, and have I got to say: They are fearsome foes."

Kralluf growled. "No shit, 'Detective Obvious'. They managed to muscle through the three thousand desert platform perimeter defense that was supposed to keep them contained. But somehow, the little monsters made short work of the defense in such a short time, and I have deeply receded in public interest because of it."

Faddoh shook his head. "Public interest should be of no concern to you. Especially when you can recreate the desert platforms with the oversized manifestation altars I had recently invented. It shouldn't be a problem for you to supply more desert platforms for your soldiers, Kralluf."

Kralluf faced Faddoh and pointed at his LED face. "First off, motherfucker, that damn thing takes too much energy to operate, and I would need to resort to outsourcing power from the neighboring settlements for it to operate fully. Secondly, there has been an influx of gilanian espionage agents that have been trying to get into our ranks and trying to figure out what the hell is happening at Red Mountain. Our prolonged involvement here is becoming a topic of discussion for both newscasters from our empire, and nonaligned gilanian factions. We can't pretend that the zerg are just some animals anymore! They are guided by their bug-man beast-master named Kay, and we need to exterminate them, and him, now!"

Ralkan shook his head and stepped forward. "Kralluf, please be patient. The Torus Chain Division will ensure that this area is properly contained." Ralkan said, trying to reassure the commander of the Crescent Arms Division.

Kralluf turned back to Ralkan and sneered. "Then I wager a hundred gallons that something new and ugly will come out of that cave before the day is even over."

Ralkan chuckled softly whilst Faddoh got between him and Kralluf. "Don't forget that my research team has ended up dead due to their valiant sacrifice in sending us vital information on these monsters." Kralluf said. "They are very adaptable, and we must be cautious on whatever attack that we employ against them. Chances are, they will try and double their efforts in a counter-attack, and we must predict whatever counter-attack they might employ against us. If we keep that in mind, then our focused efforts here will surely eradicate this foe."

Ralkan nodded knowingly, while Kralluf snorted and turned away from Faddoh and Ralken. "My operations have gone on long enough here anyway. Once Pallax sends me off somewhere, I'll be happier for it." Growled Kralluf.

"Hey! Can you issue a ceasefire?! I want to talk to you guys!" A voice shouted.

A clawed hand reached out of the ruined cave entrance, waving slowly and trying to catch the attention of those around itself.

A soldier saw the clawed hand. "ZERG JAG!"

Bullets started flying at the cave entrance. Kralluf turned around and shouted. "CEASE FIRE! CEASE FIRE!"

After half a minute of weapons ceasing their firing, the same clawed hand came back out and waved again. "Uh... Are you cease-firing now?! I don't want to get a bullet in my face if this becomes a useless gesture!"

Kralluf, Ralkan, and Faddoh blinked a few times. Kralluf turned to one of his nearby officers. "Set a no-fire zone of ten meters diameter in front of Entrance 1, and program that into the automated turrets."

One of Kralluf's officers nodded and ran with purpose, whilst Ralkan stared angrily at Kralluf. "Kralluf! What are you doing?!"

"The enemy zerg leader is a smart one, Ralkan." Kralluf explained. "Plus, when he wants to talk, he won't be too committed to attack someone unless he's been intentionally attacked first. At least, I believe in that theory to some degree." He looked over to where one of his officers was performing his task. It looks like he already told the turret programmer to input new firing conditions to their turrets. After being given a thumbs up from his officer, Kralluf nodded and turned to the cave entrance that had been turned to slightly more rubble. "ALRIGHT KAY, HERE'S THE DEAL! THE TURRETS HAVE GIVEN YOU A NO-FIRE ZONE OF TEN METERS DIAMETER IN FRONT OF YOUR DOORSTEP! DEVIATION FROM YOUR PROVIDED NO-FIRE ZONE WOULD RESULT IN HEAVY REPERCUSSIONS! UNDERSTAND?!"

A bone-winged zerg organism popped his head out from the rubble, and then cleared a way in the rocks so that he could walk toward Kralluf. Or at least as close as he could get before he would get shot by the turrets. He then stood there, waving his hand. "Hello there!"

"That's the bug-man beast-master?" Ralkan pointed out, seemingly impressed by the turn of events, and impressed by seeing the supposed co-commander of the zerg swarm with his own eyes.

Kralluf stepped forward and stood five meters away from the zerg organism. After breathing in deeply and sighing, Kralluf grunted. "Well, here we are again. Is there something you want to discuss with us?"

"Sure." Kay said. "Gollog is a completely clodded scummy cunt anyway."

Kralluf reared his head back and stared, as though perplexed at Kay' insult. "... I think that's the first time I ever heard that kind of insult directed at Emperor Gollog."

"Well, he did torch the entirety of my creep fields, and now I am completely without any surface forces to chase you guys out of my property. I think I am well within the right to badmouth him." Kay said, crossing his arms.

Kralluf scoffed. "Well you certainly have a certain dislike for him, that's for sure."

Kay leaned to his side and he saw two other commanders. He raised his hand and called to them. "Hey! Can I talk with you guys too?! Come over, and I promise I won't bite you!" Faddoh mechanically strode over, sporting new copper armor plates and appearing to have a new weapon on his left arm. Ralkan walked behind Faddoh, and was careful in his approach. Once they were closer, Kay nodded. "Good, good. Now that I have all three commanders of the different branches lending me their ears, I guess we can discuss this peace trade in a civilized manner."

"Peace trade?!" Kralluf barked. Faddoh and Ralkan looked at each other in surprise.

Kay nodded. "Yeah. Is it really that odd that I want to have a peace trade? Hmm. Anyway, Gollog tried to offer me a peace trade. But his attempt to broker a truce failed, since he didn't have the means to grant my only desire that I wanted to trade for, at the time."

Ralkan peered from Faddoh's bulky copper armor, a concerned look on his face. "I didn't know Emperor Gollog tried to offer you a truce."

Kay smiled at Ralkan and Faddoh. "Oh. I do believe this is the first time we met, right? You must be Faddoh, and you must be Ralkan. Kay. Good to meet you finally."

Ralkan huddled behind Faddoh, whilst Faddoh crossed his arms and furrowed his LED brow. "How do you know about us? Do you have some means of access to the information network?"

Kay clapped his hands and smiled. "I do, actually. Found an amazing amount of cool stuff I learned from your culture. Also, a lot of useless stuff that doesn't interest me. Apparently, there are 55 populated areas whose populations are inhabited by gilanians? ... Ahahah, well... Technically 54, since I now inhabit the underground village of the Hidden Water Spring Tribe. Apparently, Gollog has been trying to find this place, yet had the misfortune of coming across me of all people."

Faddoh and Ralkan remained silent, staring wide-eyed at the bipedal zerg organism. Kralluf grumbled and started speaking again. "So that's how you learned of our defenses. Information gathering from our network. Sounds like there is an underground cable that connects to a proxy transmitter somewhere."

"More or less." Kay said, shrugging.

"Care to explain the 'more or less' part in that statement?" Kralluf questioned.

"And give away my only advantage to learning about the cultures of this world? No thanks." Kay said, crossing his arms again.

Kralluf huffed. Faddoh decided to cut into the conversation. "Well, can you tell us about your 'zerg culture' then? Assuming that you even have one."

Kay mulled it over for a few seconds before nodding. "I guess I can tell you a little bit about the zerg. To start us off, the zerg fly from planet to planet, eating the resources of each world and infesting the living organisms on them. The zerg search for DNA that can improve our different zerg castes. They are generally a freaky, creepy, and horrifying bunch of collective organisms that strives for the journey of genetic perfection, and we do that by pitting ourselves into hostile environments, war zones, and hazardous conditions."

"Planet? A world other than Kiln?" Faddoh said aloud, putting a copper hand to his chin. "But the veil prevents intruders from entering our planet's orbit, and the veil also prevents anyone of this world from leaving our planet's orbit. How did you get here?"

Kay hand-waved. "Oh, some stupid scientists or whatever saved my ass, and my zerg organisms broke me and themselves out of their research facility. It's thanks to them that a zerg organism turned me into who I am now, but that's enough explanation about my history on this world. Can we go back to discussing about a possible truce, or maybe have a peace trade instead?"

Faddoh and Ralkan looked at each other in further confusion. Kralluf sighed. "What the hell do you want for the peace trade?"

Kay smiled and nodded. "I think we can make a bargain. Give me some space and let me figure out on my own on how to leave your planet. Do that for me, and I won't kill everyone on this world."

Kralluf and Ralkan stepped back, but Faddoh simply chuckled. "Ha ha ha ha ha~! Such a strange thing to trade! We wouldn't be able to profit from such a bargain! How about we offer a bargain of our own, yes? Here's my haggle. Allow one of your creatures to be in my care, for harmless study purposes you see, and I will pull my forces out of your territory."

Kralluf came up to Faddoh and punched his shoulder. "Are you fucking mad?! There's no way we're going to let him and his zerg monsters do the fuck they want while we do nothing!"

"That is correct, Kralluf."

Faddoh, Ralkan, and Kralluf turned to see their emperor walking towards them. Kay was surprised by this turn of events. He instantly changed his tone to callous anger. "And you're back." Kay said, scowling. "Didn't know you had more of those projectors available to you."

Gollog snarled. "They are my dream-light hover-bots, you floundering, repugnant insect."

"And you're a clodded scummy cunt" Kay retorted.

Gollog blinked a few times and paused for a couple seconds. "... What is a cunt?"

Kay rolled his eyes at the immortal emperor's response. "Well, that word has different uses. One, it can be used as a word of positive sense in a joking, jovial, even teasing, manner. But in the way I am using it, ho ho, think of it like the ultimate swear to use on special occasions. Like when you find someone you truly hate and despise."

Gollog's eyes widened and stared at Kay for a long time. He sighed and furrowed his brows some seconds afterwards. "I swear, every time we meet, you become worse with every dialogue exchange."

Kay raised his hand and pointed at Gollog. "Leave me alone like I had asked you to, and this wouldn't be happening."

Gollog shook his head, crossing his arms and tapping his opalescent gauntlet's fingers. "I'm afraid it is far to late to leave you alone now, Kay. I am already receiving reports of your zerg monsters running past and beyond the borders of your 'territory'. It's only a matter of time before we are overrun, and I must put a stop to you before that happens. With that said, however... DIVINE SMITE!" Gollog said, pointing at Kay. A beam of light, originating from Kiln's sun, struck Kay and made him disappear with an impressive flash of burning, bright light.

Kralluf, Faddoh, and Ralkan stepped back several feet as the blinding heat washed over the area. "Fucking damn, Gollog! Warn us before you vaporize someone!" Kralluf complained loudly.

Gollog turned to face Kralluf, who had exclaimed against the use of his holy powers. "I shall forgive your ignorant shouting, and order you to hunt down any and all zerg organisms that has escaped the smiting sweep. Faddoh, you are to put a forward base here, and try to gain as much information about the zerg. Ralkan, supply more defenses to this area. I don't want these monsters breaching our perimeter containment this time."

The three commanders bowed. "Yes my lord." "Yes my lord." "Yes my lord."

"That hurt."

All three commanders, and an emperor, hurriedly turned to see that Kay was completely okay! Gollog stared wide-eyed at the unharmed zerg organism. "...B. B. B-B-B-BUT I WATCHED YOU DISINTEGRATE!"

Kay crossed his arms. Kay was thankful that changelisks could be used as doubles that can perfectly mimic his image. "And since you tried to kill me again, my peace trade will not be given. I wanted all of you to take your time and leave before nightfall comes, but it looks like I will just have to unleash my fury."

Gollog smiled, chuckled, and then outright laughed at Kay. "HA HA HA HA HA, FURY!? You have NOTHING that can harm me! NOTHING! What makes you think you can amount ANY form of aggressive emotion to wound my immortality?!"

Kay opened his arms outward toward Gollog, staring intently at the emperor. "Then with rage as sharp as a razor, I will be the fiend that will rewrite your foundations."

A rumble could be heard below the ground. It grew and grew till it became an uproarious cacophony that prevented raised voices from being heard. Even a few of the sensors and automated turrets had fallen over during the earthquake. But it was no ordinary earthquake.

The rubble at the ruined cave entranced danced around, and then flew outward when the most dangerous monster in the zerg's current arsenal emerged from the cave, ruining its entrance even further. A hulking monster, the ultralisk, growled and rushed at the gilanian soldiers present. The soldiers saw the beast and screamed as they started to run away for their dear lives. The turrets barked noisily at the gigantic organism, but their stinging shots proved only to enrage the beast even further. Its Kaiser blades slashed forward at incredible speeds, knocking and cutting several of the turrets and seismic sensors down.

Gollog stepped back as he witnessed a new monstrosity before him. Kralluf and Ralkan had the right idea to make good on their escape and flee the immediate area, disappearing in the crowds that would retreat to their desert platforms. Faddoh stood still as he stared, perplexed, at the new zerg organism that he had not seen yet. "In...cre...di...ble..." Faddoh was promptly stomped on as he stood there, awestruck. He became flattened by the ultralisk's attack.

Once Gollog regained his senses, he pointed at the huge beast. "DIVINE SMITE!" Kiln's sun shot yet another beam of death, which struck the ultralisk's body. The damage was slower than normal, thanks to the chitinous plating that enabled it to live longer. It didn't flinch as it was being vaporized by the smiting beam as it continued to use its Kaiser blades on its nearest targets. The ultralisk continued its rampage for thirty more seconds before it was finally brought down. It gurgled its last breath before it slowly dissolved under the harsh light. After a heated battle that lasted for what felt like an eternity, Gollog turned to Kay with rage filled eyes.

Kay still had his arms spread wide open, and his expression was emotionless.

Gollog strode angrily forward and clasped his hands around Kay's neck. " _STOP BREAKING MY THINGS! STOP BEING SO DIFFICULT! STOP ACTING LIKE YOU'RE BETTER THAN ME! STOP IT!_ "

Kay looked down on Gollog, baring his teeth and growling. "You have chosen your fate poorly."

It was then that several ultralisks emerged from the hole in the ground that used to be the cave entrance. They all roared and stampeded forward, soon to be joined by more ultralisks and other zerg strains.

* * *

 **A/N: Ultralisks. Hell yeah. :3**


	26. Three-way Invasion

**Chapter 26: Three-Way Invasion**

* * *

Once the rampage of ultralisks filed out of the hole in the ground, Gollog used his smiting power to strike down the monsters with his holy smite attack as they came out. The gilanian perimeter had receded by five hundred meters as a result to the zerg's counter-offensive. No matter how much the ultralisks tried to amass an attack to the gilanian soldiers' established perimeter, Gollog would laser them before they got the chance. The soldiers were rallied into a tighter defensive perimeter, setting up their turrets to shoot at the incoming ultralisks, whilst setting up their elongated oval devices, only this time with several more than previously deployed, pointing toward the origin point of the zerg.

The ultralisks eventually stopped filing out of the cave, whereas creep and other zerg organisms were beginning to flow out instead. Smaller targets proved to be much more tedious for Gollog to target, and the zerg amassed their numbers to attack the newly established perimeter defense. The zerglings slammed into a flat, upright, invisible surface that seemed to shimmer static every time they made contact with it. The zergling's claws grazed and stabbed into this wall, but their attacks had little effect. Could this be the magic wall tech that Kay had heard about?

The magic walls prevented the zerglings to assail the soldiers on the other side, but they continued in their effort to fight off the perimeter containment. At least the turrets stopped firing once the walls had been erected. Soon, a drone had emerged from the hole in the ground and formed a cocoon around itself. It eventually morphed into a hatchery, and queens emerged from the hole in the ground to tend to it. Flying zerg organisms had recently hatched, and had the capacity to fly over the magic walls, but they were quickly hunted down by aerial-denying combat flyers once they hatched. But once the spore crawlers emerged from the hole in the ground, they started rooting themselves into reestablished creep and forced the combat fliers from attacking the airborne zerg organisms.

But after that, very little had changed between the empire soldiers' newly established defensive perimeter and the zerg's strategies. The zerglings tried to whittle down the magic wall to no avail, whilst the anti-air turrets were set up to take down or discourage overlords, mutalisks and corruptors. But in that moment, Kay decided to hold off on using his vipers and brood lords, deciding that using them in the immediate battle might rob the strategic surprise in future engagements later on.

The underground tunneling efforts, on the other hand, went on unchanged. The roaches would dig forward to test the soil and stone composition, making sure that the earth above them would not collapse on top of them. If there was enough hard earth that could be hollowed out, then the ultralisks would assist in the digging efforts, using their massive Kaiser blades to hollow out the compact soil and rock. New chambers would contain a new hatchery, plus a spore crawler or two, to help create more zerg organisms to assist the expansion efforts. When the resource tumors had finally reached far enough that their resource veins had stopped extending and growing under the creep, larger chambers were created to not only contain newly morphed hatcheries, but also a nydus network, resource tumors, spore crawlers, and a dedicated carbonation extractor.

The zerg tunnel network reached far down into the crust of Kiln, reaching 40-50 kilometers below the surface. A slight problem was discovered, however. Water. The zerg were reaching a depth in Kiln's earth to where water was becoming more and more abundant, signifying that the zerg had reached into the aquifer that supplied freshwater to the spring of Red Mountain. The creep was able to absorb much of the moisture and redistribute the water to other areas, yet there was already flooding occurring in the lowest tunnels and chambers that the zerg made. Moisture was not the problem for the zerg, since their hatcheries could be made to thrive underwater, and the creep and zerg organisms can adapt easily. The problem with the water was that it could be easily infested with the zerg hyper-evolutionary virus.

But the solution to that problem could be easily remedied. With nothing but a simple command, Kay simply willed for the zerg organisms to NOT produce the HEV into the underground water supply. Psionicly receptive bacteria and parasites were a major advantage to the zerg, but Kay was only targeting Gollog and those loyal to his empire. Indirectly attacking gilanians that were not aligned to Gollog would easily get caught in the crossfire, and infesting them would turn them into easily disposable casualties. Kay had no desire to infest everyone on Kiln, which would undoubtedly give some comfort to Kragnon, if only slightly.

There was also a certain changelisk that needed to be checked up on.

* * *

In the center of Gargantua, the citadel city that bridges the lands between desert and stone pillars, lays the baroness' palace. After given a tour of the place, Johnny found out that the palace grounds happened to be a 750 meter diameter property, enclosed in a tough, circular inner wall. The property contained 30 bathrooms, 25 guest bedrooms, 2 master bedrooms, 2 dining halls, one of which was private and the other exclusively used for parties, a massive larder, several kitchens, a boiler that supplied energy and clean water for the entire palace, a barracks for when the palace needed to be defended, and finally, a pristine pool that can have its temperature altered to be warm or cool.

Baroness Tak walked forward and passed her hand through the cool water in the pool, once the tour through the palace ended up outside and at the collection of crystal clear water. "See this pool? My private pool contains five thousand gallons of water. Much of the water is taken from the sewage treatment plants of Gollog's most favorite city, Empire Capital. Ever heard of distillation?" Tak said, turning to Johnny. "It's when you boil water and collect the steam and evaporation. That moisture would normally be bottled and distributed to the lower and middle classes in every home of that city, and all other cities and settlements that have an allegiance to Gollog. But long ago, they have discovered manifestation altar technology, and they use that technology to make as much water they could ever drink using those altars. Fresh, pure, vitalizing, virgin water that was never before tainted within their bowels. Long ago, gilanians used water for trade, since it is a rare resource on this desert world. But now, water is becoming more abundant as time passes, and becoming easier to access in this modern age."

Johnny, dressed in regal attire of greens, purples, and browns, stepped forward and trailed a hand in this pool, mimicking Tak's past action. "I had no idea that water was such a precious resource used in trade."

"It is a resource that enables other resources to become available." Tak said, nodding. "Everyone knows that life flourishes when there is an abundance of water to drink. This fact holds true for gilanians as well, and a population of flourishing gilanians produces a commodity that no leader, politician, and king could not do without."

Johnny took a moment to think of what that commodity might be. "... A workforce?"

Tak smiled. "Something similar to that, yes. A workforce could produce items that could help a population flourish more, or make items that are needed for trade to help other populations flourish. But those gilanians can also be useful as warriors, soldiers, and officers of command. Be it a workforce or a fighting regiment, both are idle hands that could be directed to assist the development of culture, and progress the evolution of society. That is the commodity, there. Idle hands. To become better than what we are now, we must put our idle hands to work, and build wondrous tools and weapons. Gollog recognized that commodity, and has already capitalized on it years ago. Since then, his empire grew, and is now threatening the other settlements to join his side, or risk destruction."

Johnny got up and turned to Tak. "... Does this mean he's threatened you before?"

Tak giggled. "Oh no no no! I pay him great respect every time he visits Gargantua! But the people here are very strained and weary of Gollog's politics. You either work yourself to the bone in an industry where mechanical hands would replace your job if you performed poorly, or be terminated if your work quota is insufficient. Gollog is even ensuing a breeding program that forces the gilanian people into a cast system, where the workers work faster, the soldiers fight harder, and the intelligent think smarter."

Johnny sighed. "So not only is Gollog enslaving the people to do his bidding, but he's also playing the matchmaker to line his profits further."

Tak sighed and nodded. "Yes. What is an immortal to a population of mortals? Nothing more but a figurehead of power. But a population of mortals to an immortal? Livestock. Expendable, but self-replenishing livestock."

Johnny paused for a little bit before turning to face Tak. "Which means you need my ability to build manifestation altars in order to gain a certain resource you need, rather than risk joining with Gollog as an alternative."

Tak smiled and patted Johnny on the shoulder. "Quick thinker, you. Recently, my suppliers that have been shipping me clean drinking water has ended up missing, or has told me that they have found 'other buyers'. Altar water is a rare resource, and I do believe everyone would love to taste or bathe in it, if given the chance to. But with that water comes the risk of inviting danger. After all, Gollog is not very keen on sharing his technology to those who are not aligned with him."

Johnny looked down, appearing thoughtful for a few seconds. When an idea came to his head, thanks to the zerg psionic hivemind connection, he smiled. "I think we can pull the wool over Gollog's eyes. Here's my idea: If we built manifestation altars underground, and have them activate when a false water pump above them is operated, we can create the illusion that even he would have difficulty seeing. There's nothing we can do with the vouchers that your city's population is using, but maybe we can provide a 'charity lottery' that chooses a few people at a time to give them special vouchers that can be traded for water?"

Tak placed a hand to her chin. "Hmm... An interesting idea, but judging from your suggestion, I doubt that you could build enough of these false pumps and manifestations altars very quickly. To supply water to an entire population for a city this size, you need several thousands of gallons of drinkable water provided daily."

"It's exceedingly simple." Johnny explained. "Once I have enough parts to build just one altar, I can use that altar to make parts to build more altars. There's a reason why they're called 'manifestation altars' after all."

Tak blinked a few times and huffed, sounding impressed. "I can see why Gollog wouldn't want anyone outside of the gilanian empire to get their hands on this technology. But anyway, I suppose now is time we get you situated. What do you need to create a manifestation altar?"

Johnny listed off the things he would need to Baroness Tak. "A big workplace, several transistors, atom generators, atom manipulators, atom recyclers, a stable power source, an influx battery, computer equipment, data compiler, a short range EMP emitter, and a hyper-fluid memory bag."

Tak seemed to have paled with the list of things that Johnny listed to her. "Nearly half of those are certainly exotic! Especially the hyper-fluid memory bag! My goodness!"

Johnny sighed. "We can focus on the hard-to-get stuff first. If necessary, we can procure raw resources to build some of the more advanced stuff, but the influx battery, data compiler, short range EMP emitter, and hyper-fluid memory bag are essential to creating a working altar."

Tak sighed and nodded. "I'll see what I can come up with. I'll have one of the guest rooms converted into your personal workshop, and move some equipment you might need into there. As for the more exotic items... I think I'll check the black market. It's been a while since I had been there last. Might profit from a visit."

Johnny nodded and smiled. "Fantastic. So... which guest room do you have in mind for me to work in?"

"A few rooms down from mine, same as your other guest room. That way, I'll be able to sleep no matter how much noise you make." Tak said, winking at Johnny.

"I would be ever appreciative of your assistance, my ladyship." Johnny said, bowing before Baroness Tak.

Tak smiled and rubbed Johnny's shoulder. "Oh I am going to enjoy the new toys you're going to give me."

* * *

The rest of Johnny's day ended up in an expected manner. One of the guest rooms that Johnny needed was converted into a workshop, and he gained the computer equipment, data compiler, and influx battery that he requested. The other uncommon items he would need would come later, since they were more difficult to gain, or more harder to produce. After acquiring the guest-room-turned-workshop as Johnny requested, Tak then went with her body guards to visit the black market. Wherever the black market is located, Johnny didn't know how to find it. Not that he needed to know where it was, for the moment.

But elsewhere, 80 kilometers southwest from the main hive cluster, a hive cluster without overlords, or flying zerg strains, were slowly spreading stealthily within Whisper Stones. Spore crawlers were moving and morphing just behind the edge of the spreading creep, whilst the spine crawlers either moved up or were morphed behind the spore crawlers. Zerglings were carefully placed behind the moving line of spine and spore crawlers, since their only purpose was to chase down fast-moving enemies that would scout the advancing zerg, and prevent them from warning their allies. The zerglings were fast on the ground, but they were only fast on the provided terrain. Creep could increase their speed, but the speed of sand-boarding gilanians would be hard foes to track in this dangerous environment.

The ruined research facility was abandoned long ago, the scientists, Faddoh, Hektar and Braif, already having absconded from the building. The zerg were cautious in approaching the structure, since the nydus worm that was made next to it was a dead giveaway in revealing the presence of zerg. Since Faddoh had somehow survived the attack at the research facility, it would only stand to reason that he would warn Emperor Gollog, or Commander Kralluf, about the incident.

But alas, before the zerg could expand their territory further, a gilanian in a set of golden, intricate, ornate armor with red accents and a cape, stepped out from behind a pillar and stood in the presence of the zerg. Kay recognized this individual as General Pallax. The zerglings started growling, expecting an attack.

The general of the four armies strode forward slowly with no visible weapons on his person. He continued approaching the slowly advancing lines of the zerg till he was but a step away from treading on creep. The zerglings growled and snarled as Pallax came very close to them. Even the spine crawlers whipped around in a frenzied state, threatening to deal horrendous damage if an altercation was made towards them.

The albino general, Pallax, slowly shifted his vision over the zerg organisms and frowned. He then reached up to touch the right side of his head. "Command, this is General Pallax, I am confirming that there is zerg presence at forward research site B-22."

[General Pallax, I highly advise that you should not scout the zerg territory on your own. It is too dangerous. Return to command, and we will send word to Commander Kralluf of this information. May you need an escort?]

"Nonsense, Deelob." Pallax said, leaning down to inspect one of the zerglings that haven't attacked yet. "I'm getting the impression that these creatures only attack if you give them a reason to. Can you remind me of one of the highlighted sections regarding 'possible zerg organism control methods'? Read the fourth highlight out loud for me."

[Uh... As you wish, sir.] Pallax was patient as he waited, watching a zergling in particular, which was the closest to him. [Right. I have it here, sir. Looks like it's an addendum to Faddoh's research. It states here that these creatures are very receptive to theta waves produced from neural oscillations. Apparently, Faddoh has theorized that these animals communicate through telepathy. If you don't mind my opinion, sir, I find that to be ridiculous.]

"A day ago, I would have believed you, Deelob." Pallax said, carefully reaching a hand out to gently pet the zergling's head. It continued to growl, but it did not attack still. "But from what I am witnessing... I think it's more of a means to leash these organisms from doing something stupid, instead of just direct communication between one another."

[What makes you say that, sir?]

"I just petted a blade hound. If it didn't have self control, then I'd theorize that it would have attacked me just now."

[... Sir, I HIGHLY recommend you exfiltrate from the area immediately!]

"Fine, fine. I'll take your recommendation. I need to do something first. Stand by." Pallax stood up, took slow paces backwards, and then talked directly to the zerg organisms in front of him. "I don't know if you can hear, or understand me, but I want you to know that I will defend these lands to my dying breath from any threat. By my command, as the general of the four armies, I will fend off any invading forces that dares cross this line."

Pallax then created a line in the sand with his feet. The zerglings growled lowly. It appeared as though they didn't like what the general was declaring.

Once Pallax made a wide line across the sand, he then pointed at the horde of zerg. "Stay behind this line, and we won't have any problems. If you do cross it, or continue to expand in this location... then I will have to bombard this entire area with particle missiles and destroy the mess your making. If you halt your expansion efforts here and now, I will consider that as agreement to my demands. I shall speak with your commanding... er... your master in charge tomorrow. That is, if he is available in that time frame. That is all."

Pallax then turned around and walked away.

Kay didn't like the fact that Pallax would use what he called 'particle missile' weapons against his zerg forces. He didn't know what that kind of weapon was, but Kay felt as though it could be similar to a thermonuclear nuke in terms of power, for all he knew. But even then... Kay shall entertain Pallax's request and stop the creep expansion at Whisper Stones. But for the purposes of friendly negotiation, certain boundaries had to be drawn. And the limit to that boundary was set as a line in the sand. But still, underground expansions could easily circumvent such restrictions.

Since it is obvious that the gilanian empire knows that the zerg are here, Kay might as well allow the flying zerg strains, and other larger zerg organisms, to run, fly, and play, in Whisper Stones.

* * *

Hektar and Braif were traveling in the warm afternoon, the temperature being at an all time high as they were carrying ruined equipment with them. Some of it still worked, but they still carried the broken tech on either a backpack, or placed of a sleigh that they dragged behind themselves. They had discussed earlier that they would sell the equipment to a buyer and make a profit, then use the vouchers to purchase the vehicles they needed to go back to their respective homes.

But they also counted themselves lucky. Kay saw it fitting to spare the two of them since they were quick to denounce their loyalty to Gollog and his empire. They itched the back of their heads every now and then, but they continued, blissfully unaware and still glad that they were spared from being killed.

But their luck didn't hold out for long when they were suddenly assailed by sand-boarders. Six of them came out of hiding behind stone pillars and quickly surrounded them, hooting, waving their capture nooses around, and circling around Hektar and Braif at dangerous speeds. They wore ragged leather armor that had several makeshift spikes adorning their shoulder pauldrons, chest armors, and helmets. Kay did not know who these gilanians are, but Hektar and Braif seemed to know, since they placed their backs together.

"We got sum smurt ones, Jemmy!" "Rope em'!"

Both Hektar and Braif were assailed by the capture nooses of the new gilanian party. It wasn't too long that they had their hands and legs tied firmly together that prevented their escape. They were also blinded by bags that were pulled over their heads, and they had the bags tied tightly around their necks. Once they were contained, the sand-boarders carried them off somewhere that Hektar or Braif had never seen before. After half an hour's travel, the sand-boarder's prisoners were transported to a cave that had a leather awning above the entrance. The cool air within the cave did little to ease Hektar and Braif.

The inside of the cave contained several boxes of resources, either food or tech that was looted or stolen from somewhere. There were several other gilanians that were watching over the merchandise and taking inventory of their haul. After traveling through a winding tunnel, Hektar and Braif were set down and propped up to rest in a sitting position. The gilanians that captured them decided to talk.

"Boss Ponpon. We nabbed some gits we saws traveling in the pillar forest. Reckon we take em to the drain machine?" One of them asked.

A booming, bass voice sounded as though he was sneering. "Hmm... Looks like a very healthy catch."

"We gon drain them, boss?"

"Perhaps. I need to find out some things first." Hektar and Braif felt a presence draw close to them, and the bass voice drawled more nearer to them. "You two seem to have nicer clothes than most folk in this neighborhood. Where did you come from?"

"Uh..." Hektar spoke. "We came from a research facility southeast from here. It was overrun with dangerous animals, so my research partner and I decided to cut our losses and get back to civilization. We've been walking since last night."

The bass voice snorted. "Research facility? Doing what? Looking at shryik serpent peckers?"

Hektar shook his head. "No, not something as dangerous as that. Something else. Something even more dangerous. However... It was a secret project, and I'm afraid I can't reveal what I, or my partner, had discovered there."

"If you don't tell me what it is, then I will have to punish you."

Hektar snorted. "So you're also a slave-master now? Funny. I always thought I would never meet one in my life."

"That remains to be seen." A slap happened across Hektar's face, making him groan. "I'll give you one last warning. Tell me what you have been researching, and I will ensure your safety."

Hektar was hesitant to ask. "If you'll give us your word, will you help us get back to civilization?"

"Cross my heart. You already heard my name just now, correct?"

Hektar nodded. "Yeah. Ponpon, the 'Gentle Giant'. Third-most notorious slave-master in the southern hemisphere."

"I would normally agree with you, but that is a very biased list in my opinion. I believe it would declare me as the second-most now. Gnarlac, the Blood Drinker, had already been apprehended by Gollog's empire soldiers. He was executed two weeks ago. As for the 'current bandit lord' at number one on the list, the no-named gilanian known by his nickname as 'Zero Wind' is still at the top."

"Let me guess." Hektar said. "You would willingly announce that Gollog is number one on that list, judging from how you veiled your statement when you verbally pronounced the words 'current bandit lord' and 'Zero Wind', if I were to guess what you implied with those quotations?"

"Give this man a prize. Judging from the way you veiled your analysis, you must be one of those empire folk. It would explain the nicer clothing on your backs, and your careful vernacular for avoiding any disrespect to your bastard bandit lord."

Hektar sighed. "So you already knew who we used to worked for?"

"Yes. I may be living the high life of obscenity and survival out here, but I am not stupid either. How about we make a deal?"

"A deal?"

"Give me everything you own, the classified data and your belongings. If you do, then I will be sure to transfer you to civilization, unharmed."

"And my partner traveling with me?"

"She will go with you too. She looks like a fine specimen, but you and her have been secretly polluted by Gollog's bastard hands. Micro-machines, you see. If we killed you and drained your fluids, the micro-machines would form beacons in our veins and attract the law enforcement of your empire to this location, and our position here would be compromised. The micro-machines we would have imbibed from your fluids would embed into our intestines and veins, also becoming a beacon to every vigilante and police officer for miles and miles. In fact, having you here is a risk to our temporary camp anyway, so we have no choice but to assist you out of this location."

Hektar paused. "Oh! Well uh... That's a relief and a surprise."

"But we will have to perform a neural disruption procedure first."

"Uh... Is that really necessary?!"

"If you had taken off the bags on your head, then I'm afraid so. I can't have people knowing where one of my bandit camps is located after all!"

"Boss Ponpon, they didn't see our bandit hideout." A bandit added to the conversation.

"Oh? Well then, I suppose you two are clean then." Ponpon replied. "But that doesn't mean you have survived just yet."

An so, the fate of the two biologists were now in the hands of Gentle Giant Ponpon and his bandits. The bandit boss may believe that he is in the clear, but Kay didn't need Hektar or Braif to actually 'see' their surroundings to know where the two absconding scientists are. Kay made a mental note of the location that Hektar and Braif were taken to. After all, all enemies to Gollog were but another ally that could join the zerg. In a platonic way, that is. Not in an infested way.

The names for the other bandit leaders did sound cool to Kay, however.

* * *

 **A/N: I'd like to imagine the shenanigans that would happen if the zerg had assimilated the DNA of t** **urritopsis dohrnii. :3**


	27. To Hydrate a Gargantuan City

**Chapter 27: To Hydrate a Gargantuan City**

* * *

Johnny was slowly getting his equipment set up. The computers were programmed to utilize the blueprint designs that he acquired from the zerg hivemind, thanks to Corvurn analyzing each and every detail in many blueprint designs and how-to documents relating to manifestation altar building. All he had to do was create the specifications of the blueprint and then make modified adjustments to make them useful.

The data compiler didn't need to be tinkered with, since it acts as a type of information compactor that divides information into easily accessed code. It was an essential piece of technology to have, and it would prove to be useful in setting up the atoms and molecule chains in the objects and tools produced from the manifestation altars. Without it, objects would not be able to retain their form and develop those advanced molecule chains. Only simple elements could be created from a manifestation altar without the data compiler, such as oxygen, hydrogen, or gold dust and the like.

The influx battery was slightly trickier. Because the manifestation altars required energy to create matter, a battery was needed to be able to provide that energy and equalize its energy intake. Manifestation altars can also recycle matter and absorb it as energy, and it was through that process that an influx battery was needed to store and collect that recycled energy. Johnny was currently checking if the influx battery was working, by simply checking its power gauge when he provided a hot, electrified wire to its intake plug, whilst experimenting with the outtake socket by using a modified light that he turned on and off with.

Later in the day, Baroness Tak had entered into Johnny's workshop, her bodyguards carrying woven baskets containing transistors, atom manipulator equipment, and a gun of some make. Baroness tak huffed as she pointed to her bodyguards and pointed down to the floor, telling them to set the baskets onto the ground. She then turned to Johnny and smiled. "I'm back."

Johnny turned to look at Tak and smiled back, stopping his work to bow before her. "Welcome back, my ladyship. Have you gained everything I have asked for?"

Tak shook her head. "Most of everything. I will try to get the other equipment you'll need tomorrow. Namely, the atom generators, atom recyclers, and the hyper-fluid memory bag."

Johnny went to the baskets to inspect the equipment that was brought in. "Hmm... Actually, I would like to accompany you tomorrow. Would it be too much trouble if you brought me along?"

Tak smiled and shook her head. "Not at all! But I will have to warn you that being dressed in that attire will increase the chances of you getting robbed."

Johnny stared at Tak. "... I'm getting the feeling that the black market is not exactly the most... salubrious place to visit."

Tak sighed. "It's where the dregs and the scum go to barter their stolen goods. Any empire tech winds up there to be salvaged or re-purposed. Anything you want that comes from Gollog would definitely be found there. Getting the hyper-fluid memory bag, as you requested, is going to be a bit of a hassle to acquire, due to its exotic elements."

Johnny nodded and sighed. "That's a great shame then. Without that memory bag, I won't be able have it store the plethora of other blueprints, designs, and advanced materials needed to make more advanced manifestation altars." Johnny went to the weaved baskets and sifted into them, checking the tools and items brought to him. "Hmm... Looks like this might take me some time to analyze."

Tak leaned forward and rubbed Johnny on the shoulder. "You have been working so hard. I think it's about time you take a break."

Johnny looked up at Tak. "... But... My work."

"It can wait, Johnny." Tak reassured with a smile. "You deserve a little reward for yourself, after all. Please indulge in your break, Johnny. Orders from your baroness~!"

Johnny looked reluctant, but then he sighed and gently handled the EMP weapon that he fished from the baskets. He then stood up and readjusted the cuffs on his green, purple, and brown regal clothing after he deposited the EMP weapon back into its basket. "If it would please you, then I suppose I have no choice. I am a guest here, after all, and I have to respect the wishes of the host that took me into her home. As you wish, my ladyship."

Tak smiled broadly. "I think we shall start our time off with a meal, and then some entertainment in my private dining hall. My two best bodyguards, Rubij and Drotan, shall provide the entertainment. I find their synchronized fight-dancing to be very mesmerizing."

Two of her bodyguards looked at one another. "My lady, I apologize for interrupting, but should we wear the um... _private_ fighting gear, or the fighting gear used in the parties you host?"

Tak stared at one of her four bodyguards, then gasped. "Oh, no no no no no~! You don't have to wear the um... PRIVATE fighting gear. Johnny might not be into that sort of thing, after all! Just use the other gear, deary." The two bodyguards nodded and headed away. She then gestured to one of her two remaining guards. "Parvaln. Notify the chefs that they shall be preparing food for me and my guest. We will be entertained, after all." Tak's third bodyguard, Parvaln, bowed and left, obviously traveling to the kitchen to notify the chefs. Tak then turned around to face Johnny with a wide smile. "The evening meal should be ready within twenty minutes. Shall we retreat to my personal dining room?"

Johnny nodded with a smile. "I shall be with you in a moment, my ladyship. I'll have to booby-trap my equipment first."

Tak tilted her head and looked at Johnny with a confused expression. "Excuse me?"

"It's a habit that my mom taught me. Could you allow me my privacy for a minute, please? It will be quick."

Tak took a few seconds to contemplate Johnny's request. She then sighed and nodded. "Alright. I'll allow you some privacy." She said, bowing and leaving for the door. "You have EXACTLY one minute. Don't leave a lady waiting~."

Once Tak's last remaining bodyguard had shut the door and given Johnny the privacy he asked for, Johnny quickly went to work booby-trapping his equipment.

* * *

After Johnny was done with booby-trapping his workplace, he soon joined with Tak and her fourth bodyguard, taking their time walking to the private dining room in Tak's palace. The dining room had several red and pink drapes that lined the wall in a floral pattern. The top of the room had a circular tower that extended the roof, which had windows on the sides that allowed both wind and light into the room. Once they had arrived, Johnny could see an oval shaped table of intricate red designs and specially crochet-ed floral patters that lined the table's surface awaiting them. Chefs and servants filtered into the room and decorated the table with plates of food, none of which Johnny was familiar with.

"Thank you, thank you. I will send one of my bodyguards if I need anything else." Once the chefs and servants bowed and made their leave, Tak took a seat to a provided chair and sat daintily in it.

This prompted Johnny to take the seat that was next to Tak, and he took his time to settle into the dining chair. An awkward couple of seconds had passed before Johnny started fidgeting in his seat. "So uh... What would you recommend for me, my ladyship? I have never seen this kind of food in my life."

Tak giggled. "Oh! I apologize for my ignorance! You wear that apparel so well, that I had mistaken you for nobility. I keep forgetting that you once lived outside of Gargantua."

Johnny smirked and nodded. "I will admit. This is a very different lifestyle than what I am used to."

Tak leaned over and pointed a fork to a cooked bird. "Each dish has its own serving utensils. Use them to fill your plate with what you want." She then pointed to Johnny's plate. "Use the biggest utensils next to your plate to eat the meats you have chosen. The second biggest utensils are reserved for your salad, and your smallest is used for desert." She then pointed to a plate of small bread orbs, topped with a thin layer of melted cheese. "Try these gougeres. They've been baked with skracken mushrooms. My favorite appetizer~."

Johnny carefully picked one of the mushroom cheesy-bread balls and took a careful sniff. ... Johnny wasn't sure if it was good or not, since he never had this kind of food before. An experimental bite divided the baked cuisine, and filled his mouth with gooey cheese and sauteed bits of mushroom. After swallowing the half he bit onto, another bite followed, and Johnny was already reaching for two more of the cheesy-bread balls. "I hope you don't mind if I take two more."

"Please do! My larder won't be running out of food anytime soon." Tak said, beaming a smile toward Johnny.

Johnny smiled back. "Weulgh... *ulp* Well, you would never be able to run out of food if we get a manifestation altar running. They can create all kinds of edible and flavorful things to eat. I even heard that they can also be programmed with new recipes, creating new edibles that can't be normally grown on Kiln."

Tak took a gourgere and placed it onto her plate. "That would certainly be nice. The empire surely has a boundless limit when it comes to self-satisfied excess."

"Which reminds me." Johnny said, turning to face Baroness Tak. "I have been wondering if there are any current events relating to the gilanian empire. If I am to actively be fighting against Gollog and his empire, then I have to know what kind of past events that he and his empire was responsible for."

Tak shook her head and frowned, then stared at Johnny. "Johnny~. Enough about business. We can discuss recent news later. For now, enjoy the food. ... Oh! And what timing! The entertainment is here."

Rubij and Drotan, two of Tak's best bodyguards, walked forward toward their table. The both of them seemed to be wearing leather and metal plated armor, and the both of them carried a single dagger in their holsters. One of them spoke. "I shall assume that your evening is pleasant?"

Tak nodded. "Very much so, Drotan." Tak then turned to Johnny with a smile.

Johnny paused for a second before replying. "Uh-Yes! I agree with Baroness Tak."

"Then we shall assist in making sure that your evening remains pleasant." Drotan said. "I, and Rubij, shall be sparing in the ancient dagger-and-fist martial arts, 'Kirnaa', for your viewing pleasure." He said and bowed.

Tak clapped her hands. "Good choice, Drotan." She said with a smile.

Johnny raised an eyebrow. "What is a 'Kirnaa'?"

Tak smiled. "It was developed by a fighter named Kirnaa a long time ago. He was a slave once, and he taught the fighting style to many slaves that was heavily mistreated by their slave-master. They broke out of their chains one day, and killed their masters with the help of the knowledge and techniques that were passed to them. This also happens to be a fighting style that came before Gollog's reign. A good choice of martial art to entertain us, if I must share my opinion openly."

Johnny nodded, and then payed attention to the two sparring fighters. They bowed to their audience, consisting of Tak and Johnny, then they turned to bow towards each other. After paying their respects, they pointed their knives at one another and started circling each other.

"Sound system activate." Tak said. "Play 'Night of the Violet Moon'."

Snares, drum beats, twangs of some guitar, and a flute seemed to play from an unseen orchestra that was coming from all around. Once the music picked up, Rubij and Drotan engaged in a quick flurry of attacks to each other. Johnny acted amazed as he saw the speed that the two sparring bodyguards displayed, able to attack and counterattack one another in blurring motions that would be hard for untrained eyes to track.

This martial art seems to focus on quick, fatal strikes, and even quicker counter-attacks. The fight flowed eloquently from one strike to another, each quickly dodged with careful motions and quick side-stepping. After a minute of fighting with their daggers, they managed to disarm each other and resorted to spinning kicks and punches, as well as elbow strikes, knee strikes, jabs, and fast frontal kicks.

Another two minutes of close-quarters fighting, the song slowed in tempo and the two fighters backed away from one another. They breathed heavily for several seconds. Once the song played its outro, the two sparring fighters stood straight up and bowed to each other. Once the song was over, Tak clapped her hands, while Johnny followed Tak's example and clapped along with her. It was a very impressive fighting style. At least that is what Kay thought. Johnny was indifferent to the matter, even when he learned a new thing or two about countering melee attacks.

Tak took a bite of her gourgere and then reached for the other plates to serve her own. Johnny couldn't help but ask questions that have spurred up during the recent display of martial arts. "That was amazing!" He exclaimed, acting amazed.

Tak smiled. "It's good that you liked Rubij and Drotan's bout with each other. However, they need to practice in front of an audience more often. I keep telling them to keep themselves in shape. Otherwise, they would be no better than some of the higher officials in my city."

"And I liked the music too. Do you know who composed it?" Johnny asked.

Tak sighed. "I'm afraid I don't. It's an ancient relic of my people's past."

Johnny cocked his head. "Uh... How so?"

Tak took a bite of a piece of roasted krell bird, chewed, swallowed, and then continued. "It was a song that came to be in our past, before our ancestors were sentenced to our new home, the Kiln prison system. I believe the tales, or myth, behind this song speaks about the moon of our people's home world."

Johnny leaned toward Tak, listening intently. "What were the tales and myths of that moon?"

Tak smiled and patted Johnny on the shoulder. "I believe it has something to do with a superstitious, but sad, story that surrounds the violet moon. Once upon a time ago, two warlords used slave-masters to hunt down slaves to turn into sacrificial soldiers. The two warlords fought for a long time, and they eventually got mixed up into a major battle that resulted in diminishing their slave-masters' slave supply. The warlords ended up using their own slave-masters to fight in their battles. Eventually, all that was left was the two warlords that was left on a field of a bloody battle, and all they had was the armor on their backs, and a single knife in their hands. These two warlords fought with everything they had, and they fought for so long that the duel lasted three nights. Later on, they have eventually figured out that the two warlords were equal in strength. Both of them hesitated, knowing that if they continued, they would both die. But miraculously, they stopped fighting and threw down their weapons. After that, they embraced each other as though they were long lost brothers. It was during that time, on the last night, that they noticed that the moon was glowing a violet color on a blood-stained battlefield.

"From then on, it has since been considered an omen. During peaceful times, it would symbolize that a great war would occur. During very turbulent times, it would instead symbolize an age of peace. Or both, in some cases." Tak said.

Johnny nodded intently. "Sounds pretty impressive to me."

Tak shook her head. "Boys will be boys. They love to shove each other around when they don't get what they want. And when they do, they will often seek after the next petty thing."

Johnny nodded. "Sounds an awful lot like Gollog to me."

Tak nodded. "True. Sadly, our own moon is artificial, and could never give a violet colored omen to its people. Heavens know that we need something to symbolize our solidarity against harsh, imperial laws made by Gollog."

Johnny took a long breath before sighing. "Man. I really hope that I can amount to some kind of difference and fight back at that emperor one day."

Tak smiled and patted Johnny on the knee. "We all do, Johnny. We all do."

Johnny nodded, then got back to eating the meal that was present.

* * *

The day slowly turned to evening, and the dull eyes of the oppressed, and the few remaining that believed in freedom, or chaos without restraint, noticed the tint of the world becoming a very different hue than what was normally expected. It became something of a heated discussion among both nobility and the peasantry. When they noticed that the moon itself was no longer the white that they all had seen for several generations, the people either panicked, or rejoiced.

The moon was turning violet.

The astronomical phenomenon confounded everyone to no end, since the artificial moon, in the history of Kiln, had never became purple!

When Gollog heard of this news, he stormed out of the command tent, located far from the hole in the ground known as Entrance A, and looked up. He grumbled something under his breath.

Commander Ralkan followed after Emperor Gollog, exiting the tent and coming to a stop behind him. "Uh, sir? Can you tell me why you hurried out of the tent in such a... manner?"

Ralkan looked around, noting that everything seemed darker than normal. Gollog pointed up toward the sky. "I'll give you one guess. There has been reports of strange astrological phenomenon that has been occurring over several cities."

Commander Ralkan looked up at the rising moon. "... Is... Is it a violet moon?"

Gollog shook his head. "I do not pay you to be one of those superstitious bumpkins, Ralkan. I want you to alert Kralluf and Faddoh to this event. Immediately."

There was a long and pregnant pause before Ralkan spoke again. "Uh! Yes sir! Right away!"

Once Commander Ralkan scurried off, Gollog crossed his arms and stared at the moon with great judgement. He looked like he was trying to solve a puzzle, but had no idea what the key to solving the puzzle involved. "... Old myths and omens. This sort of thing is below an immortal like me. I think it's time I consult with Pallax about this matter." Gollog said, pouting and angrily staring at the fake celestial object.

Kay was able to listen in on this particular conversation because of the changelisks he had ordered to sneak into the encampment and assume the guise of patrol officers. The solution did not involve risking an overseer to deposit a changeling in the enemy's territory, where everyone would witness the overseers ability and be able to adapt to it. Rather, an overseer from outside the gilanian empire perimeter had deposited a changelisk that would infiltrate inside the bases established from outside of the perimeter.

It was only a matter of time till Kay had a better understanding of how Gollog's imperial soldiers patrolled the large encampment, as more and more changelisks were pouring into the encampment that was containing the zerg on the surface. It wouldn't be long until the empire soldiers realized that they had more people here than normal. But before that day could come, Kay would have already sprung his trap.

The zerglings still tried clawing at the invisible walls that kept the zerg contained, but other activity could be seen beyond the savagery of zerglings.

A few hatcheries had been morphed, and a few queens were now tending to each of these hatcheries. Various zerg organisms frolicked around, but they seemed to try and enjoy their time on the surface of the world, despite being forced from expanding their territory. A new nydus network had sprung up next to the hatcheries, whilst several spine crawlers and spore crawlers defended the hatcheries and nydus network. Sadly, the room inside the contained zerg territory was very much contained and constrained. The ground-based zerg organisms were moderately safe, but the flying zerg organisms couldn't fly too close to the invisible walls, or they would risk getting shot down by anti-air fire. Additionally, any ultralisk that would come out of either the ruined cave, the nydus network, or spawned from a hatchery, would be instantly beset by massive artillery fire.

There were no recent emergence of ultralisks attempting to emerge from under the surface and breach the perimeter defenses within that moment. They simply proved to be nothing more but artillery practice in their attempts to attack the soldier intruders. As such, they stopped coming to the surface, or spawned from the hatcheries, since it was a waste of resources to create and hatch more ultralisks if they were going to die anyway. It was a waste of bio-matter and accelerant to create siege-breaking monsters if the beasts kept falling prey to a sky laser, or from artillery fire. However, Gollog had accounted for the lack of a sun, and had several artillery installations deployed just for countering any more ultralisks that would dare reveal their ugly faces to everyone assembled at Red Mountain. Gollog was a clever emperor. Kay would agree to that by some degree.

But Kay was a patient man. He could wait to initiate his counterattack. All he needed to do was to wait for the carrier behemoth to fill its folds and sacks with thousands of zerg organisms before it could initiate the attack to come.

And the carrier behemoth was almost full.

* * *

 **A/N: Everyone prepared for the fight coming in the next chapter? :3**


	28. MB3: Darker Nights, Swarm Might

**Chapter 28: Major Battle 3: Darker Night, Swarm Might**

* * *

After gazing at the violet moon for a few more minutes, Gollog sneered and sighed before turning and heading back to the command tent. After entering the command tent, Gollog could see that many of the officers inside were busy doing the jobs they were assigned to. It was all simplistically easy with the way Gollog had things running. After all, the empire needed idle hands in order to create its foundation. But it took a firm and patient hand to train and discipline those idle hands to have loyalty to him.

He had built the Torus Chain Division as a type of police force to keep the populations in the various settlements and cities pacified of any rioting or defiance, or set to defend vital positions that would hinder bandit activity and other kinds of illegal infractions. He had built the Crescent Arms Division to attack any enemy that would dare resist his rule or law, or take certain resources that wouldn't normally be created. He had built the Cube Research Division to make several dividends in researching new technologies that could empower his empire, and improve existing technologies even further. Gollog was personally involved with many contributions to such a division. And he had also built the Pyramidal Guard Division. Its purposes was secret, even to the gilanian public. It was a division consisting of loyal protectors that Gollog had carefully chosen, which he had rewarded greatly for their service to him.

He went toward the center of the command tent and spoke aloud. "Can someone call General Pallax for me? We need his input on this matter."

"Yes, my lord!" One of such officers shouted.

"And could I have eight officers stand behind me? I need to look professional in the presence of my second-in-command." Gollog said, sounding droll.

Eight of such officers temporarily removed themselves from their stations and stood at attention. Once they were behind Gollog, Gollog straightened his opalescent crowned helm and tried to look as presentable as possible. After a few seconds of time passed, Pallax's face showed up on a wide screen. He rubbed his scarred eye and grumbled. [This better be good, Gollog.]

Gollog bowed, but hissed at his general's rudeness. "It should be, Pallax. I have three commanders with me at the reestablished perimeter defense, and they are working hard to contain this monstrous threat. Which reminds me: I need to invite the other commanders to this call too."

Pallax sighed. [Is this going to be a conference call? Why can't I just come down there and meet you in person?]

Gollog shook his head. "These beasts are cunning, and I'd rather have you out of danger and NOT in the general vicinity of the zerg's main nest, since the largest zerg organisms we have identified are capable of striking down our magic wall projectors. Bring Guik into our conference call. I shall invite the other commanders on this matter."

[Oh gods, you're being serious. Fine, I'll invite Guik. If these 'razor fiends', as you call them, are as bad as you say they are, then I'll humor your concern.]

Gollog turned behind himself and pointed at three officers. "You, you, and you, go and find Commander Ralkan, Commander Kralluf, and Commander Faddoh."

The three chosen officers saluted and then ran off, obeying Gollog's command. Pallax turned away to type on a keyboard that was off-camera. Seconds later, Pallax returned and faced the camera in the call. [The message has been sent. Expect Guik to be here with us soon.]

Gollog nodded. "I take it that you already have familiarized yourself with these zerg organisms?"

Pallax nodded. [I have went ahead and scouted the area where the type-B research facility was apparently 'overrun'. The zerg forces have stopped in their expansion attempts at Whisper Stones.]

Gollog narrowed his eyes and stared at Pallax. "Is there a reason why they stopped expanding in that area?"

[Put simply: Shenanigans.]

Gollog stared at Pallax before huffing. "Next time, make sure you record your actions, General."

Pallax bowed. [Yes, my emperor.]

Another face soon shared the screen, forcing Pallax's live camera feed to shrink horizontally and move to the side. A black armored gilanian with its face covered by a black, curved glass entered into the conversation. It bore the colors of black and purple, and wore a cloak that rested on its shoulders, separating at the middle of its chest to allow the world to see the armor beneath the cloak. There was glowing purple lettering on the black glassed face-mask, which read in the gilanian language as 'tired'.

[Ah, Guik. It's great to see you again.] Pallax said, almost smiling. [I trust that we are not disturbing you?]

She reached her left hand off-camera. Her mask changed its lettering to 'annoyed'. [These meetings are to be expected. However, had you listened to my advice, these 'zerg' would be easily dealt with.] A robotic, female voice answered Pallax.

Pallax shook his head. [I will, under no circumstances, use nuclear warheads, or charged particle warheads, to fight an enemy we don't understand. Even Faddoh was having trouble analyzing their abilities and weaknesses, and I would defer to his opinion on how to handle them.]

Guik's face lettering changed to 'disapproval'. [It is either that option, or re-activating the Kiln Keepers.]

Pallax shook his head and scoffed. Gollog decided to speak on this matter. "Be that as it may, we still have a problem with the local zerg population here. They are an invasive species that must be dealt with, and I don't care how harshly. Bear in mind that I don't want to have to resort to certain protocols that would risk the destruction to several of my assets, unless it was necessary. Understood?"

[Yes Gollog.] Pallax answered. Guik's face changed its lettering to 'acceptance'. [Yes Gollog.]

"Why the hell do you need us here for?" Gollog turned around to see Kralluf and Ralkan entering into the command tent. Kralluf had exclaimed behind Gollog's back, whilst Ralkan stood behind Kralluf as he followed the silver and blue commander into the tent.

Gollog smiled and spread his arms. "I wish for you to participate in a meeting. It will have to be an impromptu council where we will decide on how to deal with the zerg organisms. ... A more important question, however: where is Faddoh?"

Ralkan interjected. "Faddoh said that he would join us shortly. Apparently, his tardiness is a result of a 'breakthrough' that he currently discovered."

Gollog sighed and pointed to a nearby officer at attention. "You. Tell Commander Faddoh that if he doesn't come here now, I am replacing him with someone else more competent."

Another officer nodded and hurried away. Kralluf crossed his arms. "So what's this about anyway?" Kralluf asked.

Gollog sighed. "To pull our resources together and find a way to eradicate the zerg, you fool." Gollog answered, walking away and acquiring a chair. Once he returned to the center, he placed the chair down and sat himself in it. Kralluf and Ralkan followed Gollog's example and got chairs for themselves as well. Gollog began speaking again once the two commanders seated themselves. "Now then... We shall wait for Faddoh to make up his mind, or risk unemployment."

Kralluf paused for a few seconds before deciding to talk. "So uh... General Pallax, sir? Any news of your secret operation being done with?"

Pallax shook his head. [That is a matter that does not concern you, Kralluf. However, it should enlighten you to know that I have halted the zerg expansion indefinitely. I now see that the zerg infestation is a more dangerous concern, compared to the gilanian bandit lord, Zero Wind.]

Guik shook her head, as the letters on her mask changed to 'pensiveness'. [It does not surprise me. I would kill such a character by my own hands if it meant getting my vocal chords working again. Sadly, that is not so.]

Ralkan huffed. "Damn bandits. It's like they get smarter every time a new innovative tech is presented to them. Breeding loyalty into the next generation is going to be difficult if this trend keeps going. But in other news, a lot of the older families are contacting me about an omen that came from their childhood stories. Many of the cities are in a panic, since the light provided by the hexagonal moon has been slightly darkened and tinted with a purplish color. Sadly, I am uncertain of the cause that altered it to glow that kind of light."

Guik shook her head again, followed with her mask letters changing to 'optimism'. [Their fears are unfounded. We will have to remind them that silly superstition is never meant to be taken seriously. In fact, our artificial moon should not have the capacity to change colors. I believe that there is yet another factor that we have not realized yet, but it is too soon to tell what that might be.]

Kralluf grumbled. "Still, it gives me a bad feeling. It stinks worse than after the earlier smite of the zerg at this location. I say we take a charged particle warhead and put it into that hole. That should finish the little beasts."

"I'm afraid that would be quite impossible, Kralluf." Gollog, Kralluf, and Ralkan turned to see Faddoh approaching them, coming into view of everyone present as he entered the command tent. "I apologize for being so late. I was extending the sensing range of the long range seismic sensor equipment my team had brought here." Faddoh said, coming to a stop and standing next to Ralkan.

Guik's face-mask changed to 'serenity'. [Commander Faddoh. Welcome to the conference meeting.]

Faddoh stood next to the sitting commanders and emperor, and bowed. "Are we here to listen to my review of each zerg organism we have discovered and cataloged?" Faddoh asked.

Gollog gestured dismissively. "Later. We simply need to come up with several methods for eliminating the zerg organisms. It is the reason why I have assembled this meeting. Since you have studied and tested the zerg organisms already, we shall listen to your opinions, insights, and whatever relevant data that you have uncovered. After that, we will offer our suggestions relating to the extermination of the zerg. By my command, let this meeting commence."

Every commander and general gathered nodded together.

Faddoh sighed. "I'm afraid that exterminating these creatures, even using the most conventional methods available, will not enable us to accomplish this goal as easily as we thought."

[How so, Commander Faddoh?] Pallax asked.

Faddoh nodded and continued. "These creatures exhibits an incredible capability of aggressive adaptation to a degree that I had not accounted for. I have introduced several poisons, diseases, viruses, parasites, most kinds of radiations, pesticides, and even lethal amounts of drugs to several samples and test subjects taken from within the defended perimeter. It appears as though every time we carried out a test to see if the samples contain various weaknesses, the samples and specimens themselves develop a resistance, or even an immunity, at or after exposure of the harmful element. Once they were exposed to a harmful element during or after testing, however, I started noticing a trend. After the tests, I discovered the samples, no matter how small that was collected from the zerg organisms, eventually developed neural oscillations on their own. And further testing of different samples, even samples collected from a different zerg breed, such as a puker or a spine serpent for example, have revealed that they too have developed resistances and immunities related to prior experimented samples. Thus, I theorize that the cells in the samples collected are capable of sending neural oscillated frequencies that send genetic information to the nearby zerg organisms, of which they will proceed to indirectly acquire the resistances and immunities that the samples have gained."

Ralkan seemed to have paled. "... D... D-d-does that mean a single zerg organism can evolve independent from the others, yet they can share the mutations they developed from a distance?!"

Faddoh nodded. "I'm afraid so, Commander Ralkan. I'm afraid that the researchers I had brought here are doing more harm than good. Trying to find a weakness for the zerg makes it impossible for us, since the samples and specimens we collected simply adapts too quickly to our tests. I recommend using methods that we have not tested on the zerg organisms, and then continually change those methods from then on. However, using basic, conventional methods of fighting these monsters, such as using weapons, artillery, and Gollog's holy smite attack, seem to be the most effective methods in killing these creatures, at present."

Pallax leaned forward. [What if we start running out of poisons and diseases to use against the zerg infestation?]

Faddoh took a deep breath and sighed, his LED face turning into a frown. "I'm afraid that outcome might occur all too soon."

Everyone paused for several seconds. Ralkan decided to speak up when no one else spoke. "What if... What if we are going about this the wrong way?"

Gollog turned to look at Ralkan with a raised eyebrow. "What about a wrong way?"

Ralkan leaned forward as he explained. "Listen. We're talking about using a lot of methods that would normally affect many animals, and even gilanians, by using biological warfare as a solution to our zerg problem. But, as Faddoh described, the zerg seem to be incredibly adaptive against biological weapons. What if, and hear me out on this, what if... what if we tried using medical micro-machines to kill them off?"

Kralluf sighed. "I don't like where this is going."

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'annoyance'. [Allow Ralkan to give his explanation, Commander Kralluf.]

Kralluf grumbled while Ralkan continued his explanation. "I'm thinking that if we create self-replicating micro-machines, fitted with scaled down magic armor tech, uses altar tech to create more micro-machines, draws energy from the zerg cells as a power source, and can project energy in a directed beam attack as a microscopic scalpel, I believe we could fashion an effective means to exterminate the zerg."

"I already hate it." Kralluf replied.

"Be that as it may, Kralluf, I think this might be our best option." Faddoh said, nodding toward Ralkan. "However, weaponized self-replicating medical micro-machines might pose a problem to the gilanian populations, so I think it should be designed to attack cells that only have the unique zerg amino acids that contain the special R groups, and focuses on targeting cells that produces an incredible amount of neural oscillations."

Kralluf shook his head. "It's not fighting though! We should just throw as many bombs as we can down that zerg hole and be done with it already!"

[Kralluf.] Pallax said sternly. [They have the capacity to burrow underground. How deep they can burrow is up to debate, but even Gollog's mighty smite power is incapable of rooting out every zerg organism under our feet.]

Kralluf turned to look at Pallax. "Just how far down are these zerg monsters?"

Pallax shook his head. [Unknown, but I know that Faddoh's scientists is working on extending the long-range seismic sensors to get a better image. With that said, however, we don't know how far the zerg infestation has developed at present.]

"Actually, we will be able to find out right now." Faddoh said, beaming at everyone with a confidant smile. "I have told my researchers to send me a live-feed of the modified long-range sensors and what they can map out. I have been notified that they can transfer the live-feed data to this conference directly."

Gollog nodded and gestured to the middle of the command tent. "Please share the live-feed with us, Faddoh."

Faddoh nodded back. The commander of the Cube Research Division raised his hand forward and projected a 3-D image of lines and some hollowed, craggy bags that were colored green, with orange dots that seemed to line the inside of the green lines and craggy bags. The top of this image had white dots on a green flat surface that looked like a miniature version of Red Mountain. "Currently, we are seeing all tunnel systems, colored as green, and biological movement, colored orange, that is a kilometer beneath us. The white dots are Golden Star personnel, meaning us."

Kralluf pointed to a 3-D projected conical green object that was lowest to the floor. "What is that? Looks like an incomplete scan of an underground chamber."

"I'll get right on that." Faddoh said, looking up. "Jaknel. The long-range seismic sensors needs to be modified, so please extend the range to three kilometers. Thank you."

The 3-D projected seismic images shrunk to accompany the specified extended range. The green that was forming from the extended image was slightly out of focus, and there were fewer orange blips than before. But as time went on, more and more of the orange blips were slowly coming into existence as the green formations were being given more detail. A large, conical underground chamber was discovered, and it was filled with several orange blips inside it.

Ralkan leaned forward and squinted at the green chamber. "... That looks too artificial to be an underground cavern. I am willing to bet that the huge chamber we are looking at is the Hidden Water Spring Tribe's hidden village."

Gollog leaned forward to scrutinize his close, yet distant prize. "Hmm... So it is."

"Wait." Kralluf said, leaning forward, looking at the image closely. "I can see some green wire and orange wire things coming up. They seem to be spreading outward and downward. Can you extend the underground map further?"

Faddoh nodded. He looked up again. "Jaknel, extend range by another three kilometers. Thank you."

The 3-D image began to shrank more to reveal several blurry green shapes that was below the conical chamber. Several domes seemed to dot several places, but their positioning was erratic. The 'wires' of green and orange seemed to mesh together in a chaotic design. These lines and domes of green and orange still extended downward and outward.

"What the hell?" Kralluf said, looking at these new underground chambers in confusion.

Guik's face-mask's letters changed its lettering to 'confusion', whilst tilting her head. [What are those hemispheres?]

Pallax leaned in. [... Are those more nesting areas for the zerg?]

Ralkan narrowed his eyes and sat back. "... Maybe they are the suburban complexes of the hidden tribe? ... Hopefully?"

Gollog paused for a long time as he inspected the images before him. Once his scrutiny lasted for eight seconds, he turned to his copper colored commander. "... Faddoh, try extending the range to ten kilometers."

Faddoh looked at Emperor Gollog and nodded. He looked up at the 3-D projected image of the underground caverns again. "Jaknel! Maximum range!"

The 3-D image shrank more, and several more blurry green domes slowly came into focus, the green and orange lines connecting to each of the domes. There was still lines of green and orange that extended below the domes, and there were incomplete domes at the bottom of the provided image still. This had made everyone present gasp.

Ralkan gulped before he spoke. "Kralluf. Tell me you have a warhead that can destroy these subterranean domes?"

Kralluf shook his head. "Not all of them. Even my best bunker-busting warheads would have difficulty reaching depths at five kilometers. These domes, of which I'm guessing are zerg nests, seem to extend past ten kilometers underground."

Pallax nodded. [Then it's obvious what we have to do next. We must fight an enemy that is staging under our very feet.]

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'apprehension'. [Guys?]

Gollog stood up. "Then I have no choice. I will activate the machine sentinel protocol. Faddoh, you work on the medical micro-machines that will destroy the zerg from the inside-out."

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'fear'. [Guys?]

Faddoh saluted. "As you command, my emperor! A self-replicating swarm of tiny robots shall be the zerg's undoing!"

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'contempt'. [Guys?]

Ralkan stood up. "I need to tell every Taurus Chain colonel to heighten their security to red status in all empire aligned cities."

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'annoyance'. [Guys?]

Kralluf stood up. "I guess I'll requisition as many warheads I can get before we're overrun."

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'anger'. _**[Guys?!]**_ She said, her voice booming.

Everyone stopped as they turned their attention to Guik. Gollog narrowed his gaze on her. "What is it, Guik? Speak quickly now."

Guik pointed toward her audience whilst her face-mask's letters changed to 'remorse'. [I apologize for not addressing this sooner, but you are about to have a major problem. There are several orange lines rising up from several of the dome chambers.]

Everyone looked at the 3-D projected seismic map again. Guik was right. Something was happening below themselves.

Everybody stared at the seismic map and noticed that orange tendrils were growing upwards, as they were extending and reaching for the surface. "By my estimation, the orange lines will reach our position in around... five minutes." Faddoh said, sounding as though he was in complete awe.

Gollog took a deep breath. "SOUND THE RETREAT! ABANDON YOUR POSTS! ALL SOLDIERS, USE THE MEM DEVICES TO RETURN TO YOUR BARRACKS! ANY TASKS YOU WERE DOING, YOU PRIORITY NOW IS TO LEAVE THE PERIMETER DEFENSE! LEAVE EVERYTHING THAT IS UNIMPORTANT BEHIND! FORGET THE EQUIPMENT, JUST LEAVE IT! DOWNLOAD ALL PRIORITY DATA AND TRANSFER IT TO CUBE RESEARCH FACILITY S-01! YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE ZERG BREAKS CONTAINMENT AND KILLS ALL OF YOU! **MOVE!** "

The announcement that Gollog made had certainly motivated the soldiers in the perimeter camp to try and escape the coming storm.

* * *

The five minute mark had passed, and the encampment that was formed around the defense perimeter still had a quarter of the total soldiers attempting to flee. They were still escaping, trying to use the MEM devices to make their getaway, but they were a little too late. The infiltrating changelisks, coming in from outside the encampment in their disguises, had already made several adjustments to their MEM devices, and their various other equipment. Subtle subterfuge and sabotage were excellent weapons for the zerg.

When the attack came, it came immediately. Several of the magic wall projectors were simultaneously shut down manually, just as the nydus worms, of which there were forty that had pierced through the sand and rock that were under the empire soldier's feet, emerged from the ground all at once. Zerglings filtered out of the nydus worms to attack the compromised gaps of the projected magic wall, and wrecking everything else in their warpath. A few more empire soldiers managed to escape, but the rest had died by the gnashing jaws and slicing claws of the zerglings' rush. The aerial fighters tried their best to fight the ground forces, but they were struck out of the air by the anti-air capability of the hydralisks and queens that emerged from the nydus worms. The artillery positions were quickly overrun, which enabled the ultralisks unabated freedom to stampede on everything that wasn't zerg.

But by far the worst thing that had emerged during that attack were the blightbringers.

The blightbringers resembled fat, overgrown bug faces that waddled around on stocky six legs, and they had huge, yet chubby looking, mouths, two side mouths, and a spiked orifice at the top of their... heads? ... Bodies? Head/bodies? The creatures gurgled and growled as they vomited streams of acid that collected into puddles, easily wearing down defenses and dissolving screaming enemies. They also upchucked several eggs as they searched for enemies to attack. The blightbringers might not be able to use fungal growth or the neural parasites like the infestors could, but the blightbringers had an advantage that was superior to the infestors.

As the blightbringers puked several eggs onto the ground, one from each clutch was larger than the rest. After a short gestation cycle, the big eggs ruptured, and from them emerged a ghastly creature of vaguely humanoid proportions. The aberrations.

The aberrations stood on four thin insect legs, and a humanoid torso was situated on a quadrupedal form. Their faces appeared scaled, similar to that of a gilanian, but everything else downward, especially starting at the new mandibles that were on the sides of their chins and the heavy cyst growths on their backs, is where the similarities to the gilanians ended. The aberrations seemed slower than most zerg organisms, but they have the unusual ability to passively bolster the carapace of the zerg organisms that were near them. They were dangerous support units for the zerg. And they were dangerous melee attackers to any armored unit, even when they are slow when traveling on foot.

In but a span of five minutes, the soldiers tried to evacuate. But in the span of under a minute, the encampment was taken over by the zerg.

Kay emerged from the hole in the ground, finally taking in precious breaths of fresh air. "Ahh~! Oh how I love the smell of victory."

Virid emerged from the hole as well, looking around and noticing the destruction her brood had created. "I can only smell blood and exposed organs." She replied.

Kay turned to look at Virid, raising his eyebrow at her. "... How can you smell without a nose?"

Virid huffed. "The swarm under my command can smell for me. I don't need to have a nose to know what the smell is like. Haven't I told you this already?"

Kay nodded and turned away. "Oh. Kay. Hivemind. I keep forgetting about that."

"Shall we spread our creep on the surface once again?" Virid asked, tilting her head.

Kay nodded again, and walked toward the various equipment and tents that was left behind. "We'll do it at the same speed as before. However, our expansion efforts underground will have to keep increasing. With that said, all hatcheries on the surface will have to be dedicated to creating airborne zerg from now on. We don't have a lot of time, and we will lose our window of opportunity once the sun comes back up."

Virid followed after Kay, even though the creep-less ground made her walk more slowly than normal. "A sound plan of attack, but I must ask. Why do you need the gilanian empire's equipment? I recalled that you took the emperor's MEM devices in separate instances."

It was true that the changelisks sabotaged many tools and devices, but much of the equipment was left alone when the zerg attacked the perimeter encampment. Kay leaned down to pick up a communicator device, inspecting it as he did so. "Because, Virid, sometimes the best weapon to use is your enemy's. Fighting fire with fire, as some would say."

Virid shook her head. "We do not have the means to fight against Gollog's smite attack during the day. And on top of that, the swarm has no need to evolve complex dexterous appendages."

"No... But I am trying to think of a way we could counter using the tools we have available." Kay said, looking around for more things to inspect. "Have the drones collect everything and put it in a pile in the village. If there's a chance we can use this tech against Gollog, then we might get the upper hand. Whatever these 'Kiln Keepers' are, they sound like bad business."

Virid cocked her head as she picked up a rifle. "But the swarm have no use for weapons. Or tools. Or anything technological."

Kay rolled his eyes and smirked. "Everything is a tool, Virid. If something is a means to an end, then it can be considered a tool. Even the zerglings are tools for any kind battle. If you want to expand your vision, then you have too look at all of the possibilities available to you. If you can look at everything as a tool, and figure out a way to use them as a means to achieve your goals, then you would be able to gain several advantages in war in the long-term."

Virid shook her head again. "You are making this 'vision' thing sound so simple, even though I still don't understand it as such."

Kay sighed. "Kay, well, I don't know how to help you then. I can't magically make you smarter by adding brain matter to your already thick skull, or whatever."

"Corvurn has the ability to do that." Virid replied.

Kay paused. He turned to Virid and stared at her for a few seconds as he just learned that little piece of trivia. "... Huh. I didn't think he COULD do that."

"Corvurn is an evolution master. It's within his capabilities after all." Virid said, scuttling back to the safety of the already expanding creep.

As the drones scurried past the magic wall projectors, turned the walls off and disassembling them, they went about picking up anything that looked useful and transported such objects into the hole in the ground. Kay looked up toward the sky and sighed. "Well I hope he's making sure to not infect himself with whatever that infected overlord has. I don't want to end up making another evolution master if he ends up contracting the anti-zerg contagion."

"Agreed." Virid said, bowing and taking the rifle with her.

It will hopefully be a long night, tonight.

* * *

Gollog reappeared in a large city, which he had named Empire Capital. It used to go by another name once upon a time ago, but such a name was lost to the annals of time. Huge, tall, cylindrical buildings rose as skyscrapers jutted straight up from the ground. Between the buildings, vast open spaces filled with trees as grass could be found growing under them. Surrounding these buildings and the foliage was a massive, circular wall that was thirty meters high and thirty meters wide, and several turrets and soldiers could be seen on the outside, inside, and at the top of the wall. This massive wall had contained a courtyard and several of the cylindrical buildings by a diameter of one thousand meters. However, much of this land was populated by soldiers and various other vehicles, some of which that was currently unknown to the zerg.

A vehicle with continuous tracks crawled along the scarred paths that it must have made several times during its patrols, and it bore several weapons that was supported by six rotating limbs. Two sets of limbs had strange looking weapons that could shoot in various directions over long distances, but one set of such limbs were specialized in melee combat exclusively. Its face was covered with a grill, and six lenses could be seen poking out of this grill. Its chest bore a metal plate that had several scorch marks around the sides. Its purposes appears to be for some kind of heavy peace-keeping role. Perhaps some kind of robot that can fight in a crowd?

Another kind of robot was also seen, buzzing above the dirt roads and grassy plains, and going in and out of the cylindrical towers. Some were similar to the scaled-down fliers that were found in the underground village, but they flew higher than the other kind of robot that specialized in simply hovering above the ground. These hover-drones had four spinning rotors, and a tiny jet engine that propelled them forward. It's main body contained several camera lenses that enabled it to see in all directions. Four rotating wheels were under its rotors, while a giant wheel was under its main body. On top of the hover-drones had what looked like bifurcated solar panels.

Gollog strode forward and exited a large, copper cube structure that had green accents all around it. Soon after Gollog left the cubic building, Faddoh, Kralluf, and Ralkan followed after him. The hovering hover-drones quickly circled Gollog when he appeared, but he kept silently cursing to himself under their scrutiny. "Razza frazza frackin jaggin zerg."

Ralkan walked forward hurriedly and matched Gollog's quick pace, walking next to him. "Sir, are you sure that we need to resort to using the Kiln... I mean, the robots you mentioned? I heard that they were responsible for horrendous treatment to our ancestors!"

Gollog growled. "Gods-damned no-good purulent infestation. Fuck them, fuck them, fuck them."

Kralluf ran up and held Ralkan back with a hand to his shoulder. "It's useless, Ralkan. When he gets this mad, he shuts himself off from any outside input. He's gonna run on his own autopilot until he calms down."

Ralkan shrugged the hand off his shoulder and turned to Kralluf. "Am I the only one here that has to be the serious one?! I might be the lowest ranking commander in all the four armies, but by the gods I try to make up for the mistakes that everyone else is responsible for! And now, we're knee deep in shit and are in incredible danger!"

A punch quieted Ralkan, delivered by Kralluf and right onto his face. The blow was forceful enough to make Ralkan fall to the ground. "Don't panic in the eyes of the public. You're already making a scene."

Ralkan stared at Kralluf, rubbing a struck cheek. But then he got up and patted the dirt off of his uniform, sighing. "You are right. As usual. I sometimes hate that about you, you know."

"You're the smart one when it comes to public relations." Kralluf said, pointing at the hovering hover-drones. "Chances are, one of these things is piloted by a spy that's spying on us, and I'd rather carry this conversation someplace more private than here."

Ralkan sighed and bowed. "I hope that you can forgive me for my outburst. Sharing this secret information to the public would not be good to all parties involved, and to parties uninvolved."

Faddoh walked up to the two commanders, crossing his copper arms behind himself. "We may have to tell them soon, however. These monsters we have been facing these past few days are well beyond our abilities. For the moment, I suggest following Gollog's orders. I shall be busy at Research Facility S-01. You may reach me whenever you need me. Simply go through the MEM device at Research Facility A-01, and shift on over to my office."

Faddoh and Ralkan turned and nodded at Faddoh. Faddoh bowed back, then turned and returned to the copper cube research facility. Kralluf turned toward Ralkan and pointed a finger at him, speaking softly. "Don't think this is over yet. Lose your cool again, and I'll floor you."

Ralkan sneered and narrowed his eyes. "If we weren't such self respecting commanders in Gollog's empire, I would kick your face in."

Kralluf smiled venomously. "And if that were to be the case, I'd punch your belly so hard, you'd vomit."

A klaxon suddenly broke the aggressive camaraderie between the two commanders. They wildly looked around, wondering what the sound of distress was. Many of the soldiers that were around looked around with surprise or held their helmets to listen to their orders better before running at a direction. They all eventually started running in the same direction. Even the treaded robots and many of the miniature flier and hover-drones flocked with the soldiers.

"The hell is going on?" Kralluf asked.

"Don't know. Officer!" Ralkan replied, and then shouted to a passerby. He motioned over to a Torus guard, and the guard walked over to them when he noticed that he was being summed by his commander. Ralkan stood tall. "What is your name?

"Officer Pettan, sir!" The guardsman said, saluting.

"Well, Officer Pettan, can you tell me why the klaxon for the security alert is going off?"

"It's not a drill, sir! That's for sure!" The officer shouted. "Someone reported that there was a HUGE beast coming directly from the south! It wrecked a dune-boat, but we now got scouts following it and they say that it's coming here! They say that it's close enough for us to see it, sir!"

Ralkan and Kralluf turned and gazed at each other in surprise, and then began following the crowd.

Ralkan pulled out a thin plastic sheet from his person as he ran with the crowd. "Connecting to the surveillance-drone network."

Kralluf scoffed and shook his head, also running with the crowd. "You go and be a wuss. I'll get a good look at everything on the wall."

Ralkan scoffed and shook his head as well. "Absolute madman."

It wasn't long before both Ralkan and Kralluf saw what was causing the security alert. Kralluf had ran up a set of staircases and pushed several soldiers out of his way, yet he came to the edge of the wall. He was now peering from an amassed army of guards that stood behind him. Ralkan had beaten Kralluf to the punch using a surveillance-drone, and gasped when he saw what was causing the alert.

An ultralisk was stampeding towards the walls of Empire Capital.

It was a huge, almost colossal beast, yet its massive size seemed to have limited its speed to a degree. But it was now here, and it was closing the distance to the capitol. After half a minute of it approaching, it was already being fired upon by the guards and automated turrets that were on the sides and top of the wall. The ultralisk grumble and growled, looking like it was becoming more agitated from the concentration of gunfire being applied to its hide. The ultralisk responded by using its massive Kaiser blades at the closest turret emplacements and at any of the guards that were there at the wrong time. The giant beast's Kaiser blades began cutting gilanians and defensive sentries in half with great ease in a dance of slaughter and destruction. But the guards at the top of the structure were easily out of its reach. The ultralisk grumbled, but it carried on attacking at any enemy that it could reach. And anything that had lingered within the ultralisk's reach was sliced, stabbed, cut, cleaved, and smashed.

Kralluf gazed at the monster with surprise, but his smile quickly became broad and excited. "Ralkan! It's one of those big ones! It's going counter-clockwise along the wall and attacking the turret emplacements and guard stations!"

[I think Commander Faddoh called them 'razor fiends'?] Ralkan answered from one of the nearby surveillance-drones, apparently connecting to it in some way and talking to Kralluf.

"Oh yeah, I remember now. Gollog was the one that came up with the name. I'm going to head it off. Tell your guys to stay away from its tusk things." Kralluf said, running and pushing gilanian guards out of his way.

[Acknowledged, Commander Kralluf, but I'm not so sure that those blades are its tusks. What is your plan?]

Kralluf reached behind himself and grabbed a hammer that was slung on his back. "I'm gonna thump it."

[You're going to fight for once? This aught to be good.]

Kralluf ran ahead of the ultralisk that was grazing its Kaiser blades onto the turrets and guards along the outer wall. After running several more meters, Kralluf then struck the ground with his hammer, and positioned his hammer so that the hammer's handle was pointed slightly upwards in an angle. Kralluf then looked behind himself and used his thumb to measure the distance between the ultralisk and himself. "That's one of the many differences between me and you, Ralkan." Kralluf said, stepping onto his hammer and gripping the handle tightly. "You like your traps, but I have a preference for something heavy to throw around."

[Rolling my eyes, here.] Ralkan said.

After he was done with his preparation, Kralluf readied himself for his attack. _"KINETIC LAUNCH!"_ Instantly, Kralluf was launched into the air at a blinding speed, reaching nearly a hundred and twenty meters into the air. Kralluf adjusted himself in the air and saw that the ultralisk was going to be directly below him soon. The ultralisk noticed the yell and looked up, as though it was interested with the new challenge that was presented to it. Once Kralluf started descending, he readied his hammer once more. _"MULTIPLY DENSITY, TIMES ONE HUNDRED! KINETIC IMPACT!"_

The moment that Kralluf had landed his hammer on the right shoulder of the ultralisk, the ultralisk's foreleg was sheared off completely, followed by its slightly smaller right Kaiser blade as well. The 'kinetic blast' also managed to launch the ultralisk, which forced it to land fifty meters away. Kralluf not only severed two limbs from an ultralisk, but he was also able to create a small crater using his hammer and his own body as the projectile, which acted very much like a heavy-massed object. Eventually, Kralluf climbed his way out of the crater he made to inspect the damage he caused. He smiled when he saw that he had weakened the ultralisk.

The ultralisk was already limping away with its remaining legs, hobbling for safety to escape Kralluf's hammer. Kralluf couldn't help it as his ego enlarged, prompting him to taunt the fleeing creature. "Yeah! You better run! You are a complete wuss! If you know what's good for you, you would let yourself bleed to death! I'm going to hunt you down, and take your razor as my trophy! Ha ha ha ha ha~!"

[Are you done?] Ralkan asked, a surveillance-drone flying down next to Kralluf as it emitted the Torus Chain Division's commander's voice.

Kralluf beamed a smile as he turned to face the surveillance-drone, flashing it a thumbs up. "Ye of little faith. That fucker now knows well enough to not fight our capital city head on from now on."

[This is the zerg we are talking about, Kralluf. If anything, we should be prepared for any... Ah! COUNTER-ATTACK!]

The surveillance-drone zipped forward, past Kralluf's head, and impacted with a zergling that almost pounced on an unassuming commander, shocking the organism with the surveillance-drone's built-in taser. Kralluf looked behind himself and growled. "Blade hounds are here now? Terrific. How did it sneak up on me?" Kralluf said, coming up to the zergling and smashing its skull in with an overhead strike, using the bladed part of his hammer.

[The razor fiend must have been a distraction. You should retreat back to the relative safety inside the capitol's wall.] Another surveillance-drone with Ralkan's voice said. [By the way, Gollog wants to have a chat with you.]

Kralluf rolled his eyes, dragging his hammer behind himself with chunks of zerg flesh embedded into its blade. "Is he going to talk through the surveillance-drone, or is he coming to me?"

"The latter, you fool." Gollog said, descending from the top of the wall and landing softly next to Kralluf.

Kralluf turned to Gollog, paused, and then bowed. "My emperor. Are you finally out of your funk?" He asked.

Gollog narrowed his gaze at Kralluf. "Impressive as your feat was, it is obvious to me that these monsters have reached farther than I'd first thought. Especially those razor fiends." He said, looking at the pulped leg of an ultralisk.

"It's surprising that something this big started from its nest and managed to come straight here to our capitol city. Impressive, really." Kralluf said, looking around and finding the lower-left limb of a Kaiser blade. After finding it, he decided to knock his fist on it. It sounded dense, almost as though it was pure, compact bone. "I really want to hunt it down and have its tusk as a trophy."

Gollog patted Kralluf on the shoulder, but he did not smile. "It may return if it is not slain. But if you truly wish to hunt it down, then you have my permission. Bear in mind that it would be a great shame if you died."

Kralluf looked up at Emperor Gollog. "You're letting me hunt that thing, sir?"

Gollog nodded, and smiled this time. "I am about to summon the Kiln Keepers soon. I wouldn't want them to have all the fun, after all!"

Kralluf stared at Gollog for a long while before nodding and smirking. "Lets just hope that those Keepers keep their hands off my razor fiend trophy."

"Be careful, Kralluf." Gollog warned. "The zerg organisms have displayed the unusual power to regenerate lost limbs in several seconds passing. This ability has been displayed by the blade hound you once captured, and I don't doubt that the razor fiend has this ability too."

Kralluf turned away from Gollog to stare at the distance, looking at the shrinking speck on the horizon that was the surviving ultralisk. "Looks like I'll be getting a hunting expedition together for this one." However, another interruption came between Gollog and Kralluf. "... Oh hell, another blade hound!"

Kralluf and Gollog could see a zergling emerging from the far line of desert bushes, which ran straight towards them. The zergling was eager to get its teeth and claws bloodied with the prey it found. Gollog walked forward to intercept the zergling, clenching and flexing his gauntlet heavy hands a few times. The zergling went ahead and attacked the closest enemy, which happened to be the emperor. Gollog reached out with both of his hands and quickly broke the neck of the zergling before it managed to lay a claw on him. Gollog then punted the creature several meters away, which flailed as though it was still alive. "They had truly spread far, it seems."

Yet another zergling came forward, and it growled as it approached Gollog. Kralluf stepped forward this time. _"KINETIC BLOW!"_ A single swing later, and the zergling was reduced to pulverized and bloodied chunks that was launched into the sky. The pieces that remained convulsed slightly before becoming completely still. Kralluf sighed. "I'll get a team ready soon. May your divine power over Kiln last forever."

Gollog bowed before Kralluf, whilst Kralluf did the same. Kralluf then got onto his hammer and launched himself over the wall again, whilst Gollog remained behind. Two more zerglings came out of hiding seconds later, and they too quickly approached the lone emperor. Gollog sighed as he brought his hands out. "I SUMMON FORTH MY DIVINE SWORD AND DAGGER!" Gollog snatched two objects out of the air as they seem to materialize from nothing.

The pair of zerglings did nothing against the emperor, since their claws passed through only air, or passed though Gollog and did no damage whatsoever. Gollog swung his divine blades with centuries of practiced accuracy, felling the two zerglings. Four soon came out, but Gollog wasn't worried in the slightest. A quick circling sweep of his sword had cut through the legs of the zerglings that surrounded him, and a deadly jab of his knife pushed into each of theirs skulls and twisted violently, going through hardened carapace and cranial bone as though it was tinfoil! Eight zerglings came to inspect the battle, and six rushed after the emperor, despite his apparent non-physical passive ability. They were unable to destroy Gollog's manifested form if they couldn't find and kill his cloaked projectors. Or dream-light hover-bots, as he calls them. Kay liked the former name for them better. Easier to say.

When Gollog was finished cutting down the six zerglings with unnatural ease, he turned to see two cocoons that had replaced where the two zerglings once were. Gollog raised an eyebrow as he slowly approached them. "Hmm? This is fairly new. Blade hounds that turn into eggs during battle?"

[Careful, my emperor.] A nearby surveillance-drone with Ralkan's voice said. [Faddoh said that these creatures could cocoon themselves to become a stronger organism. He cited in his notes that blade hounds could transform into bursters.]

Banelings hatched from the cocooned zerglings after several seconds had passed. Gollog blinked a few times in surprise, backing away from the explosive zerg. "And so fast too!"

[These are suicide organisms, emperor! Touch them and they will explode with scalding acid!]

Gollog nodded toward the surveillance-drone. "Then use your toys to dispatch these death balloons, Ralkan. This acid might hurt my hidden dream-light hover-drones."

[As you wish, my emperor!] Ralkan replied. Several surveillance-drones started to circle over the banelings. One of such surveillance-drones accelerated at one of the banelings, intent on colliding with the enemy zerg with a kamikaze attack. Oddly enough, the baneling exploded instantly, which melted the nearby hover-drones that tried to do the same. Its brother decided to burrow into the ground, pushing away sand and grassy tufts as it did so. The ground above it vibrated for a second and then settled, which seemed to remove any traces of zerg activity on the surface of the sand.

Gollog huffed. "Easy to scare, these bursters."

[Multiple contacts!] Ralkan shouted. A wave of several banelings filtered from the faraway bushes, rolling towards the emperor.

Gollog paled slightly, making his yellow and albino skin even more colorless. "I think it's time to fly out of this one." Gollog said, hovering upward and getting off of the dangerous ground. The banelings quickly rolled around in circles underneath Gollog, becoming a swirling ball-pit of death as they followed after the floating emperor. How these things could roll around and not get sick of the constant, and unusual, means of travel, Gollog would not be able to understand. In fact, Gollog was feeling as though he was getting motion sickness watching the orbs of acid going around and around and around in a dizzying display.

After several seconds of circling, the banelings burrowed under the sandy ground at the same time, seeming as though they had a shared will that connected their minds into a single entity. Gollog was safely in the air, but he pouted when he gazed at the now seemingly safe ground. [I think I need to tell the Torus guards to set up seismic sensors on the outer perimeters of their positions. All empire-aligned cities need to be notified. Be right back.] Ralkan said.

Gollog sighed, flying away from the booby-trapped ground. "What in the world is the zerg's next trick going to be? A monster-launching monster?" He didn't notice the fell roar from the distance, since the sound of his own voice drowned out the faraway noise.

* * *

Gollog should have been more careful with his aloud wording when the zerg are present. The mutalisks could fit the description that Gollog had described quite easily, but the brood lords felt like a more fitting description of a 'monster-launching-monster' to Kay. A nydus worm had already erupted from the ground two and a half kilometers away from Empire Capitol, and several drones and queens filtered out of its maw, creating hatcheries in a slightly curved line. Once the hatcheries were created, spine crawlers and spore crawlers were positioned closer to the city on the creep that was established. A nydus network was established next to the nydus worm, which enabled quicker deployment of several more nydus worms in the immediate area.

Once more nydus worms were established, more hatcheries, spine crawlers, and spore crawlers were morphed near them, until forming a semi-perfect ring around the city. The nydus worms would be busy delivering the land-based zerg units, whilst the airborne zerg units would be hatched from the hatcheries or come from the main hive cluster that was south southeast from Empire Capitol.

The ultralisk that was sent forward had proved very useful in distracting the guards, its grating Kaiser blades scratching on the surface of the defensive wall was simply too noisy and distracting for the guards. As a result, they were too blinded to notice the nydus worms achieving their window of opportunity. Should they try to emerge closer to the capitol, they would have been easily targeted and killed. Summoning nydus networks far from their reach would make it less likely for the zerg to be counterattacked. But as of now, the nydus worms were delivering their zerg organisms into enemy territory.

Soon, overlords, overseers, mutalisks, corruptors, brood lords and vipers populated the sky quickly. Drones, zerglings, banelings, roaches, ravagers, hydralisks, lurkers, infestors, swarm hosts, ultralisks and queens quickly gathered in a large circle and formed their ranks. These numbers slowly grew more and more as hungry, predatory eyes of several breeds of zerg watched the city with hunger and rage. Once the circle was complete, the zerg would begin their march and commence their attack.

Kay emerged from the established nydus network, feeling the cool night air in his lungs once more in the same night, but at a different location. The defensive perimeter that was set around Gollog's precious city shall suffer the wrath of the zerg, and Kay would do so with a similar efficiency that was close to Emperor Gollog's merciless tactics. But instead of a giant laser wall that killed everything as it closed in, the zerg swarm would close in and kill everything loyal to the Golden Star Empire within this established circle. Kay sighed happily. "This is going to feel completely therapeutic once this night is over."

Virid emerged from the nydus network that Kay used, and then inspected the environs around herself after she arrived. "... What do we know of this city's infrastructure?"

Kay shrugged his arms. "Dunno. The changelisks that traveled to this area, using the form of zerglings, noted that the entire facility is completely surrounded by a wall."

Virid cocked her head and stared at Kay. "... Why would you have our changelisks assume the form of zerglings?"

Kay sighed. "I needed them to have a speed advantage to scout out the terrain. Don't worry though, I had them transform into desert animals, lone hermits or hobo gilanians when the coast was clear."

Virid seemed impressed. "I can see why changelisks are much more important than changelings."

"Changelings have their purposes too." Kay replied. "Fast recon is something that could be vital in certain situations, but there were no overseers in the immediate area. Zerglings were a lot faster, so... I had the changelisks disguise as our own zerglings to spread them out farther." Kay said with a smirk.

Virid nodded. "I see. So you merely created and used the changelisks to embark on this fast and long-term reconnaissance, instead of using the temporary, yet free to spawn, changelings for their usual means of short-term reconnaissance. Hence why the nydus worms are quickly created in this area."

Kay turned to Virid. "Don't get me wrong. Changelings have their own uses too. Hell, inexpensive reconnaissance in a dangerous area is something I would approve to have. The changelisks are fairly cheep, but losing them would also disadvantage us in the long-term."

"I had not considered that." Virid said, nodding her head more. She then stood next to Kay. "Shall we attack?"

Kay crossed his arms. "When will the assault ring be formed?"

"Within ten minutes, if my math is correct."

Kay grinned in a predatory manner. "Keep producing air strains and delivering ground strains here. Once the ring of hatcheries is complete, have the queens deposit their creep tumors at the inner, and outer, edges of the circled perimeter of established creep. After that, we will attack. ... Hmm?"

Kragnon seemed to be bugging one of the zerg organisms, and is wanting to talk with Kay again. This was awfully weird, since un-infested gilanians needed sleep during this time. Virid turned around, also aware of the lovechief's presence. "What does Kragnon want this time?"

Kay shrugged, turning and heading back for the nydus worm. "No idea. You want to deal with things here?"

"I would be honored to, Kay." Virid replied, bowing.

Kay smiled. "I'll leave it to you then. ... Oh, and try not to do anything I wouldn't do. See you later." Kay said before he disappeared into the nydus network.

Virid turned and looked at the city in the center of the nearly complete assault ring. Empire Capital was soon going to have a very tough time trying to survive. Soon, the capitol would be filled with death. If Virid had lips, she would smile a most salacious smile. Of course, smiling did not add any tactical advantage to a battle, so lips were unnecessary. But what did add to a tactical advantage was a numerical advantage. The ring of hatcheries was finally complete, and the queens went to work making their creep tumors and resource tumors. Several carbonation extractors were also created, while several more drones transformed to fill their new purposes as immobile bio-structures.

If Gollog could summon his smiting magics to defend against this new incursion, he could win an impossible victory. Sadly it can't be done, for it was still the nighttime. But perhaps the 'Kiln Keepers', as Gollog calls them, might turn the tide of battle? Only time would tell.

As of now, however, Virid would now marshal the forces she was given command of. "Feel the fury of the swarm!"

* * *

Elsewhere, Ralkan was joining Gollog on a walk to the giant copper cube, which was called A-01 by Faddoh some time ago. Once Gollog stopped, Ralkan noticed that Gollog was also sighing. After a few seconds of hesitation, Ralkan felt like he needed to ask what was wrong. "... Sir?"

Gollog turned around, his eyes a duller color of emotion than normal. "I'm afraid we'll have to part here. Protect this city with all of your willpower, if you can." He said, putting a shoulder to Ralkan.

Ralkan slowly saluted and nodded. "Uh... Yes, my emperor. Should I ask General Pallax for additional resources?"

"You may." Gollog replied, nodding and giving Ralkan permission. "I shall be off now to summon the Kiln Keepers. May the gods have mercy on our souls. Especially my immortal soul."

Gollog turned around and headed for the research facility, entering into it and disappearing to somewhere. Ralkan gulped and sighed. What he wouldn't give for a stiff drink. However, his day would be further ruined by the next thing he wouldn't have expected, or didn't want to have happened. When these words were shouted to him, his heart had sank to an all new low. A feeling of dread accompanied this prior emotion, followed by sorrow, anguish, fear, betrayal, spite, grief, and panic. The most strongest emotion out of all of them was panic. And the words that were shouted at him?

"Zerg organisms spotted two and a half kilometers away from the capitol! Our scouts have relayed confirmation!"

Ralkan looked up with wide eyed surprise. He shouted back at the guard relaying the information. "FROM WHICH DIRECTION?!"

"Everywhere, sir! North, east, south, west, and every diagonal combination!"

Ralkan paled as his eye twitched, but he also chuckled to himself and slumped in his posture. "... Ha ha hah hah hah... Looks like I have a job to do. I think I'll have to warn Kralluf about this first." He reached into his own person to fish out the plastic sheet he had used previously. He pressed his thumb on it and it darkened, with several lights that later became active on its surface. He fiddled with the lightened buttons until he saw the image of Kralluf. It appeared, from a floating perspective, as though he was getting ready for a hunting expedition with another group of gilanians. "Kralluf, there is something I need to tell you!"

[Is it more important than my hunt for the razor fiend?] Kralluf asked. He turned around and looked straight at Ralkan from the image on the plastic sheet.

Ralkan shook his head. "We are surrounded by zerg organisms, Kralluf. I suggest you escape from here and find a safer location to command your forces!"

Kralluf shook his head. [I was given permission to hunt down a razor fiend I didn't cleanly kill. I'm not going to turn this down, Ralkan. I'll come back to you once I'm done, alright?]

Ralkan shook his head. "B-b-but Kralluf!"

[Bye.] A deft swing of his hammer shorted out the feed of the surveillance-drone.

Ralkan stood there, dumbfounded. He lost the strength in his arms and they flopped downward, one hand still clutching onto the sheet of plastic that could somehow connect to the flying hover-drones. After several seconds of brooding, Ralkan straightened his posture, breathed deeply, and furrowed his brow and expression. It was at this moment that he needed to be strong. "... Right. Time to call Pallax." He directed his attention to the sheet of plastic again and fiddled with the lights once more. After a few seconds of passing, General Pallax was later seen on the sheet of plastic. "General Pallax, sir. This is Commander Ralkan of the Torus Chain Division, requesting reinforcements to aid in the defense and evacuation of Empire Capitol."

The image of Pallax glowed from Ralkan's plastic sheet, and the general nodded to his request. [As you wish, Ralkan. What is the condition over there?]

Ralkan sighed. "We are completely overwhelmed here. The zerg have established a circular perimeter around our city, and we don't have the means to protect ourselves with the resources and assets we currently have stationed. The zerg are two and a half kilometers away from our position, surrounding all our sides."

Pallax raised an eyebrow. [Interesting. In any case, more MEM devices shall be transported through the type A facility at your city. Use them for the requisition of officers and equipment that you'll need. I shall enact an orbital drop of vehicles and installations within your city border. Use them well. If you feel that the city will be taken over, there is no shame in using any of the MEM devices to escape.]

Ralkan shook his head. "There is also something else. Gollog has given Kralluf permission to hunt down a razor fiend in these conditions. Could you try and extract him out of this area? Or maybe assist him?"

Pallax sighed. [He's on his own, I'm afraid. He has never accepted my help before, and he's not going to ask for assistance either. He'll do fine on his own. But it's you I'm worried about.]

"... M-me?"

Pallax nodded. [You were born in Empire Capitol. Chances are, you'll die defending the capitol to your last breath. And I know that you will, since you are so attached to that place. It is for that reason which is why I am giving you the assistance you need. Will that be all?]

"... Y-yes sir." Ralkan said, saluting, almost dropping the plastic sheet piece of technology.

Pallax saluted back. [Die well, commander. Survive, if you can.]

Ralkan sighed, putting the plastic sheet back into his person. Ralkan then took a deep breath and bellowed his orders to everyone. "EVERYONE! CLEAR THE COURTYARDS! THERE IS GOING TO BE AN ORBITAL DROP OF ORDINANCE THAT SHALL ASSIST US! SET UP MORE TURRETS ON THE TOP AND OUTER LIP OF THE WALL! MOVE THE ANTI-RIOT BOTS UP THERE IF YOU HAVE TO! HELL, YOU ALSO SHOULD PUT THEM OUTSIDE THE WALL! WE'RE GOING TO PROTECT THIS CITY DOWN TO THE LAST MAN, AND I DON'T WANT ANY SLACKERS, PROCRASTINATORS, OR SLOWPOKES DRAGGING EVERYONE ELSE DOWN! IF I FIND YOU LOAFING OFF, I'LL PERSONALLY THROW YOU OVER THE WALL! OUR PRIORITY IS TO PROTECT EMPIRE CAPITOL, AND PROTECT THE CITIZENRY AND FACTORIES UNDERNEATH THE ACCESS TOWERS! VIGILANCE REWARDS YOU WITH PRECIOUS SECONDS OF LIFE, BUT ANY LAPSE IN CONCENTRATION WILL RISK AN EARLY DEATH! GO FORTH, SOLDIERS AND GUARDS OF THE TORUS CHAIN DIVISION! SECURE OUR HOMES, AND PREVENT OUR ENEMIES FROM TAKING WHAT BELONGS TO US! MOVE IT! _MOVE IT! **MOVE IT!**_ "

The guards in the entire city quickly got to work in fortifying their positions, installing new automated turrets and creating new fortifications that would help provide additional defenses against the invading zerg. The men were pumped up, and they repaired some of the damage that the ultralisk had caused, with the promise of ordinance coming from the sky seeming to make them work even more harder.

But Ralkan had doubt settling into his heart once more. He knew too well that they couldn't possibly be prepared for what was coming for them. Ralkan turned away and headed for one of the access towers, entering into it and disappearing from the surface of Empire Capitol. Its main structures was located below ground, where high classed civilians and important underground farms were maintained and carefully managed. Below the civilian population floors, Ralkan would descend into his own personal facility, where many kinds of equipment in bulk would be stored for his use, which was secured in a secret and secured place. It was there at the lowest floor that he has made his home, and he would go there to retrieve one special object that he considered as the most important item in his possession.

But after that, he would prepare for one last final battle.

* * *

 **A/n: ^ Ten thousand words plus, wow. :V**

 **Anyway, to recap on the names that the gilanians had given for the zerg units:**

 **drone = floater**

 **spine crawler = whipper sentry**

 **spore crawler = barnacle sentry**

 **overlord = drifter**

 **overseer = ocular**

 **changeling/changelisk =** **doppelganger**

 **queen = caretaker**

 **zergling = blade hound**

 **baneling = burster**

 **roach = puker**

 **ravager = bombardier**

 **hydralisk = spine serpent**

 **lurker = ambusher**

 **infestor = spawner**

 **infested gilanian = pawn**

 **blightbringer = greater spawner**

 **aberration = greater pawn**

 **swarm host = pest carrier**

 **locust = pest**

 **ultralisk = razor fiend**

 **mutalisk = sky bat**

 **corruptor = slayer**

 **brood lord = scratch launcher**

 **broodling = scratcher**

 **viper = cloud licker**


	29. Falling Capitol

**Chapter 29: Falling Capitol**

* * *

Peristalsis and chemical stimulants moved Kay, taking him toward the destination that the nydus worm network connected to. The reason as to why he would return to the underground village that once belonged to the Hidden Water Spring Tribe was simple. A gilanian lovechief politely requested his presence, and Kay wouldn't be the kind of person to shirk off such a request when he had nothing else important to do. Besides, Kay believed that Gollog wanted Kragnon for some reason, and he isn't going to let Gollog have his way with him anytime soon.

"Really? So I take it that you're just one of those types of zerg that specializes as an ambassador?" Kragnon asked a changelisk.

A changelisk drummed its fingers across its body and creep, sitting next to a zergling that was resting besides it. The changelisk's appearance was 'slightly' different from its changeling brothers. One major difference between a changeling and this changelisk came down to their apparent size, with the changelisk being slightly bigger than the changelings. One minor difference between this changelisk and the changelings were the prickly thorns that extended and retracted from its pulsating growths on its head and body. "Well eh... I suppose we could be used for that purpose. But we would have to be in a disguise, firstly. Our temporary changeling cousins are far more disposable than we are, but our changelisk breed can last far more significantly, with a insignificant cost to bio-matter. On top of that, our normal appearances would easily scare children."

Kragnon nodded, impressed. "I'll have to admit, you do look like a creepy bunch, but I'm starting to see why Gollog would hate you guys the most."

The changelisk nodded. "True. I believe we have a changelisk already infiltrating into a city. It's called Gargantua Citadel. Heard of it?"

Kragnon furrowed his brow and looked down at the creep covered ground in thought. "It might be a place I already know of, but a lot of cities tend to change names often when a new ruler takes it over. Do you know where it's located?"

The changelisk nodded again. "It's one hundred and ninety kilometers west northwest from our position."

Kragnon nodded and furrowed his brow more. "One hundred and... Oh! I remember now! That city used to be called Big Wall, because the upper class and the lower class would live on different sides of the city's wall. Since it's a citadel now, it can only mean that Gollog must be very hard pressed in getting more cities aligned to his empire."

The changelisk tilted his head. "Interesting. Do many cities change their names when a new ruler comes to power?"

Kragnon huffed. "Yeah, it happens often. This is mostly the case when a slave-master comes to power in small bandit camps. To think that this happened in a large city like Big Wall though... Wow. Do you know who is in charge of that city?"

"A baroness by the name of Tak." The changelisk answered. "She is interested in gaining empire technology, but is trying to gain it through any other means than directly joining forces with the empire. We have... an agent on the inside of the walls, doing his best to supply her the means without endangering her relations to any other factions."

"Baroness, huh?" Kragnon said in an impressed way. "Not a lot of female leaders in gilanian history. Sounds very progressive."

"Why is that?" The changelisk asked.

"Because of the dominant male ego, I'd assume." Kragnon then sighed. "So uh... Where is Kay at, anyway?"

"He was at the city of power that Gollog calls Empire Capitol a while ago."

"Glitter Towers, huh? It's pretty far from here. I think it would take a few days for him to get back here on foot."

"He's back right now actually."

"Oh? He just got back? ... Wait, how did he get there so quick?!" Kragnon asked, surprised.

Kay entered into the conversation once he came into earshot. "Nydus worms, man. Don't knock it till you try it, but I recommend you hold your breath during transport. There's a bad breath smell during the whole trip." Kay had arrived and was now back in the underground village, recently emerged from the nydus network bio-structure. It took him a little less than half a minute between entering the nydus network at Empire Capitol, and then leaving the nydus network within the underground village.

Kragnon turned and stared at Kay in disbelief. He then shook his head and chuckled. "Chalk it up to strange zerg biology, right?"

Kay nodded, but then he changed his expression to interest. "So why did you summon me?"

Kragnon sighed. "Well, I have been up all night listening to the information network on raw data feeds, and I have finally came to a conclusion. I feel as though I should tell you about this."

Kay tilted his head and looked at Kragnon with a concerned stare. "Uh... Kay? What is it?"

Kragnon pleaded his fingers and leaned forward. "I have heard that you have been pressing heavily onto Gollog's forces for the past... five days, I believe? Well, I have came across some information that was very distressing."

"What is it? Did he grab a hold of one of your ancestors from your cousin's side or something?" Kay asked.

"He's about to unleash the Kiln Keepers." Kragnon answered.

Kay blinked a few times. "... What are those?"

Kragnon sighed again, rolling his eyes. "They are self replicating peace-keeper robots that are programmed to be violent to all illegal activities. They were supposed to be programmed to keep the peace on planet Kiln, and are supposed to prevent further deaths caused by violence. However, their artificial intelligence is too adaptive for their own good, and they... simply put, went nuts. They changed their programs so much that if they caught any gilanians with any slighted aggressive act, then they would execute them by their own metal hands. Even sex was considered offensive to them, and the population in the later years declined at a staggering rate. It was only by their deactivation that the descendants were able to take Kiln as their birthright, later rebuilding their lives and procreating their numbers afterwards. And thus began the day where we had ascended from being mere prisoners."

Kay nodded. "Oh... So THAT'S what the Age Of Ascension is all about? It's the origin point of your recorded history from the day you achieved your freedom? That has to be a very important time for this world."

Kragnon nodded with Kay. "Yes, but we didn't fare much better afterwards. A couple hundred years later or so, there were many gilanians and their families that lived in the cool protected walls of defunct subset prisons. The manifestation altar technology slowly became defunct, and we had to resort to hunting and foraging off of the lands to feed ourselves. Most of the time that wasn't enough, prompting gilanian bandit gangs to form, which resorted to cannibalism and blood-letting vein drinking to survive on this hot world. Three hundred years later, Gollog came into the picture and ruined everything. Or made things worse, actually. Over time, he had acquired an empire thanks to a technology that supposedly made him immortal. He now has more than half of the world eating baked sugar flakes out of his hands, or serving him everything he could ever want on a golden platter."

Kay nodded, understanding the situation. "So he either threatens to kill you, or rewards you with scraps if you become loyal to him. Yeah, I definitely want to kill him someday."

"You might not get the chance to. Since Gollog is fixing to reactivate the Kiln Keepers, there's no telling on what they might do to establish their dominance over the gilanians. They might see the zerg as pests, and they probably will go on a crusade for your extermination." Kragnon paused before leaning forward and staring intently at Kay. "Please tell me as bluntly as you can. How far has your zerg forces spread?"

Kay paused, and slowly considered his options. After several seconds of time passing, he then nodded with a sigh. He pointed downward. "The zerg swarm have dug fifty kilometers below ground and have created several domes to support hatcheries. We then built several tunnel systems outward from those underground domes, and have carved and excavated more domes for more hatcheries." Kay then pointed upwards. "We have also succeeded in colonizing the surface of the artificial moon."

Kragnon nodded, sighing. "So that's why the moon is a... purple color for some reason?"

Kay _carefully_ rubbed the back of his head, looking guilty. "It's a good source of light to draw from! Converting the energy into bio-matter and accelerant is hard to do on the surface, what with the lasers evaporating the creep fields."

Kragnon sighed again, and nodded. "And now I know this is what happens when you share the blueprints of altar technology to another species. Or even parts of an altar, for that matter."

Kay walked forward and furrowed his brow at Kragnon. "But then that sort of raises a question. How did YOU ended up with the altar technology?"

Kragnon looked up at Kay and sighed, but then smiled. "Would you believe that I had a friend that looked almost exactly like Gollog?"

"Could almost believe you. What happened?"

"Well... He convinced some gilanian empire scientists to send him a copy of the altar blueprints, as well as the necessary tools, materials, and parts that were needed to create our own manifestation altars. But we figured out a little later that the blueprints are designed to fail by default, since the design forced micro-machines to be infused in the hyper-fluid memory bags. In case the altar detects hardware tampering, or is used without the permission code that was given by the high-up empire gilanians, the micro-machines in the altar's memory bags would construct a beacon that would activate upon completion, which would then attract gilanian soldiers to wherever the illegally manufactured machine has been assembled. It's a surefire method of protecting your assets, I will say."

"Perfect way to track counterfeit altars, I'll admit. So how do the altars in your tower work without attracting the empire's attention?" Kay asked.

"The beacons are too weak to puncture through the kilometer of rock above us. No matter how noisy those beacons are, they cannot be heard."

Kay nodded. "Sound strategy. So these micro-machines. Can they be dismantled or disabled by an EMP pulse?"

"Doing so would damage some of the micro-machine components, but it would also completely wipe out all information from the memory bags. The bags themselves contains several petabytes of information that the altar needs in order to function, but would be completely useless without it."

Kay nodded. "Oh! Kay. So is it possible for us to transfer the information from one bag to another bag that had its memory wiped, by using an autonomous download process?"

Kragnon scoffed. "If we could achieve that, then this technology would become more accessible to the public. The problem is the micro-machines. Once they transfer into the blanked memory bag, it's just going to make another distress beacon."

Kay smiled. "Then how about a powerful magnetic filter to aid in the information transfer?"

Kragnon paused, then looked down in serious thought. "... Holy shit, I think you solved the second most biggest problem in all of Kiln."

Kay smirked. "And the first is Gollog, I take it?"

Kragnon shook his head. "Yes, but I think Gollog would soon enough put you as number one on that list too."

Kay clapped his hands together. "Alright! Looks like Johnny has a little project he can do! Will that be all?"

Kragnon nodded and sighed. "Yeah, that's it for now. I might as well go to bed myself."

Kay walked backward and waved goodbye. "Sleep well. I'll try and find out why Gollog is immortal, while I'm fighting his empire."

Kragnon turned away and yawned. "Yeah yeah. And keep yourself a step ahead of Gollog if you can."

Kragnon entered into his tower, and disappeared from the sight of all zerg organisms. Apparently, he was able to get a lot more rest with the knowledge that Corvurn was not lurking around his tower. Which is a feat, since the zerg organisms are hardly things you can sleep comfortably close to. But sleep was never needed when it came to the zerg. They also had a deeper understanding among one another, a hidden camaraderie that was both silent and subtle. They had a hivemind intelligence after all.

* * *

Through that link in the zerg psionic network, Kay could see that Virid was doing well in getting her forces organized during his whole conversation with Kragnon.

The zerglings would be at the front of the attacking force, eager to meet their enemy in battle, and just as uncaring about their survival too. Behind them would be the roaches and hydralisks. By hiding behind the roaches, the hydralisks were provided with a wall of carapace that would protect them, whilst enabling them a means to attack distant enemies with impunity, thanks to their needle spines that can be launched from far away. Once the battle has been joined, the infestors, swarm hosts and brood lords would stay behind the lines of roaches and hydralisks, providing expendable infested gilanians, flying locusts, and broodlings to the front lines. The infested gilanians would be effective in shooting down the surveillance drones within the city in suicide runs.

Banelings, ravagers, lurkers, aberrations, ultralisks, overseers, mutalisks, corruptors, and vipers would come later in the fight. banelings, though having weak membranes that contained a dangerous acid that would dissolve themselves when ruptured, would also dissolve everything else around themselves. Ravagers have the capacity to end several enemies at once with their plasma discharge attack, and to a greater extent their bile discharge artillery attack. Lurkers might not have a very active role in the advance of the zerg forces, but they can easily deny vital areas from being retaken by ground forces. The aberrations, as always, would provide the necessary armor bonus to their adjacent swarm strains, and be able to slam down nearby enemies. The biggest hitters to attack the empire defenders would be the ultralisks, their Kaiser blades able to reduce even the most defended of structures into rubble and ruin. If it had to be said again, the ultralisks earned the reputation and respect of being the ultimate siege-breakers.

The overseers might not provide much to the battle, but their ability to produce changelings and changelisks would provide reconnaissance essential to zerg operations. That, and the ability to detect hidden enemies and locations were also beneficial. Mutalisks would enable the zerg to divide the attention of the empire guards at the heavily defended city, forcing them to either attack enemies in the air, or enemies on the ground, all the while being killed and split apart, in groups of three, by their glaive wurms. Corruptors would help assist in attacking any anti-air fliers, or any stationary building or anti-air turret systems, or giant enemies that might appear during the battle to come. And then there were the vipers. Their tongues could pull a great many enemies to an early demise, cloud their vision for the zerg's benefit, or damage several airborne enemies at the same time. The vipers only stipulation was that they had to feed on bio-structures in order to regain their energy, but the quick use of queen transfusion could assist the vipers to continually use the hatcheries as indispensable regenerating batteries to restore their spent energy.

But Virid held off her forces and enabled them to reproduce their numbers. After all, she was commanded to refrain from making mistakes that Kay would normally make. With the changelisks that have infiltrated into Empire Capitol, it is obvious that they would employ a weapon by dropping it from orbit, and Virid had no idea what that weapon could be. But then there was another issue that came up. Kralluf, in his custom six-wheeled desert platform, was hunting down the ultralisk that he had previously wounded.

Kralluf was at the front of the platform, looking over the vast desert area that was closed in by the zerg. Since this area was more closer to the tropic zone, it experienced more frequent rain than further south. Kralluf growled as he looked at the giant footprints that the ultralisk had left behind, and he was growling because the zerg forces he was facing were a lot more dangerous to the empire than he initially expected. But still, he was one of those types of gilanians that didn't want to half-ass a job. He thought he could kill the ultralisk in one shot, but it stopped in its advance too soon and had its leg and one of its Kaiser blades torn off by his hammer instead.

"KEEP GOING FORWARD, HELMSMAN! THE BEAST HASN'T WANDERED FAR!" Kralluf shouted. His booming voice kept the morale of his men high, and prevented them from mutinying or abandoning the desert platform. Besides, Kralluf had a big, hammer-shaped solution for deserters. Their lives meant nothing to him, but he still needed meat-shields and manned turret positions to take down the massive beast. But if what Gollog said was true, then Kralluf didn't have long until the zerg organism became fully healed. He did witness a zergling regrowing its limb, after all! Kralluf furrowed his scaly brows when he saw something up ahead. Or to be more specific, a lack of something. "HALT! STOP HERE!"

[This is helmsman Marcyon. Permission to ask a question after this present question, sir?]

Kralluf rolled his eyes and grunted in annoyance. "Proceed."

[Why have we stopped here, sir?]

"Because the tracks stopped here." Kralluf answered. In front of Kralluf's custom desert platform, the deep footsteps had vanished completely. Smooth sands were seen in all directions, except for behind the desert platform and the end of the trail made by the vanished ultralisk. Kralluf could tell that he did not like the scene that he was currently seeing. For several seconds he muddled his thoughts together until he came up with a plan. "... Alright, here's an idea. I'm thinking that our razor fiend game is hiding right under the sand and in front of us. Throw a javelin sensor onto the ground. We'll deploy some automated turrets, and have the manned turrets link up with the seismic targeting system with the automated turrets. LET'S GO!"

The plan couldn't be any more simpler. Just dump a sensor and see if the ultralisk was anywhere nearby. Once several automated turrets were set on the underside of the desert platform, and the manned turrets underneath got ready to attack their hidden foe, Kralluf would give his command to deploy the javelin sensor. After several seconds of setting up the turrets, everyone was ready to start the hunt. Once the javelin was casted forward, however, the automated turrets swiveled backwards and started firing at something directly behind the desert platform. This firing had the unintended side effect of unleashing an ultralisk behind themselves. The creature quickly emerged from the sands and used its Kaiser blades to savagely slash at the back wheel-towers of the desert platform.

[TARGET IS BEHIND US! AIM AND FIRE! AIM AND FIRE!] [WHOA SHIT, THAT JAG IS _HUGE!_ ] [ORDERS, SIR?!]

Kralluf gritted his teeth and started running to the back of the desert platform, bringing out his hammer. "STALL IT!"

One of the ultralisk's Kaiser blades were a lot smaller than before the wound it gained from Kralluf, and its right leg was growing back from its severance, but it still looked like a miniature version of the limb it was replacing. Even then, its remaining Kaiser blades were still lethal, big, and dangerous, which tore through metal with a speed that only monomolecular thin edges of ultra hard bone was capable of unleashing in quick successive slashes. After causing massive damage to the wheel-towers and underside of the desert platform, the ultralisk then started to flee again.

Kralluf got to the back of the desert platform, but he was already too late. He growled again. "A cowardly beast, but it knows to retreat. To lick its wounds and fight again at full strength so quickly makes it a very dangerous, and smart, creature. FOLLOW IT LADS!"

[What about the javelin sensor? Should we pick that up?] [It got stomped on during the attack. Forget it.]

Kralluf sighed. "This thing might be smarter than I thought. Lads. What's the damage to our desert platform?"

After a pause, Kralluf got his damage report. [The left rear, and right rear reel-towers-, Gah, I mean WHEEL towers, are in major condition. We'll be dragging on them if we don't pick them up from the ground.]

"Then do so and make repairs as we roll after that jag. ... Gah, I MEAN RAZOR FIEND! ... And try not to stutter next time." Kralluf growled and clucked, holstering his hammer and going back to the front of the desert platform.

The giant desert platform raised its rear wheel towers for repairs, and then rolled around to follow the new tracks that the ultralisk had made. Rather than directly head for the circle of zerg organisms, the ultralisk tracks went in a completely different direction. However, the ultralisk managed to peek a look at the desert platform's weapon compliment. The artillery guns on the desert platform looked like they had a design flaw. It could change its pitch and angle the trajectory of fire without issue, but it could not swivel left or right by much. If Virid had to judge how far these artillery canons on Kralluf's desert platform could turn, it was possible for them to have a 25° horizontal turning firing arc. After another minute of Kralluf's hunting party continuing to track the ultralisk, they eventually spotted the end of its trail. However, Kralluf had wizened to this tactic.

"DRIVE TO THE LEFT OF THE TRACKS! HAVE A FLIER EQUIP SOME DROP-ABLE JAVELIN SENSORS!" By his command, scout fliers were manned and deployed, and the desert platform veered off of the trail of giant footsteps made by the ultralisk.

Even then, Kralluf's men were still uneasy. [Uh, sir? What's the purpose of this tactic?] One of his men said through the radio.

"Simple. The beast backtracked on its own tracks and burrowed under the sand, resulting in a very clever ambush. I'm thinking to start at the end of the tracks this time. Have the artillery cannons ready to fire at point-blank range."

[Point-blank?]

"We're going to try and shove an artillery barrel down its drooling face. Turn us about when we get to the end of the razor fiend's trail, and then drop the javelin sensors at the tracks on my mark." Kralluf ordered.

It took them a short amount of time to get the desert platform in position, and the scout fliers were deployed when they were fitted with the javelin sensors. But before the fliers could send down their sensors, the ultralisk emerged whilst the desert platform was still straightening itself to be parallel to the ultralisk's tracks. [Razor fiend emerging from the sands, sir! ... Is its leg getting bigger?!]

Kralluf growled and hissed. "Fast zerg regeneration. Typical. GET OUR CANNONS READY! EVERYONE ELSE, FIRE AT WILL! SCOUT FLIERS, FOLLOW AFTER THE RAZOR FIEND AND RELAY COORDINATES FOR ARTILLERY BOMBARDMENT!"

[Command confirmed, Commander Kralluf. Circling the jag now.]

"Guh." Kralluf groaned.

The ultralisk limped away, and it was gaining speed due to its regenerating leg. But the fliers followed after it like vultures following after a weakened animal, and they would not break their pursuit of the beast any time soon. Kralluf's desert platform straightened itself out and aimed its artillery cannons. Once the coordinates were relayed, the desert platform's artillery cannons barked loudly, sending forth rounds that could level houses and buildings. The sent artillery ordinance missed a few times, but some had struck onto the back and on the skull-frill of the ultralisk's head.

[Uh oh. Commander Kralluf, be advised! Sky bats are approaching our position! One of us have been downed, and we are forced to retreat!]

Kralluf grinded his teeth. "CEASE ARTILLERY FIRE!" A few seconds later, the artillery cannons became silent. "... Alright, lads. Follow after the tracks again, and assist protecting the returning scout fliers when they board back on our desert platform." Kralluf hated this. From the information that was gleaned by Commander Faddoh, these zerg creatures were apparently a hivemind that uses externally produced neural oscillations to communicate with each other. Such a means of telepathy seemed like a finer, and faster, method of relaying orders. But since the zerg had the capability to send mutalisks to assist an ultralisk, he was slowly getting the impression that he was being toyed with. But even then, he was still curious of the defenses being set up at Empire Capitol, and wondered how they could resist an onslaught from the zerg swarm. "I want a direct audio connection to Commander Ralkan. Set the call through my mobile radio transmitter."

[Yes sir.] One of the surveillance officers replied.

After several seconds of time passed, Kralluf was able to talk to Ralkan directly. "Are you there, Ralkan?"

[Yes, I'm here, Kralluf. What can I do for you?]

"Nothing you can do, intrinsically. More like what you can tell me. How are your defenses?"

[Several more automated turrets have been set up on the outer wall. Anti-riot bots are positioned behind, on top of, and on the outer perimeter of the walls. Pallax has sent us the help we requested and we are in the middle of setting them up. With that said, I think we might stand a solid chance in defending our city.]

Kralluf shook his head. "Don't count your blessings just yet. You still got to outlive the fight, by any means necessary."

A sigh from Ralkan was heard. [How's your hunt going?]

"Terrible. Never expected to fight something that's as big as a gods-damned tall, low-end mansion. But I am fixing to kill this thing, and I will not stop till I do."

[Shaking my head here. You know that I won't think of you any less if you retreated from this skirmish.]

"Can't do. The principle of a hunt is for the hunter to kill his prey. I can't let an animal limp away, since my own honor as a hunter would be tarnished if I called it quits early. I already wounded the creature, Ralkan. I intend to follow through."

Ralkan sighed again. [Do what you must, I guess. Live well, and run with pride. Canceling call.]

Kralluf grunted. His desert platform crawled forward, despite the damage done to its rear wheels, yet still following the disturbed sands that detailed the passing of a massive monster. Kralluf eventually noticed that his desert platform was nearing the creep that slowly grew across the ground. He grimaced when he noted the smell. "Guh. Smells like a wet mold." [Sir, our quarry's tracks is covered by some kind of purple slime on the ground. I can't find the trail.] [We don't have to follow the trail anymore. Razor fiend is in visual range, sir!] "Location?" [Starboard bow, sir. It's... standing there, looking at us.]

An ultralisk was indeed staring at the general direction of Kralluf's desert platform. It waved its Kaiser blades around and grunted loudly.

"... Feels like that thing is taunting me." Kralluf said, hissing. He unholstered his hammer and pointed his weapon at the ultralisk. "GET IN RANGE OF THAT RAZOR FIEND AND FIRE AT WILL!"

At that instant, the ultralisk in the distance reared its front legs for a split second and then galloped forward. Kralluf's desert platform didn't need to get in range since the ultralisk was charging them. The artillery cannons fired toward the ultralisk, the ammunition dealing damage to the massive beast at a negligible degree. The artillery rounds managed to damage its upper left Kaiser blade and remodeled much of its face before the ultralisk dug and grazed its massive offensive weapons all over the front left wheel-tower. The automated turrets and manned turrets did their best as they retaliated against such a huge monster.

[ANOTHER RAZOR FIEND ON OUR LEFT! AIM PORT-SIDE!] And by then, another ultralisk had unearthed itself from beneath the sand and creep, which proceeded to attack the middle-left leg. Kralluf was all too understanding of the situation now. Plus, he thought that this monster in particular looked familiar. The entire desert platform suddenly tilted to the left as an ear-piercing sound of bending metal was heard. Kralluf was thrown to his side, and he felt a piece of himself feel as though it died. His custom desert platform was disabled. [ALL LEFT WHEEL-TOWERS ARE DESTROYED! COMMANDER KRALLUF, WHAT ARE OUR ORDERS?!]

Kralluf got up and dusted himself off. "Evacuate through the MEM devices, Helmsman Marcyon. Spread this command to everyone that they should leave the area. I'll provide a distraction to our monsters." Kralluf looked up and saw a familiar ultralisk, and he slowly recognized it. The ultralisk looked down and narrowed its baleful gazing eyes, emitted a low growl, and stomped its right foot a few times. Kralluf smiled as he got his hammer ready. "Alright you big, fat, fucking ugly monster. You got your damn leg back, but you look like you're still pissed about losing it to me. You want a piece of me next?"

The ultralisk gave its answer with a massive roar as it stomped the ground.

"LET'S GO THEN! RAAAAAGH!" Kralluf shouted in a warcry, running forward and facing the ultralisk head-on.

* * *

 **A/N: You know, Kralluf kind of reminds me of a krogan from the Mass Effect games. '3'**


	30. MB4: Activation of the Kiln Keepers

**Chapter 30: Major Battle 4: Activation of the Kiln Keepers**

* * *

Kralluf ran forward and down the sloped desert platform, whilst the ultralisk that he had been hunting ran up the tilted desert platform in order to meet Kralluf in combat. They both bellowed their war cries to each other before initiating glorious melee. The escaping gilanian soldiers Kralluf had brought might have said that the scene was a glorious depiction of man vs beast. But alas, they were too busy fleeing through the MEM devices to take notice of the epic battle behind them.

The mighty ultralisk swiped its massive Kaiser blades at the incoming commander, each blade capable of ending a naked human or armored gilanian in one severing slice. Kralluf quickly lowered his profile and leaned backward, letting gravity do the work as he slid under the ultralisk's blades. Kralluf then quickly stood up and struck at the ultralisk's right foreleg, making it buckle over, only to give Kralluf a window to quickly struck its right hind leg right after. The ultralisk fell onto its right side and grunted, surprised that it was countered so easily. _"KINETIC BLAST!"_

After hearing that shout, the ultralisk rolled over onto its back and onto its left side, completely avoiding Kralluf's attack. The ultralisk wasn't designed to roll over to dodge a deceptively small opponent's strike, but in order to survive, one would have to perform different kinds of strategies that could be considered unconventional from the norm, or Kralluf's incredible blow. Still, the ultralisk managed to evade Kralluf's attack, smashing various items, crates, and equipment in its combat roll, and getting parts stuck in its crevices and carapace. The ultralisk countered with a sweeping blunt strike of its left Kaiser blades.

One of the Kaiser blades were struck and shattered, but another blade managed to trip Kralluf, which had sent him sliding all the way down the platform. Once the ultralisk awkwardly righted itself up, it turned to face Kralluf, growling menacingly. kralluf slowly got back onto his feet and grunted. "Damn. You got some moves, I'll give you that." Kralluf positioned his hammer and stepped onto it, and then pointed the handle towards the ultralisk while he muttered to his axe. "Issue advanced voice command function bind, labeled 'Hard Launch Blast'. Upon function bind activation, initiate kinetic launch. Next, initiate multiply density, times one hundred, after fifty milliseconds. Next, initiate kinetic impact. Next, negation of current density multiplication and current velocity by command function bind 'revert'. Save advanced voice command function binds."

The ultralisk tilted its head. That didn't sound good, whatever it had meant.

Kralluf took in a breath before positioning himself. _"HARD LAUNCH BLAST!"_ Kralluf was sent toward the ultralisk at a blurring speed. The ultralisk quickly tilted its head more at the right time, and a third of its cephalic shield on its head was turned into carapace shrapnel. If the ultralisk hadn't moved its head in time, it would have had its head turn into and exploded firework display of viscera and gore! _"REVERT!"_ Kralluf shouted, righting himself upwards and landing softly on the ground. He threw his hammer around and pointed its handle at the ultralisk again. _"HARD LAUNCH BLAST!"_ Another attack was initiated by Kralluf, and he managed to hit the ultralisk on its rear, forcing the massive beast to fall forward on its face while its ass was blown in half.

A significant shift was noticed during this fight. Apparently, the 'kinetic impact' attack that kralluf used requires his voice to activate his hammer's power. The ability to change the mass, velocity, and density of himself and his hammer was an astounding technological power. In essence, the commander of the Crescent Arms Division is turning himself into a cannonball that becomes heavier as it travels through the air. If the ultralisk doesn't do something quickly, then it would soon die by a hammer that was being wielded by a flying lunatic!

 _"REVERT! KINETIC LAUNCH!"_ Kralluf launched himself high into the air, covered in red blood and some guts that used to belong in the ultralisk's lower intestines. After reaching a certain height, Kralluf pointed himself, and his hammer, down towards the wounded ultralisk. There was a savage grin painted his face. _"KINETIC IMPACT!"_

The ultralisk moved backwards suddenly, letting Kralluf land on the tilted desert platform, making a huge hole upon impact. Violent metallic creaking was heard. Slowly and surly, the creaking became louder until the snapping of metal ceased the creaking noise, and the entire desert platform evened out, followed by a soft thud that kicked up sand and dust. The ultralisk's cephalic shield was already healing and regenerating, but the siege breaking beast was already suffering grievous wounds. Apparently, the other ultralisk that assisted in attacking Kralluf's desert platform was also attacking the wheel towers, which forced the platform to the ground, while Kralluf had struck the blow needed to fully force it down.

The other ultralisk stepped onto the desert platform and proceeded to graze the top part of the vehicle, wrecking many systems and abandoned turrets placements with its Kaiser blades and stomping feet. The hunted ultralisk would have wanted to join in with the other ultralisk, but Kralluf was currently the bigger threat. _"HARD LAUNCH BLAST!"_ Another hole was blasted in the desert platform, and the attack originated from underneath. The hunted ultralisk turned around to see the hole that had appeared, but it contained no commander within. The hunted ultralisk looked up to see Kralluf aiming his hammer at the other ultralisk, surrounded by shrapnel and machine guts that belonged to his custom desert platform. _"HARD LAUNCH BLAST!"_ Kralluf sent himself toward the other ultralisk, imploding and exploding its entire head, killing the beast. Once the rain of blood and flakes of carapace had ceased falling, followed by the dust settling, Kralluf stood up from the insta-gibbed head of the ultralisk and craned his neck. "Revert." He turned toward the hunted ultralisk with a grunt, a sinister smirk dancing across his mouth. "Want to end up like your buddy?"

The ultralisk looked as though it was sneering at Kralluf. It then turned away to look at something up in the sky. Kralluf was hesitant, but he turned to look at what the ultralisk was looking at. What he saw surprised him. It was something that Kralluf had never faced before, looking like a bug thing with big arm-looking things and wings, with a thick tail. The zerg's viper strain.

Kralluf cocked his head at the thing. "... So what are you, exactly?"

Kralluf received his answer via a blinding cloud that blurred his vision, limiting his sight of the ultralisk he had sought for.

Kralluf waved his hammer around to try and clear away the cloud. "GAGH! GODS-DAMMIT, I HATE THE ZERG! _KINETIC LAUNCH!"_ Kralluf launched himself out of the cloying mist that limited his vision. His aim was good, and he found himself in the perfect trajectory, right toward the ultralisk he was hunting. Kralluf smiled dangerously again, focusing on only hunting his big game at the moment. " _KINETIC IMPA-_ UAGH?!"

Kralluf was pulled out of the air by an incredibly prehensile tongue, disorientating him to such a degree that he flailed and rotated as he fell. He fell to the sandy ground, too disoriented to cancel his current velocity and limit the impact to the terrain. Kralluf slowly emerged from the crater he made and shrugged off the sand he accumulated. "Gods-damned it, what the hell? It makes green clouds, then it has that tongue thing. Might as well take you down now. _HARD LAUNCH BLAST!"_ Kralluf sent himself toward the viper in the sky and went through the flying zerg organism, destroying its body and making its arms and wings fly off in random directions.

Once Kralluf landed safely again, he dusted off the giblets and blood of a recently slain zerg from his silver and blue armor. He then turned to try and find the ultralisk he was hunting. However, instead of the lone ultralisk that he had hunted, he also saw a queen assisting it. The queen trilled and fussed over the ultralisk, and Kralluf could have sworn that the ultralisk healed faster than normal. The ultralisk shook itself and grumbled with renewed vigor, almost looking completely rejuvenated! After that, the ultralisk gazed at Kralluf and sneered, growling lowly and stomping its right foot again.

Kralluf sighed. "Gods-damn, where did that caretaker come from?! ... Eh. No matter. I can still kill you in one blow. _HARD LAUNCH BLAST!"_

[Energy warning. Battery is low. Unable to comply with commands.] Kralluf's hammer seemed to have said.

Kralluf looked at his hammer and growled. "Dammit." The ultralisk plodded forward, whilst the queen held her position. Kralluf awaited his fate as the ultralisk came closer to him. Once the ultralisk was mere meters away, it stopped and stared at Kralluf with hungry eyes. Several seconds had passed, and Kralluf was starting to become impatient. "... What are you waiting for?"

The ultralisk growled.

"... You're waiting for my turn, huh? You want me to make my next move?" Kralluf said incredulously.

The ultralisk growled again, as though replying to Kralluf.

Kralluf was utterly dumbfounded. After a lengthy pause, he then started chuckling. That chuckling then developed into a full-blown laugh. "Hahahahaha what haha kind of monsters are you?! Hahahahaha~!" After several seconds of laughing, Kralluf eventually calmed himself enough to talk to the ultralisk further. "Hoooh~... Alright. Here's a move that's going to make you scratch your head. _KINETIC LAUNCH!"_ Kralluf sent himself into the air and above the ultralisk once more. However, Kralluf did not shout out 'kinetic impact' when he reached peak of his launch height this time. Instead, he fell straight down onto the ultralisk.

The ultralisk positioned its Kaiser blades and tried striking at the falling commander. The blades struck at nothing, and the commander somehow managed to fall right into its opened mouth. The ultralisk was surprised with what it caught in its maw, but it chewed a few times, its snack screaming and grunting as it did so, and swallowed Commander Kralluf whole. Once it ingested its prey, the ultralisk roared a mighty roar in triumphant victory.

 _"DETONATE!"_ The ultralisk's insides exploded, separating the beast's lower torso in half. The ultralisk grunted in surprise when its face was planted onto the ground again, whilst its rear legs and buttocks flailed and twitched. After a few more grunts as the ultralisk tried to get up, one final, low gurgled groan marked the final noise it would make before it died. Kralluf picked himself up from the shredded intestines and stomach lining, but he fell back down again and became covered in another layer of red, stomach bile, and creep. His legs and arm were very mangled, and his eyes were bloodshot, but he laughed, hitting one of the internal organs that was closest to him with a fist, using an undamaged arm. "Hhahahaheheh, take that you fuck! Oh! Ow. Oh, it it hurts to laugh. So worth it though!"

Kralluf couldn't help it. He gloated with a broad smile with as much pride that his ego could allow. He hunted the most dangerous organism that the zerg were able to throw at him, and he survived not one, but two ultralisks. He even forced his hammer to explode the insides of the monster he didn't properly kill the first time around! But now that he did, he could finally tell his tale with confidence. But his expression changed when he saw a queen crawling onto the downed desert platform and approaching him. It seemed to have difficulty trying to get to her prey.

Kralluf used his good arm to crawl away. "Gheh. Sorry, but the arena is closed. Come back next light cycle." Kralluf said, struggling to get as far away from the queen as possible. The queen still crawled closer to Kralluf, even shooting an acid spine when she thought she had a shot. Kralluf unholstered an energy pistol from his person and shot back at the queen. The queen ducked out of the way of the energy projecting weapon after a bony wing got burned off. The exchange went on like this until Kralluf returned to the command center on his custom desert platform. He went to a surveillance terminal and pressed a few keys using the hilt of his pistol. He then crawled over to a MEM device, sitting onto it and putting his working arm near its terminal. He shot at the queen a few more times when it tried to enter the command center, trying to keep it out of the tent as much as he could. "You're not getting into here, caretaker. Invade this place and I'll beam your head right off, bitch."

The queen trilled angrily.

[This is Commander Ralkan, at Empire Capitol. Who is making this call?]

"This is Commander Kralluf. *cough* I killed the prey that got away." Kralluf said, sounding weak.

A sigh was heard. [Dammit Kralluf, you always bite off more than you can chew. You sound hurt.]

Kralluf spat a little bit of blood beside himself. "Just get me the access code to the shadow location."

[Kralluf, why on Kiln do you want to go there?!]

"Because one: I am in need of medical attention. I am close to dying. And two: it's the safest place to be once the Kiln Keepers are activated. But enough stalling. Give me the damn access code now."

There was a pause. [... Alright Kralluf. Access code is... Gold. Gold. Silver. Copper. Onyx. Gold. Iron. Iron. Onyx. Opal. Window of opportunity is at... fifty two seconds.]

Kralluf inputted a series of keystrokes at the MEM device's terminal and sighed in pain. "Aaaaaand that's done with. Ow, fuck."

[Now that we got that out of your way, what is the extent of your injuries?]

"I got chewed up by the razor fiend. But I killed it right back when it thought it killed me." Kralluf shot his energy pistol at the queen trying to get into the command center again.

[I hear weapons fire... Kralluf, are you still engaged with the zerg?!]

"A caretaker is trying to kill me. Her fat ass seems to be slower off the purple ground stuff." After that sentence, Kralluf was whisked away someplace else, thanks to the activation of the MEM device he was sitting on.

[Dammit Kralluf! These things are smart! You should have told me that they were there, or I would have messaged you the code instead! ... Kralluf? Kralluf! Kralluf, are you there?]

A queen's trill answered back.

[DAMMIT KRALLUF!] And with that, the call was disconnected.

* * *

"Shadow location?" Kay asked no one in particular. He was currently sitting crisscrossed on the creep, looking at Empire Capitol in the distance. He had returned after he noticed that the ultralisk fought Kralluf's desert platform. Thanks to the assistance of a queen, another ultralisk, a few mutalisks, and a single viper, Kralluf's hunting party managed to kill the wounded ultralisk, but at a heavy cost. Even Kralluf was greatly wounded in the end, and ended up retreating from his own desert platform. Kay sighed when the battle finally concluded, but new questions had spurred his brain into trying to think of what the answers to those questions were.

Virid shook her head. "It seems important. However, we have no idea what this 'shadow location' is about, so we can't draw conclusions just yet."

Kay grunted as he got up, stretching his legs and arms. "Well, you're not wrong. Though I can't help but feel curious."

Virid rolled her eyes. "Since this distraction has been rectified, our creep spread has reached far. Should we lengthen our tactical pause even further?"

Kay shook his head. "I think we have waited long enough. The dawn is going to cause us problems if we procrastinate any longer." Kay took a few steps forward and then thrusted his hand toward the awaiting capitol. "FIRST WAVE, CHARGE!"

And with that, the zerg initiated their attack on Empire Capitol.

* * *

The guards stationed at Empire Capitol were assisted with more men, which consisted of many Crescent Arms soldiers and Torus Chain guards that had gained some experience fighting the zerg forces from previous engagements. Anti-riot bots lined the outside, top, and inside of the city's wall. Several magic wall projectors were placed at the front of the major gates that led past the wall, and several more automated turrets were placed at the front and on the sides of the gate. Heavier man-operated turrets were also installed on the sides of the wall itself, which were instructed to focus-fire on any large threats that would threaten to destroy the capitol's defenses. Anti-air turrets were installed on the inside of the wall, and several artillery cannons were put in place behind them. A hundred or so desert platforms have been dropped from the sky, and were quickly populated by soldiers that operated them. Dune boats populated the outside and inside of the city, and combat fliers buzzed hurriedly around in the airspace that belonged to them. There was a strange machine that was at the center of the city, however, which appeared to be the last of the assistance that Pallax would lend.

It resembled a large octahedronal structure with large cannons, large turrets, and several large anti-gravity thrusters that kept the massive machine afloat. Its tips seemed to glow with a red light, and several large golden rings, with a line of red going through their middles, orbited around the scarlet luminescent points. Both Kay and Virid had no idea what this floating machine does, but its largeness has given it an intimidating look. But if there was one significant detail to point out about the large machine, it was its apparent largeness. The machine seemed to be five hundred meters tall and four hundred and fifty meters wide, with each of the rings appearing to be either fifteen or twenty meters in diameter, but it was hard to tell since they seemed to shrink and grow in size constantly. Whatever it was, the Golden Star Empire's guards and soldiers called it... The Pinnacle Superior.

With their forces amassed, the empire gilanians felt well protected. But they had seriously underestimated the numbers of the zerg.

The first force that came were the zerglings, since they were the fastest out of all the zerg ground strains. The automated turrets quickly killed several scores of zerglings once they came into their range. The zerglings quickly perished, but each one that had died was quickly replaced by another, and they succeeded in rapidly gaining scant inches of ground after every death. But their progress had stopped when they neared the anti-riot bots. Kay felt like he would prefer to call them 'anti-rioters', since he thought using 'bots' at the end of their name might be redundant.

The anti-rioters fired our their ranged weapons, which were nothing more but precision rifles that had the capacity to injure a runaway criminal, or take down a serious target that was slated for lethal termination. When the zerglings got closer, the chest plates of the anti-rioters opened up, revealing some kind of electrically arcing battery. This arcing battery then produced a rapid jolt of electricity that launched and stunned several zerglings. The automated turrets, and the anti-rioters, were then able to exterminate the electrocuted zerg forces at their leisure. But the zerglings were not deterred for long, and they continued to rush at the wall with careless abandon.

Dune boats ran over zergling after zergling, its various turrets firing off at any nearby zerg organism that dared get too close to them. Despite their heavy trapezoidal frame, and several turret emplacements, they were the first casualties, and they were surrounded by countless zerglings. The armor of the dune boats were peeling off by the collective swarm's efforts until the driver and turret operators inside the vehicles were exposed. They met their death with screams, followed by messy lacerations and severed limbs.

The roaches and hydralisks came into play next, followed by the mutalisks overhead. The roaches took the brunt of the damage of the automated turrets, and burrowed into the ground to retreat and restore their health. Many automated turrets and anti-rioters had suffered under the painful burn of the roaches' acidic spittle, and many of the defenses melted as a result. The hydralisks, on the other hand, were just out of range of the automated turrets and the anti-rioters, and they added their contribution to whittling the gilanian defenses further.

The mutalisks flew overhead, attempting to provide even more of a cluster-fuck to the battle. However, the anti-air automated turrets shot down these enemies, dropping them out of the sky before they had a chance to unleash their glaive wurms. With the airspace well defended, the mutalisks were unable to provide much in the fight, so they were held back until the anti-air was dealt with. Besides, they were merely performing a flyby to test the air defenses. They held off their attack until a window of opportunity presented itself.

But there were three other strains that was unflappably useful in this conflict. The infestors, the swarm hosts, and the brood lords. The infestors and blightbringers unleashed their eggs, creating infested gilanians with a new addition to their biological armaments. As of now, their left hands, or right hands, were mostly unaffected by the changes of the zerg's hyper-evolutionary virus. Instead, these gilanians were modified to carry firearms into battle, ranging from pistols, assault rifles, shotguns, machine guns, and various other ranged weapons that required one hand to pull the trigger and fire. Their right, or left, arms still had the venom-propelled, compacted-fang launchers, with dangerously clawed hands that could maim in close quarters combat. It increased their damage-per-second ratio by single digit percentages, sometimes double digit percentages depending on the weapon they carried, and it was an edge that was needed in this fight.

The hydralisks and infested gilanians may focus on the errant surveillance hover-drones and tiny spy fliers that tried to fly over the zerg forces, but they were indispensable as a force that can attack both land and air units. The infested gilanians could risk getting mulched, while the hydralisks could stay back behind the expendable and sacrificial pawns.

The locusts came in droves, but they were limited in attacking only ground bound enemies once they swooped to the ground. Theoretically, they could use pressurized glands that could launch acidic spittle to attack both land and air targets, but that was just a pipe dream to Kay. It couldn't hurt to tell Corvurn to try and find a way to implement this. Or perhaps find a way to quicken their incubation to make the locusts spawn faster? A good idea. They were as free to produce as the infestors' infested, and the swarm hosts stayed behind the line of infestors, hydralisks, and roaches, adding to the hording swarm of the zerg organisms. The locusts in the air would still be used to focus on enemy air units. But the line was still unbroken, since the combined efforts of the automated turrets and the anti-rioters managed to stall the incoming horde, despite the occasional destruction of an anti-rioter or an automated turret. A wall of dead zerg flesh formed, and the zerg organisms tried to swim through, or walk over, the hill of corpses that formed. Alas, the defenders were unprepared for the zerg's next strains to be included into the fight.

[NEW CONTACT! NEW CONTACT! PREPARE THE ANTI-AIR DEFENSES!] [It's too far from their effective range. Our shots will have a high chance of missing.] [It's launching something at our defenses at high speed!] [Say again?] [It's launching some... gliding things. They're attacking our anti-riot bots!]

The brood lords came into play, changing the flow of battle to their favor. The broodlings it sent were able to fight the anti-rioters at close quarters. Many of the robots did release their arcing payload at their new enemies at the same time, but more broodlings were still being sent onto them. Many of the anti-rioters didn't have a chance to unleash a second electric stun attack before they were dismantled and destroyed. With more targets to focus on, the automated turrets fired at the broodlings. But it also gave a chance for the roaches and hydralisks to destroy many of the turrets and anti-rioters positioned on the outside wall.

[These jag zerg are destroying or front-most defenses! Commander Ralkan, what are our orders?!]

Ralkan's sigh was heard. [Issue artillery strikes outside the city walls, and try not to hit our own defenses. If you get new artillery installations set up, have them start firing as well. I order you to fire at will, and fire rapidly. You have my permission to use napalm rounds on the enemy.]

[Yes sir!]

After that order was carried out, things changed greatly for the zerg. The ground was covered by great swaths of chemical fire that singed and cooked its targets. Many zerglings suffered and were weakened by the flames, only to be terminated quickly by the automated turrets, and a few gilanian soldiers and guards that joined in on the fight. The desert platforms and installed artillery stations fired napalm round after napalm round at the ground outside the wall. Many zerg organisms, mainly the zerglings, infested gilanians, and the locusts, suffered greatly in their approach to the wall of Empire Capitol. Still, the broodlings were sent at the wall, one after another, mostly bypassing the napalmed ground. Bodies piled up more and more, resulting in an inferno that barbecued large hills of flesh that mixed with the smell of chemicals.

[Watch your fire, artillery teams! Your payloads are landing a little too close to the wall!] [Acknowledged. Readjusting aim.] [Many of our automated turrets are overheating, and many of our anti-riot bots are down and out of commission. I predict that the jag zerg are going to bypass our wall's defenses within an hour at this rate.]

[Commander Pallax.] Ralkan's voice sounded through the radio. [May I recommend that now is the time to unleash your war machine?]

A sigh was heard on the other end. [Very well. Activating Pinnacle Superior's long range armaments. Warn the men to get off of the wall in twenty seconds starting now. Loading particle warheads in missile and shell projectiles. Firing in fifteen.]

After twenty seconds of time passed, the golden war machine launched several missiles from its missile pods, and fired several shots from its canons. The damage that those shells had caused were horrendous. Hundreds of zerglings and other zerg strains perished when a shell impacted them, and more than a thousand were obliterated by the destruction caused from a single missile. The explosions were horrendously loud, and impressive to witness.

* * *

Kay shook his head. "Alright. I'm getting pissed."

Virid stared in awe. "That war machine is much more troublesome than I predicted. Pallax also said that it uses particle based weapons."

"So that's the kind of damage those particle missiles can deploy. It's a bit worrisome, but we can manage. I think it's time to morph plenty of spore cannons on the moon, and fire them at that gold eyesore." Kay said, almost growling. "And while we're at it, why not deploy the rest of the forces?"

"We can still attack until the sun comes up." Virid added. "Sending in the other swarm strains shall help us take this city."

Kay nodded, thrusting a hand at the capitol. By his command, the other zerg strains that were waiting were deployed.

* * *

A rumble in the distance added to the already cacophonous war zone, and it wouldn't be long till new pieces came into play on the battlefield. The first that arrived were the high-flying zerg organisms. The vipers flew overhead the various zerg strains on the ground, protected by flocks of mutalisks and corruptors. Once the flying zerg neared the wall, they created a blinding cloud that disabled the targeting systems of the automated turrets and anti-rioters. This managed to tilt the battle to the zerg's favor considerably.

[ANOTHER NEW CONTACT! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING!?] [Stop screaming into the damn radio!] [Sensor equipment have been disrupted! Automated turrets and anti-riot bots are falling quickly! The wall perimeter is being taken over!]

[Dammit.] Pallax said. [The particle weapons must have agitated the other zerg organisms. I don't have enough warheads for the whole swarm, and I brought the maximum amount that Pinnacle Superior could carry. I'll have no choice but to switch to high-mass shells and kinetic missiles soon.]

[General Pallax, this is Commander Ralkan. If things get too difficult for you, I request that you exfiltrate the area and retreat to a safer location.]

[I'm controlling Pinnacle Superior from a safe location, Ralkan. Remote control technology is not exactly that hard to operate. Especially since you use that tech all the time.]

[Uh... Yes general, sir.]

[I have also gained recent information that Commander Kralluf has fought with one of the new organisms. Since it's his discovery, he has proclaimed the name of the monster as 'cloud lickers'. And, as per usual, Faddoh is bitching about not discovering the species first. But in light of recent events, a new organism has appeared on your doorstep, so it's up to you to name them.]

There was a pause. [... I suppose I'll call the littler organisms 'scratchers', and the flying things 'scratch launchers'.]

[Good names. I'll transfer this information to Faddoh. Oh, and Commander Ralkan?]

[Yes sir?]

[I'll provide as much support with Pinnacle Superior for as long as I can. If it can't protect this city, you're on your own.]

[... I'll see what I can do, sir.]

once the conversation between Ralkan and Pallax ended, spores rained down from the sky and struck the golden octahedron heavily. Each blow pushed the war machine to the ground and made heavy dents into the golden metal, destroying a golden ring in the attack. [... What? Pinnacle Superior is registering damage. Ralkan, can you confirm the attacker?] Pallax ordered.

There was a pause. [... I see... green blobs falling out of the sky. I don't see any zerg organisms producing the attack, sir!]

[... What kind of new madness is this?!] Pallax shouted aloud in rhetoric.

The remaining rings hovered over the octahedron shaped machine and emitted a translucent, static surface. Once the rings projected a magic wall above the Pinnacle Superior, the spores launched from the spore cannons on the moon were rendered ineffective. But most of its many cannons and missile launchers suffered damage to the point of making them inoperable. The Pinnacle Superior was now damaged and weakened, and began firing ammunition to lesser effect and at a lessened rate of fire.

The ultralisks and banelings were summoned in, and they were demolishing the wall that was in the zerg swarm's way. The banelings would create a tunnel of acid through the wall, enabling the smaller organisms to pass through the sizzling holes, and there were more holes being bored through the wall still. The zerglings flowed out of the acid-made holes with savage intent. The automated turrets set up on the inner side of the wall made short work of the zerglings, but more kept coming through newly erupted entrances. But the ultralisks, true to their professions of being siege-breakers, cut into the giant thirty meter tall wall with their Kaiser blades. The banelings weakened the structure of the massive wall, whilst the ultralisks broke through and absorbed the damage of the defenders that tried fending them away. With the combination of the blinding clouds, provided by the vipers, and the corruptors coming into the mix to caustically spray on any mobile structure, or attack flying and/or massive units, proved to be a truly dangerous combination for all empire gilanians. Nevertheless, the zerg would become a troublesome force, especially if they reached the golden war machine.

A few vipers used its unusually long tongue to pull a desert platform closer to the fight, jolting everyone from their position. [FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK AAAH! *static*] [Did those flying things pluck a desert platform off of the ground?!] [Dammit! Be advised, everyone! The new flying organism identified as 'cloud lickers' can lift an entire desert platform from its current position and bring it to a different location!] [WAGH- *static*] [So they make clouds and lick their targets to death. Cloud lickers, everyone.] [Cut the damn chatter and send in the anti-air fliers!]

The anti-air combat fliers had been pulled back simply because of the hydralisk spines that would have shot them out of the sky, but they flew to the incoming enemies that had already breached the city's airspace. However, they were not only brought down by the hydralisks' spines, but also by the mutalisks' glaive wurms and the corruptors' parasite spores. Even the vipers provided air support by launching parasitic bombs at unfortunate fliers, damaging clumped air units that wore down their defenses, and even destroyed them when it was too late to notice.

[Anti-air is ineffective! Permission to sound the retreat, commander?!]

Ralkan grumbled through the radio. [Fine. You retreat while I maintain position here. Pallax, you have the war machine. Please use it, sir.]

Pallax huffed. [Acknowledged.]

The zerglings swarmed in from everywhere, and they seemed to do the most damage than any other zerg strain. The soldiers and guards manned their positions faithfully, but they were overrun by the claws and teeth of the zerglings. They didn't even had the chance to evacuate! Artillery installations became quiet when the swarm visited them, and they were eventually toppled over by the ensuing infestation and chaos. Strangely, the cylindrical buildings were protected by magic wall technology that prevented the zerglings from tearing an entrance into them. Kay would have liked to know what was inside of them, but he'll have to figure that out later. Besides, the ultralisks were busy with something else. Destroying the wall that kept much of the zerg outside of the capitol.

Once the wall was sufficiently destroyed, the zerg focused on the last problem that was in the vicinity. The war machine, Pinnacle Superior. Since it was off the ground, many of the ground-bound zerg strains were unable to fight the floating machine. But anti-air was not an obstacle for the zerg.

Hydralisks began moving into the area and started firing their spines at the floating machine. [War machine, Pinnacle Superior, has made contact with the enemy. Engaging.] The machine responded by emitting lasers from its bright red points and golden rings. These lasers worked similarly to the energy pistols wielded by the high ranked officers, but were more overcharged than the advance firearms. The instant these lasers touched a hydralisk, they vanished in a flash of light and dust. After a few seconds of zipping from one target to another, the lasers adapted to sweep across the lines of hydralisks in quick circular motions. It still had five rings, and two of them were committed to emit a magic wall over itself that blocked the spore bombardment.

Though such an attack prevented the hydralisks from getting too close to the golden eyesore, the mutalisks and corruptors came into the mix and changed that. The mutalisks fired glaive wurms from their ovipositors, but the worms and the mutalisks were quickly struck down by the lasers emitted from the points of the giant golden octahedron. The Pinnacle Superior started suffering major damage when the corruptors flew close, their parasite spores boring deep holes into the massive, floating machine at worrying speeds. And to make matters worse, the hydralisks were getting close enough to launch their needle spines again when another ring was blown to pieces. [Slayers are more troublesome than I thought. Thinning the herd.]

To try and counteract this, the war machine known as Pinnacle Superior fired several shells and missiles onto the immediate area, reducing the zerg population by several hundreds. Two rings floated to the floor and danced on top of one another, each ring emitting four lasers that shot out in four separate directions. The lasers became hard to dodge, and many zerg forces that were horizontal to the ground fell by many hundreds more, escalating to a thousand an more. It was an anti-infantry attack that had the bonus of killing and destroying many ground assets, and it devastated the incoming zerg.

But two thin tendrils shot out of the ground and stabbed into these two rings, making them stop. They then faced upward and started twirling rapidly, like they were coins spinning on a flat surface. The two rings then emitted four lasers each and fired straight above, hitting the anti-air rings and striking the magic wall projecting rings. After that, the bombarding spores, launched by the spore cannons on the moon, rained down on Pinnacle Superior unimpeded and continued damaging it further. [Dammit! Spawners are overriding two of my annulus nodes. Destruction of the Pinnacle Superior is imminent. Sorry Ralkan. You're on you own from now on.]

Once the remaining golden rings were sliced in half, and the underside of the golden war machine was attacked by its own weapons, the great machine suffered greater damage at a highly accelerated rate. Once sufficient damage was applied to the floating war machine, the Pinnacle Superior abruptly fell from the sky and landed hard on the ground, splitting into wreckage and spilling ruined parts everywhere. Spores continued to hit the junk pile that was once the Pinnacle Superior, and it was a minute later that the bombardment finally stopped. Spore covered broken machine parts dotted the area where the war machine used to be, and the zerg organisms sifted through the wreckage to find survivors to prey on. Sadly, there were none, but the destruction of the powerful unit was assured.

Once the battle was over, the creep, queens, and overlords quickly entered into the area. Once the queens helped in depositing their creep tumors, the overlords picked them up and transported them to areas further into the city. Once the overlords traveled a sufficient distance, they deposited queens, drones, and creep, while the queens deposited their creep tumors, overlords already providing them a place to place their creep tumors on. Once the queens deposited their creep tumors, they re-entered the overlords they were traveling in and went on their way to areas further into the city. This was the most efficient method to spread creep, and the city's massive inner grounds would be covered in it half an hour later.

But by then, the sun would start its rise above the horizon and expose the zerg to a dangerous attack that they have no protection against.

But to counteract this, selected overlords carried queens and drones away from the destroyed city and flew off in separate directions. Truly, the zerg were monsters that cannot be permanently contained. Especially now, since the queens would help field more hatchery clusters and new nydus networks, helping to connect the swarm to new territories and spread their forces. This would be a war that Gollog's Golden Star empire would never win.

* * *

A minute later, with the overlords already leaving for new territories to infest, a new type of threat appeared and arrived from the north. The overlord managed to get a good look at this new force before it was destroyed in a hailstorm of energy emitted attacks. Two meter tall humanoid robots on digitigrade legs, with chromatic angular metal surfaces, and with eyes that blinked red, strode forward with slow machine movements and robotic determination. Half an hour from now, they would reach Empire Capitol if their progress was unimpeded. They looked like an endless army, their shiny metal surfaces seen from several kilometers away from the overlord's perspective. Once they saw the overlord over themselves, they aimed their hands at it. [Target detected. Annihilating.]

Minutes later, a small contingent of forty zerglings met up with the approaching robots. All of the zerglings vanished when the energy weapons were fired at them, but three or so zerglings managed to attack and damage the front-most row of chrome robots. [Targets detected. Annihilating.] said the robots before the zerglings were dealt with.

After that, more zerglings, joined by mutalisks, were sent after the approaching robot army. [Targets detected. Annihilating.] Beams of energy was casted in several directions, instantly killing zerg organisms in scant milliseconds of sustained fire. Yet this did not deter the zerg, or the approaching robots that kept walking forward. Row after row of the chrome robots fell under the combined efforts of mutalisks and zerglings. But still, the chrome robots kept marching forward, and they continued to gain ground.

But when the roaches, hydralisks, and brood lords entered the fray, the chrome robots began to lose ground quickly. Even the zerglings started holding their forces back since the broodlings were less costly than they were. This battle went on for half a minute before the chrome robots began to change their strategy. [Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy. ... Analysis complete. Adjusting strategy.]

The first ten rows of robots crouched down and duck-walked forward, enabling the firing squad behind themselves to direct their fire at the forces ahead. They aimed their weapons at the brood lords in the sky, and the brood lords retreated to safer distances, yet some did perish. The chrome machines kept on in their march, and they proceeded forward. If a squatted robot was disabled or destroyed, a robot eleven rows down, or more, would mimic the robots in front of it. Whatever these robots were, they happened to be dangerous and adaptive.

But could they out-adapt the zerg?

Ravagers, lurkers and banelings came into play next, and they unleashed their destructive attacks on their new metal enemies. The lurkers' subterranean spines shot from the ground and impaled a line of chrome robots, whilst the ravagers' corrosive bile splashed and damaged, destroyed and disabled several at once. They were even assaulted by the banelings that rolled into them, melting several of the new metal enemies.

[Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy. ... Analysis complete. Modifying equipment. Adjusting strategy.] The chrome robots paused before stepping forward, and they began targeting the burrowed lurkers and banelings, and focused their fire on the ravagers. The army of chromatic robots slowed in their progress, but they adapted their zerg killing capabilities to strike at burrowed zerg. The chrome machines continued forward, but at half their normal speed.

Several nydus worms erupted behind the zerg lines, and several ultralisks and queens emerged from the mouths of the emerged nydus worms. The ultralisks roared in anger and stomped forward, meeting the chrome robots in combat. Each swipe of the ultralisks' devastating Kaiser blades slew several scores of the chrome machines, and the queens provided quick healing to the ultralisks, or sending acidic spines at any chrome foe that got too close to them. The line of chrome robots receded heavily very quickly, and the zerg were beating the chrome forces back. Ultralisk hide was tough, and the queens that healed the ultralisks switched partners every now and then to keep the siege-breakers consistently healthy.

[Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy. ... Analysis complete. Deficient unit formation. Modifying equipment. Adjusting strategy.] Several of the chrome robots rose out from their ranks and flew in the sky, the sounds of tiny turbine engines emitting from their feet as jets of flame billowed out from them. They formed a loose wall formation of flying chrome bots and they fired down on the ultralisks and any zerg organism in the sky. Despite the fact the tactic limited the anti-air capabilities of the robots behind this wall formation, the loose nature of this flying vertical wall formation enabled them to attack enemies on the ground more liberally.

But the zerg had the means to fight air units. The corruptors flew in to savagely attack the airborne chrome machines, and they fell quite quickly. But once the chrome machines focus-fired on the corruptors as well, a change of strategy was desired by Kay and Virid's brood. Vipers came into the battle and unleashed their parasitic bombs on the amassed floating walls made of chrome robots, whilst also unleashing their blinding clouds on the ground forces. The flying robot walls quickly fell, and another wall of chrome robots were quickly formed three seconds later, only for that newly-made flying wall to fall from the lingering effects of the parasitic bombs. The blinding clouds also helped to obscure the ground force's vision and detection capabilities, limiting their means to attack their zerg foes.

[Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy. ... Analysis complete. Deficient unit formation. Deficient unit composition. Upgrades required. Requesting additional assets. Unable to advance with current composition.]

And that was when the sun attacked.

Or to be more accurate, the sun had emitted that same smiting attack that Gollog had summoned on several occasions before.

[Unknown annihilation detected. Unknown method. Analyzing method... Analysis incomplete. Sending Kiln Keeper variant: Intelligent Automaton, for analysis.]

The line of ultralisks, queens, and several other zerg organisms had perished in a span of time that was only seconds long. The smiting laser continued on its warpath as it vaporized the zerg army. The laser didn't intrude onto the city grounds of Empire Capitol, but it did continue its spreading over to the main hive cluster at Red Mountain in the span of several seconds. Thankfully, the smiting laser did not chase after the overlords or any other zerg organism that decided to fly or run away from the city this time. But the laser did seem interested in striking patches of creep infested ground that covered an area equal to 100 square meters. The zerg were now trapped within the city with no way back to their main hive clusters. At least a few drones were fortunate enough to morph into hatcheries within the wall, and several more drones were produced to morph into more hatcheries. A single hatchery evolved into a lair, and then into a hive minutes later.

As of now, the zerg within the city appeared to be isolated.

* * *

A few minutes after the destruction of Pinnacle Superior, an ultralisk used its Kaiser blades to open an entrance into the cylindrical towers, completely overpowering the magic wall technology. The zerglings, roaches, hydralisks, changelisks, and a few queens and drones filtered into the new entrances to take a look inside. What they found surprised them.

The upper sections of these facilities contained many barracks, warehouses, and factories that specialized in creating weapons and vehicles. Five floors down past the base level of the first floor of these towers, and the underground infrastructure opened up into lavish living conditions of grey walls, floors, and ceilings. Yellow drapes, carpets, and patterned decorative wall inlays decorated much of the inside of this structure. It had a similar design of a fancy, lived-in mansion.

More floors down, and the lavish turned into something more mundane. Many of the floors below the lavish mansion section consisted greatly of an underground city. The upper floors had lesser lavish designs to them, which was mainly where the aristocracy and the rich lived. Further down, the middle class lived in cubical enclosures that once had gilanians living in them. Several underground parks, hydroponic farms, and perpetual motion generators were kept in great condition till they were subsequently abandoned. Below the middle class sections of this underground city resided the slums. Sewage treatment, corpse processing, and drug manufacturing facilities were located here, and many of the living conditions this far down in the underground city structure were either deteriorating or deteriorated. Several tents and makeshift huts were placed wherever there was available ground, and sometimes there were tents on top of tents. It was an eerie sight.

A skitter of life happened across the corner of one of the zerglings' eyes, and the surrounding zerglings gave chase. Passing through several tented areas, the zerglings chased down their skittering and unknown quarry, cornered a short creature to a wall, and got close enough to see what they were chasing.

A small gilanian child in brown rags and a tattered scarf was backed against a wall, holding a metal pipe in front of itself. It was with an elderly gilanian that was missing an arm and part of his face, also dressed in brown rags. The old gilanian was pushing a cart with various parts and pieces contained in its basket, and it suggested that he and the child had been looting the empty houses and nearby tents. The child waved its pipe in a threatening manner. "Stay back! Back! Go away!"

"Paug, be careful. I have no knowledge of these beasts!" The elderly gilanian said in a raspy tone.

"First, it was dwarf shryik serpents, then it was that damned curfew, and after that it was the evacuation, and now we got monsters we don't even know about. I think we're past the threshold of being careful, old man."

"If I still had my good slapping hand, and didn't have my arthritis, I'd bend you over my knee, young Missy!"

"... Well, they seem to be keeping back. But for how long?"

"I can find out for you, if you leave me behind."

"Fat chance, old man. You helped me hatch in this world. I think it's only fair I die by my foster guardian's side."

A changelisk slithered through the gathered zerglings, stopped in front of the two gilanians, and looked at the both of them. The two gilanians inspected the new creature curiously, but also with frightened apprehension and caution. It was then that the changelisk changed into the form of a fancy purple and green suited gilanian. To the further surprise of both the gilanians, the shapeshifter spoke to them. "I do apologize for disturbing you. We were just in the middle of trying to find a certain commander in this abandoned city. Perhaps you can direct us to where we can find him? He goes by the name of Ralkan, and my masters wants him either dead, or infested." He said with a friendly smile.

"I... Uh... Eh... What?" The child replied dumbly.

The old gilanian walked forward and pointed at the fake gilanian. "Who are you?"

The disguised changelisk sighed. "Oh dear oh dear, I am sorry for not introducing myself. Uh... Oh, how embarrassing! I don't even have a name prepared! Lets see uh..." the changelisk looked around to inspect his surroundings. "We're near some tents. Looks like they're made of cotton. Could Mister Cotton be a good name for me? Hmm... No. Sounds too simple. Uh... Mister Hobo? Ooh, that sounds way too simple too, and rather degrading. Dear oh dear um... Oh!" The changelisk clapped his hands together. "How about you call me Mister Shifter! Sounds good? I think it does. Sometimes, you have to think outside the box to get the ideas you need!"

The gilanians stared at Mister Shifter. The elder gilanian shook his head. "Let me restate my question. WHAT are you?"

Shifter smiled. "Alien. Specifically, a conglomerate species that is known collectively as 'the zerg swarm'. I am part of the swarm, these zerglings you see besides me are part of the swarm, and anything that looks beige, violet, forest green, and could eat your face as a snack, would potentially be a zerg swarm organism!" Mister Shifter directed toward himself. "I am what is known as a changelisk. I change into different forms to suite my needs and the needs of my masters. How do you do?" Mister Shifter said, bowing.

The two gilanians blinked. The child gilanian turned toward the elder. "Is this fruit cup for real?"

"PAUG!" The elderly man shouted. The child retreated back. After giving the little lass a stern glare, the elderly man came forward. "I must apologize for my adopted daughter. She sometimes forgets her manners. To answer your question, we were doing fine until the evacuation was put in effect. We didn't have enough vouchers to buy our way out, so we resorted to looting the empty houses. Hopefully, we can find a MEM device that can transport us once we gather enough marketable items. I have no name, since I was born without a father, or male parental figure that watched me hatch from my egg. But I do go by the nickname of Old Man Oldie."

"Hmm!" Mister shifter said, putting a hand to his chin. "I suppose you are not a threat to our brood. But then again, I have no choice but to ask. Are you loyal to Gollog and his empire?"

"Fuck that guy!" Paug shouted.

Oldie stared at Paug with a threatening glare. He then turned back to Shifter. "I'm afraid I must share in the little miss's opinion. ... Even if it's not the kind of language that children of such age should speak."

Shifter nodded with a smile. "Good answer. I suppose I wouldn't need to kill you both then."

Oldie sighed with tiredness. "Well uh... I thank you for sparing us then, Mister Shifter. You say that you are trying to find Commander Ralkan?"

Shifter walked up to Oldie with excited eyes and a great grin. "You know where he can be found?! Please tell me! Tell me tell me tell me please! Please tell me, so we can kill all empire gilanians in our wake!"

Oldie held up a hand. "Please calm down, sir! I'll tell you! I have reason to believe that he's at the lowest part of Empire Capitol. Heard rumors among the homeless that there is a tough impenetrable bunker underneath the lowest part of the slums. The bunker looks like a giant black ball. I'm not sure if it rolls around or not, but that could be just speculation. It's also where the impaired ghetto is, and there is a lot of starving and disabled gilanians down there."

Shifter nodded and shook Oldie's hand. "You have our unending gratitude. Thank you so much! In return of your kindness, perhaps you would like zergling bodyguards? I can offer a couple to you now, if you like?"

Oldie shook his head and retracted his hand. "Er, no no no. I think we shouldn't bring them with us. They'll attract too much attention otherwise. Anyway, we should be on our way. I heard that Citadel Gargantua is one of the few cities that Gollog hasn't tainted yet, so me and Paug are going there."

Shifter nodded. "Is that so? Coincidentally, I know a friend that's there. He and his lady friend can give you a nice place to stay, if you let them. All you have to do is ask around for a 'Johnny', and you'll be set."

Oldie paused before nodding. "I'll consider it, Shifter. Thank you. Let's go, Paug."

Shifter nodded again. "Very good! Run along then!"

Paug nodded at Oldie and turned to Shifter. "Mister shifty, please be careful with the tards, junkies and hobos."

"PAUG!" Old Man Oldie shouted at the little lass.

"SHADDAP!" Paug said, yelling back at her parental guardian. She turned back to Mister Shifter. "Some are good, but many won't take kindly to your zergy thingies."

Shifter neared Paug and knelt down, patting her head. "How about this: the zerg will only kill the ones that are bad, evil, and violent. Does that sound better?"

Paug shook her head. "Killing is bad, no matter how you word it. Just don't let someone from a gilanitarian rights organization hear what you did, or what you said out loud. Buh-bye!"

And with that, the duo left the changelisk and the zerglings to their own devices. Mister shifter reverted back to his changelisk form and slithered away, followed after by several zerglings.

Further down the levels, access to different floors or areas became very deteriorated, and signs of activity became more deplorable. Leaky pipes from above drizzled down to the lower levels, and disrepair was heavily abundant in the lowest levels. Much of the cubical rooms were much smaller, and many of them were boarded up. Inside of almost all of them contained rotting furniture, rooms that fell in due to infrastructural failure, or were simply filled to the brim with so much trash.

A drug abuser was seen lazing about, a blazed look on his face as his mouth congealed foam, leaning on a wall that had graffiti that was a gang sign of a drug house. A set of empty, unlabeled pill bottles littered the floor, and his shirt looked like it was often used as a bib to keep his drool from overflowing. The zerg stepped over, or in the hydralisks' case, slithered over, the junkie without a problem. The drug addict finally decided to relieve himself of urine and then slumped to his side, falling asleep right then and there. The smell was terrible, but the zerg payed no attention to the detail. In fact, they continued to ignore the junkie.

"Gabban?" Someone was wandering in the ruined halls of some nursery. "Pwij?" The zerglings entered into the dilapidated children's center and saw a teenager with a severed arm in one of his hands." Gabban?" His rags were bloodied, but he didn't seem injured. "Pwij?" Once the gilanian turned and saw the zerglings down the hall, he stopped. When one of the zerglings took a step forward, the teenager started running in the opposite direction. "GABBAN! PWIJ! GABBAN! PWIJ! GABBAN! PWIJ! GABBAN! PWIJ!" the teenager gilanian quickly disappeared from sight, never to be seen again.

Another gilanian was seen in a local shelter, which had seen better days. The food pantry was cleaned ages ago, and the gilanian that inhabited it looked fat and sick. He carried brown rags as his clothes, had several items on the floor next to him, and had a tall machine that connected his chest with several medical tubes embedded at his side that pumped something into him. He was tending a cooking fire, roasting a severed gilanian arm that was stuck onto a spit. However, when he saw the zerglings and other zerg organisms coming into the shelter to investigate the aroma of barbecue, the fat gilanian stood up and backed away from them. He tripped on the machine that was next to him, and fell over. He tried to crawl away, but a heart attack stopped his attempt at escape once the machine fell down and broke. The zerglings poked at his body a few times before taking a small bite of his flesh. After ten seconds of inactivity from the corpse, the zerglings decided that the dead body was safe to eat. It would be the last time the soup kitchen would house hungry patrons.

Further down into the dilapidated hellhole, a queen was laying her tumors down to enable quicker transport of the zerg organisms. They finally found a patch of dirt that was exposed, letting a nydus worm obtain that spot of ground around a minute later. A hatchery was morphed, and some spine and spore crawler organisms were morphed to defend the hatchery. But the prize was finally found, as a giant black sphere was located at the bottom-most part of the city. Feces and trash lined the lowest floor of the city, and sometimes odd, half-eaten gilanian corpses dotted the ground. It was a graveyard of the forgotten, and the hopeless.

But the zerg had found the bunker, and it would be put to the test to see how impenetrable it actually was.

Zerglings claw and bit onto the surface of the huge spherical shaped thing frantically. Their claws almost did next to nothing except make small dents. The roaches fared better, especially when they concentrated on a single spot. The black surface eventually gave way to raw metal that bubbled silver and orange. After sustained fire for several minutes, and helpful scratches from a zergling on a couple occasions, a hole was bore through the three meter thick metal. The air was heavily polluted with a metallic smell, but the zerglings filed through when the sizzle and bubble of metal quickly stopped.

The bunker was fashioned similarly to the mansion-like floors, to the rooms that were five floors below the military levels. Grey walls with yellow glyphs and patterns were found inside of the bunker, and music could be heard emanating from the inside. Following the musical notes, the zerglings sneaked their way inside and silently looked for the source. Sure enough, they found Commander Ralkan leaning onto a music playing device. The tone of the music was sad, but bombastic. One of the zerglings growled.

Commander Ralkan looked up at the zerg forces with a glazed look in his eyes. He then looked back at the music device, apparently disinterested of the zerg that barged into his bunker. A changelisk crawled forward and assumed the disguise of a carapaced, bone-winged form that belonged to Kay. Not-Kay walked forward and stopped, now more than a meter away from Ralkan, and crossed his arms. "Finally got to you. Did you know that your city is messy as fuck?"

Ralkan immediately reached for something close to him and threw a glass mug at Kay. It had hit Kay on his shoulder, making his arm appear to be heavily lopsided and stretched like silly putty. "I DON'T FUCKING CARE! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Not-Kay positioned his arm back in place. "I can't do that. Not yet anyway. Not until you, Gollog, and everyone that is loyal to Gollog's empire has been punished."

Ralkan panted, then turned back and continued leaning on his music-making machine. "Why go through the effort? Gollog can't be killed anyway. Believe me, many people tried."

"If I can't take his life," Not-Kay said with a predatory grin. "then I will settle for everything else."

Ralkan sighed. "If you could accomplish that, then you truly will be left alone on this world with the immortal. If the Kiln Keepers can't vanquish you, then the world will be destroyed."

Not-Kay nodded. "Quick question about the Kiln Keepers, Ralkan. Are they two meters tall, have chrome armor, red blinky lights for eyes, can make lasers shoot out of their hands and mouths, can fly, and are less awesome than the zerg?"

Ralkan turned to Kay with a furrowed, yet surprised expression. "... How did you know how they looked like?"

"My zerg are fighting them right now." Kay answered.

Ralkan paused, before sighing and returning his gaze to the music playing machine. "So you have came here to kill me?"

"Yes. Want me to wait till this song is over?" Kay asked.

Ralkan scoffed and smiled. "This song has about a minute left."

"Make the time you have remaining count for something greater than yourself." Kay said, crossing his arms. "I recommend surrendering if you want to live."

Ralkan paused for a good ten seconds before going toward his desk. He then casually picked through its contents to equip some items onto his person. After acquiring several knives and two pistols, he got his energy pistols ready and pointed them at the Not-Kay. "I was born in this city, and I will die in it. If I would be made into a corpse, then so be it. I have but one humble request."

"Which is?" Kay asked.

"Give Gollog hell."

Not-Kay smiled. "That request can be granted." Kay waved his hand forward, prompting the zerg forces to attack.

* * *

 **A/N: Bad fanfiction idea: Rick and Morty / Xavier: Renegade Angel.**


	31. Chains of Iron

**Chapter 31: Chains of Iron**

* * *

Deep underground the major city known as Empire Capitol, the zerg were bolstering their defenses. But more importantly, the zerg were hunting after a certain commander that was holed up in the once-impressive bunker. But the bunker had been penetrated, and the treasure it guarded was now exposed. The changelisk disguised as Kay allowed Commander Ralkan to prepare himself with the limited time that was given to him. And now, Ralkan was going to try fighting and surviving the zerg that came for him. He could have escaped with the other commanders, but he seemed focused on being the last man standing in the city.

And it was the last stand he wanted.

The zerglings were the first to meet the commander in combat. Ralkan leaped upwards into the air and methodically shot at several zerglings in quick succession, making them vanish in a puff of smoke that smelled like burnt meat. When that strategy didn't work, the roaches came forward. Their acidic spittle shot toward Ralkan. Those dangerous sizzling globs of death could easily kill a gilanian, or anything else equal to or weaker than them. Ralkan expertly dodged the spitting roaches and threw his knives into the heads and carapace of the zerg organisms, killing some of them quickly.

But this had given the zerglings the window they needed to rush straight at Ralkan, unimpeded by the eradication of his energy pistols. However, deft strokes from several sharp, hidden blades also made short work of the zerglings, striking through their heavily carapaced armor with a kind of precision that was unheard of. Ralkan even used the deceased corpses of the zerglings to shield himself from the errant acid spits originating from the roaches. Kay became curious of the weapons he wielded. "How the hell are your knives going through zerg carapace? Are they made of some kind of super metal?" The changelisk disguised as Kay asked.

A 'shunk' sound went into the crown of a zergling, and it flailed when it was discarded. Ralkan turned toward Not-Kay and pulled his pistols out. "It's magic wall tech. Sharp fractals are generated on the outermost edges of the knife when it detects a collision, which seperates the cells. It then enlarges and retracts into the blade, forming a pleated, bladed surface that effectively saws through, and separates, armor defenses from the inside-out."

Not-Kay nodded. "A perfect assassin's weapon. Hardly something a commander would wield."

Ralkan growled as he trained his energy pistols at Not-Kay. "Truth be told, I was a vicious little cutthroat that lived here in Empire Capitol. Back in those days, the elderly remembered the city by another name, calling it 'Glitter Towers' instead. I made my way to the top, even bypassing the heads of aristocracy as I made my mark as a soldier, and then as a colonel. But when Gollog noticed my talent, he gave me the opportunity to prove myself as a commander, and I have not regretted my promotion since then. But this kernel I built was supposed to help me remember where my roots started. Now, it has been desecrated by you and your monsters. It used to help keep me grounded in a past that was my origin, but not anymore. What is a safe house good for if I can't hide in it when the worst comes to pass, but to also become my tomb when an unassailable force decides to break in? Like city vermin chased into a corner, I came from these gutters, and I will bare my teeth at the serpents that dare hunt me down."

Not-Kay scoffed. "Criminy, now it feels like I have to shut you up! Since you mentioned snakes, I guess it's now time to introduce you to my hydralisks."

Ralkan tilted his head. "Hydra-whats?"

Not-Kay smiled and stepped aside. "The zerg organisms that you gilanians call 'spine serpents'. Enjoy!"

Hydralisks entered into the fray and gathered around Ralkan, hissing and taking positions slightly behind the roaches. After seven seconds of time had passed, the hydralisks fired their needle spines in quick succession at Ralkan, whilst Ralkan threw several knives, and shot beams of energy, at the hydralisks also intruding into his home. Ralkan tried to dodge the spines, but they traveled too fast to dodge normally, and he fell to the ground with grievous injuries. A spine embedded into his left shoulder and several into his chest and back, whilst two spines grazed across his forehead a couple times. "Ghuh! Dammit!"

Not-Kay walked up and hovered over Ralkan with a downcast stare. "Baring your teeth yet?"

Ralkan growled and stared back at Not-Kay with venomous eyes. He breathed in deeply. "INITIATE SELF-DESTRUCT OF MY DISCARDED KNIVES!"

Several explosions rocked the room that Not-Kay and Ralkan was in, resulting in every zerg organism being pushed around by forces that they couldn't identify in time. The knives that had embedded into, or killed, the zerg organisms were the product of sudden and severe destruction. Kay theorized that the knives were also bombs, having plastic explosives, or some other kind of explosive materials, installed in the hollow of the weapons. Something that can slice so well, and explode at the same time, is a type of weapon that Kay would have never thought to ever existed. It also sounded needlessly expensive and impractical.

Not-Kay hazily got up from the destructive explosions that rocked his world, and many zerg organisms were either destroyed or destroyed further by the force of several knife-shaped bombs going off. Not-Kay looked around and made a low hiss. "Shit! Are you trying to put yourself into an early grave?!"

"Got nowhere else to go. Might as well put me in one right here!" A quick knife slice, and Not-Kay's head was severed from the rest of his body. After the attack, Ralkan looked down at his own knife and inspected it. He looked puzzled. "... You have a much softer neck than I thought."

Another Not-Kay appeared and entered into the room. "Don't think too hard about it." Not-Kay 2 said, slowly walking and closing the distance to Ralkan.

Ralkan paused before his eyes brightened widely. "Wait a minute. ... The... The infested gilanian at Forward Research Site B-22. He changed in front of a bunch of biologists and other researchers there. ... You're a facsimile, aren't you? A... A doppelganger?"

Not-Kay 2 ran forward and clothes-lined Ralkan, forcing him onto the ground and making a metallic clattering sound as his armor made contact with the floor. More zerg organisms filtered into the room, as the creep also started to grow into the room as well. Not-Kay 2 flexed his shoulder and arm in a circle before sighing, and then producing a bone-blade from his hand. "I told you not to think too hard about it."

Ralkan struggled to his feet, and aimed his energy pistol at the latest Not-Kay and obliterated him. Not-Kay 3 came into the fray and sighed. Ralkan looked behind himself and steadied his stance, and he growled. "If you can assume the guise of another, then you will represent a dangerous risk to security. And if that's true, then it would stand to reason that you already know so much about us. I just want to know one thing. How long long have you survived on this world?"

A bone-knife emerged from Not-Kay 3's right arm, and he readied himself into an offensive stance. "It's obvious that you're gathering information. Is someone else eavesdropping into our conversation? I bet there is."

[Very perceptive, Kay.] Gollog's voice said, reverberating the room. [Or should I say, 'Faux-Kay'?]

Not-Kay 3 went forward and slitted Ralkan's throat, making him fall backwards and clutch his neck hard and firmly. Not-Kay 3 looked up and smirked. "Kay is fine, since I am here in spirit. Mind telling me where this 'shadow location' place of yours is?"

[How do you know of that?]

"Ralkan was sharing the codes to travel there to Kralluf before he used a MEM device to escape my zerg forces. In hindsight, Ralkan should have messaged the code, instead of blurting them out in earshot of the zerg." Luckily, Ralkan was completely forgotten by Not-Kay 3, giving him a window of opportunity to fetch a first aid kit looking case from under the desk, the same one he had pulled and equipped his weapons from. He was bandaging his neck and moaning when he applied several different sprays to several of his injuries.

[Is that so? You do realize that the MEM devices cannot transport you, or your creatures?]

"And how are you to assume that I knew that?"

[Because research onto your creatures has uncovered the fact that you overheard my conversation with Kralluf during one of your blade hound's capture.]

Not-Kay 3 nodded and crossed his arms. "Even though I am unable to see you right now, I could practically hear the gears grinding in your mind. Or is that the vein that is in danger of popping out from your forehead, due to your frustration with my existence?"

[You may be a doppelganger, but you and your master have yet to learn that emperors always deserve respect. Because if you don't respect them, then you will be cut down.]

Not-Kay 3 was exactly that after Gollog's sentence, thanks to a slightly healed Ralkan. A blade pushed through Not-Kay 3's chest, and it killed him, turning him into a puddle of goo. Ralkan grunted and sighed in relief. However, the hydralisks shot at his knees and elbows, forcing the commander to fall onto his back in a gurgled moan. The needle spines were simply too fast to counter.

[Ralkan, are you alright?]

Ralkan grunted and shook his head.

[Oh dear. Well... I suppose I have no choice but to let you retire.]

"So you're going to leave your commander here to die? Sounds a bit cold to me." Not-Kay 4 said, walking into the room that was filling with zerg and creep.

[If he evacuated like a sensible person would, then I would have given him some leniency. But since he's so stubborn on remaining in the city he grew up in, I can't exactly deny his request.]

After nodding, Not-Kay 4 decided to change the subject. "Then can you listen to my request?" Not-Kay 4 said, crossing his arms.

[If it's to call off the Kiln Keepers, then it's too late for that. Once unleashed, they will carry out their programming until the programmed conditions have been met. They have been programmed to not rest until all zerg organisms on Kiln have been eliminated, and I will make sure that they will attain that goal. You have no hope of stopping us, Kay. No hope at all! By the powers of my divine might, I'll-]

"Shut up already! I wasn't going to request that!" Not-Kay 4 shouted, going to Ralkan's desk to inspect it.

[... Oh? What IS your request?]

"Die."

A chuckle perverted the air. [I can't die, you idiotic fool! What makes you think I still can?]

"Because asking how you can die is less fun than finding the answer out for myself." Not-Kay 4 pressed the end-call button once he found it. Once Gollog's voice no longer perverted the air, Not-Kay 4 circled Ralkan's desk and approached the wounded commander. "Tsk tsk tsk. Seems like you have nowhere else to go, huh?"

Ralkan grunted, his throat still heavily bandaged from the wound he suffered prior.

"Hmm... He expects me to kill you... But instead, I have a much more insidious plan in store." Not-Kay 4 said with a grin.

"Looks like you're in for a treat." The real Kay said, coming into the room and approaching Ralkan. Kay walked to the commander of the Torus Chain Division and knelt down next to him. He then placed a gentle hand onto the temple of Ralkan's head. Ralkan shifted his vision between the fake Kay and the real Kay, unsure of which one is which. "... Destroy this entire bunker, but leave this patch of creep the commander is on intact. I have a brain to look inside of." Ralkan widened his eyes and struggled, but he was forced down and prevented from moving or resisting any further. Electricity formed from Kay's fingers and Ralkan convulsed immediately when the arcing energy grazed his scales.

The zerg organisms did as they were commanded, and started disassembling the bunker from the inside. It took several minutes, but the bunker was finally reduced to rubble and small rivulets of acid. However, there were some prizes that was looted from the busted bunker. A hydralisk carefully carried an aquarium next to Kay, which happened to contain some unusual animals inside, looking like small, gelatinous medusozoa that were smaller than marbles. In layman's terms, jellyfish.

However, Kay learned from Ralkan's mind that those jellyfish were special, and were exotic animals that wasn't normally found on Kiln. Sadly, Ralkan doesn't know from where they came from, only that they were a gift from Gollog himself. It was an unusual piece of information that Kay thought was interesting, and decided that transporting them to the main hive cluster in the underground village could benefit the zerg. "Virid, I found some cool animals. You think Corvurn will like them?"

 _'He is currently ill, and won't be able to process the organisms you found.'_ Virid said, sounding bored.

"... Oh fucking shit, he tried eating the infected overlord or queens, didn't he?" Kay said, sighing.

 _'He has made progress. The usually degenerative effects of the anti-zerg contagion has decreased by forty percent. The overlord was lost, but the queens are able to provide Corvurn with enough genetic information to work with. However, he is too focused on his task to help with analyzing your specimens.'_

Kay rolled his eyes. "Oh fuck, really? I forgot that he was on the moon. Huh... Well how am I supposed to mutate the swarm without an evolution master close by?"

 _'You could eat the organisms yourself, and absorb the genetic information through ingestion.'_

Kay paused. "..."

 _'Need someone to hold your nose?'_

"Uh... You'd really think that would work?"

 _'No. What is that animal anyway?'_

Kay reached into the aquarium and plucked three jellyfish out of the water. They went limp in his hands, and became very stringy where the tentacles drooped down. "They are jellyfish. Apparently, it's one of the many kinds of gifts that Gollog gives to his commanders. These little critters apparently have the ability to regress into their larval stages. At least, that's what I learned from Commander Ralkan's mind when Gollog told him about them."

 _'Kill him. He is now useless to the zerg.'_

Kay looked down at the fallen Commander Ralkan. He twitched occasionally, as drool flowed from his mouth. His blood mixed in with the creep that slithered under him and got into his wounds. Several seconds later, his chest started to pulsate and contract wildly. He didn't exclaim in pain however, since his brain was too altered from Kay's forced mental probing. He convulsed a little however, but that lasted for only a minute. Kay sighed and shook his head. "Nah, I don't think so. If he wants to remain here, I'll let him. Though I'm not sure if his brain will ever return to the way it was."

 _'I am sure his brain will be fine the way it is. What I am not sure of is to let him stay down there without some purpose to accomplish. His wounds is being festered by the creep. He will become part of the swarm soon.'_

Kay shrugged and positioned the jellyfish above his head. "Well... When in doubt, you can always try out new tactics or strategies with him. Me for example, I am going to eat raw jellyfish for the first time in my life. Not many terrans eat jellyfish, so this is going to be a weird experience for me." Kay dropped the jellyfish into his mouth and swallowed hard. The gooey creatures went down without too much issue, but the stinging tentacles did tickle his throat. He coughed a few timed before spitting salty water from his mouth. "Blugh, tastes like fish snot."

 _'You have consumed the organisms. Good. Now all you need to do is extract the genetic strands from them.'_

"... I'm not sure how to do that." Kay said, raising an eyebrow and patting his abs.

 _'... I think you will understand better if you contacted Corvurn, since manipulating evolution is his greatest strength. I'll be busy with spreading our forces across the deserts and lands for the moment.'_

Kay rolled his eyes. Taking Virid's advice, he focused his mind on a distant character that was far away from Kiln. Using the plethora of overlords in the reserve behemoth to connect to the evolution master, he was able to contact Corvurn without ever having to travel to his location. However, Corvurn seemed to be in worse condition than Kay had originally thought. Corvurn looked more thinner than normal, and his cysts and eyes looked sunken and tired. At least he had his own patch of creep to subsist on. He shared this patch of creep with several queens, an evolution chamber, and a hatchery, though all of them have been infected with the anti-zerg contagion. The queens were healing each other, the hatchery, the evolution chamber, and Corvurn as quickly as they could, despite their deteriorating health. There were also a few queens that suffered before they died, but the rate of deterioration was slowly being adapted to. "Wow. Corvurn, is that you? You look like a crack addict."

Corvurn looked up at Kay through the mental link. _'Kay? Confused. Why contact evolution master?'_

"Oh, I just wanted to ask you to help me with something. Did you eat something bad?" Kay asked sarcastically.

 _'... No? I mean... Did I? Can't remember. Body and mind hurts. Difficult to work.'_

"I heard that Virid said you were almost done figuring out a way to counteract the illness that the overlord and queens contracted. Any closer to your goal?"

 _'Remember now. Yes. Progress made. Forty three percent reduction in deterioration. Infectious contagion of overlord and queen strains discovered.'_

"Oh! Well that's good news. Do you know what it is?"

 _'Nanites with altar technology, magic armor technology, and weaponized laser technology. Very advanced. Zerg regeneration negated. Results: deterioration of zerg flesh. Queen transfusion keeps healthy. Zerg evolution close to gilanian nanite immunity. Zerg regeneration may follow afterwards."_

Kay blinked a few times. "... Corvurn, did you just say 'nanites'?"

 _'Correct. Microscopic machines. Advanced design. Technology difficult to resist, adaptation slow. Mechanical. Despite difficulty, not impossible to form resistance, or immunity. Making progress.'_

"... Wait... Uh... Um... This means that... Wait..."

 _'Something troubles command organism Kay?'_ Corvurn asked.

"... Commander Faddoh said that he would be busy making anti-zerg micro-machines. But... This doesn't make any sense."

 _'Confusion. Explain?'_

Kay sighed. "Ask Virid about it. Right now, I want to ask you on how I can access the genetic information of the jellyfish I ate."

There was a long pause. _'Uncertain. Command organism Kay wishes to function in evolution master role?'_

"Uh... Yes? Virid said I could do it, but I didn't know how to. I just wanted to know how you did it."

 _'Swarm hivemind connects minds. Psionic link shares awareness. Used fully, can share experiences, skills, memories, talents, and knowledge. Focus mind to mine. Know power of evolution master.'_

Kay nodded, then concentrated on the contents of Corvurn's mind. It's disturbing to realize from Corvurn's perspective that he doesn't see every creature as individuals, but reservoirs of DNA that could be analyzed, and then improved on. Corvurn's mind was incredibly disturbing to look into, but Kay endured. More importantly, Corvurn had developed both the skills and knowledge to manipulate the strands of DNA of an organism. With that knowledge becoming shared between his evolution master and himself, Kay then used his own body to dissect and manipulate the DNA of the jellyfish he just ate. After a minute of doing this, Kay felt as though he found what he needed. "Ooh... That tingled a little. Almost felt like a bunch of butterflies appeared and started dancing-BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Kay suddenly vomited clear jelly in a projectile vomit, releasing his jellyfish snack on the zerg organisms, and onto the creep that was closest to him. Kay wiped his mouth and spat out the foul fluid. "Kay... that was... a lot worse than what I expected to happen!" Kay said, grimacing.

 _'Mutation should be developed. However, unable to review mutation. Current condition requires adaptation. Continue communication with Virid. Continuing with own task.'_

Kay nodded. "Yeah, you do that." Once Kay focused his mind on the zerg that was with him, he immediately noticed the changes to their already available traits. Apparently, the zerglings, roaches, and hydralisks have acquired another kind of state of transformation they can go through, but Kay was unsure on what it did. After focusing on a single zergling, roach, and hydralisk, they began forming cocoons around themselves. They apparently needed half of the resources needed for their spawning for this new kind of transformation. Except for the zergling, since it needed only a quarter of the required bio-matter.

A few minutes later, the cocoons for the zergling, roach, and hydralisk exploded in a splash of fluid. ... They had turned back into larvae.

"... What?"

Kay went ahead and turned the larvae back into the respective zerg strains they were before. If Kay were to guess, he must have found some kind of transdifferentiation trait that enabled the zerg organisms to revert back to their larval stage. When Kay expanded his mind, he found out that the other zerg organisms were slowly developing this new mutation. Every bio-structure could now revert to previous stages of their growths, turn back into drones, and further regress into larvae, or in the case of the hives or lairs, could revert back to previous evolutionary forms. Even lurkers could become hydralisks again, and brood lords can be corruptors once more! However, this trait didn't seem to be carried over to the queen organisms for some reason. It made sense since the queens are produced from hatcheries, lairs, and hives, and do not mutate from larvae. But would it stand to reason that the queens used to be broodlings that thrived inside of the larvae production structures? Kay could assume that, but he couldn't help but feel overwhelmingly proud of his feat within the heat of the moment.

 _'Kay, are you responsible for this mutation?'_ Virid asked.

"Uh. Yeah, that I am."

 _'It seems like a definite improvement... But I believe we can make use of it to great effect. Especially since the zerglings could double their numbers.'_

Kay chuckled as he noticed that the single zergling that he commanded to revert into the single larva, had spawned into two zerglings. "Oh no, now our zergling forces are self-multiplying." Kay sarcastically said. "Even so, this would require a creep field for the larvae to mutate in."

 _'As I said, this mutation seems like a definite improvement. Also, it requires half of the resources it takes to mutate the zerg strain into a prior form. Not only that, regressing a zergling into its larval stage doubles the_ _gestation_ _time, compared to the time it takes for a larva to spawn into a pair of zerglings.'_

Kay nodded with a smile. "So if we wanted to move to a different planet altogether, we could revert our bio-structures into drones, and carry them to the new place! Or maybe into new tactical areas?"

 _'The organisms you have ingested are very strange. Where did they come from?'_

"As far as I know, Kiln only has freshwater lakes and rivers on the surface. Chances are, they're either underground animals that lives in subterranean saltwater lakes. However, Emperor Gollog might be the only one to know more about them than we do. Even Ralkan doesn't know about them since he accepted the gifts and asked no questions about them. Either way, we can directly ask Gollog about it later, if we get the chance. Think we should send the genetic information to the hive cluster on the moon?" Kay said, approaching the aquarium the jellyfish were contained in.

 _'Corvurn would appreciate it, but he is indisposed at the moment. ... I recommend sending a spore once Corvurn's biology has increased his nanite resistance to ninety five percent. Hopefully, his regeneration will restore his weakened body.'_

"I'm concerned about him, Virid." Kay said, picking up the aquarium that contained the jellyfish and walking away from the brain-dead Ralkan. He approached the nydus worm that had erupted a short distance away from him minutes ago. "But at least he'll have a project he can play with. Say, how is it looking topside?"

 _'The Kiln Keepers are already engaged with our forces, but we are driving them back. They are an unusual... Foe?!'_

PANIC!

Kay and Virid had completely forgotten about Gollog's smiting attack that leveled the playing field. And just when the zerg were getting the upper hand against the Kiln Keepers! Kay sighed dejectedly and stood there. "Virid. Make sure you spread the zerg forces as fast as you can."

 _'Our underground efforts will develop and continue as normal. Many of our airborne strains have left the creep territories before the sky laser bombardment limited our progress. Many will be hunted down, but our infestation of this world will become absolute.'_

"Virid. We are not supposed to harm any gilanians that are not joined with Gollog. Instead, we should persuade them to be on our side. And no, I don't mean we infest them. We have them join us in an allegiance to fight against the gilanian empire." Kay reminded Virid.

 _'... I understand. I dislike this new strategy, but allies are a commodity that is hard to come by these days.'_

Kay nodded, and proceeded into the nearest nydus worm. "Kay, that's good to know. I'll drop the aquarium off at the underground village. Afterwards, I have a date with the general."

Pallax did say that he wanted to meet Kay today, after all.

* * *

 **A/N:** **Jellyfish that can regress into their previous stages of growth? Where have I heard that from?**


	32. General and Baroness

**Chapter 32: General and Baroness**

* * *

The world's sky turned to day again, and a giant laser ravaged the lands that the zerg captured. The entire outer perimeter of Empire Capitol was cleansed of all zerg organisms, and prevented the zerg from expanding their creep outwards from there on. The Kiln Keepers, oddly enough, were unaffected by the orbital laser wall, simply passing through the high-intensity energy attack and meeting the zerg in combat at the capitol's border. Several spine crawlers and spore crawlers were situated as close to the laser wall as possible, and were used to fight the invaders. Hydralisks, roaches, infestors, and swarm hosts defended from the intruding robots. Apparently, these robots had some kind of invisible bodily membrane that made them resilient to the laser wall they were passing through. But this magic armor was easily bypassed when a small amount of penetration compromised their armor, and they crumpled in seconds when their crown was split open with either a needle spine, impaler tentacle, compacted fang or other types of weapon projectiles. The roaches, locusts, and spine crawlers focused on the ground forces, while the hydralisks, infested gilanians, and spore crawlers shot down any flying Kiln Keeper. This battle was forced into a constant standstill.

The main hive cluster suffered even more losses as the smiting laser, raining down from Kiln's sun, ravaged the forces on the ground. Thankfully, the zerg ground strains had receded back into the safety of the underground tunnel systems. That, and the zerg air strains decided to fly the coop, so to speak. The smiting laser didn't seem too focused on tracking every individual flying organism, and each overlord, overseer, mutalisk, corruptor, brood lord, and viper, had the oportunity to fly from Empire Capitol's airspace. One out of five overlords would transport queens, and they would periodically deposit creep tumors, with the assistance of the overlords, to help spread the creep beyond zerg established territories. Sure, the newly extended creep fields would be struck by a smiting laser a few minutes later, but the overlord carrying the queen within itself would be long gone afterwards.

There was only one area where the creep hadn't continued spreading, or was attacked by Gollog's sky laser. Ever since Pallax came to the area and threatened to bombard the place with particle missiles, the zerg hive cluster at Whisper Stones refrained from extending horizontal control of their territory. But even if they couldn't spread any farther, it didn't mean they couldn't bolster their defenses. A line of spine crawlers circled the entire zerg territory, placed so closely that not even a small zergling could squeeze between the sentry organisms. Spore crawlers also formed a tightly packed line behind the spine crawlers, being able to detect hidden enemies and providing an impressive anti-air attack against any airborne foe that dared tried to intrude the above airspace they defended.

The hive cluster at Whisper Stones had no enemies to fight, putting the zerg organisms there into a moderately bored state. Sure, there was one or two shryik serpents that wanted to test the zerg defenses, but they were easily ended and provided little entertainment for the hive cluster. But that changed when they noticed a familiar golden and red figure approaching a faint line in the sand that was created a day ago. General Pallax strode forward in confidence, but his expression was hard and rigid.

Upon stepping at the line, he waited patiently there for a minute. The spine crawlers and spore crawlers uprooted themselves and made an opening into the zerg owned territory. Several zerglings surrounded a carapaced, humanoid character with bony wings. This was yet another changelisk disguised as Kay, since Kay learned that being outdoors during daylight hours was currently hazardous for his health. Kay stopped his approach to Pallax when he reached the edge of the creep. Not-Kay sighed. "We finally meet, General Pallax. To say that it is a pleasure to meet you would be equal to that of a little white lie."

Pallax crossed his arms and grunted. "The feeling is mutual, Kay. I heard from sources that you have the ability to summon lookalikes to act in your stead. Is this one of such that I'm talking to right now?"

Not-Kay shrugged with a cocky smirk. "Acting in my stead, as you said. Did you know that exposure to the sun risks laser-related deaths? And I thought skin cancer was bad enough!"

Pallax smirked with Not-Kay. "Well, you did antagonize an immortal emperor. Not many people are able to anger Gollog and live long enough to tell about it. But it is a shame to know that you are not really here with us."

"Yeah, like I would ever fall for being a genuine gentleman when the whole world of Kiln is at war with the zerg." Kay said sarcastically. "Civility degrades the efficiency of fighting, and evolution dictates the survival of an organism, or their collective species. The zerg, on the other hand... Are nothing more but a collective of several of the fittest species."

Pallax tilted his head and raised his eyebrow. "... So the zerg are not just some animals, but more like a... conglomerate collective of several assimilated species, connected by a hivemind. You and your zerg are more likened to a faction of reptilian insectiods with a hierarchical command structure."

Not-Kay clapped his hands and pointed at Pallax. "Right on the dot! So uh..." Not-Kay placed his hands on his hips. "Are we just going to talk here? Because I was under the impression that you wanted to talk to me about something. You announced as much last time you were here."

The general smiled and nodded. "Indeed, indeed. I nearly forgot about that topic. Thank you for reminding me." Pallax changed his facial expression back to being hard and rigid. "I wished to talk to you about a certain person that you have in your... company."

Not-Kay raised his eyebrow and scoffed. "Well, I didn't expect this curve-ball. But he shouldn't be of any concern to you."

Pallax sighed and shook his head. "Lovechief Kragnon _IS_ of my concern."

Not-Kay raised both of his eyebrows and his smirk disappeared. "... You know his name?"

Pallax nodded. "Believe me, he an I had some history together. If you tell him that Thoughtlord Pallax sends his regards, then he will understand. Of course, I am assuming that he has been released from the cold-pod that he was stasis-hibernating in. And seeing your expression, despite being so alien in its features, I can confirm that he really has been released from his cold-pod."

Not-Kay crossed his arms and stared at Pallax. "You're a smart one. Seems like you got me at a disadvantage here."

Pallax smiled. "You're not the only one that is an expert at subtlety and reading hints normally missed by others. Some of your expressions are unknown to me, but a hint of gilanian gestures does bleed through at times."

Not-Kay sighed, and looked up. "Appropriating mannerisms from another culture tends to do that."

"Well I am glad to know that Kragnon is okay. That, or not turned into one of your pawns, converted by those spawners of yours." Pallax said.

Not-Kay scoffed. "Still though... This is news to me! I didn't know you had history with Kragnon! How did you two ever meet? How are you still alive eighty years later? What was it like eighty years ago?"

Pallax shook his head and frowned. "I don't have time to answer every question. Just know that if Gollog ever knew that we had this discussion, he would stop at nothing to kill both of us."

Not-Kay sighed and nodded. "Alright, alright. Then how about a question?"

Pallax folded his arms behind his back. "Proceed with the question."

Not-Kay pleaded his fingers. "Kay... Why is Kragnon so important to Gollog?"

Pallax sighed and looked down. "I honestly don't know... Even I have been trying to find that out for many years. I will say this though." Pallax looked up and gave Not-Kay a stern glare. "Emperor Gollog has activated the Kiln Keepers. It's only a matter of time before they kill every one of your zerg organisms."

Not-Kay scoffed and chuckled. "What are they going to do? Blow up Kiln?"

Pallax stared at Not-Kay in a deadpanned manner.

"... Oh xel'naga, they'd really do that?" Not-Kay said with his face paling.

Pallax blinked. "Uh... Yes. They really can do that. What is a xel'naga?"

Not-Kay sighed, hand-waving Pallax's question. "Oh, just some ancient space-squid people that are revered as gods or whatever. But uh... Wow. That's actually pretty bad for me and my swarm."

Pallax tilted his head. "Space-squid people?" He said in confusion. After three seconds of pausing, he shook his head. "That doesn't matter right now. I have a proposition for you."

Not-Kay sighed again, looking a little depressed. "Proposition? Not sure if it would matter, but go ahead and tell me it I guess."

"Keep Kragnon out of Gollog's hands in any way you can. If he acquired Kragnon, it's possible that Gollog will find out about my involvement with him, and he will terminate my position. Worst of all, Gollog hinted to me that he would remain in power for a longer time still if he obtained Kragnon. I can't let that happen."

Not-Kay nodded and paused. "... So why is he important to you?"

Pallax shook his head. "I'm afraid I have spent too much time here already. Continue as you were with whatever you are inclined to do, and act as though that we have traded barbs, or discussed about conditions of your territory. But do not, under any circumstances, disclose the information you have learned to empire forces, or anyone that cannot be trusted. Is that understood?"

Not-Kay smirked. "I'll do it under one condition."

Pallax sighed. "Which is?"

"Tell me what the shadow location is."

Pallax snorted and smirked. "It's a place where a special MEM device is located. The location constantly shifts around, and is difficult to reach without the code. The shadow location is part of an even bigger complex, known as 'The Sovereign Crypt'. The crypt is believed to be where Gollog's still-alive body resides, and that his mind is projected as an avatar that can physically manipulate the material realm."

Not-Kay raised his eyebrows. "Hmm. Sounds troublesome. Even my zerg have problems trying to access any of the MEM devices."

Pallax backed away. "That's your problem, yes, but not mine. I need to go now."

Not-Kay blinked, but then smiled and waved. "Next time we meet, how about we trade word documents and ask each other's some questions through them? Might that be a better use of your time?"

Pallax nodded and smiled. "I suppose so, Kay. As of now, however, we must part. Goodbye. And remember: Try not to expand your forces here beyond the line I made. We don't want to make our enemies suspicious."

Once Pallax turned, he proceeded to slowly abscond from the area, leaving the zerg's field of awareness. Once Not-Kay was unable to see the gold and red general, the spine crawlers and spore crawlers went back to their defensive positions and rooted themselves in place. The real Kay, carrying an aquarium to the hidden underground village, felt as though he should be suspicious of the conversation that took place. Kay wasn't sure with what he should be suspicious about, but a nagging feeling began to haunt him afterwards.

* * *

Kay entered into the hole that formed the underground tower's wall. The drones no longer came into this place, though they did once filtered into the first floor to gather metals and hydrocarbons from the manifestation altar, which had long since been reverse engineered into a biological process. Kay gently handled the aquarium, careful not to drop his live cargo. "I hope Kragnon doesn't mind getting some new pets. Speaking of Kragnon... Maiden? Where can I find the lovechief?"

[Query detected. Lovechief Kragnon can be found inside of the council chamber.] Replied the computer AI of the underground tower.

The walk to the council chamber was uneventful, but when Kay finally entered into the council room minutes later, it was clear to him that something eventful was occurring inside. One of the walls inside the room was lit up by the recordings of several camera perspectives. Each rectangle displayed a zerg organism that was documented by a recording device, both from amateur and professional hands. Much of the screens were also filled with gilanians in professional suits and dresses, looking to be like news anchors that delivered the news to the populace of Kiln. Several of the more quicker zerg strains were easily seen from several different perspectives, while others still lagged behind. Kay gently placed the aquarium on the table and looked at all the screens. "Uh... Hi, it's me. Are you investigating something?"

Kragnon turned around, staring at Kay with worry. He sighed. "I'm just looking at the news. The information network is blowing up. A lot of people, both in the empire and unaligned cities, are in heavy discussion about the appearance of your zerg creatures."

"Appearance?" Kay said, taking a seat and watching all the rectangles on the wall. "Hmm. Looks like everyone is in a panic. Though, to be honest, that's to be expected, since the zerg are perfect for psychological warfare. The unaligned cities should be fine, but uh... Not so much for the empire cities."

Kragnon huffed. "Gollog has released news to the public that he has unleashed the Kiln Keepers on your zerg, Kay. The public are in a frenzy, but many of the nonconformists that were forced into laboring for Gollog's empire are now rebelling."

Kay tilted his head and _carefully_ scratched it. "So uh... Is that good?"

Kragnon walked up to Kay and flicked his forehead. "No, Kay! It's very bad! Gollog hates rebellions with a passion, and he would eradicate entire low-income populated areas in each city, because each low-income area is often heavily populated with nonconformists that are always used for slave labor!"

Kay rubbed his forehead, feeling annoyed. "Easy with the flicker fingers, Kraggy. You know what happened last time." Kay said, with a growl.

Kragnon shook his head and stared intently at Kay. "I am being serious here! Gollog, and those that are loyal to his name, would be killing any rebels they find, and they will be getting away with it. With less lower-class workers, the empire would resort to using the middle-class, and they would be drafted to train, perform, and work in harsh conditions. And this all happened because of you, the zerg, the insults and threats directed to Gollog, the destruction of Glitter Towers, and now the activation of the Kiln Keepers!" Kay flicked at Kragnon's forehead in a deft motion. Kragnon's head jutted backwards, while his face grimaced in pain. "OW!"

Kay growled. "Remember when I said I would only attack gilanians loyal to their empire AND Gollog himself? I am still upholding your request, but this just means that Gollog is willing to get his hands dirty in order to achieve his goals. Sure, he would cull the poor and have the middle class subsidize his factories and military forces, but those are casualties I can live with. You could bitch and moan to me all you want about wanting to try a more peaceful method of taking down the gilanian empire, but really, you'll just be wasting time."

Kragnon rubbed his head and found drops of blood. He then looked at Kay with an angered expression. "Kay. I am concerned about the people of this world. They deserve better than to live in the conditions they are in now." Kragnon looked down and sighed. "... But I suppose all wars always chances the risk of loss. Words are for the mannered, but actions can surpass civility."

Kay tilted his head and raised his eyebrow. "... Did you mean to say 'actions speak louder than words?'"

Kragnon took his turn to tilt his head. "... That's a rather shorter version of the expression I used. Quite eloquent actually."

Kay shook his head. "I didn't come up with it. Inversely, you could also say 'words hold more weight than actions.' But uh... Enough semantics, I actually want to tell you something."

"About the fish tank?" Kragnon asked.

Kay shook his head. "Not right now. I have a message from someone you might know. He says he knows you."

Kragnon crossed his arms and fixed his face into a confused expression. "Someone knows that I'm alive?! Who is it?!"

"A guy named Pallax. He said he was a Thoughtlord before he ascended to the rank of General in Gollog's empire. I think he's playing as a double agent that's on our side. Not sure why, but he said he had regards he wanted me to send to you on his behalf."

"... Pallax? THE Pallax that I knew?" Kragnon's eyes widened by such a degree, they widened to the size of figurative dinner plates. Kragnon slowly looked down to the ground and muttered.

Kay watched Kragnon with curiosity. After several seconds had passed, Kay decided to intervene. "Hey uh... Kraggy? Wake up." Kay shook Kragnon's shoulder to get him out of his funk.

Kragnon shook his head. "All this time and he's still alive? How?!"

Kay shrugged his shoulders. "I tried to ask him that, but he said he didn't have time. Sorry."

Kragnon sighed, and turned to Kay. "I'm afraid I have no choice but to be more active in this war of yours, Kay."

Kay was so surprised by Kragnon's announcement that his jaw dropped. "... What?! I don't know why you're having this change of heart, but I'm not sure if I want you running around on the surface. It's dangerous up there right now!"

Kragnon nodded. "Obviously. However, I already have a plan for that." Kragnon said, walking out of the council chambers. Kay tilted his head and followed after him, unsure with what kind of plan that the lovechief had developed.

* * *

Johnny, the changelisk that has infiltrated into Citadel Gargantua, and into Baroness Tak's palace, was quietly working on his projects. He was building a makeshift terminal of a crude design, which had several keys already installed into it. A sealed glass panel was installed onto the side that could open and close, and the machine was now finally working. However, it was not done with its purpose just yet. As of right now, he was slowly creating two fluid-less memory bags using the limited technology that he had.

He had worked through the whole night to get where he was, and the process was incredibly slow. But at that moment, he was close to his goal, and he would accomplish his goal, as he promised to do.

Once the second hyper-fluid memory bag was completed, a knock on the door disturbed his work. "Come in!" Johnny shouted, looking up to see who or what distracted him.

Tak entered into Johhny's workshop with a sway in her step, followed in by three bodyguards that followed behind her. She stopped when she saw Johnny, her eyes widening in surprise. "... Johnny? Have you been working all night?"

"Yes, my ladyship." Johnny said, making a short bow before continuing with his work. "I'm sorry if I am giving you a cause for concern, but I really needed to get this done."

Tak walked up to Johnny and hovered over his shoulder. "Hmm... Wait, you have a couple of hyper-fluid memory bags already?! Where did you get those?!"

Johnny covered his ear holes and sighed. "Not so loud please. It's still early in the morning."

Tak blinked. "Uh... I apologize. But how did you get those?"

"I didn't get them, I made them." Johnny answered, fishing the second completed memory bag out from the makeshift altar.

Tak smiled widely. "Oh. Well that's good news! That means we can go ahead and create more manifestation altars. When will the prototype be ready for mass production?"

Johnny shook his head. "It's not quite ready yet, my ladyship. True, I made two memory bags, but they don't contain the hyper-fluid or the information we need. I already converted a few of the transistors you have given me into the memory bags, but that process took a whole night to complete. I still need atom generators, atom recyclers, a few more atom manipulators, and a memory bag with its information intact. I'll then need the use of a powerful magnet, a heavily shielded enclosure consisting of copper, aluminum, and nickle foil, and a shunted information transfer cable to download the information from the empire memory bag, to my custom dummy memory bag."

Tak widened her eyes again. "My goodness, such an involved process!"

Johnny nodded. "It is. After that, however, we can begin working on creating altar prototypes, and then mass produce as many altars we'll ever need. The only issue is the energy requirements needed to power the altars, but that shouldn't be a problem when we manifest solar energy collector panels."

Tak shook her head and sighed. "We can't get those. Gollog has decreed on marshal law that solar collector devices are illegal."

Johnny turned to stare at Tak. "... What? Why?"

"Long ago, it helped many poor income families provide light and resources to those less fortunate, thanks to the manifestation altars." Tak explained. "However, Gollog thought it was an exploitable resource, and tried to impose a tax rate to those that uses the solar collectors. Despite how free the energy was, a lot of people ended up outsourcing their solar collectors made by other companies instead. Sensing the decrease in voucher profits, Gollog then made a ban on all solar collecting devices. Apparently, free energy was something that Gollog didn't want for his people, because it was energy that couldn't be monitored easily. In fear of this, everyone switched to using alternate methods to generate energy. Boilers, oil burners, watermills, geothermal power stations, and perpetual motion generators became the norm, but it didn't suit the high power requirements to activate manifestation altars."

Johnny looked down and sighed.

Tak patted Johnny's shoulder and smiled. "But we do have the energy to power your custom manifestation altar here."

Johhny looked up at Tak with astonished eyes. "Really?"

Tak nodded. "We have power crystals that can supply all the energy you'll ever need."

Johnny blinked and tilted his head. "Power crystals? What are those?"

Tak began explaining. "They are artificially created power sources, discovered by Gollog's empire scientists a hundred years ago. However, a few secrets got out and nonaligned gilanian populations gained the ability to create their own power crystals, using the manifestation altars themselves. It's a simple thing to make using the altars, but using them as a power source requires a complicated process. Thankfully, I have a team of engineers that I can rely on that manages my power crystal output."

Johnny smiled broadly. "That's very good! It would mean we can use that as a means to create reliably efficient manifestation altars at a quicker pace. Definitely beats using an atom recycler to recycle the air as fuel for the altars."

"But I have to ask." Tak said. "Where on Kiln did you managed to get an atom recycler and an atom generator?"

Johnny shook his head. "I didn't. I simply used the atom manipulator to pluck the neutrons, protons, and electrons from the air itself, and simply reassembled the atomic building blocks into the memory bags. Sadly, it took me a long time to construct just one custom memory bag. The hyper-fluid would be a little more difficult to make, since its a coolant for the neuron circuits. If you can get me the atom generators and atom recyclers, then we can create the hyper-fluid we need easily. After that, all that is required is an intact Golden Star hyper-fluid memory bag."

Tak sighed. "I suppose another trip to the black market is necessary. Rubij has been working so hard trying to find a functioning memory bag for you."

Johhny nodded and smiled. "Is that so? I suppose I shall craft him a gift as a token of my appreciation. But I uh... I don't know what he likes."

Tak giggled and rubbed Johnny's shoulder. "I am sure he will appreciate the sentiment! Between you and me, he loves gourmet sweets. I often catch him taking a nibble from the pantry when he thinks nobody is looking."

Johnny chuckled and smiled. A minute later, a fourth bodyguard entered into Johnny's workshop, clacking his heels at the company present. "Baroness Tak. I have returned with good news. A slave-master has entered into the black market and is selling empire technology. I suspect that he might have what we need."

Tak turned to her bodyguard. "Excellent work, Rubij. Have you contacted the seller that we are interested in buying our item?"

Rubji nodded. "Yes, Baroness Tak. He has agreed to prevent certain items from being sold on the black market, and has also agreed to allow you to inspect his wares for purchase. However, he did say that the original price of the items went up by twenty five percent, as per black market rules and regulations."

Tak silently cursed. "And since this might be the memory bag we need, I'll have to pay a fortune in vouchers. ... But this should be beneficial to us in the long run." She turned to Johnny and looked at him with a warm smile. "Johnny. Would you like to visit the black market?"

Johnny got up from his seat, brushed himself off, and then bowed to Baroness Tak. "It would be an honor, my ladyship."

Tak bowed back as her smile beamed even more. "Fantastic! Now then. Let's see if we can find you some drab, worn clothes to help you fit in."

After that, much of the noon was spent with Johnny going through raggedy clothing so that he could travel to the black market in an anonymous guise. Johnny was indifferent to the experience, but Kay couldn't help but feel excited for him. Kay wondered what Johnny would discover in the illegal marketplace.

* * *

 **A/N: Twist!**


	33. The Magic Double

**Chapter 33: The Magic Double**

* * *

Six days had passed, and the zerg continued fighting against chrome robots, otherwise known as the Kiln Keepers. They tried to eliminate the zerg from the safety of the volatile curtain that was the laser wall, which was Gollog's smite attack that bombarded the ground from Kiln's sun. But try as the Kiln Keepers liked, they could not find purchase on zerg established ground. Coincidentally, the laser wall was also a double edged sword for the chrome robots.

The spine crawlers, locusts, and roaches were effective in eliminating Kiln Keeper footmen, and the spore crawlers, infested gilanians, and hydralisks were just as proficient in striking flying Kiln Keepers out of the sky. As it turned out, Gollog's orbital smite was the Kiln Keeper's ultimate weakness in the same sense. Even a small hole that was drilled into their magic armor technology was enough to burn straight through them and crumple them during the fight.

The spine crawlers would stab the Kiln Keepers as they exit the laser wall, creating an enormous chink in their invisible magic armor as the laser wall did the rest of the work. The locusts and the roaches would focus their spittle on any Kiln Keeper that strayed too far from the cover of the laser wall and melt them within seconds. Sadly, such projectiles could not survive past the wall of laser, which would simply turn the acidic liquid into corrosive steam. Even the spine crawlers limited their range, since their impaling tendril tips could be disintegrated off of themselves.

The hydralisks fared better, since their needle spines traveled at supersonic speeds. In fact, their spines traveled so fast that the laser wall had little time to burn them away! Much of the front lines were using hydralisks exclusively, due to their long range. The infested gilanians were quite useful, being able to quickly act and provide efficient anti-air and aerial denial of the flying Kiln Keepers. The spore crawlers were static in their defenses, providing their support in areas that had flying Kiln Keepers that were not protected by the laser wall.

The robots were becoming stronger against zerg attacks, and the vipers and lurkers were eventually put into play. Several queens worked constantly to heal many hatcheries, as the vipers produced from them constantly consumed their health at alarming rates. But the vipers, with their ability to produce blinding clouds, were incredibly useful to the zerg since it prevented the intruding Kiln Keepers from firing at the front lines. Not only that, their parasitic bombs also assisted in the many deaths of many flying Kiln Keeper robots.

The lurkers were less fortunate, since their subterranean spines could easily stab underneath the Kiln Keeper robots, but were otherwise used in areas where cover was provided for them anyway. From the safety of the side of an errant tank, within a ruined bunker, or inside of tall dead grass, the lurkers played a dangerous game as they sniped from the underground, using a sight blocking obstruction to destroy Kiln Keeper footmen. However, they were completely screwed if a flying Kiln Keeper flew over and saw them if they used their newly acquired means of detection, via by pausing after each step and triangulating their burrowed targets to their flying Kiln Keeper allies.

[Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy. ... Analysis complete. Deficient unit formation. Deficient unit composition. Upgrades required. Unable to advance with current composition. Acquiring assets. Adjusting strategy. Kiln Keeper variant: Blind Judgement, deployed.]

But as the chrome robots continually fought the zerg, they grew craftier and kept adapting as time went on. They had brought with them square horseshoe shaped objects that appeared to be three meters tall. The Kiln Keepers placed them on the ground and looked like they were accessing a terminal on its side. A blue static haze emanated from the horseshoe objects, and a robotic humanoid Kiln Keeper emerged from the object. Were they MEM devices, or were they manifestation altars? Kay or Virid didn't know the answer to that question, but it was still a valid question to ask still.

Even so, there were new objects that were being made from the horseshoes, and the Kiln Keepers were building giant metal circles, and then intertwining three of each into what looked like Borromean rings. Whatever they happened to be, they did not seem to be for decorative purposes.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kay was in the safety of the Hidden Water Spring Tribe's underground village, and he scowled when he focused on Empire Capitol's current development. He grumbled something under his breath as he punched the creep covered ground, again and again. It's bad enough that he was asked to wait outside, while Kragnon acquired something from within the tower. But still, patience rewards those who wait, and Kay had almost forgotten that lesson.

Virid noticed this aggression from Kay and approached him, one of her crab legs extending outward to prod Kay's back. "I sense that you are troubled."

Kay sighed, concentrating on the fighting that was happening at Empire Capitol and dividing some of his attention to listen to Virid. "Yeah, it's kind of difficult to listen to you while there is a fight going on."

Virid sighed and sat next to Kay. "The Kiln Keepers are adaptive, true, but they do not excel in our ways of evolution."

"Virid, please leave me alone. I need to concentrate on this battle." Kay requested.

"You are but one swarm commander, Kay. Not only that, a former terran too." Virid intoned. "Not all worlds are dominated in a week."

Kay scoffed. "Well I would love to dominate these Kiln Keeper robots faster, let me tell you. Fucking hell, these guys are downright assholes!"

Virid huffed, then focused her attention on the battle occurring at Empire Capitol. She trilled in surprise. "Kay, I had no idea you are commanding so many zerg strains at once!"

"And let me tell you." Kay said, looking like he was straining. "It's no picnic."

"Picnic or not, I am surprised that these Kiln Keepers were giving you this sort of trouble! Is there a way I can assist?" Virid asked.

"Unless you know another trick besides the one where you can pull a rabbit from a hat, I'm open to other suggestions."

Virid hissed and tilted her head, confused. "What?"

"Terran expression. You wouldn't understand." Kay said, sighing. "Now give me some peace, please. I can't concentrate and talk at the same time."

Virid paused for several seconds, but was unable to say anything, or provide to him a suggestion at that moment. She felt... useless.

However, in that moment, Kay and Virid's attention was suddenly directed somewhere else. The hive cluster expansion at Whisper Stones was bombarded with four spore payloads that were launched from the moon. The information that leaked from the impacted spore projectiles contained unusual information. After such genetic information leaked into the creep and redistributed itself in the established nydus networks, Kay and Virid widened their eyes in surprise.

"... If I were to implement these strains, would it be cheating?" Kay asked Virid, as though befuddled, but also excitedly.

"It would only be cheating if somebody not on our side did it first." Virid replied, her awe hanging in her expression.

Kay's smile expanded into a grin, but his expression turned back into concentration when he focused his mind back on the fight at Empire Capitol. "Make some of those new strains, and send them to the fight I'm managing. Corvurn, you are an indispensable ally to us! Woo!"

* * *

Once the Borromean rings were assembled, they started rotating rapidly and generated that same blue static that the horseshoe MEM devices/manifestation altars used to produce more humanoid Kiln Keepers. After several seconds of time passed, the Borromean rings slowed to a stop and allowed whatever was inside to venture out. Kay was surprised with what he saw.

This floating thing was completely spherical, save for the giant red glass circle that was on its front side. It floated above the ground using some form of levitation, and Kay assumed that it could float up even higher. Several red lights dotted everywhere on its chromatic spherical body and within its eye, giving it an unusual, if intimidating appearance. It slowly hovered toward the battlefield with single-minded purpose, and what that purpose might be, Kay had a feeling he would find out all too soon.

These spheres floated upwards and hovered above the heads of the Kiln Keeper footmen, some even joining with the flying Kiln Keeper formations that floated forward and into the laser wall. When the spheres were in range, they opened fire in a burst of several lasers that quickly switched from one target to another. This machine had longer range that the Kiln Keepers, and they decimated the defensive perimeter of the zerg guarding the captured capitol. These spheres even overcharged their lasers to blast an area of twenty five square meters, turning the spot they blasted into glass, and reducing the zerg they targeted into nothing.

The defenses created by the zerg was whittled down faster than it could be restored, and the zerg were beginning to recede from the defended lines. The zerg were finally being pushed back again.

However, the zerg had acquired some new strains to play with. Zerg drones morphed into the three new structures, whilst the hatcheries told its larvae to transform into the new zerg organisms it needed. It would take scant seconds of time, but it was a resource that the zerg could afford at the moment.

The first structure to emerge from the many embryonic cocoons formed into what looked like pitcher plant bio-structures, except its appearance and purpose was not exactly like a pitcher plant. A large, green, and translucent sack was situated at its base, whilst a complex orifice sat on top of this reservoir of bile, covered with rows of manipulable spines, pincers, and specialized mandibles that directed its deadly projectiles. Once the creature was morphed from the zerg drone, the bio-structure went to work launching gobs of scalding and corrosive liquid at the Kiln Keepers. It was known as a bile launcher, and several more started appearing once the first had developed fully.

Another structure had formed from a cocoon, and it formed a streamlined bio-structure that looked similar to an oversized tick that had its abdomen burrowed into the ground, with a few antennae that trailed from its sides and back. Unlike the bile launchers, this particular organism seemed to reside on its own, yet its presence did seem to affect several hatcheries on the inner grounds of Empire Capitol, forcing them to start mutating their larvae. This bio-structure was called a scourge nest.

One more structure was added, and the cocoon finally opened up with an eruption of amniotic juices, revealing the structure within it. It resembled a set of disfigured ribs with a layer of misshapen skin covering it. beside it was rock that had jutted upwards due to its formation, giving the impression that the bio-structure had shifted rock from underneath itself to give its underground organs space to grow. The mound had the capability to create a new type of organism, similar to the scourge nests. However, the hatcheries underground focused hard on creating the new organisms. This mound would truly bring forth the most terrifying zerg monster to date.

The first of the new combat strains to come into the fight were the guardians, emerging from the cocoons at the hatcheries created at Empire Capitol. The zerg guardians resembled giant flying mantises that was flattened, stretched outward horizontally, gained several more mandibles, acquired two elongated pincers to throw its acid spores from great distances away, floated on protected organs filled with hydrogen, and looked nothing like a mantis whatsoever. They were impressive beasts that were slow in speed, but functionally worked like the brood lords. However, the guardians had significantly longer range than the brood lords' firing range, which meant that they could keep out of danger from farther away.

Another combat strain erupted from the hatcheries at the capitol, and the air filled with the ultimate anti-air organisms. They glided around effortlessly using their three wings that curved forward, and their mouths were nothing more but a circular, screaming orifice that was filled with many teeth that they use to latch onto their prey. They spawned in pairs, and they flew after the flying Kiln Keepers that found their way into zerg established territory. The Kiln Keepers did adjust their tactics and tried to fire down the scourge when they got near, but there were simply too many scourge to focus on individually. The airspace above Empire Capitol was dominated by zerg air-to-air missiles. They were the scourge of the skies, which hinted at the name of their strain.

But there was one more zerg strain to be included in this battle, and they came through the nydus worms and hatcheries. These organisms resembled lobsters slightly, but had thin pincers and many long legs that gave them disturbing appearances. Despite their horrendous visage, they provided special abilities that the zerg very much needed for this particular battle. The defilers may have fallen out of use after the brood war, but fate had a very morbid sense of humor on that day. Especially now, and they were indeed heavily needed. They provided two abilities that the zerg greatly benefited from. One of which was a swarm of insects that made it nearly impossible for any ranged attack to hit a zerg organism, which provided the defending zerg an incredibly impressive defense. Another ability that the defiler had was its most volatile weapon. It could launch a cloud of plague that could horrendously damage any enemy to a near-death state, in the sky or on the grown, organic or inorganic. Sadly, the defilers were a downgraded version of vipers, since they needed to consume zerg organisms to keep their energy high. But it could alternatively burrow into the ground to safely restore its energy out of combat.

When the four new strains entered the raging battle at the zerg controlled city of Empire Capitol, the Kiln Keepers quickly lost their slow advance and were firmly forced back to the laser wall. Defilers and vipers worked in unison to prevent Kiln Keepers and their floating spheres from hurting the zerg organisms, and the guardians and bile launchers made quick work on all Kiln Keepers that walked on their established ground. The scourge were most effective against any air unit, assisting the vipers and corruptors to great lengths. Any time a group of flying Kiln Keepers flowed into the zerg established airspace, they kept their forces spread out when they dealt with the vipers, and would group up on any lone corruptor by using flanking tactics. But with the zerg scourge coming into play, the flying Kiln Keepers were blasted apart by their plasma metamorphosis. With the inclusion of the new strains, the captured capitol became a well defended hive cluster, which efficiently countered the Kiln Keepers.

[Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Unknown targets detected. Targets assisting zerg organisms. Unknown targets now filed as zerg organisms. Adjusting strategy. New targets detected. Annihilating.] The Kiln Keepers adjusted their strategy to account for the new strains of the assembled zerg, but it did little for them to push back into zerg controlled territories. Even with the inclusion of these 'Blind Judgement' units that the Kiln Keepers deployed, the dark swarms that the defilers produced made it impossible for the zerg on the ground to be harmed, and the blinding cloud made by the vipers only denied the Kiln Keepers their ranged attacks. It was thanks to the bile launchers and guardians that enabled the zerg defending the perimeter of the laser wall to gain some lenience. Before the zerg had the new zerg strains, the economy of bio-matter and accelerant was steadily decreasing, since the Kiln Keepers grew smarter to zerg tactics and adjusted. But production of the two essential resources was still slowly increasing by every minute, thanks to the resource tumor and carbonation extractor strains that Corvurn produced, which was derived from the altar technology he reverse-engineered. Coupled with the zerg swarm's ability to create hatcheries underground, their production of resources and strains only increased over time.

[Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Deficient unit formation. Deficient unit composition. Upgrades required. Requesting additional assets. Unable to continue with current composition. Unable to alter current strategy. Awaiting assets. Continuing with target annihilation until unknown variables prompts strategy analysis.] The Kiln Keepers said in unison. It would appear to Kay and Virid that the Kiln Keepers were forced to a standstill, unable to change their tactics and strategies until something else altered their approach. At least the bio-matter and accelerant production continued to increase over time, and more hatcheries and zerglings were provided for the vipers and defilers respectively. If it wasn't for the laser wall, the zerg would have advanced and wade into the massive army of Kiln Keepers that surrounded the entire capitol. Worse still, it was becoming midday. Several more hours would have to pass for sundown to arrive, which would allow the zerg to attack the chrome robots unimpeded by Gollog's supposedly 'divine' smiting sky laser bombardment.

But as of now, the zerg were producing more resources than they are wasting. The defilers feasted exclusively on the zerglings to regain their energy, and the heavy use of zerg scourge on heavily populated enemy airspace helped recede the resource economy of the zerg to some degree, but not totally. The bile launchers and the guardians were indeed useful, and the scourge were most effective against any flying Kiln Keepers that dared intrude into zerg-owned airspace.

* * *

Kay laid back onto the cool creep and sighed in relief. "I was almost worried that we would lose Empire Capitol!" Kay exclaimed.

Virid sighed in relief too. "But for how long can we keep the Kiln Keepers in this stalemate?"

"Oh, I dunno." Kay replied, rubbing his forehead. "I guess we could wait until night falls again. Ooh, my head."

Virid shook her head. "I should have warned you. Maintaining command of so many creatures at once can strain your mental faculties."

Kay smiled and chuckled. "Still though... That was super close. Could you tell Corvurn that I am thankful that he sent those spores to the hive cluster at Whisper Stones? I have a migraine."

Virid nodded, looking down slightly at a certain direction and paused. "... Corvurn was not responsible for the four zerg strains we received."

Kay propped himself up and settled onto his elbows as he looked at Virid with confusion. "... What?"

"Corvurn has informed me that he had created another evolution master on the hexagonal moon." Virid answered.

Kay blinked a few times. "... Why? I didn't tell him to do that!"

Virid nodded. "That may be true, but he was indisposed with nanites that were withering his insides. He assumed that mutating a larva into another evolution master, one without any nanites corroding its biology, could assist us."

"Oh gods. Are you saying that Corvurn is breeding more of himself?" A familiar voice said, intruding into Kay and Virid's conversation.

Kay and Virid turned to find Kragnon peering over the wall that separated the underground tower from the zerg infestation. Kay chuckled. "Heheh uh... How much have you eavesdropped?"

"Something about night falling again. I data-mined the information network and found out that Empire Capitol has been taken over." Kragnon replied. "Your work?"

Kay smirked. "Yeah, it's true."

Kragnon nodded. "I see. I'm also getting reports that the Kiln Keepers are being fed into Gollog's divine smite attack. For some reason, that attack has been emitting a wall around the capitol."

Kay relaxed back onto the creep and smiled. "Not bad for taking down Ralkan and destroying his home."

Kragnon blinked. "... Wait, you also took down Ralkan?!"

"Mm-hmm! Even extracted all the information I needed from his brain. As of now, he's brain dead and infested in a bunker under the city." Kay said with pride. "Serves him right to give Faddoh the idea of making those damn nanites."

Kragnon tilted his head. "Nanites? Do you mean medical micro-machines?"

Kay nodded. "Yeah. ... Actually, I was wondering if you can help me with a puzzle that has been bugging me."

Kragnon paused for several seconds, but then he shook his head and shrugged. "I suppose am pretty good with puzzles. What's troubling you?"

Kay sighed, standing up and facing Kragnon on the tower's wall. "You see, six days ago, there was a group of hunters with ancient armor and red decorative flags that used a nanite infused weapon, a crossbow bolt of all things, on one of my zerg organisms. Last night, however, all the commanders of the different divisions, their general, and even Emperor Gollog, discussed on creating the nanites to counter my zerg swarm. So... That's the puzzle I've been trying to figure out."

Kragnon narrowed his gaze and looked down in contemplation. "... Ancient armor with red flags? What did these hunters look like?"

"Uh... Oh! I could just bring a changelisk over here and show you!" Kay raised his hand and summoned a changelisk that was nearby. Once the changelisk was in Kragnon's presence, it changed its shape and form to the appearance to one of the gilanian hunters, specifically the crossbow leader that had shot the overlord from long ago. Kay turned to face Kragnon and gestured to the disguised changelisk. "One of them looked like this."

Kragnon's face instantly changed from scrutiny to surprise, and immediately started pointing at the disguised changelisk. "THAT'S ONE OF THE HONOR GUARDS THAT USED TO PROTECT THIS VILLAGE! ... Although, his armor does look a bit rusted. ... But wait... You said that they used the micro-machines against the zerg BEFORE Commander Faddoh got the idea to create them?"

"I... Think that sounds about right?" Kay said, shrugging.

"... Oh fuck." Kragnon said, rubbing the sides of his temples. "Era agents."

Kay cocked his head. "... Era... agents?"

"It had to be fucking era agents, gods damn them. Gods damn them all." Kragnon said, clutching his head in frustration.

"What are era agents?" Kay asked, trying to get back to the topic at hand.

Kragnon sighed before he started explaining to Kay. "Era agents are the ultimate assassins, and they existed on Kiln for as long as Kiln ever existed. They can use their skills to travel back in time and eradicate a certain target from ever existing, or making sure that certain person's actions do not affect a certain outcome, doing so in secret and in disguise. They are a powerful freelance business whose services do not come cheap. Gollog had paid these people countless times before, making sure certain dangerous targets were offed, or made to have never been born. If these era agents have came back to the past to kill you, then it must mean Gollog is becoming desperate. And if that is true, then the Kiln Keepers must also be suffering from your swarm in the future."

Kay's migraine was slowly coming back. "... I was... attacked... by time traveling ninjas?"

Kragnon stared at Kay. "... I... don't know what ninjas are, but uh... They can time travel, yes."

Kay slumped over and sighed, feeling more agitated than normal. "... Shit, are you kidding me?! The zerg do not have a means to counter time traveling assassins! Fuck!"

Virid shook her head. "Time traveling assassins... Very clever."

Kay turned toward Virid and stared at her. "Clever is not the word I would use. This means that they will try and find a way to arrive where we originated and eradicate us from history. In short, were screwed."

"Not quite." Kragnon interrupted. "Time happens to be a very interchangeable thing, since it exists in several states that enables existence to continue in the perspective of any intelligent, or sometimes sapient, creatures. Since you are still here, we can assume that there is an event in the future that has enabled your continued existence. Alternatively, you have limited time before you disappear from history completely. ... Oh, and alternatively-alternatively, you could simply remain here without any changes made to the timeline whatsoever, due to the era agents' method of entering the past. It all depends on how they travel in the timeline, really."

Virid and Kay stared at Kragnon blankly. "What? "What?" They said in unison.

Kragnon shook his head and scoffed. He turned around and crouched, preventing Kay or Virid from seeing him. After several seconds of plastic surfaces clicking between one another, Kragnon returned with what looked like info-lenses that looked like his own pair. He dangled two of them down along the wall. "Here. Put on these info-lenses. I'll show you through a word document."

Kay nodded and positioned his palms so that he could catch one pair of the info-lens. Virid took a pair as well, but was reluctant to use the gilanian technology, hissing and trilling as she received the piece of plastic. "Must I humiliate myself by putting this on my face?"

Kay placed his info-lens on his own face and smirked. "Humility is a great teacher, Virid. And besides, you could also humor the lovechief for the moment."

Virid sighed and placed the info-lens onto her face, reluctantly.

Kragnon nodded and smiled. "Maiden, activate info-lenses on Kay and Virid. Also, activate the air-type program on my lens and stream the program to Kay and Virid."

[Commands detected.] Maiden said from the speaker system outside of the tower. [Initiating programs.]

The info-lenses that Kay and Virid were using immediately became stark white. Kay eyed at the bone-colored lenses and cocked his head. "Uh... What are we supposed to be looking at here?"

Kragnon smiled as he answered Kay. "Timelines." After replying to Kay, Kragnon started wiggling his fingers in the air. Once he did, Kay and Virid's vision was being filled with several ascii characters. As Kragnon typed on an invisible keyboard in the air, the image he provided to them soon looked like this:

 **— — — — — — — — —**

 **—** **— — — O — —** **—** **—**

 **—** **—** **— — Q _ _ _ _**

 **— —** **—** **— F = = = =**

 **— — — — E** ≡ ≡ ≡ ≡

Kay stared at the image he received for several seconds before he decided to try and end the confusion in his brain. "... So uh... This is what timelines look like?"

"Not exactly." Kragnon answered. "This is how each method of time travel work within their respective timelines. At least, from what I see in my perspective. Allow me to explain. Imagine the first line as a timeline that has no time travel happening within it. About as ordinary as you might expect, but then it becomes much more complicated when you introduce a means to go forward and backward in time. More interesting things happen when one travels backwards, and I'll explain what happens in these theories, made real by the era agents.

"The second line represents a method of time travel where time itself is a fixed point. To put it into an example, you go into the past to kill a war hero, abort the baby of the two parents responsible for the war hero's upbringing, and find out later that the baby turned out to be a different sibling from the surviving clutch of eggs. Simply put, no matter what you do to the past, the future remains the same in all events. From what I theorize, it's an effective use for scouting certain time periods, and making sure that the events that lead up to the target's death plays out in the ways it happens. Era agents are known to use this method of time travel to liberally scout the past.

"The third line is a type of time travel where time is more dynamic. For example, a street urchin was invited to become an era agent, but he had made a secret vow to kill the asshole that killed his mother. Eventually, he goes back in time, found his mother's killer, and kills him. However, the urchin agent had inadvertently killed his own father, and in doing so removes himself from the timeline, resulting in a paradox. Paradoxes happen in unusual ways, and there are methods that could help prevent them. But even so, creating paradoxes often results in creating temporal radiation. In the case of the son killing his father, it would result in a release of low level radiation. The temporal radiation would slowly increase in intensity, relative to how far the time traveler traveled and how much that change in the timeline changes history. As such, it will be in full effect when the paradox starts, but fades completely when the timeline reaches the moment where the time traveling urchin had went back in time. Of course, using a temporal containment field could help sustain and prevent the temporal radiation from dissipating, and era agents are known to create paradoxes to collect temporal radiation. They then use the radiation for the purposes of manipulating temporal energy to time travel. As I said, timelines become much more complicated when you introduce a means to go forwards or backwards in time, though the era agents have 'claimed' that they have perfected the art of creating stable 'time loops'. Not only that, era agents prefer to use temporal energy exclusively, because they believe it is a more effective energy source than any other power source.

"The fourth line represents a split in the timeline. Some people would refer to them as branching timelines, or diverging timelines, but they are simply timelines where an entirely new existence emerges from the result of the time travel. Some theorize that it happens constantly, but the era agents can force a split and be able to interact with both timelines. Simply put, it is an alternate timeline that exists without any repercussions, simply creating a new instance of everything with different parameters that governs it. For example, a romantic gilanian has found two ladies that are sisters that can't stand each other. One was rich and beautiful, but the other was rather plain looking. He married the rich and beautiful sister, only to regret his decision when he found out that she had a horrible personality. However, he soon discovered that the plain looking sister had a wonderful personality! He eventually found a time traveling device and used it. The romantic gilanian went back in time and married the plain sister instead, changing his past self's actions using the knowledge he gained from the future. However, such use of time travel requires an enormous amount of temporal energy to create the alternate timeline. Even more so if one decides to create a time gate that connects the two timelines together, and time gate technology was only a theory that was confirmed by their execution after announcing publicly that such a technology existed.

"The fifth timeline, for all intents and purposes, is all time travel methods working together in tandem. Without time travel, time itself would be a linear endeavor where costly mistakes would never be corrected. But the era agents uses all three methods to achieve their goals, and they abuse it to their agendas, treating it like an expensive fruit jello desert that never runs out, but only if they're careful. A lot of gilanians have asked for their services before, and I believe many of them had requested Gollog to be slain in a contract several times. However, the era agents are bound to something they refer as the 'temporal code'. Simply put, it's a way of life for them to use time travel for their own benefit. Hell, I bet that they go to different timelines to siphon water from the underground lakes to fill their own water tanks! Anyway, a clever agent would be able to gain much more resources from different alternate timelines, forgoing the consequences of the damage they do to them. In essence, the era agents are a self perpetuating people that literally had more years of careful planning than septuple the number of years of Kiln's Age of Ascension. Perhaps even more, all the way to the day our predecessors having chosen Kiln to be the prison for our ancestors!

Kragnon sighed after that long-winded explanation. "So do you see why the era agents are so dangerous, Kay?"

Kay blinked a few times as he unequipped the info-lens from his face. "Uh... Yeah, sort of. How do we fight them if they decided to show up again?"

Kragnon removed the info-lens from his face, shaking his head. "I'm afraid that, if my math is correct, they already did so. Your past six days spent existing on Kiln is now in danger."

* * *

 **A/N: Cool, I complicated things for myself. :3**


	34. Covert Ops against the Era Agents

**Chapter 34: Covert Ops against the Era Agents**

* * *

 **Six days ago...**

* * *

"And what would they say about us if we kill them now and let their people notice that their hunting party has not come back yet? What would happen if they found out that we struck the first blow and give them an excuse to hunt us down?" Kay said, seeing and closing the distance to the wounded overlord above him. "If we can't try to have peaceful resolve first, then we might be forced to take prisoners for interrogation."

 _'... An acceptable strategy. I shall let you determine this outcome.'_ the queen hissed. She sounded impressed, yet dejected by Kay's unique alternate strategy.

And that was when Kay finally saw the lizard-man hunters for himself. True to the overlord's connection to the hivemind and sharing its findings to the rest of the swarm, Kay could see in person that these hunters were exactly like what the overlord had seen. The flags they wore seemed ornate in design, and their weapons appeared to be hand-crafted with strong materials. Their armor seemed crude and old, but could mean that Virid's assumption that their equipment was ceremonial could be correct. However, just as he was able to get in range to see them with his own eyes, these hunters would be able to see him too. They immediately raised their weapons, of which he noticed that each carried four sets of weapons on themselves. He could see one of them taking out its primary ranged weapon, aiming its crossbow at him. The seven others mimicked their supposed leader and unsheathed their other armaments. Kay immediately raised his hands high up in the air. "Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa! Whoa! Whoa. Whoa. Whoa... Listen. I don't know what kind of purpose you guys are here for... But I must warn you that any further aggression to us will result in a dangerous outcome for all of you. What do you say?"

The lizard-men did not lower their weapons. One of such lizard-men, the one wielding the crossbow at the front of their party, clucked and hissed its language to the other hunters for a brief moment. Kay frowned, since he had no understanding of their language. However, he did remember some of his training in his former life. It has something to do with being a spectre. ... Oh yeah, the spectre's were psionic spec ops soldiers. Kay had almost forgotten that. But using psionics to retrieve information from a mind was dangerous, and could reduce the interrogatee's mind to a brain-dead state. But there was another problem. He wasn't sure if his mind was healthy enough to use psionic abilities effectively. For the moment, Kay decided against using his psionic powers, or whatever mental abilities that might have remained.

"Uh... Kay... You." Kay said, pointing at the crossbow wielding lizard-man. "Shot." He gestured as though he was firing a weapon. "Overlord?" Kay then pointed at the retreating overlord.

The crossbow archer lizard-man let his weapon droop down fully and held it by one hand, while his other hand made several gestures as he clucked and hissed more openly to Kay. The lizard-man gestured to himself, pointed to his weapon, made a shooting sound as he mocked firing his weapon, then pointed at the overlord that was getting away. Kay wasn't too sure, but it felt as though this hunter had intent on hunting the zerg organism. But the good news is that these reptiles seem to understand gestures and charades well. However, when the crossbow archer clucked again, it and its fellow hunters attempted to circle around Kay to get back at hunting the overlord.

Kay shook his head, then ran to the front of the hunting group again. "Okay okay, stop that!" Kay said, waving his hands at them to halt. Once he had their attention again, he tried to explain through gestures once more. "You." He pointed at the lizard-men. "No." He smoothly waved his left hand to his left and his right hand to his right. "Shoot." He mimicked firing a crossbow. "Overlord." He pointed at the overlord. He paused before beginning again. "You." He pointed at the crossbowman again. "Put weapon." He pointed at the crossbow. "Down." He then mimicked carrying something and slowly putting it to the ground. He paused again. "But." He said, telling them to wait for further gestural communicative signals. "You." He pointed at the archer again. "Shoot." He mimicked firing a crossbow again. "Overlord." He pointed at the overlord in the distance. "Fight. Hiss." He said, trying to spread his hands and claws out as threateningly as possible, baring his teeth, and fanning his bone-wings out.

The lizard-men stood fast when Kay showed them an aggressive display. Kay was unsure why they were unfazed by his attempt to scare them off, but he considered it a moot point. However, it did make the eight lizard-men group up, and they clucked with one another for a brief moment. Kay wondered if the message he was trying to relay to them actually got across.

After a moment, the lizard-men broke up their huddle. The crossbow archer clucked and hissed more loudly, bringing out a long, curved sword and stabbing it into the ground. The gesture was authoritative sounding. The lizard-man pointed at Kay, then at itself, and then brought out a knife and stood in a stance that seemed to be similar to some kind of martial art style that Kay was unaware of.

"... Are... Are you challenging me?" Kay asked incredulously. He slumped his posture a little when he realized that this really was actually happening. "Ugh. It's like trying to talk to deaf, feral children. Deaf, feral children that are scaly, dangerous, and speak a reptile language. ... I think I'll just show you guys how much damage I can do, and then let you decide what to- WHOA!"

The crossbow archer leaped forward and swung his knife several times at the unprepared Kay. Despite the crossbow archer's deft strokes, Kay was faster at dodging the attacks. The crossbow archer was rewarded for his efforts with a backhand that nearly broke his neck.

Kay stared at the archer with a surprised expression. "Are you out of your damn mind?! Listen, I don't want to fight yo-" Another five hunters brought out their weapons and started attacking Kay. "YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"

Six of the hunters decided to try their luck in taking down Kay, whilst two others decided to flee from the fight. Kay gritted his teeth and growled as he had no choice but to defend himself, killing his attackers when he knew that he had to.

* * *

 **Present day...**

* * *

Kay rubbed the back of his head, recalling the time that he fought those eight hunters... but for some reason, that battle seemed somewhat odd to him when he recalled the past information. "Hmm."

Kragnon was handing out info-lenses to a line of changelisks, and each one was given an info-lens of their own. Kragnon turned to look at Kay with a puzzled expression, standing in the hole that a bull shryik serpent and Kay made long ago. "Something wrong?"

"... Hmm? Oh uh, yeah, no, I was just recalling certain details of a fight that I remembered." Kay answered, shaking his head.

Kragnon raised his eyebrow and stared at Kay. "... Uh oh. Sounds like you experienced a temporal recursion."

Kay narrowed his gaze at Kragnon and tilted his head. "A what-oral re-what-sion?"

Kragnon rolled his eyes. He picked up a whole box containing several more info-lenses and handed it to a changelisk, and then turned to Kay. "Temporal recursion. To put it simply, when your past is changed, you begin to remember certain details differently, and the changes becomes instant from then on. However, temporal recursion occurs when the time travelers were unsuccessful in their previous trip, and decided to redo their original entry into the past. Can you remember how the fight took place?"

Kay nodded and tried to recollect his memories. "Uh... I think I fought eight hunters six days ago. Six of them grouped up on me, but I killed them all. Only two escaped that day. I tried to infest them, but there was no way to keep all of their bodies fresh under the desert sun, so the zerglings ate the corpses. Then there was that scout thing that one of my overseers saw, but it flew off. And... that's all I remember, I think."

Kragnon shook his head. "I remember you telling me there were three hunters."

Kay cocked his head. "But that doesn't seem right. I remembered fighting eight."

"Temporal recursion, Kay. It has a faster effect on you when you are at the epicenter of any changes made temporally, but the changes become gradual the farther away, or longer away, the time travel event occurred, depending on the event. The only way to help you recall certain events is to write down what you remember, and then re-check what you wrote down relative to the event that occurred. But even then, the changes made in the past can still affect what you remember or wrote down in the present, so all you really have is repetition to assist your remembering. Luckily for you, I happen to have a trump card for time traveling shenanigans." Kragnon said with a prideful smirk.

Kay crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow. "What is it?"

Kragnon reached into one of his pockets and retrieved a glass slab with blue sand within it. He held it in front of Kay. "Time sand. They are special particles that are infused with temporal properties. No matter how much they are manipulated, they remain fixed in the timeline. Not only that, it can also be used as a power source for time traveling machines. I have an entire wall of this stuff in my bedroom, so... I suppose you can have this." Kragnon said, wiping its surface and giving the slab to Kay.

Kay held up and looked at the slab, seemingly intrigued by its properties. "Uh... Kay. Cool. ...What do I do with it?"

"Write on it. Any changes made in time, temporal or not, and the time sand will remain the same."

"Oh~! Well that's stupidly simple! I guess I'll write a three on here, seeing as though I fought three hunters in the past... which might actually be era agents instead." Kay said, poking onto the surface of the slab. He made a hole in the shiny plastic, slightly damaging the slab by accident. "... Uh. Oops!"

Kragnon narrowed his gaze. "What do you mean 'oops'?"

"'Oops' meaning I kinda... stabbed into this thing with my claw." Kay said, holding up a finger with a small bit of blue dust at the tip. He brought his nose close to the dust and smelled it, curious on what its odor was. Immediately, he went into a wheezing cough and brought his dust covered finger far away from his face. "AWH~! ID SINGS MAH NOBES!"

Kragnon covered his own mouth. "Don't fucking breathe time sand on me, you idiot! It does funny stuff to your brain and cells!"

After coughing and sneezing a few times, Kay handed back the time sand slab. "Ugh. *sniff* Oof! Never again. Uh... Well then. I'm sorry to say this, but can you repair this and provide a dull writing object? My fingers are not efficient writing tools."

Kragnon shook his head at Kay and accepted the return gift. "I'll write a three on there for you. In the meantime, I suggest you be careful."

"Same goes for you." Kay replied back.

Kragnon and Kay turned to suddenly see several gilanians that were not there before, nine in total. They wore tightly sealed suits of black and plastic, and they emerged from a bright, white shape that was heptagonal, seeming to be an arched doorway in design. Kay narrowed his gaze at these new interlopers, appearing from nowhere. As of that moment, he didn't like unannounced entrances. "... Who the fuck are you?"

One of them, the gilanian in the middle, turned to his left. "Solzen?"

The suited gilanian next to him pulled a plastic sheet from behind himself and inspected it. "Uh... Seems like we are several minutes late in our arrival, sir."

The center gilanian sighed. "Damn. I think we've been forced into a fixed timeline again. Gentlemen. Lets regroup and find another entry point."

"You are going nowhere!" Virid shouted, as zerglings quickly blocked off the suited gilanians' only escape route. The nine suited gilanians backed away from the horde of zerglings, which snarled at them threateningly.

Kay walked forward and quickly grappled the apparent leader of these intruders, holding him high off the ground from his throat. Kay growled aggressively. "Okay, Bubbles, here's the deal. Give me a reason not to kill you, and I won't kill you. Choose your words carefully."

Bubbles choked a little as Kay's hands clasped around his throat. "Nnnghnn, don't! We don't mean you harm! We just came here to warn you about guh... about the future!"

Kay bared his teeth. "So does this mean you are the era agents? Why should I trust you since you are already trying to rewrite my past?"

"Hurgh, listen! If we don't get back to our own timelines soon, then everything will start falling out of place! All of time could unravel in an inescapable paradox collapse if we AUGH!"

Kay twisted and slammed the gilanian on the ground and forced a hand to his head. "Shut up. I'll get what I want from you in a different way."

"What? Ugh~?!" Kay placed a hand on Bubbles' plastic bubble surrounding his face, pressing firmly enough that his hands touched the gilanian inside. He then focused his telepathic power to the intruder's mind.

Unlike using the psionic probe technique on Ralkan at Empire Capitol, Kay lessened his telepathic powers so that there wouldn't be any mentally damaging aftereffects on the gilanian Kay called 'Bubbles'. At least, Kay hoped. After a minute or so, Kay found the answers he needed. He sighed as he got off of the gilanian. To make certain he doesn't squirrel away somewhere, Kay placed a small parasite within a small crevasse in his suit. "Alright. You really are telling the truth."

Bubbles slowly got up from the creep covered ground, shaking a little, but then dusted himself off. "Huh! What the hell?! I heard that the zerg were aggressive, but... They are a lot more intense in person!"

"Consider yourself lucky." Kay replied. "But you have yet to tell me why I shouldn't kill you. Bonus points if you tell me why you are here."

"ARE THOSE ERA AGENTS!?" Kragnon shouted from the safety of his hole in the tower wall.

The bubble suited gilanians turned to look at the shouting lovechief. Kay paid him no attention. Bubbles shook his head and spoke. "We just came here hoping to explain what our agency does. Our think tank had concluded that the lovechief here explained you his version of the story, but we have deduced that it was wildly inaccurate."

"I have no way to trust your word. That, and I know you just now lied to me." Kay said with an angered frown. He could tell because his psionic powers enabled him to read Bubble's surface thoughts.

"IF THEY ARE ERA AGENTS, THEN KINDLY SHOW THEM THE DOOR PLEASE!"

Bubbles looked between Kay and a hiding Kragnon repeatedly before sighing. "Uh, look. Can't we bring you back with us? We could show you what we mean if you come into the time gate."

Kay glared at Bubbles. "No. The minute I go in there, you will close the gate permanently."

"Uh..." Bubbles was completely dumbfounded.

"DON'T ACCEPT ANY OFFERS FROM THEM! THEY ARE VERY CRAFTY!"

Bubbles shook his head. "But-but-but what-what about the future?! Don't you want to know what will happen?!"

"I already know that I will kill Gollog and escape from Kiln's veil, if that's what you mean."

Bubbles stared at Kay for a long time. "... How... do you know that? I thought a gilanian had to be infested in order for you to read minds with them?"

Kay smiled slyly.

"ARE THEY GOING TO BE HERE FOR LONG?! I DON'T WANT TO INVITE THEM IN AND HAVE TO BREAK OUT THE KRELL JERKY!"

Kay sighed and rolled his eyes, then turned toward the hiding Kragnon. "I HAVE IT UNDER CONTROL! STOP SHOUTING!"

"BUT AREN'T THEY TRYING TO KILL YOU?!"

 _"KRAGNON!"_

"UH... ALRIGHT! I'LL JUST HIDE SOMEWHERE UNTIL THIS IS OVER!" After that, Kragnon ceased his shouting.

Bubbles blinked a few times, coughed, and then continued. "Listen to me, please. I have to at least tell you that the era agency is in great danger of splitting, and that you're the cause of it."

Kay huffed. "Then don't fucking cross my path in my past, or I will find your temporally locked agency and wreck shit there."

"Heh heh heh, uh... I doubt that you CAN do that, but we have to uh... We have to keep the-the timeline as linear as possible. It means we will have to send people in the past to try and interfere with you in some way, just so that this conversation can take place." Bubbles whimpered.

Kay shook his head. "Whoa whoa whoa, WILL?!" Kay said, approaching Bubbles. "Are you saying that you didn't know you had sent agents into my past, or that you have yet to send them?"

Bubbles paused for a long time, his eyes widened by Kay's wisdom. "... Uh... Both?"

Kay breathed in deeply and sighed. "Well, six days ago, you had sent agents disguised as hunters of the Hidden Water Spring Tribe at my hive cluster in Red Mountain. Recently, however, I remember there being eight when there was supposed to be three hunters on that day. If you don't change it back to three soon, then I will reach into your damn chest and slowly squeeze the life out of your heart. I'll then pull out your damn dead heart and show it to your friends. Understand?"

Bubbles paused for a long period of several seconds before slightly nodding. "Alright. I'll uh... I'll uh... I'll go to my boss and report that our mission was a failure."

"Tell Zagion that Kay sends his regards." Kay said with a menacing grin.

Bubbles paused again. He then began slowly stepping backwards, cautiously reentering the 'time gate', or at least Kay thought that it was one. "Solzen and company. Retreat. NOW."

Once all of the era agents quickly retreated back into the time gate, the zerglings nipping at their heels as the doorway closed and vanished from thin air. Virid passed her clawed hands through the door that was once there, only to pass through the vacant air instead. She trilled softly. "This is more distressing than I thought. Did you not latch a parasite onto one of them?"

Kay nodded. "I did. It's like Bubbles left my mental awareness. But with any luck, the parasite should stick onto him unnoticed."

"IS IT SAFE?!" Kragnon shouted.

Kay sighed. "YES KRAGNON! YOU CAN COME OUT NOW!"

Kragnon slowly peered from his cover and walked out from the hole, looking around. "... Kay, you are a dangerous man."

Kay rolled is eyes. "I know. No need to rub it in."

Kragnon turned to Kay and sighed. "You really shouldn't have told them where they are going to be in your past, Kay. You're just giving them an excuse to mess with you!"

Kay shook his head and _carefully_ scratched the back of his head. "Well, since it already happened, I suppose it would create a reverse-paradox if I hadn't told him. Therefore, it's a moot point to discuss it."

Kragnon was about to say something, but then sighed again and shook his head. "Either way, you pissed off the era agents. There is no telling what they're going to do now."

Kay craned his neck. "Oh, but they pissed me off too. I just gave them a warning to think on their laurels before going off against my forces. If they cross me a third time, then I will come after them."

Kragnon shook his head more and stared at Kay in disbelief. "What the hell makes you think you can take on the era agents?!"

Kay smiled. "I know how to get into their secret base." Kay said, aloofly.

Kragnon stared at Kay for a long time, but then he turned away and raised his hands in defeat. "Aaahhhh this is just great! I have a bug-man angering the Golden Star Empire, creating more monsters that I can count, and has apparently antagonized era agents in the future, and... and... and what am I even stepping in?!" Kragnon said loudly, noticing the wet stickiness of the ground.

Kay was amused by Kragnon's little tirade, but he tried to be polite. "That's uh... That's creep. Don't eat any, or you'll become an infested gilanian."

Kragnon shifted his gaze to Kay. He then looked at the burbling and moving creep. "Eeeuuugh, it feels like I'm stomping in worm-infested diarrhea."

Kay raised his eyebrow. "I'd be implied to ask you if you ever had done that, but the creep is definitely infested with... SOMETHING _._ " Kay intoned.

Kragnon looked back at Kay. He then looked back at the creep that continued to move and burble. "... I'm going to get off of this stuff. And maybe clean my feet for an hour." He said, duck-walking away from Kay and going toward the hole in the tower's wall.

Kay chuckled, but then he remembered something. "Oh! Are you sure it's alright to let us have your info-lenses?"

Kragnon nodded as he awkwardly stepped through the creep. "Yeah. They'll act as another pair of eyes for me. Also, it enables me to connect to your changelisks and lets me direct them around. That is, if you are willing to let them be in my command."

Kay shook his head and smiled. "Hey now, let's not get too crazy. I'll let you see in the perspective of the changelisks and provide tactical analysis, but no more than that. For now, that is."

"Alright. Good. Well... I'll be back in the tower repairing the time sand memoir. Later." Kragnon said, waiving goodbye and returning to his tower.

As Kragnon left for the safety of the tower, Kay turned around and smiled venomously. Two very interesting things had been learned by Kay today, and they were quite interesting things to him. One of which was learning the location of the era agency. Apparently, it was a location that blips into existence for a second on daily intervals. How the agency works is that it grounds itself with a time anchor it creates on the very second it appears. After that, the era agency could then have another window of time to enter into to manipulate at their leisure. Not only that, the era agents have enough temporal power to create as many alternate timelines as they want, and be able to create as many resources from those timelines whenever they need. They can even go back in time and cannibalize on another timeline inhabited by a younger era agency, effectively making them an ever growing force of nature that continues to adapt at a dangerous rate.

Another thing that Kay learned was the identity of the leader in this instanced timeline. Zagion the seneschal, 482nd descendant of the original time traveler, and is the leader of timeline 8,348,759,784,398-S/498. He happened to be incorporated into several timelines that numbers in the trillions, and is inhabiting the four hundredth and ninety eighth split in various alternate timelines considered favorable to the other alternate agencies. He is rumored by the era agents to be a strict, yet intelligent gilanian that has an uptight policy regarding humor in the workplace. Worse still is that there are several versions of Zagion that could pool their resources together to fend off other time traveling enemies that would otherwise seek and destroy their agency.

But thankfully, they have been warned that any more meddling with zerg affairs would result in dire consequences. And Kay knows that their base is located next to an unaligned science facility. In fact, it was the same facility that Virid had exfiltrated from when she, and the zerg strains she brought with her, came into this world. A question formed in Kay's mind, and he felt like it was a question that needed to be answered. "Virid." Kay said, turning to the zerg queen that was still swiping at the disappeared time door. "How many hunters did I kill on my first day of being a zerg commander?"

Virid stopped her current activity and turned to Kay. "Hmm? Oh. You have killed twelve hunters that day. ... Kay? Is something wrong?"

Virid sensed Kay's emotions shifting to slighted anger because Kay remembered that day being different from his own remembrance of it. Kay remembered there being three hunters, and then eight hunters. If it was twelve, then Kay had no choice but to make due on his threat. "The time traveling assassins tried to increase their numbers in their hunting party from three, to eight, and now to twelve. To put it simply, we are going to attack the time travelers. If they already did it, or have not done so yet, then we'll be attacking them on principle."

"Principle?" Virid asked, cocking her head but also trilling excitedly.

Kay nodded. "The zerg have been provoked, and our provocation demands a payment of blood, violence, and death."

* * *

 **A/N: Castle Story seems like a fun game. Zerging your enemies or getting zerged by coruptrons seems fun. :3**


	35. Attacking Time Assassins

**Chapter 35: Attacking Time Assassins**

* * *

The afternoon came once again, and the sun would slowly become yet another sunset on Kiln, as its orbit made it creep closer to the horizon. The beam it emitted, striking at Red Mountain and around Empire Capitol, was a cause for concern and panic for the gilanian people, both aligned to Gollog, and those that are not aligned to him. Its destructive attack was already dangerously angled, and the Kiln Keepers would have to adapt without the constant barrage of energy. Elsewhere, however, a special organism was being deployed. Specifically, the carrier behemoth on the hexagonal moon.

The carrier behemoth was filled to the brim with zerg organisms, and it was flying toward the planet and deploying several drop pods from orbit. The behemoth matched the acceleration and velocity of the pods it was deploying, launching several in a wave as it went into free-fall and dropping down toward the entry-point, which was the place that the zerg pods were going to land on.

From the information that Kay had gleaned from Bubbles' mind, he had to calculate and plan his drop pods to land at just the right moment. Kay had a hunch that if he did not do this now, then his past will become more complicated once the next day comes around. Already, he can remember meeting twenty era agents disguised as tribal hunters, when he knew he had only met with three in the first place! Time was of the essence, and it was running out.

* * *

At the southern pole of the planet, it was a constant twilight in a dusk-like setting. It is to be noted that Kiln's orbiting sun had never rose above or descended below the horizon at the poles. The hemispheres never experiences winter or summer in the traditional sense, because the orbit of Kiln's sun was never a perfect orbit, if it ever orbited at all. Kiln's core was displaced and unbalanced, off-centering its rotation into a constant axis where the northern hemisphere absorbed more daylight than the southern hemisphere. In turn, Kiln's sun was always fixed into a rotational axis where it's north pole is always facing the sun. It doesn't explain why such a planet experiences seasons still, but it reaffirms the suggestion of Kiln being an artificial planet that had its own artificial climate changes.

But within the dim lands, where the moon darkened the skies in constant moonlight, existed two facilities that were neighbors with one another. One of which happened to be the facility that the zerg had escaped from, which was cleverly hidden in plain sight by the various boulders that covered it. However, there was little memories that Kay could draw from the zerg hivemind on the details of such a facility. For a lack of better words to use, the escape from the facility was nothing more but a blur of quick actions and general panic. Several guards did try to contain the zerg outbreak, only to suffer from the consequences of the scientists summoning them in the first place. After breaching containment, the zerg were free to escape and find a better location to generate a hive cluster on.

But their neighbors were a more dangerous group. They were an agency that specialized in changing the timeline to benefit themselves, or others for profitable gain. The era agents, and the agency they maintain, are the most dangerous group of assassins in the world, since they hold the reigns of power when it comes to time travel. The facility that they worked in was defended by a time-dilation locked bubble, which prevented physical objects from entering unless they were experiencing time that was thirty times faster than normal. The agency was modern and cubic in shape, which had several glass pyramids as skylight windows, yet there were other light sources that were artificial, and were constantly left on. The light from outside the facility was unusually dim, since time from outside the agency was slower than inside of it. The surrounding environment outside of the bubble was but a collection of toppled stone pillars, and the agency was built right on top of it, the facility kept aloft by tough granules of gravel. Since time was thirty times faster within the temporal bubble and inside the agency, the light that falls on the agent's facility is reduced by thirty times when within the time-dilation field. Under the ground lies the rest of the facility, and deep within its confines lies the assassins' most impossible weapon: The time gate. The target of the zerg.

Zagion, the seneschal of this timeline's agency, stared with dull interest as one of his agents was mercilessly beaten by two other agents. After several minutes of this exchange, the punished agent was allowed to fall to the ground and recuperate from his injurious lesson. A minute later, Zagion, a gilanian with an incredibly portly midsection and wearing a white and orange uniform, stepped forward and leaned down slightly to stare at the bruised era agent. Zagion sighed. "You fucking idiot."

The wounded agent on the ground, which happened to be the supposed leader of the group of era agents that had intruded into Kay and Virid's territory at its center, coughed and gasped for air. Bubbles had a wheezing cough before he answered. "You don't understand! He was going to kill us if we didn't retreat! *COUGH COUGH* ... You would too if you were in my shoes, sir!"

Zagion shook his head. "It's evident that these monsters are smart. And apparently, this Kay person said to you that we will be sending assassins into his past to perform an assassination contract on himself, which is an otherwise impossible target to assassinate in my opinion. With that said, we are going to need to find a way to kill our current annoyance in the self-inflicted destruction he has assured for himself." Zagion turned to his desk and pressed a button on some kind of gilanian communication device. "Zel. Inform the alternate timeline network that we have a problem. Request resources and help, and request information about a race of insectoid lizard hybrids capable of breeding as fast as sin. Code-named 'Zerg.'"

[Yes, sir.] His receptionists said, her voice emanating from the device.

Zagion sighed and turned toward Bubbles. "Bulschtein, how did he know my name? How does he know that we will attack him within his past? How can terabytes of information simply vanish when information stored on our temporally protected database contains several contradictions? This tells us one of two things: One, these 'zerg' creatures have acquired time travel technology and have targeted our agency. Or two, we have a mole on the inside that will join their ranks soon, and have already shared our secrets. Fess up and I'll be sure to be more lenient with your... most grievous mistake."

Bubbles sighed. "But sir, this could only mean that there might be a variable that's making our timeline be put in danger."

Bubbles was rewarded with a foot to his face. Zagion grunted as he placed his foot back on the ground and waddled to his desk. "I don't want to hear any of your complaints. As of now, I am thinking to have you contained until we have definite proof that you WOULD double-cross our forces." Zagion clicked a button onto his desk's communication device again. "Zel. Any word from the agencies from the alternate timelines?"

[No sir. The other agencies are saying that your current timeline has became unique. This is an anomalous occurrence, and they said that you must document the event.]

Zagion sighed. "Fucking figures. If they sense that our own timeline does not benefit the other agencies, or our inception point is in danger of being intercepted, then they're going to block off our access to their alternate agency databases, AND their timelines. Dammit!"

Bubbles looked up, pausing and then gasping. "You don't mean..."

Zagion left his desk and picked up Bubbles, bringing him to his feet. "We're at a high risk of getting stuck in a dead timeline. We'll need to requisition and transfer data containing information regarding this 'zerg', and pool what information we can." Zagion went to his desk again and clicked the comm device's button. "Zel. Send an assassin squad to learn about the zerg and send them after the zerg leader. "

[Yes sir. Should they activate the recursion protocol if they are unsuccessful?]

"Not on their own. Have them ask permission from you before they go off on a recursion mission. As such, you are to grant permission to all assassin recursion requests asked from you regarding this particular mission. Once you have granted them permission, you are to write a report and send it to me. Tell me the exact composition of the assassins sent to each recursion in the report. Understand?"

[Yes sir.]

"Good girl, Zel. Carry on." Zagion un-clicked the comm device and sighed as he furrowed his brow. He sat himself down and leaned back from his desk. "Huuuuuhhh... I don't know how much you have fucked us over, Bulschtein. Time travel is a tricky business, and we have to be smart in order to keep ourselves in the game. We know that the zerg have attacked our forces in his past, but we are learning from him that we already have, or will be, sending our assassins after him to prompt the attack. This exchange wouldn't be possible had Lovechief Kragnon decided not to tell someone, in his description, of what the era agents are. This is a very big conundrum if I ever heard of one."

Bubbles looked at the ground and sighed. It was obvious that this whole scenario was his fault, and he had no idea that he had been made a fool in the presence of his seneschal. "So... what we got to do is find where the zerg originated, and take them down in that timeline."

Zagion glared at Bubbles, but then gave a subtle smile. "Now there's a thought. Hopefully, the assassins I contracted are going to have a better time finding their origin point on our world." He said leaning back in his chair further.

Once he looked up at the sky, however, Zagion's expression changed from the satisfaction of doing Era Agency business, to one of great confusion as he saw something above the skylight of his head office. Several awkward seconds had passed before Bubbles decided to break the silence. "Uh... Sir?"

A few more seconds of pausing passed before Zagion pointed up. "What... the hell are those?"

Everybody looked up and saw... some things they did not recognize. The light from outside the complex was dim, so it was hard for Zagion, Bubbles, and the two other agents to make them out. They appeared to be malformed balloons that have spiked ends at the bottom. There were several tentacles that trailed behind each of them, and they all seemed to be aligned side-by-side. Bubbles was hesitant to answer, but he had no information on the... things that were above the facility of the era agents. "I... don't know at all, sir."

Several more seconds had passed before Zagion's eyes widened even more. There was something that he had suddenly remembered at that moment. "... Uhhhhhhhhh how long until the era agent facility resets its anchor point?"

Bubbles looked down on a time telling watch on his left wrist, and paled when he found Zagion's answer. "... We have three seconds sir."

Zagion had only three seconds to wildly react in time to put the station under lock-down. However, he hesitated simply because he was too amazed by the appearance of the zerg drop sacs. If he had reacted in time, then the agency could have had time to prepare against the zerg invasion. But the problem with the agents in the era agency was that they never had a reason to look up, until now.

Suddenly, hell broke loose as a flash of light made everything outside the temporal bubble faster. Or everything within the bubble simply became slow enough for the zerg to enter. The wave of zerg drop sacs became more animated and faster, and they collided with the era agent facility in an amassed force that was devastating and sudden. The skylights blew open, the lights flickered off, the ground outside the facility was quickly covered in creep, and a blaring klaxon noisily broke the silence. The zerg were here.

The zerglings, the fastest out of all other zerg strains, quickly overwhelmed and pacified the staff within the agency, by pouncing on them and gnawed at their weapons until they broke. Other gilanians had tried to barricade themselves from the zerg infiltration, but roach acid had eradicated their defenses with laughable speed, which further enabled the zerglings the unimpeded advantage of pacifying more staff. Agents that tried to fight back, or any gilanian that attempted to fight back against the zerg, were brought down without mercy. The sharpshooting gilanians met a quick end when a hydralisk's needle spine tore through their flesh and went through brains, lungs, hearts, and livers, killing most gilanians in a sudden instant. If they had powered armor suits, like those worn by a terran marine, then the agents could have lasted somewhat longer. But they did not have such impressive terran marine powered armors, and the top portion of their facility had fallen in under a minute still.

Zagion's eyes were wide with surprise and fear, since the visage of a zergling was inches from his face. He knew that if he made one false move, then his chubby cheeks would have been bitten off. But even with the zerglings that stood on top of him, He, Bubbles, and the two other agents that had beaten Bubbles as a method of punishment, were still alive. A couple of minutes had passed, and Zagion's heart was beating fast due to his heightened horror, and he realized too late that his facility was overrun with the zerg. He dared not say, or breathe a word since he was so frightened.

And when worse came to worse, more zerg creatures had entered into his office. One of which was a slug-like creature with spidery arms. It slithered into Zagion's office, followed by a couple queens that seemed to have trouble getting around within the slightly tight confines of the office. The slug seemed to gaze at everyone within the office with cold scrutiny. Once it locked eyes with Zagion, it pause and then slithered toward him. "Designation, Zagion?" It said, pointing at him.

Zagion paused for a long time. He had no words to say. He didn't know that there were other zerg creatures that could talk. But then again, the creatures that Gollog's men referred to as 'caretakers' did talk to his agents a chapter ago. After such pregnant hesitation, Zagion still had no words to say since he was in awe, fright, and surprise.

However, this slug monster bared a similar appearance to an evolution master known as Corvurn, who was still residing on the hexagonal moon and slowly progressing with his adaptation against the gilanian nanites. The evolution master that Corvurn had created was born a little differently in shape, bearing longer limbs, a shorter height, and larger eyes. Its eyes narrowed, and it grumbled when it didn't receive its answer. It took one of its bladed arms to Zagion's neck. "Answer. Are you Zagion?" It said with a slightly higher pitch compared to Corvurn's own voice.

Zagion was hesitant to answer, but he slowly nodded and gulped. "Uhhh... Yes. I am him."

The evolution master huffed. "Explain how facility works. If information sufficient, will allow to live. If information insufficient, facility will be dismantled. Comply?"

Zagion tilted his head, his gaze slowly turning into confusion. "... What?! Why should I tell you that?!"

The new evolution master grumbled. "Past in danger. Need to learn functions of facility. Answer now, or consensual option removed. Final warning."

Zagion paused, but his head slowly developed a left-to-right shaking motion that increased in size, and then in speed and rapidity. "Never. Not even in a painful afterlife where I was given another chance to choose again. I will say no to you every time, even if I died every time choosing that answer."

A stinger that was attached to one of the evolution master's arms shot into the abdomen of Zagion, and he screamed and gurgled with the stabbing sensation, followed by a buildup of pressure. The new evolution master growled in indifference. "Consent removed. Become one with swarm."

Once the stinger was removed from Zagion's abdomen, he lurched over and clutched the entry wound on his belly, which seeped with a trickle of blood that mixed with a glowing green fluid. Several seconds had passed, but Zagion could only feel a sense of dread when he felt his own intestines felt like worms were swimming around. "Gh... What did you... do to me?!"

The new evolution master leaned down and inspected Zagion for several seconds. It paused for a while before speaking again. "Curious. Shows no symptoms of immediate infestation. Unknown variables."

It was true. The gilanians that had been infested so far had their intestines inflate and deflate at odd intervals, coughed to the point of releasing speckles of blood, and had severe seizures. Not Zagion, for some reason. He hissed as he clutched his belly. "I don't know what the fuck you are talking about... but I sure as hell don't like what you did."

"Indifferent to animosity. Knowledge needed. Swarm hivemind overrides will." The evolution master backed away from Zagion and addressed to the subdued gilanians, waving his many hands high and raising his voice. "Listen now! Defiance causes consequence! Consequence involves death or infestation! Understand warning, or suffer consequences!" After the evolution master's announcement, the slug monster slithered away, leaving the gilanians there with the zerglings, and a few of the hydralisks and roaches, behind to watch after the captives inside of Zagion's room.

Zagion grunted as he felt a burning pain go through his veins. Bubbles slowly turned his head to look at his seneschal master. "... Uh... Sir? Is something wrong?"

Zagion shook his head. "I've been injected with something, Bulschtein, of course something is wrong. I can feel the venom moving in my veins now. What else did you think those stingers can do? Serve cold treats? Ow..." Zagion clutched his belly again. "It hurts to be angry."

Bubbles shook his head. "Whatever that thing did to you, we can try and go back in time and stop this from hap-MNFH~?!" Bubbles was silenced when the forelimb of a zergling covered his mouth.

Zagion chuckled. "Heh. Well... Wherever this is going, I can tell that we're not on in control any... more." Zagion shuffled forward, doing his best to keep the fluids in his belly from leaking out of his body. The roaches and hydralisks parted when he neared them. He noticed that his way was made clear, but he was unsure of this current change in the zerg's behavior. "... I think these guys are only aggressive if they think you can hurt them. Nice bit of info to know before this shit happened..."

By an unknown will, an injured Zagion waddled forward and into the agency that was being infested by the zerg. Several gilanians had zerglings sat on top of themselves, but several more zerglings were seen still filtering into the facility, followed by several more roaches, hydralisks, queens, and a bunch of changelisks. Still however, he felt compelled to follow the procession of zerg organisms. They didn't seem to mind Zagion much as he waddled with them. "No no no no no keep away don't come close stay back shoo shoo shoo shoo leave me alone go away go away go away I want to be alone please no please no please no." he saw a woman in an extravagant dress of blue and pink cloth keeping the zerglings away with a chair, using its legs to prod them away. When she saw Zagion traveling with the zerg, her eyes widened. "... Sir?"

"Stay where you are, Zel. Whatever you do, don't attack them." Zagion growled out as he continued following the swarming zerg.

Zel stared at Zagion for a moment before returning to prodding the zerglings away with her chair again, muttering in abject terror. But Zagion, on the other hand, was following the zerg as they skittered into the building and entering deeper into the complex. Doors did not bar their progress, for they had already destroyed the doors. Below the facility, cleaner walls were molested by the blood and crossfire of conflict, and many armed agents were made dead by zerg claws, spines, and acid. What remained of the guards after the many battles within the complex consisted of blood splatters, pieces of their armor, and forgotten strips of flesh that were too mangled to piece back together. Whatever happened to the rest of them, Zagion didn't know, and didn't care to find out.

Before he knew it, he was walking into the inner complex of the agency, and he saw the evolution master again, standing next to a door that led to the rest of the facility. The evolution master slithered out of Zagion's way, and he inputted a code that only he would know. After pressing the twenty digit password, the door was unlocked and slid open, which also prompted the klaxon to shut itself off. Zerglings, roaches, and hydralisks stormed into the remaining complex once their way was made clear. It took Zagion a second to shake his head as he came upon a sudden realization. "... What... Just happened?"

The evolution master turned to the seneschal and growled. "Swarm infestation rooted into brain. Makes will susceptible to command. Command organisms forces overriding will to other strains. Commanding organism also commands infested organisms." The evolution master pointed at Zagion. "Now infested organism. One with swarm. Fate worse than repeated death and given consensual choice."

Zagion felt his head thump with a migraine. "... Oh."

The evolution master waved its hand at Zagion. "Infestation taking place. Thoughts and knowledge connecting with swarm hivemind psionic network. Sleep now. May need later."

Zagion tried to fight and resist, but he felt compelled to find a nice cozy spot and nap there. "N... No d-dammit. No..." But still, Zagion turned and went to a nearby wall, even when the gunfire was blasting off in the next room and the rooms beyond. But Zagion planted his ass onto the ground and started closing his eyes. Soon, his vision blurred and he eventually entered into an uncomfortable sleep.

But the evolution master stayed back until the inner complex was completely under control. Once the agency's inner complex was captured, the evolution master would get to work dissecting the technology and trying to understand the mechanics of time travel, just like its father did with the manifestation altars. Researching this facility would enable the zerg to understand the inner workings of the era agents' agency better, but the zerg had only their own claws, and the knowledge contained in intact brains, to work with. But it didn't stop the new evolution master. It had a task to do.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kay and Virid was keeping track of the new evolution master as it dropped from a zerg drop sac. However, the moment it collided with the facility, the psionic signal that it, and the zerg that it came with, became incredibly difficult to understand, becoming like... ultra low-frequency static. Kay frowned and shook his head. "Well that's it. I can't sense him anymore."

Back in the sanctuary that is the Hidden Water Spring Tribe's underground village, Kay sighed as he lost the psionic signal to the newest evolution master spawned. He stood with Virid, and she too expressed frustration. "Even so, sending the newest evolution master to intercept the time assassin agency was the only logical tactic we could employ."

Kay turned to Virid. "How so?"

Virid bowed. "The newest evolution master has the ability to command subordinate strains, just like I, you, and Corvurn can. This is the power of the swarm's command strains. The second-born evolution master will set out on its previous task on its own. Upon completion of its current task, the newest evolution master will seek to return to the hive, or establish a connection. However, I sense that the facility would be destroyed beyond repair had we not sent the newest evolution master with the infiltrating swarm of drop sacs. If our forces were to operate without an overriding will, they will become feral and fight each other, potentially destroying the curious time travel technology that the era agents have."

Kay nodded as he gave a mental command to the carrier behemoth to deploy the rest of the zerg forces still inside itself. Outside of the temporal bubble, the zerg quickly populated the area with creep and hatcheries. "I'll have to congratulate Corvurn once he gets better. In the meantime, how about we name the new evolution master?"

Virid stared, deadpanning at Kay as he announced his suggestion. "Why are you terrans so insistent on naming things?"

Kay shrugged. "Consider it a timeless hobby that even us humans don't understand. But if you don't want to name him, then I can."

Virid rolled her eyes and scuttled away. "You may do so. I am indifferent to this inanity."

Kay stared at Virid as she went away, and shook his head. "I guess I'll name him Corvurn Junior for the moment. Oh! I could nickname him C.J! That's even better!" Kay said excitedly, hitting his fist into his open hand.

[Kay. Come in, Kay.]

Kay's head jutted sideways when Kragnon's voice stung his ear. "GAH! ... Oh. Uh... Hi Kragnon?"

[Yes yes, hello and everything. It's already nearing sundown. I just wanted to let you know.] Kragnon said, sounding more energetic than normal.

Kay nodded his head. He had completely forgotten that he had an info-lens on his face. Currently, it was retracted from his view, but with a simple tap to the device that was attached to his right ear, the info-lens could be activated and accessed. "Ohhh... I think I get it. Do you want to see the state of your old town?"

[Glitter Towers may have been my old home, but I want to bear witness to the day that Empire City is finally destroyed. With info-lenses equipped onto your zerg forces, I may be able to see my dream come true.]

"Uh... Wait, haven't I already destroyed the city?" Kay asked, tilting his head.

[For one, you destroyed A city, but Gollog calls that city 'Empire Capitol'.]

Kay paused for a second. "... Wait a minute. Are you saying that there are two cities that has 'Empire' in their names?"

Kragnon sighed. [There are many other cities that also bears 'Empire' in their names. It's usually what happens when Gollog takes control of a population's city. Empire Flats. Empire Village. Empire Vale. Empire Valley. Empire Town. Empire Resort. Empire Flatlands. Empire Woods. The list of the names of the empire owned cities is unimaginative, frankly.]

Kay rolled his eyes. "So what is so special about Empire City?"

[I told you. It is the seat of Gollog's power, and it's where his Castle of Dreams resides.]

If Kay could roll his eyes harder, he would have. "I kind of hoped that he was at the capitol city. Would've made hunting him down easier. But uh... I guess not. Where is Empire City anyway?"

[It is at the north pole of the planet, in the center of the Day Circle on the Shallow Ocean.]

"The... Day Circle?" Kay asked.

[The Day Circle is a wide geological area where the sun never sets in the horizon. Kiln has a unique rotation where it's axis always tilts in a specific direction. Inversely, the south pole has the Night Circle, where it is constantly the late evening.]

This bit of information confused Kay. "... So wait, how does your world experience seasons?"

Kragnon paused before he grunted. [Dunno. My guess is low frequency microwaves are used to heat up our atmosphere on a global scale.]

"Uh... Isn't that unhealthy?" Kay asked, feeling a little worried about the general health of the entire world.

[If you are high in the air during the daytime, yes.]

"So these microwaves are made by Kiln's sun, huh? Interesting." Kay said, arching his eyebrow.

[Of course. Speaking of the sun, I believe it is about time that Gollog's smiting attack is going to be too angled to be used against you. May you please send your info-lens-equipped zerg forces so I can finally see the world in their perspective?]

Kay sat down on the creep and laid his back onto it. "You sure you don't want to go outside on your own?"

[With that creep stuff outside my tower, the Golden Star Empire wanting to capture me, the Kiln Keepers being activated, and the era agents on the loose? Fat chance.]

Kay smiled. "Suit yourself."

With the sixth day finally passing, turning into the twilight of dusk once more, the sixth night had came and enabled the zerg free reign to attack without Gollog's imposing divine smiting power hindering and killing them. As of today, the zerg will experience exponential growth the likes of which Kiln was never prepared for. The underground domes that contained hatcheries, and a few nydus networks and resource generating structures interspersed several kilometers apart, had reached an impressive three hundred kilometers in diameter. The distance that the zerg had tunneled reached far, even passing under Citadel Gargantua in its ever extending tunnel network.

And as of now, a new target is in the zerg swarm's mind. Empire City.

Oh, and perhaps visit the facility that the zerg escaped from too. Kay decided to make a mental note for that.

* * *

 **A/N: C.J. in the house! ... Uh... I meant to say 'in the era agency'. X3**


	36. MB5: The Problem with Von Neumann War Ma

**Chapter 36: Major Battle 5: The Problem with Von Neumann War Machines**

* * *

The afternoon inched its way across the land, and it was chased away by the evening. The sun of Kiln was becoming more and more angled as the day cycle became the night cycle. The directed energy emanating from the sun fizzled out of existence, and the zerg at the captured capitol were no longer restrained by a wall of energy. The Kiln Keepers, ever so vigilant to try and eradicate the zerg from the city, were no longer protected by the very energy that also assisted in their destruction. With the night coming into full circle for the sixth time, the zerg were free to swarm again without impedance.

The Kiln Keepers continued their march, the numbers within each formation still being produced and marching onward toward their enemies in the hopes of purging the zerg filth they were programmed to target. Their army surrounded Empire Capitol by a vast margin, as their numbers were supplied by several horseshoe shaped altars/MEM devices. The Blind Judgement machines, the floating spheres that were produced by the Borromean rings, had impressive range that could match the hydralisks in sniping combat. The procession was slow for the Kiln Keepers, and their Blind Judgement Kiln Keeper variants provided them incredible range, supporting the humanoid robots with cover fire. But they had trouble with the blinding mist and the dark swarms produced by the vipers and defilers respectively. In short, using such cloudy defenses amounted to near invincibility for the defending zerg, and the Kiln Keepers had no conventional methods at hand that could wipe away such defenses.

Further away in the distance, where the Kiln Keepers are staging their forces of robots and combat spheres, several new structures were being built. Each one resembled a large, blocky plate that was several tens of meters across, which had five sides at its edge and the lip was raised a meter up, forming a very wide bowl that had a flat surface in its center. Several wires were sticking out of it, but the robots did their best to continue their construction of the large machine. After a while, white and blue static filled its center, and a new type of Kiln Keeper variant was being made.

This structure eventually produced a wide, circular object that floated upwards. Six long spikes, with glowing tips, protruded from its sides and then articulated as though they were fingers. Underneath this new mechanical unit had a large glowing circle, which might have been its method of levitation. Several red lights blinked on and off on its body, but the circle, and the spiked tips contained many more. Once one was made, several more joined it as they flew with other flying Kiln Keepers and Blind Judgement machines. Once deployed, the Kiln Keepers reported their adaptation.

[Anomalies detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Deficient unit formation. Deficient unit composition. Upgrades required. Unable to advance with current composition. Acquiring assets. Adjusting strategy. Kiln Keeper variant: Justice Extremity, deployed.] The Justice Extremity machines turned themselves over when they were seven hundred kilometers away from Empire Capitol. The circular red lights, or 'palm lights' as Kay might call it, started generating several dots of energy. These dots collected into a huge mass of light, and the metal fingers seemed to have kept the dots contained. After a brief pause, the fingers then flicked forward and launched several balls of light toward its targets within the captured capitol. The balls of light had a similar level of devastation comparable to Pinnacle Superior's particle cannons, except they were fired at a slightly faster rate.

The light ball projectiles collided with the zerg under the protection of the dark swarm, and the first projectile exploded into a wide area of effect. Several zerg organisms, mainly zerglings, had died to the attack. The dark swarm protecting the zerg strains prevented a direct hit, but the explosion still had a damaging area of effect that killed several zerglings in one strike. Another strike wounded several spine and spore crawlers, yet they continued to fight against the Kiln Keepers. A third strike managed to hit behind the clouds of dark swarms, killing a defiler and several more zerg strains. The dark swarms that the defilers can produce were efficient in preventing direct ranged attacks from harming zerg forces, but they are incapable of protecting against explosive artillery. That, or melee damage.

But the laser wall that Kiln's sun supplied was no longer there, and the zerg enacted their counter-offensive against the Kiln Keepers.

The blinding clouds, made from the vipers, and the dark swarms, made from the defilers, expanded outward drastically. The zerglings, roaches, and hydralisks rushed outward in a surge of activity, no longer limited by the annihilating laser wall. The brood lords and swarm hosts were deployed once more, joining the infestors and launching their spawned forces against the Kiln Keeper footmen with reckless abandon, preventing their forward approach. The guardians and bile launchers also had their range extended exponentially, attacking enemies from even further away, and with much more rapidity. The Kiln Keeper's were destroyed in quick succession as the zerg expanded exponentially, and the creep had begun expanding outward without restraint. The scourge flew forward, uncaring of the anti-air fire that the Kiln Keeper robots or the Blind Judgement ranged attackers provided, and they hunted down their flying targets with the simple-minded drive to suicide-bomb them to whatever hell that such robots belonged to. The ultralisks, usually guarded by a queen or several, and a dark swarm that sometimes surrounded them, paved a path of destruction consisting of demolished Kiln Keepers and whatever variant they used. And to make matters worse, several nydus worms erupted from the ground and unleashed several ground strains from their maws. The drones even started to morph into more hatcheries, many of which were placed and gestated outside of the capitol's destroyed wall and providing more air strains to assail the Kiln Keepers.

[Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Deficient unit formation. Deficient unit composition. Upgrades required. Requesting additional assets. Modifying equipment. Adjusting strategy.] The Justice Extremity artillery machines moved in closer and started attacking the bio-structures and other zerg organisms that were within the zerg controlled territory, but it had only put themselves at risk of getting attacked by the hydralisks. And with more Kiln Keepers getting dismantled, either into pieces or melted molecules, the artillery robots were brought down too quickly as a result to their haste. The power of several scourge even collectively took down several of the floating machines, forcing them out of the sky and making them crash onto the Kiln Keeper footmen, grinding them into scrap and silvery dust when it landed on them.

The wrath of the zerg barreled into the amassed army of Kiln Keepers, even reaching far into the factories that produced the Kiln Keepers and their variants. Once the Justice Extremity producing machines have been targeted and taken down, the zerg became less impeded by artillery laser bombardment. The defilers and vipers being used in unison provided an unmitigated advantage that enabled the zerg incredible defenses that could not be countered in time. Had there been more Justice Extremity machines deployed against the zerg earlier in this war, the Kiln Keepers could have had a chance.

But the zerg were now without number.

[Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Deficient unit formation. Deficient unit composition. Upgrades required. Requesting additional assets. Unable to continue with current composition. Unable to alter current strategy. Awaiting assets. Warning: factory assets are being destroyed. Unable to maintain foothold. Continuing with target annihilation until unknown variables prompts strategy analysis. Analyzing alternative strategies.]

The Kiln Keepers were clawed, shot, bombed and dissolved into oblivion as they tried to assault the zerg, only for the zerg to assault them back in greater forces than they had initially expected. Roiling clouds would cover the ground forces of Kiln Keepers and the zerg, only for the robotic forces to dwindle in size and become vanquished seconds later. Even the defilers' plaguing their forces suffered greatly, succumbing to the next attack that connected to them instantly. Once the outlying factories were effectively destroyed, the only Kiln Keepers that were still fighting were the ones still marching into zerg territory from the north, followed by the Blind Judgement and Justice Extremity machines that eventually hovered with them.

The zerg shifted their swarming and took to the fighting in the north, the Kiln keepers approaching from the northern direction and giving the promise of slaughter and bloodshed that the zerg craved. Technically, the robots did not have blood, but destruction was a vital part, and deconstruction was but another word that started with the letter D, which could be interchangeable to the context of this battle. In short, the zerg would seek out the Kiln Keepers and deconstruct their mechanical bodies, no matter what form they took, or how strong they became. Simply put, the Kiln Keepers were losing the battle in the war between the machines and the zerg.

* * *

"I think I would like to make a bet. What do you say, Virid?" Kay asked.

Virid turned to Kay and tilted her head. "You are willing to gamble something? I feel like this would be a drain on our resources if we took such chances."

Kay shook his head. "No no no, this bet is just something for fun. I am willing to bet that the Kiln Keepers we have been fighting is being produced, and are stationed, at Empire City. Since they are coming from the north, I think it's a safe bet to make."

Virid paused. "... So am I supposed to bet on whether or not the Kiln Keepers are being deployed somewhere else, such as outside of Empire City?"

Kay nodded. "Sounds acceptable."

"Terrans usually wager something when they make bets, if I understand this betting activity of theirs." Virid said, crossing her arms and looking thoughtful. "What would you or I win when we make this bet?"

Kay smirked. "Ooh, I see what you mean. Kay, uh... How about... ... ... How about a ride on your back?"

Virid reared her head back at Kay's suggested bet. "Excuse me?!"

Kay held up a single finger. "If the Kiln Keepers are being produced from within Empire City, then I win the bet, and you will provide one free ride. Simple, yes?"

Virid hissed and clacked her claws. "I am not some beast of burden that you can just saddle onto! What kind of bet is that anyway?!"

Kay was unfazed by Virid's aggressive posturing and hissing. "Then you can call off the bet right here and now. But then you would run the risk of being called a cowardly queen. But the real question would be: what kind of wager would you be able to settle with? Hmm? "

Virid paused for a long time before answering. "... If the Kiln Keeper facility is outside of the city, then I will have the two zerglings remind you to not impede on my duties."

A cautionary trill made Kay jump as two familiar faces appeared from behind him. Kay narrowed his eyes at the zergling twins. "... I suddenly don't find this bet to be amusing."

Virid trilled. "Then will _you_ risk being called a coward?" She said, sounding as though a bemused smirk danced across her face, even when there was none.

Kay took his turn to pause. "... You know what? I think I can live with a gnawed leg." Kay turned toward Virid and extended a hand. "Handshake to make the bet official?"

Virid sighed, then accepted Kay's hand. "I accept the bet."

As the two zerg shook on it, they returned their focus onto the battle that was happening north of Empire Capitol.

* * *

The zerg creep grew outward, and hatcheries were being morphed and formed by the second. Erupting from the ground, next to the hatcheries, were nydus worms that transported more ground-strains of the zerg. The hatcheries, supported by a queen or two, focused on creating more flying strains, and the air was heavily polluted with several scores of mutalisks, corruptors, brood lords, overlords, overseers, vipers, guardians, and worst of all, the zerg scourge.

The Kiln Keepers couldn't account for the massive numbers that proceeded to attack their own forces. The Justice Extremity and Blind Judgement machines tried their best to assist the flying and marching Kiln Keepers, but the zerg were gaining more ground as they fought against the machine menace. But still, the ground they marched on was soon replaced by the patter of tens of millions of zerg creatures, soon to be a hundred million. The zerglings had died by droves, but the ultralisks muscled into the robot army formations and eradicated many Kiln Keepers at a time. The ultralisks were too useful to allow to die however, and many heavily wounded ultralisks burrowed into the ground, or switched places with those that were healthier to continue fighting.

The battle waged on with the Kiln Keepers receding and receding. Their army grew to lesser numbers as the zerg continued fighting, eventually bringing the clash of adapting war robots and evolving arthropodal aliens to the edge of a tropical forest, and entering it. The local fauna and pedestrian gilanians watched in awe as the robots continued on their march to take down some hated enemy that irked the ire of the Kiln Keepers. However, such fauna and pedestrian gilanians within hearing distance of the war quickly ran away from the area, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire. The zerg even got to see a curious creature that could only be described as a mole, mixed with a mongoose, and mixed with a badger, which was the twice the size of a Kodiak bear. Even they were fearful of the war raging on, and they scampered away as quickly as their stocky legs could allow.

It wasn't too long that the Kiln Keepers' forces receded by an incredible distance, and the smell of coastal spray was eventually tasted. A mass of water was seen from far away, thanks to the height advantage achieved by the flying zerg strains. The fighting between them and the Kiln Keepers eventuated upon a beach that lead to shallow ocean water, but held no islands as far as the eye could see. Strangely enough, the Kiln Keepers waded through this water, and there was still no end to them as a massive army still marched on, walking through the ocean to war against the zerg swarm. The red lights that the Kiln Keepers created made it easy for the zerg to track in the night.

The water within the ocean was unusual. For some reason, the entire ocean was fresh, but a foot below the surface, another layer of water was salinated. Freshwater fish seem to favor swimming in the top layer of freshwater, which appear to travel in a clockwise fashion relative to the shoreline. Below the layer of fresh water, the salt layer of ocean water had saltwater vegetation and saltwater fish and crabs that thrived. The fish would eat the salty seaweed that grew from the salt layer, but the saltwater crabs would have a chance to snap at the fish for an easy meal. Their way of life had never been disturbed for a long time, but that was changed by the constant march of the Kiln Keepers. The zerg would add to that disturbance, only to soon have the ocean environment destroyed by the creep that was slowly approaching the coast, which would eventually enter it, and then seep into the salty and freshwater layered sea.

A city in the east was seen, looking like a town that had a port with several docks. If Kay remembered correctly from Ralkan's Memories, it was called Empire Sands. Gollog appeared to have a very unimaginative approach when it came to naming the settlements that are aligned to him. But inspecting the town would have to come later. The zerg were still fighting the Kiln Keepers.

The ocean became a constant tumultuous ripple of activity as the Kiln Keepers marched through it. Even more so when the zerg and robots clashed in glorious war, with the Kiln Keepers losing ground as time went on. It wasn't long until the battle reached into the dead of night, the slight darkness becoming brighter when they reached closer to the Day Circle. When the glint of light was seen, it was obvious to the zerg that they have entered that circle. A couple of hours fighting later, and the zerg became that much more numerous, eradicating the Kiln Keepers in a quicker pace than was thought possible.

And that was when the city, set on top of the only island in the ocean. came into view.

Unlike the glittering towers that Empire Capitol contained, Empire City was uniquely different. For one, it was opalescent, and had several towers that rose high. Between and in the center of these towers, a tall castle of shimmering white reached higher than the towers around itself. Several artillery installations were seen being constructed on the shores, thanks to the keen eyes of the overseers for detecting the potential migraine that Kay and Virid had to deal with.

And the migraine already started when those artillery positions started firing from long range, hitting zerg organisms from extreme distances. A few of those shots managed to damage the Kiln Keepers, but they were not fazed by the bombardment by much. However, they all did shout out in unison their disapproval for the assistance. [Anomalies detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Assistance from non-Kiln Keeper forces detected. Requesting ceasing of assistance. If request not acknowledged, warning will be issued. If warning not acknowledged, assisting forces will be annihilated.]

After that announcement from the Kiln Keepers, the artillery fire ceased, yet a few of the artillery shells ended up hitting more of the zerg before the bombardment stopped dropping. The overseers, and by extension Kay and Virid, saw that the artillery installations were no longer firing. And since they were no longer firing, they were no longer much of a migraine anymore. But even so, the sun posed a great problem that would have made it difficult for the zerg to progress. And since Gollog's smite attack had no effect on the Kiln Keepers, ever since they had adjusted to it, it would only make the zerg's attempt to take over the city that much more difficult.

And speaking of smiting attacks, Kiln's sun had already started producing the energy directed beam onto the assembled zerg forces at the Day Circle. Again, the zerg forces were hampered by the sky laser. Yet again, Kay and Virid had to deal with yet another migraine that occurred, which happened to be an old, laser shaped enemy that had formed into their obstacle many times before. Steam billowed out of the water at incredible volumes, creating an efficient smoke screen. And the smoke screen gave Kay an idea.

Several scores of roaches and infestors burrowed into the sand beneath the water, and started circling around the steam and laser bombarded areas. Kay wasn't sure how far the Kiln Keepers could sense underground zerg, so he used several roaches to test their sensing distance. One hundred and fifty meters seem to be their maximum distance of detection, as Kay later found out. The infestors and roaches easily avoided the warpath of the Kiln Keepers, and they continued circling around the island that had the milky colored towers and castle.

The plan was simple: Use the infestors and roaches to establish a beachhead and storm the castle. Kay thought that the smiting laser would be less inclined to attack, if the castle it tried to protect was in its way. But then there was the defenses of Empire City itself. Kay and Virid had no idea what kind of countermeasure that the city had concocted for the zerg invasion, but the swarm would continue in its invasion still, regardless of the possible dangers.

After copious minutes passed after the infestors and roaches got into position, they waited for the coming of the zerg's ultimate tactic. The ground around the castle started moving with unseen purpose. The sand underneath the water shifted and grew more turbulent, increasing in size with more shifting and turbulence. Tens of nydus worms erupted around the castle and created a cacophonous roar in simultaneity, emerging at a significantly closer distance to the castle than the defenders had expected. Several queens emerged from the nydus worms and they produced several creep tumors, and the zerglings rushed forward from the nydus worms' maws, splashing through the shallow ocean and rushing toward the castle in an attempt to engage in glorious combat.

[Anomalies and flaws detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Deficient unit formation. Deficient unit composition. Upgrades required. Unable to advance with current composition. Acquiring assets. Adjusting strategy. Kiln Keeper variant: Crime Crusher, deployed.]

A new robotic force was created and they entered into the fray. These new robots rose from the watery depths, and their appearance was quickly made known to the zerg. They had the shape of an egg that was painted with chrome, and was split down the middle in equal halves. From where these halves were cut, pure energy seem to cover the surface. Their size was slightly bigger than that of the Justice Extremity machine variants, but they also appeared to come in pairs. Once deployed, they neared the fighting zerg and started ramming into the zerg ground-strains. The melee attacks had completely bypassed the blinding clouds and dark swarms, and the zerg began to slowly recede.

Two of such Crime Crusher machine variants impacted onto an ultralisk, and they managed to make a terrible and powerful crunch sound as they pancaked the siege breaking zerg strain, and ultimately sizzle it out of existence. Even the newly emerged nydus worms were at risk of being squashed by these new combat machines. The zerg were slowly being pushed back once again.

* * *

Kay was tilting his head as his face fixated into a puzzled expression. "... Well this is odd."

Virid hissed. "The Crime Crusher variants seems like a heavy melee unit, using the energy it produces under itself to vanquish its enemies. It doesn't seem to do any crushing on its own, but the energy it makes can disintegrate our zerg in close quarters combat easily. This attack surpasses the two defensive abilities that the vipers and defilers use."

Kay looked at Virid. "Hmm? Oh uh, yeah. That. Don't worry, I have something planned for them."

Virid turned to look at Kay and cocked her head at him. "You have a plan for these new combat machine variants?"

Kay nodded and smirked. "Oh yes. Answer me this, Virid. Have you noticed that our front lines are lacking in strength with the absence of a certain group of units?"

Virid double checked the zerg forces to see what Kay meant. "... Now that you pointed this out, I have noticed."

The reason why the zerg were receding in their foothold in the war was because some of the slower zerg strains had difficulty keeping up with the rest of the zerg swarm. Namely, the guardians and the defilers. The use of the bile launchers could also assist the zerg, but the creep had not extended far enough from the constantly shifting battle lines to help support the immobile strains. "Lets get the drones to make some more hatcheries near the battle." Kay suggested.

Virid trilled happily. "The nydus worms made in that area will provide an excellent means of transportation for them."

Kay nodded. "We should also consider infesting areas outside of the Day Circle. Get the zerglings to make a giant circle and have nydus worms and nydus networks deployed there. After that, we can get some hatcheries deployed and add more flying zerg strains to the war."

Virid nodded. "Your vision as a leader is great, I see. I must learn from your examples."

Kay smiled and _carefully_ rubbed the back of his head, as though gushing from the compliment. "Well... Thanks I guess! I kind of perceive war as kind of a form of art, so... yeah."

Virid cocked her head again. "... You think of war as art? How would you describe something as pointless as art to be likened to war?"

Kay shook his head. "You and I are like painters, Virid. The canvas is the battlefield, and we are the commanders of many paintbrushes. It is through the skills of commanding our forces that we could paint the landscape to our liking. Like an artist envisioning what he would create with his tools and skills, we have to envision our tactics and strategies as we command our forces to victory."

Virid paused. "... I fail to see how painting and warring are similar to one another. However, I think I understand what vision means a little better. It is simply imagining possible scenarios that could provide victory, and imagining possible weaknesses that could hinder the enemy."

Kay nodded and smiled. "Well... I guess that's one way to put it! Like an artist at the easel, or a commander overseeing the theater of war, you have to use your vision to see the possibilities before you act. Vision gives the artists the ability to see the picture before he paints it, and vision gives the commander the ability to see the objectives before he sends his orders."

Virid paused. "... Would this mean that the commanders we have been fighting have vision as well?"

Kay looked up and thought about it. "... I suppose so. I mean... War between two commanders might as well be similar to two painters working on the same canvas. Although, I'd imagine it would be more like the painters trying to paint over each others works, hindering each other by breaking their paint brushes or stealing their paints. Or even one painter killing the other painter. ... I think I may have complicated the metaphor with this train of thought."

Virid sighed. "Metaphorical similes aside, attacking the Kiln Keeper production facility, and the home of Gollog, should be our primary focus."

Kay blinked, shook his head, and turned away. "Right."

* * *

The good thing about the zerg is that they constantly evolve to counter many different kinds of strategies used against them. But another advantage they have was the ability to adapt within dangerous conditions. The zerglings went to work speeding through the waters in a frantic sprint. Kiln's sun was only eight degrees above the horizon line, which enabled the sun's smiting ability to strike at the zerg forces, its laser coasting over the castle dangerously. Many zerg organisms that were transported from the nydus worms didn't make it far, which were either killed by the smite attack, or the Crime Crusher machine variants. But those that did survive chased after the crew of the artillery cannons on the island.

However, many of the zerglings were cut down by a flying knife, which granted a familiarity with its opalescence and sting. Gollog sneered as he gazed upon the zerg once again, slaying those that fell under his condescending gaze. "Fucking muck bringers. How dare they sully these waters with their filth! How dare they. Damn them. Damn them all. Damn them all for an eternity." He muttered to himself.

One of the towers created a rectangular door that was level with the ground, and a copper and green robot walked out from this tower's entrance. This robot, sporting six new arms and tougher looking armor on his person, was actually the robotic Commander Faddoh. He looked up at his emperor and tsked. "On his angry autopilot again. He must be mad if he is starting to realize that he is losing control over this war."

"Commander Faddoh, sir! Over here!" One of the operators of one of the installed artillery installations shouted. He wore the garb of yellow and iron and was calling over to the copper commander, waving his hands around frantically. "We need you! The blade hounds are tearing us apart!"

Faddoh rolled his eyes. "Patience, gunnery. I simply came out here to acquire samples."

The operator lowered his hands slowly, unsure of the information he processed. "... S-sir?"

Faddoh walked past the soldier. "Your lives are inconsequential to me. Continue as you would, Torus Chain guard." He said indifferently.

The artillery operator looked like he panicked for a second. "Uh... How... How about I help you get a sample!? Could you pull me out of the battle if I captured something for you?!"

Commander Faddoh turned to the operator and raised an LED eyebrow. "You would do that? That is a tall task that you offered."

The artillery operator sighed. "I think I speak for all of us when I say that we are completely useless and could get in your way. I'd much rather prove my worth than die without dignity, like any unaligned gilanian. Besides, those robots look too intimidating, and I'd rather not be on their hit list."

Commander Faddoh paused for a couple seconds, but then nodded. "I suppose you have a point." He turned around and started shouting loudly. "ANY SOLDIER OUTSIDE OF THE EMPEROR'S CASTLE, HEAR THIS! IF YOU CAN CAPTURE A LIVE SPECIMEN OF THE ZERG, BRING IT TO ME, AND I SHALL REWARD YOU WITH SANCTUARY FROM THE APPROACHING WAR! YOU HAVE TWENTY MINUTES BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND!"

The artillery crew members paused and stared at one another in surprise, though some were using makeshift weapons to hold back the zerg attackers. However, three zerglings saw the commander and tried to attack the robot. The commander nonchalantly raised three hands up and used manipulation fields to contain the three zerglings. The artillery crew stared in awe. "... Uh..."

Faddoh smiled cheerfully and shook his head. "I have changed my mind. None of you have captured these zerg creatures, so I cannot grant you my promised safety. Good day." He said, turning and entering the same tower he emerged from.

The operator waved his hands again. "Wait wait wait! I suggested the idea to capture one of the zerg jags!"

Faddoh paused, contemplated on the explanation, and then sighed. "Well, you got me there. Come in." Faddoh replied.

The artillery operator smiled and ran into the tower, joining up with Faddoh. "Thank you, sir!"

"Don't thank me yet." Faddoh warned. "We might not be able to live past today if the zerg keep pestering us." Once they were centered onto a strange white platform, the entire floor lowered downward. It seemed to be some sort of mechanical platform that acted as elevator access that has been installed in the tower. Faddoh brought one of his arms up to his face. "Is the VIP located? ... Not yet? Damn. Keep me posted please."

"... Uh... Shouldn't we evacuate to another city? I mean... It feels obvious to me that Empire City will be overrun with zerg soon." The artillery operator asked.

Faddoh turned to the artillery operator and stared at him. "... Your statement is true, but this is hardly the time for semantics. Try and keep your tongue from creating stupid questions like that again."

The artillery operator looked down and sighed. "Sir, yes sir. I will be more mindful in the future, sir."

Faddoh sighed. "What is your name, anyway?"

The artillery operator saluted. "Rickey, sir!"

Faddoh nodded and huffed. "Odd name, but I don't care." He said, turning away. "Have you been transferred here, by chance?"

Rickey nodded. "Yes sir, very recently. This place is a lot more different from Empire Capitol."

"Then you should adjust very well here. First off, however, we must pass you through the checkpoint."

"Uh... Where was the checkpoint again?" Rickey asked.

Faddoh rolled his eyes. "You passed through it on your way out, remember?"

"I sort of remember. I know that me and my artillery crew were ordered to quickly set up the artillery installations, and that was when I got here, sir." Rickey said, shrugging.

Faddoh leaned forward and scratched his glass LED face, staring at Rickey. "Interesting."

"Um... Interesting in what way, sir?" Rickey asked, staring back at Faddoh with slight concern.

"That a zerg doppelganger would go so far as to assume the guise of a Torus Chain guard to infiltrate this city. I must say, I have to congratulate you on your efforts on getting this far!" Faddoh said, congratulating the disguised gilanian.

Rickey paused for a long time, and then slumped in his posture. "Fuck. How did I give it away?"

"Simple." Faddoh answered. "You ask too many questions. But more importantly... I have a few of my own that I want to ask." Faddoh leaned toward the changelisk and gazed at him intently. "I am rather curious about your nature. Could you change into different forms willingly?"

Rickey tilted his head. "Uh... I can, yes."

Faddoh tilted his head and clasped his hands. "Could you disguise yourself as me, please?"

Rickey reared his head back and furrowed his scaly brows. "Why would you want me to do that?"

"Well, I am a scientist. To test the potential is the way of scientific exploration and discovery. Now please, could you grant my request?" Faddoh asked, slightly excited.

Rickey sighed and mulled it over. "Well... I guess it couldn't hurt. But there is a stipulation."

"Stipulation? What is it?" Faddoh asked, curious.

Rickey explained. "You see, I need to draw enough nutrients from the ground in order to change to a different form. I need energy in order to assume a different appearance."

"I see, I see. Well, I suppose we can do that later. Right now, I have to cage these blade hounds first. After that, we can then perform some tests right after. You wouldn't mind that, right?"

Rickey paused. "Uh... No, not at all. Why are you being so, uh... cavalier about this?"

"Well it is simple, Rickey! Eh, may I call you Rickey, or do you go by another name?" Faddoh said.

"Rickey will do fine." Rickey answered.

"Very well then. You see, Rickey, you happen to be the only zerg organism I have met that has a stable means of communication, and has not acted violently against me!" Faddoh said excitedly.

Rickey nodded. "True true. To be honest, the zerglings were only going to attack you enough to disable you."

Faddoh narrowed his gaze. "Zerg... lings? Is that what your kin calls these small creatures?" He mused aloud, pointing at the floating zerglings. "Hmm. A rather unusual piece of information to learn. Would this also mean that each of the other zerg breeds have an established specie name?"

Rickey nodded again. "They do, but I would like to remain quiet on that topic for now. I think we are nearing the floor with the checkpoint."

"Very well. Lets see if you can go through the checkpoint on your own. This will be a wonderful test!" Faddoh said excitedly.

Rickey paused, but nodded once more. Commander Faddoh surely does act like one of those eccentric scientists!

Once the elevator finally stopped, the tower opened up again to reveal one of the many rooms that laid underneath the island. The first room that Rickey entered was a sterile white room, filled with bored security guards milling around a copper and green tube. After stepping forward, one of such guards gave Rickey a glazed stare before droning his greeting. "Hello, and welcome to Empire City. As per the newly instated Golden Star Empire sanitation regulations, we must conduct several tests before permitting you entry to our wonderful city. If you do not consent to these tests, then we have to contain you for questioning, deport you to a different location for processing, or execute you on the spot. If your Empire citizenship ID is not valid, or has entered the extreme expiration period, then we will update it here, provided that you pay for the nominal fees. If you do not have-"

"Can we skip this introduction? I have somewhere to be with this individual, and these blade hounds." Faddoh interrupted, juggling the zerglings around.

One of the security guards held up his hand. "I'm sorry, commander. This part of the job is mandatory." After Commander Faddoh gave the guard a defeated look, the guard continued. "If you do not have an Empire Citizenship ID, a temporary one can be provided for you, which is only applicable to visitors, vacationers, and diplomatic dignitaries. If you are planning to live in this city, then acquiring a permanent ID can be achieved in the Hall of Registry, which can be found further past this checkpoint. Do you consent to the tests that we will be performing today?"

Rickey paused before he answered. "Uh... Yeah, sure. Go ahead with the tests."

Faddoh walked up. "Oh, and before I forget, I want you to know that this eh... individual is under my care and is not to be killed, by the command of Commander Faddoh."

The security guard looked up at Faddoh, his face turning into a confused stare. "... Uh... Would uh... would this mean he's free to pass through?"

Faddoh shook his head. "I didn't mean that. Simply continue as you were with Rickey here. Now go on and do your job! Pretend that I'm not here."

The security guard paused for a few seconds. "... Uh. ... Alrighty then!" The guard turned to Rickey again. "Since you have vocally agreed to the sanitation test, will you please come up to the terminal? Put your arm through one of the slots and relax your hand." The security guard said, gesturing to a nearby terminal.

Rickey walked up to the terminal, which looked like a tall copper and green rectangle, which also had a similar design to the cylinder in the center of the room. Rickey gingerly moved his arm into one of the slots, only to feel a pinch of pain which prompted him to immediately pull his arm back out. A few seconds later, the machine emitted a red light and started making a high pitched klaxon. One it did, everybody aimed their weapons at Rickey. Rickey slowly turned and raised his hands up. "Uh... Did I do something?"

The security guard frowned. "Yeah. It means you rolled around in something the machine doesn't agree with. Could you enter the scanner in the center of the room, please?"

Rickey sighed, then turned to the coppery cylinder that happened to be this 'scanner' device that the guard gestured to. It opened when a security officer that was stationed next to it operated the buttoned terminal that was on its side. Once the scanner has been fully opened, Rickey walked up to it and stepped inside. After stepping in, the cylinder shaped scanner slowly closed itself shut. "Now stretch your arms outward and make them even with the top part of your chest." Rickey sighed, doing what they wanted. After a humming sound had came and gone, there was a pause.

"Uh... Can someone come over and see this?" "What the hell?" "I have never seen anything like this before!" "Is the scanner malfunctioning?" "No, I think it works fine." "Where are his bones?" "That's strange. This machine is supposed to pick up metal. Is the knives on his person made of wood?" "What's that in his right hand?" "Uh... I think that is in his arm." "Doesn't look like any kind of knife I ever saw." "The scanner is not picking metal from it though." "Would that mean... that... that shard in his arm is the only bone in his body?" "Don't be stupid. How is he holding himself up if he doesn't have any bones in his body?" "Cartilage?" "The scanner would have picked up on that." "Then what is he?"

"Allow him to pass, security." Commander Faddoh ordered, walking past the inspection line, and accidentally knocking down a guard as he carefully balanced the levitating zerglings above his head.

The lead security guard turned to the robot commander. "Sir, do you really think we should do that? We don't even know what he is!"

"He is a zerg doppelganger, and he is not to be harmed, gentlemen. This is the first ever case of a zerg organism to be detected at a security checkpoint. Be glad that you are making history here today! Get some armed guards in here to assist in transferring this perfect visual copy of a gilanian, and transporting him to my research facility. Now then, allow us through, please." Faddoh answered.

"But isn't this dangerous? Shouldn't we at least have an armed guard follow him around?" One of the guards suggested.

Faddoh paused. "... That is actually a good idea. I'll have to credit you on that suggestion."

After a short while, the scanner finally opened up and Rickey was greeted by several pistols pointed at him. After a pause, Rickey sighed. "Just to let you know, my master is not going to be a forgiving person to everyone here."

The Cube Research commander smiled widely, tossing a zergling in the air and catching it with a manipulation field. "Oh fret not! You will be treated like a valued guest! ... Well, a valued guest that is dangerous to our livelihood, that is. We may have a gun pointed at you, but that is only in the possible scenario where we have the sudden need to defend ourselves. Once we get you inside Research Cube S-01, the tests will immediately be underway. Now come along. The future awaits!"

Rickey was then forced to be prisoner to Commander Faddoh, and the armed guards that came into the white sanitation room provide an escort to the gilanian that was not what he appeared to be. He rolled his eyes as he joined them. "First time for everything then. But know that hospitality will not grant you mercy from my master."

* * *

As Rickey was lead through the underground of Empire City, he noted that it was not as spacious as Empire Capitol. But the population within this city was slowly decreasing as time went on, as gilanian citizens would use MEM devices to evacuate to safer locations. But the gilanians that stayed behind were soldiers that were ordered to defend the city, and those that were too poor to purchase a MEM shift transfer to deliver themselves to another location. The stark white and gold coloration and decorations within the city gave it a gaudy design. Almost everything looked like it was crafted by an expert craftsman, as even each individual stone tiles making up the streets had intricate inlays had a golden star with Gollog in its center, colored a metallic white.

After traveling several minutes, Rickey looked up and saw a large copper and green structure. It looked insanely huge, much more so that a type B or type A research facility. Rickey didn't have time to analyze the structure for long as he was led into the massive structure. It appeared as though several shacks had been built next to the walls of the structure, but he didn't know what their purposes were. The doors that led to the inside of the place was guarded by a gated quarantine. After passing through yet another checkpoint, the entrance revealed a completely different landscape when it opened up to Rickey. The light copper walls were lit up by bright green, or plain white lights, and scientists in orange lab coats that had green accents filtered from one room to the next. Their faces seemed to be filled with concern and worry.

After traveling up several floors and down a few corridors, Rickey, and the zerglings being carried by Commander Faddoh's manipulation fields, were eventually guided into an empty chamber that was filled with several cages. One was opened, which had the zerglings placed within it, while Rickey was given his own cage to stand in. Rickey turned around and crossed his arms, admiring the cage he was in and the facility he was inside of. "I have to admit, I'm impressed. This city is pretty big. Not as big as Empire Capitol, but it is still impressive. How far are we from the surface?"

"We should be about, oh, roughly seven hundred feet below ground." Faddoh said, inputting several commands on Rickey's cage. "I would have loved to give you a tour, but alas, Gollog would never approve. Nor would I, due to your nature."

Rickey nodded. "Well, my master has been quite the antagonist to your empire lately. But the same could be said with your emperor."

Faddoh chuckled, and waggled a finger at the gilanian disguised changelisk. "You tread a fine line, my zerg friend. Speaking that freely around these parts would put you under the punishment of having your tongue cut out. Though, with your zerg uniqueness, I doubt that your tongue would remain stumped for very long."

Rickey tilted his head. "So how come you are so calm and collected? Everyone I had seen up till now looked like they were shitting in their pants."

Faddoh chuckled again. "Well, mortals of flesh and bone will always be worried about themselves. They are known to be selfish like that."

Rickey cocked an eyebrow. "And you would consider yourself as unselfish?"

Faddoh chuckled more, turning to Rickey with a wide grin. "Actually, I might be even more selfish than any mortal born on this world! Others would normally wish for immortality, but I had granted my own wish using my own two hands."

Rickey paused for a couple seconds before he began to understand Faddoh's answer. "Ohhhhh... You somehow achieved immortality?"

Faddoh shook his head. "Not exactly. I actually managed to transfer my consciousness into a computer mainframe, which was then downloaded onto a robotic avatar. It's the next best step to immortality, although not exactly in the same feat that Emperor Gollog achieved."

"Oh. So if all of your robot avatars were destroyed, then you would finally die." Rickey exclaimed.

"Not really. I would still have the machine mainframe within research facility S-01 to fall back on." Faddoh turned away and went to a nearby workshop desk, using his many arms to construct something.

"I see. ... So then... I guess you have some questions for me?" Rickey asked, sighing.

Faddoh nodded as he worked. "Indeed I do. I would like to know the names of the zerg breeds that you refer to from your own perspective. What were their names before their gilanian reclassification?"

Rickey shook his head. "My master would like me to refrain from giving you too much information regarding that topic."

Faddoh stopped in his work and gazed over to Rickey. "Why is that?"

"As my master puts it, he enjoys the fan fiction that you developed for his forces."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. In fact, he would like to know of the new names you have designated for the new zerg strains that appeared."

Faddoh contemplated for a few seconds before he slammed the table. "OH HOW COULD I HAVE FORGOTTEN! I WAS SO BUSY WITH MY WORK THAT I HADN'T JUMPED TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO NAME THEM!" He picked up a plastic sheet and straightened it out. After going through several images, he held up the sheet to look at them in more depth than before. "Hmm."

Rickey neared the bars on his cage and tilted his head. "So uh... Would you like to share with me what your reclassified names for them are?"

After several more seconds, Faddoh nodded and went to Rickey's cage. "Fine. I'll give you my roughly drafted name renditions for them." He held up the plastic sheet and pointed at the image of a defiler. "I think I shall call this breed of zerg 'coughers'. They are named so because of their tendency to spew out clouds of insects and sickness. They also have the strange habit of eating blade hounds, or 'zerglings', if I recalled you correctly."

Faddoh switched to a different image. "I believe I shall call this one 'burst launchers'." The copper colored commander said, pointing to a guardian. "The green blobs that is their ammunition react similarly to the attack that the suicidal bursters use, which happen to evolve from the blade hounds. How the evolution of a burst launcher incorporates acid into its arsenal is unknown to me, but they can strike from incredible range!"

Faddoh switched to yet another image. "This new creature is unusual, since it has suicidal tendencies that are similar to the bursters. They are, however, very efficient anti-air units, which acts similarly to an air-to-air missile. For a lack of a better name to name these creatures, I think calling them 'sun bursts' is acceptable." The image of a scourge colliding with a flying Kiln Keeper was seen on the image, followed by five others.

"And then there is this curious creature." Faddoh said, switching to the last image that happened to be the bile launcher. "There have been reports that there are stationary zerg structures that appear in zerg established territories. The whipper and barnacle sentries may act as semi-stationary base defenses, but this organism is completely stationary. All we know is that the zerg floaters has the ability to enter a quick metamorphosis stage that enables them to achieve this form. But as for their name... I suppose calling them 'burst lobbers' might seem too redundant and predictable... Eh. It will have to do."

Once Faddoh was done showing pictures of the documented zerg organisms to Rickey, he went back to his desk and continued fiddling with the tools there. Rickey took the chance to sigh. "I uh... I would like to have some fresh soil sometime in the future, however."

Faddoh didn't look up from his work. "Is that so? I take it that you are low in your energy reserves?"

Rickey nodded. "Hell, I am very close to losing cohesion of my disguise."

"Hmm! How long will you have until you lose your current form?" Faddoh asked, perplexed.

Rickey craned his neck. "I dunno. I say about... thirty more seconds or so? The shape-shifting power I possess wasn't supposed to be used for this long."

"Then allow me to witness this cohesion reversal. I have time." Faddoh said, leaving his desk once again and coming to a stop in front of Rickey's cage. After several seconds had passed, roughly thirty three, Rickey started grunting as his body's appearance slowly changed. What used to be armor that belonged to the iron and yellow colored Torus Chain Division became that of darkened, shifting flesh. Scales became a smooth surface, both slick and shiny. Much of the central part of the body drooped to the cage floor and became a mass of flesh, besides that of a torso that was barely recognizable and spines poking out from every pulsing gland on the surface of its skin. The changelisk shifted itself around before it looked up at Faddoh. Commander Faddoh, on the other hand, simply stared in surprise. "Oh! So this is what you really look like? My gods, I think I actually prefer your gilanian form!"

Rickey the changelisk sighed. "Take a picture. It'll last longer."

Faddoh paused a little before nodding. "I think I would." He raised his plastic sheet up and pressed onto it. After a blip sound resonated from the plastic sheet, he pocketed it back onto his person. After that, he went back to his desk and finished putting together an unusual device he was working on, which he brought to the changelisk. "Now to see if my new invention works."

After clicking it on, it had an immediate reaction to Rickey and the nearby zerglings. Rickey felt drawn to the device for some unknown reason, and the zerglings tried to push their way pass the bars of the cage that contained them. It was an irresistible force, like... an enticing light being shown to a moth's face. After waving this device around, Rickey and the zerglings tracked it around with an undivided willpower. After clicking this device off, Rickey blinked a few times and shook his head. "Gh... What the hell did you do?"

Faddoh smiled widely as he held up his invention. "Do you like it? I call it my 'neural oscillator'. It seems as though my theory about the neural oscillations being produced externally, and being used for communication by the zerg, was correct. It is now obvious to me that you zerg are sensitive to external neural oscillations, based on the reaction you have given just now. Very interesting! I'll have to patent this item and find out how it can be used to exterminate the zerg!"

Rickey growled. "You have no idea how much danger you have put yourself into, Commander Faddoh. Kay himself is going to arrive here and bring the wrath of the swarm on EVERYONE here."

Faddoh tilted his head. "I don't think you are one to be in the position of threatening someone. Especially one who can electrocute you as punishment. T'gai! Activate cage two's stun burst!"

Rickey's world was now lightning, which forced him to crawl backwards and away from the copper commander. He snarled a few times before retreating to a corner. "This changes nothing. You will die. Golden Star will die. All of your loyalists will die. Gollog will die. Once the emperor is defeated and slain, there will be nothing but the swarm, and we will celebrate by pulling all of your marrow out from your bones."

"Ah-ah-ah! Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Activate cage two's stun burst again!" Faddoh warned.

Rickey's cage electrified him again, and he screeched in pain. After that burst of electricity, Rickey finally decided to keep himself quiet. Several seconds had passed, but the sound of shallow breathing was heard from the changelisk, followed by the curious trills of the zerglings that watched the electrocuted changelisk.

Faddoh smiled at the silent changelisk. "Learned your lesson? Good. This test means you CAN be tamed. Now be a good doppelganger and keep yourself like this from here on out. If your behavior is good, I will reward you with treats and snacks! But for now, I have to tell my general and emperor of the good news. Stay here and be good, Rickey." Faddoh said with a broad smile. He turned away and headed for the door that left the room. "See you again soon."

Rickey sighed as he was left alone. It was at this moment that he did a double take of the room he was in. It appeared to be a room that was purposed for slave containment, likely used for gilanian slaves to experiment their different drugs on, or use criminals for ongoing testing procedures. The gilanians never truly believed in animal testing, preferring to use their medical practice on gilanians that had an unforgivable criminal history. Rickey noticed that there were three security cameras in the room, and that each were placed on different sides of the room that overlooked the cages. No matter how far one would turn, one camera would always be looking at Rickey's direction.

But the plan was put into motion. Infiltration was the main purpose of the changelings, but the changelisks had the advantage of long-term espionage and covert tactics over greater time periods. And at the moment, there could not be a more perfect opportunity for the changelisk to escape from his confinement!

Rickey unsheathed a bone blade from his right arm, twisted the blade around at an impossible angle using his left arm, and started cutting his right arm off. After several slices of his own regenerating flesh, the bone blade was removed from his own arm. Rickey felt pain as he amputated himself, but he concentrated on the task and nothing else. He set his bone blade to his left hand and waited. He would allow his regeneration to help restore his body, enabling him to produce another bone blade. He might reduce his own mass doing this, but there was no other alternative. Patience is key in this game of waiting, and Kay wanted Rickey to play it.

Slowly, another bone knife had formed within Rickey's arm. This time, Rickey used the bone knife that he had generated from his body to amputate yet another bone knife from his arm again. Now with two bone blades, Rickey placed the extra blade on the ground of the cage carefully. Patience was a terrible virtue in this version of the waiting game, and it would be at the cost of his own flesh. Still, he could cut regenerated bone blades from his arm several times, and all he really needed was bio-matter to draw from. However, he was quickly running out of essential minerals within his own body to draw from, and the new bone blade forming in his arm was now mostly cartilage. However, after the ninth bone blade, he had very little minerals to draw from. What Rickey needed then was to renew his flesh with fresh nutrients. Sadly, there was no creep for Rickey to draw nutrients from.

One of the three zerglings attacked its brother besides itself and tore a forelimb off. There was horrendous screeches of pain, but the noise died down somewhat after the limb was procured. The attacking zergling took the limb removed from its wounded cellmate and decided to begin flinging the limb in the air. After a few experimental tosses, the zergling took the forelimb in its mouth and readied itself, aiming for the changelisk that was in the cage beside its own. After a forceful swing of its head, the limb went sailing into the air and went through the cage's bars. It successfully went into the cage that Rickey was contained in.

With the limb secured in his own cage, Rickey approached the limb and started rasping onto the exposed flesh. The biomass found in the limb would provide minerals that could strengthen Rickey the changelisk, providing enough materials to help him generate another bone blade. However, even with the severed zerg limb to feed on, the changelisk would have to work fast in order to enact his next plan of action.

* * *

Kay sighed. "So who do you think the VIP is?" Kay asked Virid, turning to her again.

Virid shook her head. "I have no idea. I think it could either be Pallax or one of the remaining commanders."

"A good guess." Kay said, nodding. "But more importantly, did you notice any structures that might have looked like any Kiln Keeper construction factories in the city?"

"I have not noticed." Virid replied.

"Hmm... Well, I wonder if the factory is somewhere inside the town? You do know that I will win the bet if we do find the factory in the city limits." Kay reminded.

Virid rolled her eyes. "It is obvious that the factory is outside. The Kiln Keepers and their machine variants are emerging from the very water itself! How would you explain that?"

"Um..." Kay had no answer, so he made up something. "... Smoke and mirrors?" He answered, shrugging.

Virid trilled. "We will see the result of this bet soon, Kay. The end is nearing." She said with a vicious amount of amusement to her voice.

Kay sighed. "It's not over just yet, so don't send the zerg to nip at my ankles prematurely."

[What are you two betting on?]

Kay looked up and at the tower. "Kragnon? Are you awake already?"

[I am. I had set my alarm for the early morning. I see that your zerg are trying to take over Empire City. How long ago have the zerg started attacking the island?]

"A few hours ago, close to midnight on our time. Hard to imagine seeing light in that area when everything else here is still dark." Kay answered, smirking.

[So uh... What are you two betting on? You kind of missed my question.]

Kay chuckled. "Oh right! Well, you see Kragnon, I made a bet that the factory producing the Kiln Keepers were inside of the city, whereas Virid had made the bet that they are being produced outside of it. I think she might have won the bet here."

[Can I get in on this?]

Kay paused for two seconds before answering. "... Sure, I guess? Virid, you don't mind, right?" He said, turning to Virid.

"What are the stakes?" Virid asked.

Kay nodded and turned to look at the tower again. "Virid is asking what you would be gambling on. Just so you know, if I win, then Virid gets to provide a free ride on her back. If she wins, then a pair of zerglings will... um... let's not get into that, actually."

[Alright. I bet that the Kiln Keeper factory is annexed into the city. And if I win... You repair the hole you made on my tower's perimeter walls.]

Kay turned to Virid. "Do you accept this bet, Virid?" Kay asked.

Virid nodded. "I will accept."

Kay turned back to the tower. "She accepts the bet too."

[Fantastic. Wake me up later when you find out where the Kiln Keeper factory is located.] And with that, Kragnon canceled the communication channel between himself and Kay.

Kay furrowed his eyebrows for a few seconds. "... Kay?"

Virid paused before she trilled uncertainly. "Did our exchange with Kragnon seemed strange to you?"

Kay shrugged. "Even so, we still have an empire to destroy. Once Empire City is rubble, we can debate about the bet afterwards."

Virid sighed and focused her attention on the battle within the day circle. Kay, on the other hand, focused on the changelisks and zerglings that had infiltrated the city.

* * *

Elsewhere, on the southern pole of the planet, the gilanians at the research facility responsible for bringing the zerg into the world got wind of the zerg's shenanigans. They were greatly worried of the organisms they had unleashed into their world. They noticed that the zerg have created multiple hatcheries around the era agency, and setting up their defenses in case a threat attacked them. Worst yet, they detected a massive organism that had dive-bombed at the agency, only to pull up at the last second. After that, it then harmlessly floated away after dropping a thousand or so zerg organisms on the ground. The research facility had no idea what the zerg's full capabilities were before, but they feared that they would learn of their full potential soon.

* * *

 **A/N: Zerg renames by Faddoh!**

 **bile launcher = burst lobber**

 **defiler = cougher**

 **guardian = burst launcher**

 **scourge = sun burst**


	37. Outbreak

**Chapter 37: Outbreak**

* * *

The research station, S-01, was a testament to what the gilanians' scientific endeavors alluded to. It was a place where scientific experimentation could be carried out without repercussions to morality or social standing. Emperor Gollog would not care what your past was, so long as your skills were put to good use. Deviation from the work that a slacker was assigned to would have him branded as a rebel, and forced to partake in medical experiments like all other criminals. If evidence of sabotage was detected, then all scientists, and any individuals working with them, would be sentenced to death, or interrogated. Mostly, the punishments would mostly involve medical experimentation.

Commander Faddoh had a wide grin on his face after he left the containment chamber fifteen minutes ago. Three new zerglings to experiment on means he could work on his research three times faster. And then there was the doppelganger that he also captured! He was a very happy commander, and he decided to boast that achievement to everyone in the city. And he knew just the person he would like to share this information with first. Everyone else would come second. "Kralluf! I have some good news! Will you be able to keep yourself awake long enough to hear my news, before falling back to sleep again?" he said, taking out a plastic sheet as he was walking through the halls of the S type research facility.

[GhhhHhhHh... DON'T... tAlk to Me. I'M... iN... PAIN... VoICeS... SO MANY VOiceS... caN'T THINk... CAn't... Ah... ugH... wHERE Am I?]

Faddoh shook his head. He almost pitied the gilanian. "You are in a hospital, Kralluf, getting your body fixed up. The medical micro-machines will help revert your biological status back to being a regular gilanian. The metal plate in your head and several other cybernetic attachments had to be removed for your safety. I apologize for the pain, my friend, but we couldn't risk using painkiller medicine in fear of the zerg parasites and viruses adapting to the treatment."

[HUgH... GrH. AahhH... it's... oKAY, FaDDOh. nNM! At lEAsT... aT leAST I KiLLeD thaT FuckeR... THe rigHt wAy... hAvE i TOLd you? KoH... hAve I ToLd yOu m-hMmn...mY hUntiNg SToRy?]

Faddoh sighed and smiled. "You can tell me the story later. Sounds like you need to rest."

[hRrh... RigHt. REST. neeD reSt. paiN iS... toO much. HaRd... TO... REST... I NeeD to... pASS oUT.]

"Try and sleep, my friend. Dream of better places, like a forest with all the baby animals you could ever hunt." Faddoh said, closing the communication link. His smile continued for a few seconds before a depressed frown corrupted his face as he put away the plastic sheet. "... We might have to kill you, or move your consciousness to a new body if the medical micro-machines do not work. I only hope that the modified retrovirus restores your DNA to the way it was before."

After a saddened sigh, the copper commander continued on to his office. A set of ornate doors of copper and green, which had a placard that said 'Office of Commander Faddoh' installed on the door, opened automatically to him. Within the room, several collections of computers dotted the inside, and several copper robots were found, some were in the process of being deconstructed, while others were being built. It had the theme of a mad scientist that had the hobby of a mechanical genius.

But before Commander Faddoh could enter into his office, the voice of a gilanian had cut him off from his attempt to enter it. [Uh... Commander Faddoh? I hate to interrupt you, but there seems to be an error with the surveillance cameras?]

Faddoh sighed. "Within which rooms?"

[Uh... All I have right now is the camera numbers. I have F12-234, F12-235, and F12-236 that are saying that they have been deactivated. Was there supposed to be maintenance happening this early?]

"Not this early, you idiot, the timing is way off. Maintenance drills are issued on days that are on every second prime number. With that said, do you know which days we issue maintenance and repairs on?"

[Uh... On the 3rd, 7th, 13th, 19th, 29th, and 37th days of every month?]

"Correct. Now answer me this... Is the maintenance issued so early in the morning?"

[Uh... Maintenance starts at 60% wane of the daylight cycle at Empire Capitol, so... I guess not?]

"That is also correct. It is already the seventh day of the hot season, but I have given no orders to begin the maintenance procedures this early. Standby while I connect to the facility's machine mainframe." Faddoh paused for a little bit, and his mind interacted with the facility in a way that only he could ever do. But really, any witness on the outside of this interaction would only see a copper robot muttering to himself. "Let's see... Hmm! Looks like the cameras in one of the slave containment rooms were shut down. Have you tried reactivating them?"

[Uh... Yes, I have. But when I tried to, I get the prompt that the command is locked. I even tried submitting a query in asking who made the command lock, but I had no luck.]

"Locked, huh? Let me see for myself." Faddoh said, grumbling. "T'gai, who has issued forth the camera disable, and information command lock, of the surveillance cameras in one of the slave rooms?"

[Query detected. That information has been locked by a password set by Commander Faddoh.]

Faddoh sighed. [Alright then, smarty AI computer, how about this: Commander Faddoh master command activation, priority maximum, initiate. Command activation key code is 92846739620284956315. Accept command override?"

[Command override detected. Override accepted.]

"Excellent. Now unlock that password for me, please."

[Command detected. Information lock lifted by override command. Shutdown has been initiated by the command of Commander Faddoh.]

Faddoh raised his eyebrow. "I did no such thing! Where was this command issued from?!"

[Command detected. In slave containment chamber four on the twelfth floor.]

Faddoh paused. "... I remember being there, but I did not issue such commands. Reactivate the camera feeds that have been disabled by my commands."

[Command detected. ... Failure detected. Unable to activate camera feeds.]

Faddoh shook his head in frustration. "What?! ... Wait... What are the conditions of the containment cages that I placed the zerg in?!"

[Query detected. One zerg organism remains contained.]

If Faddoh could panic, he would. However, panicking was a mortal trait. But at that very moment, he was feeling very mortal. "COMMENCE QUARANTINE PROTOCOLS!"

* * *

Rickey the changelisk had to practice his patience, but he also knew that he had to act soon. After regaining his health, and reacquiring minerals back into his body by feasting on a zergling limb, Rickey went to work. He clutched at his own neck and started softly whispering to himself. "See... you... again... Grck... See you... again... *cough* ... See you again... soon. Hrhh. See... You again soon. Close... See you... again soon. Hmmph. See you again soon. ... Perfect." Rickey said quietly, doing his best to shift his windpipe to emulate the tone, pitch, and verbal inflections that matched Commander Faddoh. After finding the accent that resembled Commander Faddoh's way of speaking, Rickey enacted the next part of his plan. "Computer, deactivate all cameras in this room. Open all slave containment cages in this chamber, except for the one containing the zerg doppelganger organism. Prevent all personnel from accessing the information that pertains to the current commands issued, including myself, and password lock the information that only I can access through a password. The password is: For the swarm."

[Commands detected.] A few seconds later, the cameras stopped and appeared to power down. Once they were down, Rickey started picking up his bone blades and threw one at the nearest camera through the bars of his cage. The blade impacted the wall, which prompted the changelisk to adjust his aim. After throwing a second and third bone blade, he finally struck through the lens of the camera with a fourth. After the destruction of one of the cameras, Rickey aimed at the second and third cameras and struck through them, using only one throw of a bone blade to each surveillance device. After that, Rickey was left with three bone blades, plus the one that was within his right arm. He carefully tucked each bone blade into his body after disabling and damaging the cameras in the room.

The zerglings that were released from the cage next to him gingerly stepped forward, sniffed around for several seconds, then trilled excitedly as they tasted freedom. Emulating the voice of another individual was a trick that was hard to do, but the changelisks have managed to achieve this skill, with a little practice. In fact, the infested gilanian known as Polteg had used this same trick to leave the slave cage he was stuck within, and he used that advantage to destroy the inner radio transmitter and energy generator inside Research Facility B-22. This time, however, Rickey's strategy was going to proceed slightly differently, compared to the method used by the past infested gilanian.

And this tactic hinged on Rickey staying put where he is. After all, Faddoh was expecting to contend with only three escaped zerglings.

* * *

Once Commander Faddoh initiated the quarantine lock-down, all doors, both inside every room of the infrastructure, and the main gate that was the only way inside and out, was forced closed. A heavily geared security team was eventually summoned to enforce the quarantine procedures, and they waited at the front of the entrance that led into the research facility. Several scanners have been constructed outside the entrance of the facility, and a cordoned area was created to help prevent any individuals from leaving the defended perimeter without being scanned first. The only person that was exempt from entering the scanners was Commander Faddoh, since the scanners are not designed to scan robots.

The lights had darkened to half of their luminescence, and a speaker system activated. It was the voice of Commander Faddoh. [Good morning, ladies and gentlemen of Research Facility S-01. Certain dangerous specimens have escaped containment, and are now loose in the facility! As such, this has prompted me to activate this facility's quarantine containment protocols. If you find these specimens, consisting of either the zerg organisms known as 'blade hounds', or the 'doppelganger', then you are to report your sightings of these creatures to the security detail. In doing so, it will help assist them in tracking down these zerg organisms, which will eventually lead to their re-capture. However, in order to leave this facility, each one of you must submit yourself to being scanned by one of the scanners that have been deployed in the quarantined perimeter. If you are clean of the zerg infestation, then you are free to leave. But if you are infested, or have been injured in the presence of a zerg organism, please submit yourself to further testing. The quarantine protocols will remain in effect until the zerg organisms have been captured, and all gilanian personnel have been scanned. If you have detected any odd behavior, or strange incidents in the last hour, report to the security detail or higher commanding officer. As of now, the security teams are deploying and entering into the facility. Keep yourselves safe until the security team reaches your location, and calmly evacuate the area with an escort that will be sent for you. If you are in danger of being attacked, then please move to a different area and find a safe location to protect yourselves in, until help arrives. That is all.]

After the announcement, a group of gilanian soldiers opened up the front entrance into the facility and gingerly made their way inside. Their weapons consisted of spiked tower shields and pistols, whilst the soldiers behind them bore short-range weapons, similar to shotguns or battle rifles. After sneaking into the main hallway, one of them made a tactical gesture to everyone behind himself, prompting them to stop. After a few seconds of pausing, he brought his left wrist to his face. The soldier's left wrist looked like it had a high tech device that curved around his arm. After a cursory glance, the soldier talked at the device on his wrist. "This is security team leader Qailos, reporting to Commander Faddoh that the halls are populated with gilanian scientists. They're all sitting."

[Very good.] Commander Faddoh's voice said, communicating to Qailos. [Gather all scientists and direct them to the cordoned area outside of this facility. The security stationed in the cordoned areas will scan them for possible infections or zerg exfiltrators. I shall inspect the conditions of the modified containment cages that contained the zerg organisms, and see what went wrong.]

Qailos shook his head. "Sir, I recommend sending an armed escort to provide you protection."

[Nonesense, Qailos! I have came prepared for this scenario this time. You go ahead and do your the job you're paid to do.]

Once the comm link was terminated, Qailos shook his head before he barked his orders. "Alright you scaly sons of bitches! These lab-coats will need a safe trip out of here! I want teams consisting of six members each, each one with an assigned squad captain, and I want each team to either breach into every quarantined room, providing overwatch to dangerous areas, or tracking down the zerg jags to contain them! Once you have been assigned a squad number, continue inside! Go go go!"

Teams consisting of six members each were formed and deployed within the research facility, splitting off in different directions as they methodically checked every area for dangers and zerg presence. Room after room, the security teams went into each one to look for any signs of zerg, and for any signs of trouble. Wrenching metal was heard from within one of the rooms. "Hey, I hear something from this room. Sounds like a loose animal."

Qailos smirked. "I need two teams to form up here, one for capture, one for support. If the jag tries to bite you, you are authorized to use lethal force."

The security teams lined up at the door with the scratching sounds coming from within, and they prepared to breach into it. One officer fiddled with a panel that was on the wall next to the sliding doors, and the door slid open when his job was complete. "Door's open."

"Grit your teeth and move in." Qailos whispered, and the capture team slowly entered the sealed room with caution.

Many of the rooms that they had opened in a similar fashion revealed several scientists that had stopped their work, electing to either sit down, create barricades in case the zerg decide to breach into their rooms, or play board games. Many didn't have access to their technology either because the computers they were working with stopped functioning, or the scientific equipment were powered down due to the lack of energy being supplied to them. When such rooms were unlocked, the captives within were escorted outside of the cube to be processed, scanned, and then released.

But this room in particular had a completely different scene within. Blood covered the floors and walls, and gilanian scientists were found to have much of their flesh ripped from their broken and splintered bones, with their clothes reduced to barely recognizable shreds. Even the bones were broken apart by what looked like powerful jaws! They found no survivors in the room. All they did find were chewed and eaten corpses, metal that was gnawed off from the tables and equipment, and a meter tall hole that was wrenched open and on the side of the room. Screaming could be heard from the hole a few seconds later.

"Quick men! To the next room!" Qailos ordered. They ran and assembled quickly to the next sealed chamber, and they heard screaming past the copper doors. The next room became silent a few seconds before the breach was made. Two teams entered the room to find it in the same condition to the destruction they saw before. After looking around for a few seconds, they discovered more meter tall holes on the sides of the room, and more bodies. Qailos sighed and brought his wrist up to his mouth. "This is Qailos again. Looks like the escaped jag zerg have entered into the fifth floor and are eating the scientists in the sealed rooms. They appear to be making their own entrances into adjoining rooms."

[An awfully long way from the twelfth floor...] Commander Faddoh said from the com link. [Be weary, containment and scientist recovery teams. These blade hounds seems much more dangerous than before.]

"Alright..." Qailos nodded. "Alright everyone, listen up! There is zerg loose in the fifth floor of the research station. I want everyone here right now to contain the blade hound jags. We found some half-eaten corpses, so we'll need a cleanup crew after this mission. This is security team leader Qailos, over and out."

A sudden sound forced everyone with a gun to aim at the direction of the disturbance. After a brief lapse of focus that came after an adrenaline rush, they took a second to realize that a utility locker was responsible for making them jump. Everyone looked at one another in puzzlement, only to realize that the locker made that same sound again. A soldier was chosen to approach the locker, and he knocked onto its doors. "Hey. Anyone in there?"

"No."

The soldier raised an eyebrow, but then knocked on the utility cabinet again and spoke calmly. "Listen. We're going to transport you to a safer place. Come out and we won't shoot you."

"No."

"... Uh. Right. Well do you mind if we open the cabinet doors?" The soldier asked.

"No."

"... Okay then. Since you consented, I'm opening the door now."

"No." Once the soldier had opened the locker, the resident inside started screaming incoherently, throwing a battery at the closest soldier. "NO NO NO NO NO!"

"You gave me permission to open the locker! Captain, you heard him consent, right?" The volunteered soldier complained.

"NO NO NO!"

Qailos shook his head, pulling back the soldier that opened the utility cabinet. "Acute stress reaction, soldier. He's in shock. He's not comprehending us right now." He pointed to the panicking scientist inside the utility locker. "Force him onto a chair. I have a few questions for him."

"NO NO NO NO!" The panicking scientist, which bore several blood splatters on his lab-coat and torn fabric, struggled under the strong grappling might of the soldiers that detained him. After being forced to a chair, the scientist tried to run back to the locker, only to be forced back down again. "NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!"

Qailos came up to the scientist and smacked him in the face with a hard-hitting backhand. The scientist quickly had went quiet after feeling the impact sting his scaly face. Qailos finally breathed in and sighed, enjoying the quietness that followed before he broke the silence with a question. "What is your name?"

The scientist was quiet for what felt like an eternity to everyone there, but the length of the pause lasted for about five seconds. "... T... Talkud."

Qailos nodded. "Tell us everything, starting from when this shit happened. Begin when you feel comfortable, Talkud."

Another five seconds passed before Talkud started talking. "We... We never stood a chance. They came through the wall, like... like they clawed right through it. One of them nearly cleaved my head off, but a friend sacrificed himself so I could live. I think I heard his limbs and head being hacked off of his body and dropping to the floor. I hid in the utility locker and watched everything happen from there. I knew it was a bad idea for Faddoh to bring those things here. I just fucking knew it."

Qailos shook his head. "Don't change the subject. Continue with the story, or I will slap you again."

Yet another five second pause happened before Talkud continued. "I watched from the safety of the locker, through the hole slits. I had to stand up on my toes to see through them. I saw the blade hounds run out from the hole in the wall. There... There were so many."

"How many did you see?"

"I counted eight but... Oh god."

"..." Qailos raised his left wrist up again. "Commander Faddoh, how many zerg jags had you brought into the research facility?"

[I had only brought three blade hounds, plus the doppelganger. Why do you ask?]

"Our panicked scientist friend is saying that there was eight blade hounds that attacked and ate his friends."

[The camera surveillance system will be the judge of that. What room are you in?]

"Uh... Hang on." Qailos quickly left the room to look at the room number. He quickly went back inside again, and reported to Commander Faddoh. "We're in room F5-233"

[Alright, let me see... Hmm... Hmm?... Uh... ... ... _WHAT?!_ ]

Qailos' ears hurt like hell when Faddoh screamed through the communication channel. "Commander Faddoh, sir?!"

[HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?! HOW IS IT THAT THERE ARE SIXTEEN OF THEM NOW?! I THOUGHT THAT THEY NEEDED A ZERG NEST TO PROPAGATE THEIR NUMBERS?! ... Qailos, I need you to deal with this new development and find out where these blade hounds are coming from. I need to talk to someone.]

"Sir?" Qailos asked. He did not get an answer back.

"That's not the worst of it." The panicked scientist said, clutching his face as he leaned forward.

Qailos turned to the scientist. "What happened next?"

"They... They killed my colleagues and dragged off their bodies. They bit and clawed at the corpses, but... they didn't eat them. But I saw them turn into something else. They formed... They formed an egg around themselves."

Qailos sighed. "Does that mean there are bursters rolling around in here too?! Dammit!"

The panicked scientist shook his head. "No. They turned into something smaller. They... They looked like little worms with huge pincers for mouths. They drank the blood and ate the flesh of my colleagues. I even saw a blade hound try to feed it strips of metal it gnawed from one of the chairs. It looked like it was so hungry during its feasting as it kept making that scream. It was like it demanded food. It formed an egg around itself after it ate so much flesh and metal. After that... two more blade hounds took its place, fifteen seconds later."

Qailos looked at the scientist with a stern glare. After several seconds of analyzing the panicked scientist, he concluded that he was either high on something, or was telling the truth. He placed his left wrist up to his face again. "Commander Faddoh, be advised. Our panicked scientist thinks that these blade hounds can enter back into their larval stage. He described that its larval form looked like a worm that has large pincers. It turned itself into an egg, and two more blade hounds hatched from it fifteen seconds later."

[I went through the surveillance feeds, Qailos, and your scientist friend is telling the truth. This is most troubling news indeed... I'm afraid that the objective is no longer containment. Qailos, you are to instruct everyone that they are no longer tasked with capturing the escaped specimens. You are free to hunt and kill these monsters. Repeat, hunt and kill all blade hounds you find.]

"Acknowledged." Qailos said, nodding again. "Alright everyone! Our mission is no longer containment! Kill all the jag zerg you find!" Everybody hooted at their new orders when he issued them to his teams. Qailos on the other hand grew more troubled. The detail about the zerglings being able to double their number every time they feed was a piece of information that he would have wanted to know sooner. But alas, these zerg creatures seem to have the unusual ability to evolve at a rapid pace that outclasses every other organisms ability to adapt. A predatory hiss from a zergling broke his contemplation of the moment. "GET READY, MEN! OPEN FIRE, AND FIRE AT WILL!" He shouted, readying his shotgun-like weapon. The other security officers steeled themselves in a similar manner as they formed their firing lines. The hunt was on.

* * *

The quarantine security teams assembled their firing lines and aimed in every direction at the fifth floor. On the twelfth floor, however, Commander Faddoh was putting the limits of his robotic copper body to the test. After blasting though the hallways of the twelfth floor and finding the door he needed to enter into, he accessed the side panel next to the door and prompted it to open. He stepped inside of the room, which was the same room he had transported the zerglings and changelisk into, which were contained with modified slave cages. He looked at one of the cages and noticed that it was empty. Worst yet, the cage once containing the zerg had no signs of forced entry that suggested an inside job. But Commander Faddoh finally figured it out. Somehow, the changelisk was the central suspect to this mystery, and it was he that let the zerglings out.

But in the cage next to it was Rickey, still residing inside of it and waiting patiently. Commander Faddoh hissed and slammed one of his six robotic fists onto the cage, causing it to zap the resident inside of it. "You released the blade hounds. Didn't you?"

After Rickey received a shock, he shook his head and laughed. "Heheheh... How did I give it away?"

Faddoh banged the side of the cage again, zapping Rickey once more. "Don't be coy with me, Rickey. I have reviewed the surveillance recordings and have concluded that you have emulated my voice to trick the computer AI T'gai. A neat trick, but now I demand to know what your plans are."

Rickey chuckled even more. "Hahahaha~! Commander, do you think to torture information out of me? I am here by the will of the swarm, and I am a dispensable pawn that can be casted away like reducible garbage. You have sealed your fate the moment you brought us into your home, and you only sealed it further by displaying loyalty to Emperor Gollog, and his empire."

Faddoh punched the cage's bars, zapping Rickey yet again. "Tell me something I want to hear, or this conversation is over."

Rickey laughed as he was electrocuted. "HAHAHAHAHAH~! Ah... Fine. My master wishes for me to tell you the truth, since he found you pitiable."

Faddoh paused, but he stepped back and grumbled. "Let's hear it then."

Rickey slowly slithered closer to Faddoh and leaned onto the cage. "I lied about losing cohesion of my form. I could maintain any disguise indefinitely." He said, slowly turning back into the form he was first seen in. The changelisk, in the guise of an artillery operator once more, had a sinister smile that grinned impossibly wide from ear to ear.

Faddoh huffed. "A silly clever lie, but you could also have tried to escape from here due to your cleverness. Why remain here?"

"Because my master wants me to be here."

Faddoh snorted. "Then he is the more clever ringleader than you, I suppose. But then for what reason have you remained here?"

Rickey chuckled again. "Hahahaheheh... To tell you that he is coming for you."

Faddoh stared at Rickey and shook his head. "Then that will be his doom. Once we eradicate the blade hound pandemic in this facility, I will personally kill you with my own machine hands. It's apparent that acquiring zerg specimens for testing purposes is too much of an effort to maintain. A shame, really."

"Just in this facility?" Rickey said with an even wider grin.

Faddoh paused. He then briskly walked up to the cage and reached for the disguised changelisk, grabbing him and bringing him closer to himself. "... What do you mean by that question?"

Rickey didn't cease in his wide grinning. "Another thing my master wants to tell you: We changelisks can also modify our appearances to assume a disguise of another organism. It doesn't even have to be a gilanian. Just something of similar size."

Faddoh stared at Rickey for a long time before he figured it out. "... One of the blade hounds was a doppelganger this whole time? Then... then you smuggled one of the blade hounds out of the facility?!"

Rickey nodded. "And us 'doppelgangers' can also self terminate. After I am gone, you will be seeing my master soon. But before I go, he wants me to tell you that he is coming for you right now. Goodbye, Faddoh. It's been fun being the antagonist to your story." He said, smiling and then reducing himself to a messy red fluid right before the commander's eyes.

Commander Faddoh shook his three pairs of arms and flung off the protoplasmic fluid. After shaking much of the liquidated changelisk off, he sighed. "... I have... seriously... underestimated the zerg."

And that was when he heard a fell, distant roar below his feet.

* * *

 **A/N: Seriously though, you can't out-think the swarm.**


	38. Siege of the City

**Chapter 38: Siege of the City**

* * *

After Commander Faddoh was rid of Rickey's pestering once and for all, he ran out of the slave containment chamber to meet with the quarantine security teams and assist them in containing the epidemic. Worse yet was the sudden, deafening roar that was heard from outside of the research facility. He knew that he had to act quick. "ALL PERSONNEL, BE ADVISED! ZERG ORGANISMS HAVE ESCAPED CONTAINMENT! ALL SOLDIERS, DEFEND THE CITY INTERIOR! WE HAVE A POSSIBLE BREACH FROM WITHIN!" Commander Faddoh's warning was blared on all the comm systems within the city, but they couldn't react in time to fight off the entire swarm.

* * *

The three zerglings that was released from the cage were pivotal to Kay's plans to infiltrate Empire City. Commander Faddoh may have transported four organisms that may have looked like three zerglings and a changelisk, but he was easily deceived by their appearances. He actually brought in a pair of zerglings, and a pair of changelisks, into the city instead. The gilanian empire soldiers being transferred to the castle via MEM device to stage their forces made it impossible to slip a disguised changelisk through a checkpoint that guarded a MEM device. It would only end in failure, evident by Rickey's attempt to infiltrate the city. But even so, the zerg can't travel from one city to another using the MEM devices anyway, so they needed the next best thing to achieve their infiltration into the city. Willing capture.

One of the zerglings' flesh changed into something completely different, forming into what looked like a gilanian janitor. Once the changelisk's disguise was complete, he power-walked to the nearest janitorial closet that was two rooms down from the slave containment chamber. Once the janitor-disguised changelisk returned, he brought with him two wheeling laundry bins, filled with many copper and green colored coats that either collected too much grime, or had some unmentionable fluid spill onto them. The changelisk removed some of the lab coats from within the bins and allowed the zerglings to jump in and settle into them. Once the zerglings stopped circling and laid down into the bins, the changelisk janitor covered them with the dirty lab coats and began moving them to a different area.

The first area they stopped at was a few floors down from where the slave containment chamber was, eventually coming across a hydroponics lab. Various containers contained green fluid that fed crops of several types of plants, most of which fed the scientists within the facility. However, these plants were also part of their experimentation, and there were many breeds that seemed odd, or appeared too sickly to consume. This place was also bereft of any scientists in the immediate area. It was a perfect place for a zergling to start feeding, and the changelisk only had to worry about one camera overlooking everything in the hydroponics farm. Once the changelisk janitor turned off all of the lights, one of the zerglings was revealed from the bin of lab coats as it was allowed free access to the hydroponics lab, and all of the vegetation it grew. It wasn't as valuable as meat, but bio-matter was still bio-matter, no matter its form.

Once one of the released zerglings started feasting on the plants and metal in the room, the changelisk janitor went back to the dirty lab coat bins and proceeded to a different area. Once the changelisk left the freed zergling, the zergling had stripped enough materials from the equipment and plants to fuel its needs, forming piles of metal and vegetation around itself. After that, it formed a cocoon around its body and proceeded to revert back to its larval stage. Soon, the zerg larva would feast on the masticated plant and metal piles and begin the process of creating a cocoon, which would spawn into a pair of zerglings. The immortal jellyfish that Kay had consumed to mutate his swarm has indeed carried a powerful trait. But without a nearby hive to provide the necessary nutrients for the larva, the wiggly larva resorted to using the only resource it had access to, for the time.

Once the changelisk janitor left the freed zergling to its own devices, it next sought for a way to leave Research Facility S-01. There weren't very many ways to exit the coppery cube facility other than through the front entrance, much to Kay's dismay. But thanks to absorbing the knowledge from the skull of Commander Ralkan, Kay had some insight and knowledge about the facility. In fact, it's due to Ralkan being a Torus Guard commander that he had to be analytical of all facilities, structures, and bases regarding their defenses. There were several ins-and outs that were unknown to much of the research facility's staff, even to Commander Faddoh himself.

One of which that happened to be the closest was the garbage incinerator. The incinerator was connected to an off-site facility which uses a copper pipe that transfers all the burnable trash. However, it posed the risk of incinerating the zergling if it was used as an escape route, and the changelisk did not know how far the zergling had to go before it accidentally fell into an incinerator.

Another choice available to the changelisk was one of the many windows that opened up outside of the facility. But even if the changelisk janitor tossed the zergling from one of those windows, there was a chance that the zergling would heavily impact the ground and risk a sprain or breaking a limb. It is true that zerg regeneration is quicker the smaller the organism is, but staying too long in one area is liable to get the zergling caught, prompting the soldiers and citizens to raise an alarm.

A third choice would be through the front gate itself. But there was also the possibility that the checkpoint security would enforce the area as the scientists passed through the scanners on their way out. Since there are zerg organisms inside of the research facility, it wouldn't seem too far fetched to theorize that Commander Faddoh would double the security there in response to the outbreak. In order to detect the HEV inside of infected gilanians, and prevent those infected from leaving the research cube, they would no doubt have to pass through the checkpoint and through the scanners before leaving the facility. Not only that, Commander Faddoh had already been informed that changelisks could change into zerglings, and he wasn't sure how many changelisks are within his precious facility.

Only having one last zergling to work with had left only one other option of escape, with a twist.

Checking room after room, bypassing several rooms that were either busy or vacant, the changelisk janitor scouted for the perfect place to begin the zergling's escape. One particular room had a moving platform that scaled up and down, which orbited around what looked like a massive engine block, possibly belonging to a desert platform. In truth, the moving platform looked like it was the perfect device to use for a getaway.

The changelisk janitor powered the levitating platform and wheeled one of the laundry bins onto it. The platform came to life as it ascended, raising itself higher and higher as the changelisk janitor manipulated its controls. Once they were next to the window, the changelisk janitor opened up the window fully. The window was able to open wide enough, and the changelisk janitor threw himself out of the window, just as he wheeled the platform with him.

The changelisk grabbed onto the zergling during their downward fall and positioned it above itself. The ground came quickly as the falling zerg reached terminal velocity. The first thing to land was the laundry bin, which resulted in the breaking of plastic tubes and cloth ripping in different places, the plastic pipes no longer giving it structure and support. Once the zergling and changelisk landed, the zergling landed right on top of the changelisk and reduced its impact to the ground. The changelisk janitor effectively became a shock absorbing pad for the landing zergling, even when it died at the end result of the landing. However, thanks to it's sacrifice, the zergling was free to roam the city at its leisure. That is, if it could leave the scene quick enough, and avoid any curious gilanians that would come and inspect the loud sound of a tumbled wheeled laundry hamper, followed by a wet smack on the street's tiled pavement.

Thankfully, the streets were calm and devoid of much life. Since Empire City had set its waking and sleeping hours similarly to Empire Capitol, the halls of the city were rather dark to help simulate the night times. But even if the roads were barren at night because of a curfew, which was heavily enforced by night-watch patrols, the city was still removed of most of its civilian population due to the nearing war between the Kiln Keepers and the zerg. The zerg had been fighting the Kiln Keepers and winning after all, and the fighting brought the zerg so close to their own home. The Golden Star Empire gilanians within Empire City were very much like rats abandoning a sinking ship, and if they had the wealth to buy their way out, then they could survive the storm coming to their homes.

After passing through several winding streets and entering the lower subsections under the city, the zergling finally centered upon the poorest part of the poor district. It was significantly cleaner that the poor district in Empire Capitol, save for the occasional homeless gilanian witnessing the passing zerg creature and hiding in fear. There were certainly a lot less skeletons here, save for the one that looked like a statue, circled by many tents populated by sleeping homeless gilanians.

After scouting the environment, the zergling had concluded that the bottom-most level of Empire City was the least defended. A graveyard of trash littered the floor of the lowest point of the city, and it would mark the location of the nydus worm that would soon populate the area with other zerg, bringing forth monsters of death from its maw.

Once a place was chosen, the zergling burrowed into the heaps of trash and stealthily waited. After several seconds, its patience was rewarded as a nydus worm begun to break the ground and erupted from its entry point, roaring loudly as it tasted the air of the city. once the drones and queens were expelled from its maw, the drones went to work creating hatcheries around the worm, while the queens went ahead and created several clusters of creep tumors that eventually became resource tumors. A carbonation extractor was placed close to the hatcheries as well, which would enable a slow process of accelerant generation. The hatcheries took the longest time to gestate from their embryonic cocoons, so the queens had to extend the creep over the trash covered grounds using the creep provided by the nydus worm.

The homeless that were brave enough to check out the sudden loud noise, made by the nydus worm's roar, slowly approached. They stared at the quickly forming hive cluster with awe and fear, and had no idea on how to react to, or deal with, such a sudden occurrence. They didn't even have time to continue watching the cluster grow as zerglings, roaches, and hydralisks filtered out of the nydus worm. They quickly retreated and cowered within their tents as they expected the worst to come.

But they were ignored by the invading zerg infestation. These people suffered enough, so they would be left alone. That is if they willingly traded their loyalty for Gollog to Kay and Virid instead. There had been a few hobos that actively attacked the zerg, but the ones that did so in self defense were either chased away or had their weapons bit in half. Others that continued attacking were slain without exception, had their corpses delivered to the creep, and were torn into uncountable shreds.

But as the homeless gilanians were sanctioned to their own little spot, which was the encampment of tents that formed around a skeletal statue, Kay and Virid emerged from the nydus worm seconds later and inspected the city for themselves. Kay took a deep sigh, but regretted it since his nose filled with the smell of old, rotting garbage. He quickly covered his nose after he noticed the wafting stench. "HOOOH~! Aw man! This smell is pretty rank!"

Virid looked at Kay with a pandering stare.

Kay looked back at Virid, paused, and then shook his head. "... Right... No nose."

Virid sighed and shook her head. "We must continue upward from here. The nydus worm has telegraphed our presence to them, so we need to act fast."

Kay sighed and nodded too. "Yeah. Let's also have a nydus network set up, just in case. But more importantly, we can start sending zerg forces into this area."

"Can we establish a base first? I feel that this area would be more defended if we had crawlers rooted near the hatcheries." Virid suggested.

Kay shook his head. "Commander Faddoh has created that weird device though, and that has gotten me worried. What did he call it again? A neural oscillator? I couldn't control Rickey or the other zerg organisms when he used that device."

Virid sighed. "Oddly enough, it acted exactly like a miniature psionic emitter. Such a device to exist so early in our conflict against the gilanian empire is most troubling."

Kay nodded. "Which is a reason why I wanted to attack now. Our main goal is to infiltrate Commander Faddoh's research facility, find and destroy this 'neural oscillator' of his, and then follow up with all of the other non-priority objectives. ... Oh, and settle the bet."

Virid rolled her eyes. "Of course."

The developing hatcheries had finally ripped apart the taught fleshy sacks of their amniotic cocoons to reveal several hatcheries. One among them was chosen to mutate into its next evolution, but all of them were immediately tended to by two queens each. The zerglings, roaches, and hydralisks clumped together into a loose horde, and their numbers continued to increase, thanks to the nydus worm transporting the zerg ground strains.

Overlords soon populated the insides of the lower part of the city, since the underground happened to be spacious enough to allow them enough space to occupy it, and a few of them were transformed into overseers. Once they gained enough energy, the overseers would produce changelings and spread their spies to the upper floors of the underground city. Changelisks would be spawned in fewer numbers than the changelings, but their uses were much more useful outside of a skirmish.

And it was thanks to those quickly deployed shapeshifters that Kay and Virid detected an incoming patrol of soldiers.

* * *

"This is patrol number 62, say again?" A squad leader said as he spoke into his short-range radio. Eleven guards followed the squad leader, but they had a nervous disposition about them.

[A disturbance has been heard originating in the lower bowels of Empire City. We need your patrolling squad to scout the territory and report back any unusual findings. That is all.]

The squad leader shook his head and sighed. "And if we cannot return alive?"

[You are an expendable unit. Don't expect any reinforcements. Lieutenant Braxog out.]

"... Shit. Alright men! We are to investigate the disturbance in the lower levels without any backup or assistance! Chances are, we will die, or worse! Pray to whatever gods you worship to give us luck on our way to the objective! MOVE OUT!" Shouted the squad leader. Everyone groaned, but they moved on with soulless grace.

It was very possible that they were fated to die, but they knew well the fate of deserters or mutineers within Gollog's rule. It was something called 'Death Without End'. Whatever it was, they were deeply scared by it. Even Ralkan barely knew what it was, and Kay had probed much of his mind till he became brain-dead without ever finding out what kind of punishment it might have been. As the patrol squad scouted on, however, they saw the usual signs of zerg infestation: Zerglings. Nine of them formed a line and hissed lowly, clawing at the ground in an intimidating manner.

The squad leader paused, and the gilanian soldiers with him stopped in their tracks, stunned and silent. After several seconds of pausing, the squad leader slowly reached for his radio communicator, shakily holding it up to his face. "Uhh... We-we-we found the disturbance, command. Z-z-z-zerg presence confirmed."

[Congratulations, patrol 62. Due to your efforts, the empire commanders can confirm with physical evidence that there is a breach in the city. As per the agreement of joining the Golden Star Empire's military, eighty percent of your expendable reimbursement shall pass down to your next of kin, family members, significant other, or third party. The twenty percent shall go towards funding the empire and its glory. May you die well, if you die well. Lieutenant Braxog out.]

"Sir, what do we do?" One of the soldiers in the squad asked in a whisper. "I don't want to piss off Gollog, but... I also don't want to die either."

The squad leader pushed back the whispering soldier and looked at the zerglings with a keen eye. "... They are standing their ground."

It was true. The zerglings did not advance, neither in a running gait, or in a sneaking crawl. They simply stayed there, despite their aggressive posture and body language. This had went on for half a minute, as neither side acted or moved from their spots since.

"I heard rumors that these things are smart. Do they know something we don't?" "Don't be an idiot, Gan. It could be that they are mistaking us for a trap." "No, this is something different. Could they be waiting for something?" "Like a razor fiend? As if I would want to stand around long enough for one to start appearing. I say we evacuate the area." "Wouldn't Gollog get mad at us if we did that?" "They didn't order us to die. They assumed that we would die." "We're still alive, so... I'll have to agree on the theory that they are waiting for something."

It wasn't long that a changelisk had appeared from the line of zerglings. The chattering squad stopped in their gossip as they stared in revulsion of the zerg shapeshifter. Slowly, yet right before their eyes, the changelisk turned into a brown, green and purple suited gilanian. The squad's eyes widened as it gestured towards them. "Greetings! I know that this might come as a shock to you, but I merely wanted to break this uneasy standoff between us. I am known as Mister Shifter. Pleased to meet your acquaintance!" He said, bowing politely.

The squad leader tilted his head and stepped forward. "... Wait uh... you zerg things have names?"

Mister Shifter shook his head. "The creature you are talking to right now is nothing more but a persona. Simply put, it is a personality that has been crafted and chosen to work as a medium between non-swarm and swarm organisms. Think of me as an ambassadorial mascot!"

The leader sighed. "Well... If the zerg had sent you... I'm guessing there is something you want from us?"

Mister Shifter nodded. "Yes indeed. Please drop your weapons."

The leader scoffed. "Like hell we will! What's to stop you and your jag zerg monsters from eating us?!"

"My word." Mister Shifter said, bowing once more. "Since you have not attacked us, you have given no incentive for the zerg to attack your squad. If you willingly surrender and renounce your loyalty to Gollog and his empire, then we shall allow you the luxury of living, or the privilege of assisting us in attacking Golden Star Empire assets. Do we have an accord?"

There was a long pause before the leader sighed. "I'm afraid I can't do that. If the empire suspects that we would defect in any way, they would send a signal to our bondman soldier armors, initiating a self-destruct and terminating their wearers. We either fight till we die, or be branded as rebels and also die."

Mister Shifter sighed and frowned, but then slowly nodded his head. "Then I suppose I shall give each of you two choices here. If you fight us now, then we will grant you a quick death. But if you renounce your loyalty to Gollog and his empire, then your death will be avenged by the might of the swarm. What say you?"

The leader growled. "This is not favorable for us. ... What say you, boys? Kill to be killed, or be killed if we don't kill?"

One of the patrol soldiers started yelling loudly. "I AM THE MASTER OF MY OWN FATE!" The soldier brought out a pistol and shot herself in the head. This suicidal act had stunned the nearby soldiers. Seconds later, they started whispering frantically and panicking silently.

The leader growled again. "... How about we do nothing?" He said, turning around to face Mister Shifter and completely ignoring the suicide soldier. "You go and do what you want, while we go and do what we want. Isn't that satisfactory enough?"

Mister Shifter looked upwards in thought for a few seconds before nodding. "That is acceptable. Bear in mind, however. If you so much as harm one of us, then you will be punished. Gravely, lethally punished! Understood?"

The leader sighed and nodded. "I think we can work with that." He turned to his soldiers. "I need two to pick up Gan and bring her to the morgue. Tell the staff there that her death was a result of a crossfire between two intersecting flanks of different squads. Understand your orders?"

The soldiers in his lessened squad nodded. Two were chosen to pick up the corpse of the once frantic soldier to deliver the body to the morgue that was somewhere within the city. However, before they could deliver the body, a voice rang out from the squad leader's radio. [Patrol 62, you have new orders. If you do not attack the zerg within the span of sixty seconds, then we will activate the self-destruct in all of your bondman soldier armors. Confirm your orders?]

The leader of the squad paused. He did not like how this turned out.

[Patrol 62, confirm the orders or we will detonate you.]

The leader of the squad reached into his uniform and pulled out his handheld radio. "Confirmed."

[Your thirty seconds starts now. Good luck and die well, if you die well.]

The squad leader took in a deep breath before sighing. He then turned to the soldiers in his squad. "YOU WANT TO GO OUT WITH A WHIMPER, OR DIE WITH A BANG?!"

"BANG!" the soldiers behind him shouted, shooting their guns in the air.

The squad leader turned back to the changelisk with a sorrowful frown. "Sorry about doing this. Give Gollog hell for us."

Mister Shifter nodded and frowned, stepping back behind the line of zerglings. "Rest assured. Your rulers will see the error of their ways, and they will be made to die painfully. Including Gollog."

The squad leader nodded. He brought his projectile pistol up and aimed it at the zerglings before him. **"CHARGE!"**

The battle was short lived when the roaches and infestors had been given enough time to burrow right underneath them. But even so, the squad of soldiers died a glorious death against a swift attack of claws, acid, and fungal spores. The patrols put up a good fight against the zerg, downing four zerglings and even severely wounding a single roach, but they ultimately died in scant seconds still. The soldier named Gan may have left life earlier than she wanted, but she would soon join with her fellow soldiers in death. Or as zerg chow, as their bodies were dragged away to the slowly expanding zerg infestation that was growing in the bottom-most part of Empire City.

After that brief conflict, however, the remaining soldiers in the city became more active, defending against the zerg swarm from within their own home.

* * *

Several Torus guards and Crescent Arms soldiers were sent into the depths of Empire City, and their mission was to try and root out the zerg infestation. The roots of the infestation had grown too deeply however, as the spine and spore crawlers erected a heavy counter-defense against the defenders. They also deployed anti-riot bots and reconnaissance mini-fliers to assist in curing their home of the zerg, but they did little to push back the swarm. They fought valiantly, but were ill equipped. The shield-bearing soldiers that formed a protective ring did their best to provide protection for the riflemen and ranged attackers within the center of their formation, but the zerg were still without number.

One field lieutenant looked at the ensuing carnage and paled. The zerglings leaped onto the shield bearers in joyous savagery, gnawing and biting their heavy tower-shields to the point of making them useless. Worse still was the roaches that spewed loogies of acid, standing in front of and protecting the hydralisks that shot at the gilanians from a further range. Worse still is that the roaches, and nearly all of the zerg organisms, have the nasty habit of burrowing into the ground, either to heal, or to relocate to a different area. The defenders never thought they would see the day to use seismic sensors within the very city they once lived in!

"Dammit! We are horribly unprepared for this! We need all reinforcements or we are going to lose this city!" The familiar voice of lieutenant Braxog shouted within the relative safety in the city hall of Empire City, which stood next to the gates that lead into the opalescent castle on the surface. He pounded on the command desk as he was surrounded by several busy officers and soldiers, zipping from one direction to the other in an organized chaos. His silver and blue armor was repaired countless times, but the scars of battle was still seen on his flesh and on his uniform. His right eye was missing, and had a dialysis machine connected to his chest.

Another voice had cut in. [Agitated. Quit your mewling. Assistance has been delivered.]

"Commander Guik, I must detest." Braxog pleaded, more annoyed than worried. "Your forces should be busy protecting the emperor, rather than be involved in the dirty work of more capable men."

[Sarcasm. Then I suppose I will leave this fight to you, so I can slack off and do something completely unimportant.]

Braxog sighed. "... Fine. Do what you want, I guess. But if they start breaching, or nearing city hall, I'm taking my men elsewhere. Understand?"

[Indifferent. Understood. Pyramidal Guard shadows are now entering Empire City. Expect stealth specialist units infiltrating zerg infested areas.]

"Shadows, huh? Damn me if I didn't have this desk job, or I would've gone and see what one of those shadows looked like."

[Casual. Even if you tried to find one, they would never consent to being seen by you.]

"Ouch."

* * *

"... That doesn't sound too good for us." Kay remarked. Some of the changelisks and changelings that had infiltrated past the battle lines had found various areas of importance. One of such changelisks found its way into Empire City's city hall, which was casually overlooking operations in the makeshift command center within it.

"Shadows?" Virid queried rhetorically. "Must we be aware of our own shadows?"

Kay shrugged. "We're going to find out soon, I guess."

As the zerg continued in their assault against the defenders, several zerg organisms suddenly started dying one-by-one. It was an unusual pattern of deaths since this trend of spontaneous loss of lives paved a path toward the hatchery. It was only when an overseer, which barely had any room to navigate in, was finally able to detect what the problem was.

Soldiers that bore black sleek armor with purple accents were cutting a path for themselves, and they seemed to be aiming straight for the hive cluster that was slowly developing its lair, soon to be turned into a hive later on. Apparently, they carried a type of cloaking device that enabled them to be rendered invisible. The zerg paused for three seconds when the black and purple soldiers became known to the swarm, but they quickly redirected their attention onto them and ran after the intruders.

"... Uh... Whoa WHOA _WHOA!_ E-SHIFT, E-SHIFT!" One of them shouted, sounding feminine. Instantly, a field of blue and white static energy enveloped them and quickly forced them to vanish from everyone's vision, including the overseer's eyes.

As Kay witnessed the disappearing act, he _carefully_ rubbed the back of his head. "... Uh... What?"

Virid stared at the general area where the black armored gilanians had ghosted from. "Do they have a mobile MEM device with them? Is it installed in their armor?"

Kay shook his head in disbelief. "I have no fucking idea, Virid. Worse still, they can cloak themselves."

"If they can cloak themselves... LOOK OUT!" Virid shouted as she suddenly pulled Kay away.

A quickened swish flitted through the air, which happened to be an invisible blade that nearly made contact with Kay. Virid responded by aiming an acid spine at the general direction where two footprints were found. She noticed them when Kay mentioned that they could render themselves transparent from the normal vision of many zerg organisms. It was through a stroke of luck that an overseer managed to pass over the path of these black and purple armored soldiers. She wasn't even sure for how long that gilanian had eavesdropped on them! But even so, she was glad that she was talking to Kay in that terran English language, and not communicating in the Gilaish tongue.

However, verbal communication could be exploited, no matter the form. The zerg needed to adapt again. _'Kay, we must communicate in this manner from now on. We cannot be spied upon, and allow our operations to become known to our enemy!'_

"Gh... Damn." Kay got up after being tossed out of harm's way moments later. He looked around and found no sign of his opposed attacker, save for the small drips of blood that was found on the creep. Once the creep absorbed the blood, Kay sighed. _'Fucking hell, I guess I owe you one.'_

Virid telepathically called for another overseer to float to their immediate area. _'You don't owe me anything for the moment. Right now, there is an assassin at our location. Use your psionic ability to detect our hidden assassin.'_

Kay nodded, and then looked around for the invisible saboteur. _'Kay. Time to find the guy that tried to sabotage my life.'_ He telepathically said, looking at the creep covered ground intently for footprints. After looking for several seconds, he spotted a set of indented footprints where the creep was made slightly more compressed. He slowly lifted a hand and pointed at the possibly unseen individual. He could also feel a mind that was there, even when he couldn't see the assassin. "Hey." He said in Gilaish. "I can see your booties leaving trails on my ground. Show yourself, or we'll force you to appear."

"Fat chance, bug-man. Gh..." The invisible assassin said.

Kay raised an eyebrow. "You sound wounded."

The assassin hissed. "No thanks to your caretaker. Ah! ... AUGH!"

Once the overseer hovered over to Kay and Virid, Kay was able to fully see the assassin that tried to do him in. Kay raised an eyebrow as he looked up and down the limping soldier. Apparently, Virid had been aiming at the assassins feet, and her foot had a newly created open wound that made physical contact with the creep. The hyper-evolutionary virus would definitely make its way through her veins and into her heart by now. "Not only that, you look poisoned too."

The assassin placed her weight onto her good foot and gasped heavily, clutching her chest. "P-... P-p-poisoned?!"

"Yep." Kay said, nodding. "You don't got long until you start becoming one with the swarm. Send a message to your assassin buddies for me. If they keep off of my territory, then I promise I won't rip off your limbs, or tear out the organs inside your body, and use them as weapons against your friends."

The assassin looked up at Kay in immense pain once her organs started shifting around rapidly. She shakily reached for the handheld radio on her person and talked into it. "Girls, I need you to back off from now on. The zerg leader threatened to kill you, using my own body parts."

[This is an emergency radio signal. Have you been compromised?]

"Y-yes. I'm guessing my footsteps ha-huh-ve given away my position. Also, the zerg leader known as Kay sta-...stated that I have been poisoned. I don't feel well." The assassin in the process of being infested said, straining through every word.

[Then you know what to do. Initiate sublimation.]

The spying girl made a depressed sigh. "Activate unit recycle, password: Sleepers Fall." After saying that, lights of white and blue static covered over her body. Once the light had washed over her, all that was left was many of her internal organs, her left foot that had a queens acid spine stabbed into it, and her brain.

Kay leaned down on the collection of organs and slightly intact foot, frowning. _'Well... This is odd.'_

 _'The brain needs the body to persist. Without it, the organ will die quickly. A fitting death.'_ Virid said, looking down on the exposed brain matter and crossing her arms.

 _'Actually, the brain can still be harvested. Let me do a bit of mind reading.'_ Kay said, reaching down and plucking the cluster of nerves from the ground. Once Kay focused on the brain, the brain seemed to move around strangely, as though it was living jello. After a third of a minute of Kay's psionic analysis, the brain eventually started to tear until it was reduced to sloppy red chunks that fell back down onto the creep. The creep absorbed the brain chunks into itself, as well as the other organs many seconds later. After finding what he needed, Kay nodded. _'Well how about that! We attacked one of the elite soldiers of the Pyramidal Guard Division!'_

Virid scoffed and shook her head. _'So much for being shadows. How come we couldn't see them?'_

Kay grunted as he stood back up. _'They have technology that can render them invisible. They can bend the visible_ _light around themselves perfectly, making them immune from being seen, unless we have a detector strain assisting us or if I am paying attention to their mental patterns. However, these shadow assassins also have some other abilities that worry me.'_

 _'How so?'_ Virid asked.

 _'Think of them as those other alien guys we used to fight.'_ Kay explained. _'What were they called again? ... Oh, that's right. Protoss. From the mind of the assassin I delved into, who is named Tix, she has information she has stored on their shadow assassin abilities and tactics. They are basically stalkers, adepts, dark templar, and arbiters combined into a composite unit with their abilities. They use cloaked drones to triangulate their MEM shifting, and uses keywords on their arms to help facilitate quick coverage of an area. Worse than that, their own suits and cloaked hover-drones can MEM shift more shadow assassins to the area. Simply put, they are teleporting assassins that can become invisible, and could teleport resources and more assassins to their location, since I think they act as their own 'pylon', if you get my meaning.'_

Virid looked at the bloody puddle slowly turning into a grayish-purple color. _'If they dare attack again, we must be ready.'_

 _'Indeed.'_ Kay thought to Virid, walking forward under the watchful gaze of the overseers above. _'But Commander Faddoh is still our priority.'_

* * *

 **A/N: Oops. Made 6,000 words. I can get carried away sometimes! X3**


	39. Cubes of Copper

**Chapter 39: Cubes of Copper**

* * *

Zerglings ran into the front lines in a mass of flurried claws. The gilanian defenders had resorted to using grenades, both concussive and incendiary, but they had ran out of those thrown explosives a while ago. The roaches were dangerous in their ability to melt established defenses or circumvent vital choke points that were not sufficiently protected by a seismic sensor. And because they had hard shells that provided them extra health, and had the ability to regenerate faster while burrowed, they were indeed quite horrible for the empire soldiers to deal with. The hydralisks were the worst, since their needle spine ranged attacks could strike from longer ranges. Worse yet is when the roaches often provided cover for the hydralisks as they sniped their targets.

The battle changed for the worse when the zerg started evolving, forming banelings, ravagers, and lurkers. The banelings were able to kill multiple groups of soldiers in wide splashes of acid. Since the empire soldiers did not wield power armor, their life expectancy was cut even shorter. The ravagers were able to hit tougher enemies using globs of corrosive bile, which proceeded to splash several enemies and kill them with each cast. Areas with low-hanging structures sometimes made it difficult for a ravager to attack groups of enemies, and enemies hiding under roofs were a brief pain, that is until the roofs were dissolved into nothing. The lurkers provided subterranean spines that shot out from the ground in droves, preventing dedicated platoons from cutting into weaker zerg formations and flanking the swarm's push into the city. They were also efficient in attacking enemies that were past walls or obstructions, thanks to their targets being triangulated by another zerg organism, either hiding in the ground or behind a corner.

The battle raged on like this for several minutes, and the strategies that the gilanian lieutenant, who tried to issue them to his troops as efficiently as he could, were readily intercepted by an eavesdropping changelisk in disguise. Established footholds that was formed by his directions were eventually overran with the march of the swarm, killing and chasing away the soldiers that failed to protect their defenses, and much of his chagrin was because of his retreating military. But as the zerg kept on fighting and gaining more ground, the Golden Star Empire army forces that tried to protect the city continued to fall as the strength of the swarm pushed their defenses over. The zerg eventually came across their main goal. The cube research facility known as S-01.

* * *

Zerglings gnashed their teeth on the hastily erected chain-link fence that consisted of the divide that separated the quarantined area from the rest of the city. Commander Faddoh had took to an active role trying to eradicate the zergling epidemic within the copper cube facility, and his contribution to eradicating the containment breach within the research facility greatly assisted the culling of zerg within. The zergling population had reached an all time high of eighty four from the inside of the research facility, but Faddoh had bolstered the morale of the soldiers issued to the task of cleansing the quarantined area, as he provided manipulation fields to halt the zerg from overcoming the teams of soldiers. Sadly, he had been too distracted to catch up with current events, and he had horribly underestimated the speed of the infestation both in the research facility and within the city, as he completely overlooked the second wave of zerg organisms that eventually reached his facility.

Kay walked up to the chain link fence near the front entrance of this facility. It was a poor material to use, but it was efficient enough to keep civilians from breaking out. Zerg claws were able to slice through it easily. After making an entrance for himself, Kay stepped through the hole and onto the established quarantined perimeter and huffed. "Alright Faddoh, you shiny orange-ish brown tin can. Where are you?"

The soldiers firing their weapons at the gathered zerg outside the perimeter did their best to try and protect the quarantined area. When they saw Kay, one of them barked into their handheld radio. "COMMANDER FADDOH, ZERG LEADER KAY IS HERE! REPEAT, KAY IS IN THE QUARANTINED AREA!"

[Good. Send him inside.]

"... SIR?!"

[Be a good gentleman and let him inside. We have the blade hound pandemic under control.]

"Uh... Yes sir. Uh... Excuse me! Bug-man!" The gilanian soldier called out.

Kay narrowed his gaze on the soldier. "The hell do you want?"

"Uh... Commander Faddoh wants to see you inside the facility." He answered. "... Don't kill us please."

Kay raised an eyebrow, then smirked. "... Since you are so polite, I guess I can spare you. ... But that mercy can change, so don't rest on your laurels just yet." Kay said, walking past the polite soldier, and the other defenders that backed away from Kay's presence. _'Virid, you have command of the swarm. I'm going to hunt for a robot.'_

 _'Stay cautious. Faddoh is a commander, like Ralkan and Kralluf. Expect this one to have a few tricks up his metal sleeves.'_ Virid replied.

Kay nodded as he continued into the building.

After walking past the frightened soldiers, not daring to attack Kay in fear of what he could do to them, Kay casually made his way into the main hallway of Research Instillation S-01. Kay remembered that the insides looked much more cleaner, thanks to the perspectives provided by the changelisks and zerglings that have been let loose in this facility. Blood from the duplicated zerglings, and blood from the soldiers tasked to contain the zerg pandemic, mixed together in messy puddles found throughout the first floor. Soldiers looked like half-eaten corpses, and zerglings were riddled with bullets until death took them down, populated the halls and many of the chambers. Kay even saw a random orange coated scientist sprinting from one hallway to the next, completely covered in blood as he was chased by a limping zergling.

Kay would have asked for directions to Faddoh's office, but the comm system blared before he ever got the chance to. [Ah! The infamous Kay is here! Welcome to my facility! ... You ARE him this time, and not a doppelganger taking his place? ... You know what? That was a trick question. I know that you are the REAL Kay.]

Kay raised his eyebrow, looking up and around at the voice that was everywhere. "I uh... Didn't say that I was."

[Ah, but I did modify some of the cameras in the hallway you're currently residing in. They now use the scanning equipment parts that the scanners are also using. See, the scanners are but prototype detection devices, which happen to be cheap and easily producible machines that can be made from a simple manifestation altar. You seem to have two types of skeletons, one endo, and another exo. I wouldn't be too surprised if you also happen to have a hydrostatic skeleton within your body too, but I suppose performing a biopsy on you would reveal that answer.]

Kay frowned as he walked through the hallway, feeling the carapace scales on the back of his head prickle. "You know... I kind of wished that I had a changelisk take my place instead."

A laugh could be heard. [Ho ho ho ho~! Changelisk, doppelganger, whatever you choose to send in, it wouldn't matter! You are about as much of a guest as any other person I have invited into my home! You should feel great pangs of privilege within yourself, as you stumble in my humble halls. And to make sure nobody else intrudes into our time together, I have erected a magic wall from all sides of this facility. Even underneath the floor!]

Kay sighed as he peered around a corner, then took a turn into another hallway. "Yeah? Well I'm not too fond of a madman that has a madhouse to play with to his disposal. If I were to, let's say, be a rude guest in your research labs, what would happen?"

[A good question. If I were to be a gracious host, then I would have to show you an example of what I would do to such insalubrious guests. Feel free to make an example of yourself, and I would punish you accordingly!]

Kay scoffed. "I ain't some stupid sapsucker. I'd rather meet with you and get this over with. ... Oh, and continue trying to kill Gollog."

[You seemed to have forgotten that Gollog cannot be killed. You do realize that he is an immortal?]

"I can also settle for taking down his empire as a secondary objective." Kay said, rounding another corner and finding more bodies of zerglings and silver uniformed gilanian soldiers. There was so much death in these halls.

[Oh I don't doubt that! You even antagonized Emperor Gollog! So much so that he unleashed the Kiln Keepers in response to your antagonism. Your major weaknesses are still a far flung dream from being understood, but that doesn't mean such dreams cannot be achieved. But enough dawdling! Lets do some experimenting! I wonder if you can sense this neural oscillator from this distance?]

A gentle ringing noise could be heard in Kay's mind. He immediately turned to look at the disturbance that was at a distance away, up two levels and through several walls. "... Is that where you are?"

[Such an immediate response from that range! I must admit, this data is quite beneficial.]

Kay ran up a couple floors and went down several passageways, eventually coming into a room that was purposed for storing old tools and materials that would be recycled at a later time. Kay saw that there was a copper robot holding up a device that looked similar to the one that was used in Rickey's company when he contained the changelisk in a modified slave cage. But Kay growled once he realized that this robot was very much different from the one that Rickey once saw. It looked thinner and with a gangling appearance, with some copper panels that were missing from its arms and abdomen. "Beneficial or not, it's going to annoy the hell out of me."

The copper robot's LED face lit up into a jovial smile as he fiddled with the device in his hand. "Is that so? I apologize for inconveniencing you. But even so, you must live through all forms of inconveniences when you are inside of a lab. Now then, please be patient and allow me to change the settings on my oscillator."

Kay walked up to the robot. "Actually, I wanted to meet with you so I can tell you personally to stop this research."

The robot shook his head and grinned, chuckling. "Ho ho ho ho ho~! Oh, but as a scientist, I must grit through every challenge and accomplish the goals I set myself out on! I have made several developments in the scientific community, and I am well known throughout the world due to my contributions! I can't simply stop this research when I have discovered so much!"

Kay stopped in front of Faddoh, glaring at him venomously. "Even if I asked and said 'please stop?'"

Faddoh sighed and smiled. "I regret to inform you that my answer would still be no." Faddoh said, bringing up the device to activate it again.

Before Commander Faddoh had the chance to turn it on, Kay suddenly yanked it out of Faddoh's metal grasp. "Then you give me no choice but to do this." Kay said, crushing the neural oscillator into broken parts.

Faddoh chuckled. "Choice is just an illusion for the disillusioned. It is through science that we can see the truth in things. In fact, it enables us to see the truth in ALL things."

Kay's mind started ringing again, a slightly different tone making his head feel woozy. "Gh~. You made another one?"

Faddoh nodded. "Of course I did! Why should I risk having all of the krell eggs in a single basket? I'm smart enough to know that I don't need to risk everything on a single project, when I have so many disposable robotic bodies at my disposal!"

Kay sighed, readying the sharp points of his wings. "Then forgive me as I do this to your 'disposable body.'" Kay's wings aimed straight and true into the LED face of the commander of the Cube Research Division. After pulling his sharp wings to the sides, Faddoh's robotic body was split in half from the torso. It fell back defeated, but Kay felt as though this quarrel wasn't over.

[You might not be so easily forgiven, Kay.] Faddoh's voice said through the comm system. [Remember when I said I would punish you if you acted less than what a guest should act within someone's home? Allow me to demonstrate!]

The walls opened up to reveal several automated turrets, numbering thirty two in total, with eight on each side wall in the room Kay was in. They all aimed down at Kay with mechanical precision, threatening to shoot down the zerg organism that dared attacked their robot master. Kay stepped back a little as he saw these weapons train their sights on him. "... Uh... Shit?"

[Shit indeed!] The automated turrets opened fire on Kay, which pelted him with several different types of ammo. One seemed to be normal bullets of moderate caliber, denting his carapace dangerously. Another type of ammo used was incendiary, which burned the left side of his leg and torso. Yet another ammo type consisted of a sticky, inflatable balls that grew in size, which did their best to immobilize him. And a fourth ammo type were cryo rounds, turning his flesh brittle, hard, and painful for a split second.

Kay leaped out of the door of the room that tried to attack him. He recuperated outside of it, standing far away from the entrance to the storage space used for equipment and recyclables. Kay shook his head and chuckled, clawing at an inflatable ball and making it pop loudly. "Fucking hell! Like I said before, you're a madman playing in his own madhouse!"

[Semantics, really. Tell me, how are you feeling right now?]

Kay shook his head to try and get rid of the grogginess in his brain. "Makes me feel more determined to try and eradicate you."

[I meant what are you PHYSICAL symptoms?]

Kay power-walked forward to where the source of that oscillating signal is coming from, which was two more floors up. "I'll show you physical." Kay said, gritting his teeth and growling.

[Then let us up the frequency and see what the results are.] Kay's mind became more blurred as he reached the location of the annoying psionic emitter, or 'neural oscillator' as Faddoh called it.

Kay crashed through the next room containing the psionic emanations, which happened to be a large restroom this time. Kay had a hard time standing up since the closeness of the frequency was effecting his equilibrium. "Grrhf... Fuck that thing, and fuck you."

Faddoh, bearing the new robotic form that looked two feet shorter than before, and bearing thick feet that Kay did not understand the purposes of, chuckled again. "Ho ho ho ho ho~! I'm sorry to inform you, Kay, but robots can't breed. Or attempt procreation for entertainment, for that matter. But please, describe all of your symptoms to me. I do love to acquire data from the perspective of my test subjects!"

A kinetic blast launched from Kay's mind, directed from his opened palms that were vaguely pointed toward Commander Faddoh. His vision was blurred however, which resulted in the restroom mirror behind Commander Faddoh to explode into several shards of reflective glass, flying in all directions. Faddoh was pushed forward, which resulted in an awkward, unbalanced gait that fell onto Kay. They both fell over onto the ground as a result. "Gh-! Stay still, you fucker you." Kay said, groggily.

Faddoh seemed to laugh at the explosion of psionic power and shattered mirror that pushed him forward. "Ho ho ho ho ho~! Quite interesting! I think this setting has a more inebriated effect on your mind! And speaking of matters of the mind, what was that attack just now?! I have never seen such an ability befo-"

Commander Faddoh was quieted when a fist punched through his LED face and into his chassis interior. Kay then began to pull out several wires and several ruined machine parts. After another punch was delivered to the oscillator, Kay's head cleared up in an instant. "Guh. Oh. Ah, that's better."

[As I was saying, I have never seen such an ability before! Is it some form of telekinetic attack?!] Faddoh said through the intercom system again.

Kay got up from the ground and shook his head. "Oof." Kay said, going to a sink to douse his face.

[Or... You know... Don't answer me. Here. Let me help clean you up.] Water suddenly jetted into Kay's face, making him lurch backward to avoid the sudden rush of cold fluid. The door behind himself closed shut as the restroom quickly filled with water, with even the toilets jetting more water than the sinks in the restroom. Kay shook his head again, only to realize that the water was moving past his knees.

"What the fuck?!" Kay replied as the water's level went past his chest and made him float. The air quickly vacated the restroom as it filled completely with water, trapping Kay in a restroom-shaped aquarium.

Kay was in no danger, since the zerg can easily adapt to many different kinds of environments, including under the water of many lakes and oceans. Faddoh was probably hoping to drown Kay using the flooded restroom. Kay slowly shook his head, casually swimming to the door and slashing at it with his claws and wings. An electric shock pushed him back, which made him convulse for a split second. He grunted underwater, and decided to attack the door from a distance instead. A hole formed in the door as he launched energy blasts through the water, but Kay received another shock that stopped his attack. An underwater growl emanated from Kay, frustrated as he realized that the restroom might have hidden surveillance cameras, and that the water in the room was being electrified as a means to pacify and contain Kay.

Kay readied his stance, aiming his sharp claws at the door that was in front of him. He then launched forward in a powerful strike that damaged the sealed door greatly, heavily pouncing onto the mechanism that sealed him inside, even when his own movements were greatly slowed down by the flooding water in the bathroom. After that, Kay instantly shifted and pressed himself forward using his own psionic powers, which resulted in the door bursting open from the double attack as his claws propelled forward as he struck into and through the metal door. Many gallons of water spilled from the restroom, but it couldn't contain Kay for long when he finally made his own exit. He spat out toilet water once he got back up from the flooded ground. [What marvelous strength! Not only do you have incredibly powerful muscles, but also a determined willpower. Shame that you didn't drown in the lavatory, or my job would have been so much easier.]

Kay sighed. "Getting real tired of this game of ours, Faddoh. What's it going to take to get you to realize that I, or the zerg, don't like being played with?!" he said with a low roar.

A chuckle corrupted the air. [Ho ho ho~! Oh, but I am having so much fun! I will see what kinds of combinations of oscillations will do to you, and you can be sure that I will go through several iterations to acquire the most optimal results.]

Kay started chuckling as he heard another psionic frequency tickle into his mind. "Heheheh~." He went into a jog as he followed the frequency to the next destination. "Pffahaha~." Kay traveled another two floors up, following the psionic emission to a lab filled with many vials and beakers that were filled with various fluids. "Hahahahaha~!"

Kay found Faddoh in yet another copper robot body, whose appearance looked more animal than humanoid. It was similar to a tauric gazelle that had one of its arms ruined beyond repair, and the horns were replaced with yet more arms. "Hmm. It seems as though different frequencies have different effects on your mood. Zerg organisms sure are strange!"

"Hahahahahaha~!" Kay laughed hard, having a hard time trying to get close to Faddoh. He didn't know what was funny at the moment, but he had already deduced that the cause was coming from Faddoh's oscillator.

Commander Faddoh pranced around in his animalistic form, keeping away from Kay's grasping reach. "I see that this oscillator also affects combat ability to some degree. Quite interesting!"

"Hahahaha-what you ne-heeheehehee-ed is to die! Hahahahaha~!" Kay chortled, smiling like a maniac and laughing uncontrollably. He tried to catch the galloping copper deer, but it evaded his clutches every time he got close.

Faddoh shook his head. "Robots cannot die, you giggling buffoon. Now, can you promise me to calm down if I turn off this oscillator? I wish to talk to you about the test results I am observing."

"Hohohoho~! You-hah, you-hah, you c-hah-n eat a fucking turd you dipshit! Hahahahaha~!" Kay replied, taking a beaker and throwing it at the bounding robot.

The vial missed, but the robot slipped on the fluids and landed on his side, getting his legs tangled in two stools. "Gah! ... Well I might not appreciate your humor, but I sure can tell you that I hate being at the butt of a joke!" Faddoh complained.

Kay laughed and laughed and laughed as he walked toward the gazelle robot, mounting its side and leaning onto the torso. "Ha ha ha hahahahahahaaah~! Ahah, aha, ahah, ahah make it hah stop! I hahaha can't feel my face! Hahahahahahaha~!" Kay raised both of his fists up and pounded them downward onto the robot, while also slamming his fists into the oscillator with righteous smashing.

[As amusing as that was, it looks like all my research is not going along as I intended. Hmm. Perhaps I should increase the power and shorten the wavelength?]

Kay was able to get deep breaths into his lungs as he was freed of his laughing fit. "Hawh~! Oh~! Oh gosh, my sides were starting to sting too! Hooh! Damn it, that was painful!"

[It's good to know that I can cause some damage to you.]

"Hoooh... Fuck you, Faddoh. Oh man. I think all that guffawing cleared out all of the bathroom water in my lungs." Kay said, feeling relief.

[Well, you have been given a moment's respite. Lets see if this new oscillation frequency has a greater effect on you.]

Kay's mind suddenly felt pain spearing into his head. He clutched his head as he tried to scream in agony, but no scream had came out. He tried to walk toward the noise, but his equilibrium was affected again. He bumped into several tables and chairs, knocking down several beakers and vials in his immediate clumsiness.

[Ooh, this looks like a very favorable result. May I share my insight with you? I think I will. It would appear as though that one can potentially overload the neural oscillations within your brain, simply by increasing the power and wavelength. I have now concluded that certain patterns of different oscillations seem to affect the brain of the typical zerg organism. Since this has a great effect on you, I do believe this will have an even greater effect on your zerg monsters.]

Kay struggled to proceed toward the painful psionic noise as his knees shook rapidly. He felt winded once he reached the staircase. Apparently, the oscillator was another two floors up from where Kay was. He tried to scale the steps, but he found difficulty getting one foot up at a time. The psionic emission grew more worse as he scaled the staircase.

[Having difficulty getting to where I am? Not to worry. I'll come and meet you.]

Kay's mind became worse and worse as Commander Faddoh came closer. The pain had became so bad that he lost his footing and started falling down the staircase. After a while of tumbling, Kay finally came to a stop at the bottom staircase on the last floor. "Gh... Fuck."

Some minutes had passed before Faddoh entered Kay's vision, his mind splitting into a horrendous headache of incredible proportion. This time, Commander Faddoh was in the six armed combat robot that he used to capture the changelisks and zerglings. Faddoh got down on a knee and inspected Kay's crumpled form. "Tsk tsk tsk. Look how the mighty have fallen. I must say, you look far less impressive like this. But I suppose it's to be expected when one has the upper hand against you. Now then! Could you tell me what you are currently feeling?"

Kay clutched at his head since he was in too much pain to answer. Spit frothed from his mouth as he tried to talk, but the proximity of the oscillator made it too unbearable. Kay had to act fast.

Faddoh prodded Kay's face for an answer. "Come on, give me your input. Here, let me ease your pain a little." Faddoh adjusted the neural oscillator in his hand, and Kay's headache was reduced to seventy percent to what it was before. After that, Faddoh resorted to prodding Kay again. "Now tell me, please! What does it feel like to be in your current condition!"

Kay clenched his teeth as he summoned all the willpower he could. "That... That I feel like falling..."

Faddoh's green LED face raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Interesting... But not really. You did tumble down several flights of stairs, after all."

"And..."

Faddoh tilted his head. "And what?"

"And... And you're..."

Faddoh blinked.

"... And you're going... to fall with me." Kay said with a strained smile.

A rumble was heard from all directions, but Faddoh didn't notice it when was listening intently to Kay. The rumble shook everything in the facility as the quaking became louder and louder. Outside of the facility, several nydus worms in close proximity to one another erupted from the ground in unison. The simultaneous roars they made were cacophonous, hurting the ears of those nearby, and spelling disaster to a monumental degree.

The ground under the facility suddenly shifted. Crumbled rock and decorative pavement cracked and crumbled as the nydus worms surrounding the research facility had loosened the structures and floors beneath itself. After a few seconds of silence, the facility finally shifted downward and tumbled down several levels that were carved through by the nydus worms. The magic wall kept its shape in its plummet, but the insides were shifted around violently and destructively. During the fall, the commander of the Cube Research Division had lost his latest neural oscillator. The psionic signal it produced no longer made its psionic emissions, which supposedly meant that it was destroyed. As the facility kept falling through level after level, the magic walls gave out once the power that generated them had started malfunctioning, the inside of the facility experiencing a complete blackout.

The facility finally settled as it fell to the final floor. Several seconds had passed before Kay shakily got up. He felt as though steel rebar had punctured through his abdomen. Kay sighed as he got up from the shifted furniture. He did not find an intact copper robot anywhere, but he knew that it must have been damaged beyond repair since he was unable to hear him after the facility had fallen. A light emanated from the distance as copper colored doors were forced open by claws. Zerglings, roaches, hydralisks, and Virid wandered into the ruined facility, taking great caution if they happened upon any copper and green accent colored robots.

 _'Kay! Are you alright?'_ Virid asked, sounding slightly worried.

 _'I'm fine. That was too close for comfort.'_ Kay said, as he got up and limped forward while he was holding his arm.

Virid nodded. _'If you require healing, I can assist you.'_

 _'Eh... A quick transfusion then. But after that, I want one group of zerg analyzing everything they can in this facility. And another group storming Gollog's castle.'_

Virid trilled excitedly, pleading her thin, yet clawed, fingers together. _'Good. The emperor will know fear today, as well as everyone else belonging to the empire.'_

Kay sighed as he looked down. Much to his surprise, he actually did find a piece of rebar jutting out of his gut. He carefully grasped the metal rod firmly and eased it out of his stomach. Once it was removed from his abdomen, Kay took a deep breath of relief. _'Well... Faddoh is somewhere around here in this mess. Destroy all the robots and prevent him from switching to another robot body.'_

Virid nodded. _'Shall we storm the castle, or heal first?'_

Kay grunted as he continued on his way out of the research facility. _'A quick heal first, and then we start storming.'_

Truly, the zerg were dangerous monsters.

* * *

 **A/N: Ugh, it's late. Might come back and review this chapter when I slept.**

 **EDIT: Back, and corrected a few mistakes.**


	40. MB6: The Castle of Dreams

**Chapter 40: Major Battle 6: The Castle of Dreams**

* * *

Ever since the research facility had fallen under the ground, coming to a stop several levels down all they way to the lowest part of Empire City, the morale of the gilanian soldier defenders had reached an all-time low. Several nydus worms have sprouted around the area where the research facility had fallen through, and had already vomited forth several zerg strains. When drones and queens emerged from the nydus worms, the soldiers of the Golden Star Empire, and its differing divisions, were met with a difficult task that became next to impossible to eradicate. Once the drones morphed into bio-structures, and the queens made their creep tumors, there was little that could deter the infestation at that moment.

The anti-riot bots that were sent against the zerglings had been shot down by the hydralisks, effectively being out-ranged by their spines. The Crescent Arms soldiers tried to flank the zerg and prevent their swarm from gaining further ground, but the lurkers and ravagers had halted their attempts completely. Shadow assassins did everything they could to try and infiltrate into the zerg infestation, but the spore crawlers and overseers quickly stopped all of their further attempts. The Torus Chain division had set up various defensive structures, ranging from automated turrets that can strike underground targets or magic wall emitters that halted zergling progress, but the zerg continued to push through using a swarm of banelings to blast apart the sentries and oval path blocking devices. Once the aberrations later joined with the swarms of zerglings, it had only made it that much more difficult for the Golden Star soldiers.

Within Empire City's city hall, Lieutenant Braxog pounded on his desk within the makeshift command center, which was built within a high ranking office that could house a mayor in a mayoral position. But in reality, on Prison Planet Kiln, the colonels of the Torus Chain Divisions acted in a similar role as a mayor in all gilanian settlements that are either owned or conquered by Emperor Gollog. The exception to that rule was practiced in the unaligned settlements, with Baroness Tak at Citadel Gargantua being an example. "DAMN! EVERY! FUCKING! JAG! ZERG!" Braxog complained loudly.

[Annoyed.] Commander Guik said through Braxog's communication system on his desk. [The zerg infestation is no longer able to be contained. I am saddened by the possible scenario of Empire City not being recoverable from the zerg infestation.]

Braxog hissed and bit his lip as he leaned forward, his dialysis machine being brought to lean with him as he pulled the tubes on the machine with him. "If my colonel was here, he could sort this out easily. But no, he said that he had a bad feeling in his gut! Imagine that! A gut feeling! What a rotten day to take a sick leave! This is so like him to play it ill when the pressure gets too high!"

[Indifferent. You can write a formal complaint later. Your services in staving the zerg infestation is our main priority.]

Braxog hissed again. "Even if I pulled a miracle out of my cloaca, I would still doubt that I can reclaim this city on my own! I'd rather issue an evacuation order and get the troops out of here! ... Say... I wonder if I can request to evacuate into your Pyramidal Guard Division facility? That seems like the safest place to find refuge in, as of right now."

[Disgusted. I will not fulfill such a request. I can predict with utmost certainty that you time within our walls will mainly involve ogling and flirting with the personnel in my facility. Request denied.]

Braxog sighed and slumped in his seat. "Aw. I really wanted to see what a shadow assassin looked like too."

[Unamused. I doubt an active shadow assassin would ever allow you to see her during work hours.]

"Eh. ... In any case, I just might order all troops to evacuate the city anyway. I can see a lost cause when the fight is at the later stages of the conflict, and this is one of them." Braxog said, sighing.

[I gave out no such orders.] The familiar voice of General Pallax said, coming from Braxog's communication system. [It is true that Colonel Vodnum is getting treated for his illness, but you did agree to work in his stead nonetheless.]

"So what do you expect me to do? Die here?" Braxog asked. "Commander Guik's shadow assassins have also failed in their missions too! I'll even assume that they were trying to deliver bombs to the zerg's entry point into this city, but got stopped by some kind of specialist zerg organism, or whatever."

[Defensive.] Guik replied. [That information is confidential, and is not to be discussed openly.]

[I'll have to agree with Commander Guik here, Lieutenant Braxog.] Pallax said. [No discussion of tactics on the radio. We don't know how widespread the doppelgangers are, and every doppelganger is but another spy that informs the zerg's master. Use the shadow frequency if you need to.]

"Hrmm... Yes general, sir." Braxog complied with a slight groan.

[And a side note.] Pallax added. [If I hear you so much as sound the retreat, or hear that you fled from the city when there is still a zerg infestation inhibiting the infrastructure, then I will sentence your life to Death Without End as punishment of your treasonous insubordination. Have I made myself clear?]

Braxog gulped, feeling his heart tighten from Pallax's words. "Sir, yes sir."

[Good. Commander Guik, let us talk privately now.]

[Eager. Yes, general.]

After that communique between himself, the commander of the Pyramidal Guard Division, and the general of the four armies, the communication system finally went silent. Braxog sighed again and got up from his desk's seat and unholstered two pistols from two holsters on his hips. He took in a deep breath and roared at his men. "ALRIGHT, YOU FUCKING INGRATES, LISTEN UP! THE ZERG ARE GOING TO INVADE THE UPPER LEVELS OF OUR CITY AND WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM HELL! I ORDER YOU ASSHOLES OUTSIDE THIS BUILDING TO FORM SNIPER TEAMS OVERLOOKING EVERY POSSIBLE ENTRANCE INTO THIS BUILDING! I ALSO NEED THESE HALLS BARRICADED, AND EACH JUNCTURE MAINTAINED BY A SQUAD IN EACH HALL! EACH OF THESE SQUADS WILL DEFEND THE JUNCTURES AND KEY POINTS, BUT A FEW DEDICATED ASSISTING SQUADS WILL COUNTER-ATTACK ANY ENGAGING ZERG! THERE WILL ALSO BE PATROLS THAT WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT, AND A SPECIALIZED TEAM THAT WILL DRAW ATTENTION WHEN THE ORDER TO RETREAT HAS BEEN ISSUED! SHOOT FOR THE EYES IF YOU CAN! THEIR HIDE IS TOO TOUGH FOR CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS, BUT THE ORBITAL PLATE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE EYE SOCKETS FOR YOU INBRED TYPES, IS THE THINNEST PART OF THEIR SKULLS! IF A JAG ZERG CRITTER IS LOOKING AT YOU, AND YOU SHOOT IT IN ITS EYES, THEN YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH KILL IT IN ONE SHOT! MANY OF THESE CREATURES HAVE MULTIPLE EYES, AND SOME OF THEM HAVE NONE, BUT THEY ALL FALL DOWN ALL THE SAME WHEN ENOUGH FIREPOWER OVERWHELMS THEM! YOU HAVE YOUR ORDERS, GENTS! MAKE THEM COUNT!"

Truthfully, if Lieutenant Braxog had known that a changelisk was in earshot of his orders, then the fight within the city hall would have went far more differently. Already, the disguised changelisk had sabotaged the only MEM device in the building, which would make any attempt of retreat to safer locations horribly difficult for the last remaining defenders of Empire City.

* * *

The creep was spreading across the ground like how a slime mold would search along a surface for food. The queens were quick to create the creep tumors at the edges of the creep made by the nydus worms, increasing their coverage on the detailed ground. This creep gave all ground strains of the zerg a boost to their already impressive speed, enabling the zerg to reach their battles even faster. As with all engagements, the zerglings were often the first to find a fight.

The city hall was well defended by several automated turrets, and several more were being placed as the defenders retreated inside of the city hall building. They prepared to barricade themselves inside as they expected the worst to come.

Kay figured that if he sent his roaches first, then his ravagers second, he could use the roaches to distract the turrets long enough for the ravagers to barrage the turrets with globs of corrosive bile. The snipers might be a problem since there wasn't any overseers currently in the top levels of the city, but setting up a hatchery cluster next to the amassed nydus worms that made the research facility sank could solve that problem quickly. Once the snipers were discovered by the overseers, the hydralisks could counter-snipe them with ease. Getting through the city hall's barricades would hold little resistance if a baneling or two suicides it open. Hell, the banelings could make new entrances as well, giving the zerg new entry points into the building quite easily. Lurkers would be positioned around the building to prevent anyone from leaving, while the zerglings would rush in and hunt down the remaining defenders.

Kay sighed as he turned away from the city hall and focused on a completely different obstacle. The white opalescent doors that marked the path leading to Gollog's castle. It was fifteen meters tall and ten meters wide. The door was pentagonal in shape, and was more of a tall rectangular shape that had extra room at the top of the door. At that moment, Kay was unsure if he should knock on the door or force his way through. "Hmm."

 _'Is there something troubling you?'_ Virid asked. She had been busy sorting through the wreckage inside and around Research Station S-01.

 _'Can't decide if I should be polite and ring the doorbell, or make my own entrance.'_

 _'As I said before, the swarm are not known to be polite. Smash through the gate and be done with it.'_

Kay smiled and shook his head. _'Now now, Virid. Royalty requires a personal touch, and I plan on savoring the punishment I am going to give Gollog. It's gotta be at the right time, and at the right moment.'_

 _'Then I suggest you to personally refrain from entering the castle altogether. Have a changelisk assume your appearance and have it go in your stead.'_

Kay sighed. _'But Commander Faddoh had created that scanner technology, and he installed it on his camera system in his research station without me knowing about it. How he did that when there was a zergling infestation happening within his facility is beyond me, but he proved to be far more resourceful than I had estimated him to be within that moment. I am willing to assume that Gollog has scanner cameras inside his gaudy home too. It'd be a perfect opportunity to set up a trap.'_

Virid emerged from a nearby nydus worm, carrying an aquarium as she walked towards Kay. _'If Gollog has indeed prepared for our arrival, then we must also assume that he has erected defenses to prevent his home from being invaded.'_

 _'Sad to admit, but it's a possibility. Heheh, who knows what kind of tricks he has in store in there!'_ Kay said, chuckling weakly.

 _'On the topic of tricks, Commander Faddoh had something stored in his chamber. I believe that we can use it.'_ Virid said, setting the aquarium down onto the ground.

Kay turned around to see what Virid had meant, and his facial features turned from concern to interest. "Oh!" Kay walked up to the aquarium and peered into in, inspecting its insides. The inside of the tank contained what looked like twigs and leaves covered with... _'plant lice?'_

 _'That is what they seem to be. Since Corvurn isn't here, you will have to facilitate in his role again.'_

 _'Ugh, I dunno. After last time, I was more thinking I'd hold off on doing... that again.'_ Kay said, remembering the taste of churned jellyfish. _'... Also, how did the aquarium survive when the research station crashed through so many floors?'_

Virid stared at Kay for a few seconds before hissing. _'Kay, be reasonable. If the jellyfish you ate had not given our swarm the ability to regress into their previous transformations, then I would not consider asking this from you. But seeing how effective you are able to weave the genetics of the jellyfish into our brood, I would recommend eating these insects. And for your information, the aquarium was an inset aquarium. All I needed to do was pull it out of the wall.'_

 _'Huh... Well, I still don't want to eat the bugs.'_ Kay said, crossing his arms and staring back at Virid. _'... Unless I really have to.'_

The pause between Kay and Virid lasted for several seconds. Virid decided to break the silence with an annoyed hiss. _'If it wasn't for you eating the jellyfish, we wouldn't have created the distraction in the research facility in the first place. Would you put this off later knowing that there is another biological advantage that could be achieved by eating Commander Faddoh's pets?'_

Kay paused for a longer while before sighing. "... Fuck." Kay turned slowly to the aquarium and carefully opened it. After digging his hand into the aquarium, he had carefully stripped branch and leaf of so many plant lice. He deposited them into his maw, scrunching his face as he filled his mouth with a mouthful of green bugs. After a few careful chews, he gulped the minuscule morsels. Unlike the salty taste of the jellyfish, the plant lice actually had a more pleasant flavor, similar to sweet flakes of dried honey. And the flickering of many skittering legs trying to find a way out. "... Blugh."

Virid sighed as she analyzed Kay's munching on the mouthful of insects. _'I trust that your success from the last organism you ate will carry over and reward the swarm once again.'_

 _'Yeah yeah I get it. Stop talking for a few seconds. I need to concentrate.'_ Kay closed his eyes and took in a deep breath before he focused on his body, and the genetic data that was introduced to it. The first time Kay did this, all he had was the knowledge that Corvurn was able to impart, which granted him some shared experience on how to genetically create new mutations for the swarm. But now, Kay was slowly getting the hang of altering and changing the genetic code from a template DNA blueprint from one organism, and grafting the key genetic strands into the zerg swarm. This process took a little more time than before, as half a minute had already passed. _'... Alright, I think I have done it.'_ Kay said, getting onto his knees as he leaned forward. _'Now I just have to wait for my body to... expel the result. ... Oh? Oh, here it comes!'_ "Ack! Blgh! Mlp! **BLOUHG~!** "

Kay upchucked the resulting stew that churned in his belly, and the result went as expected when one vomits their food. But in the case of the zerg, the modified DNA strands were absorbed into the creep, which then traveled quickly to the other zerg organisms connected to the creep. Virid seemed deeply pleased by this, but even she was unsure what changes the zerg would experience. _'At least you did what was needed for the swarm. But I am curious. What did you concoct this time?'_ Virid asked.

Kay sighed as he licked his lips and spat, getting back up after wiping his mouth of DNA-infused bile. _'Last time, I didn't really know what I was doing. But back then, I did see some favorable genetic strands through my mind, and assumed that they would integrate into the swarm. This time, I was patient when I analyzed the plant lice's genetic strands. I think I created some mutations that affects the production of larvae, and affected certain units to produce larvae within themselves. I made the ability to be limited to the infested organisms. Well... And the queens too I guess, but only if it's for an emergency.'_

Virid seemed surprised. _'So... Our larvae production has increased? And the queens and infested organisms can also make larvae? Kay, that is a huge boon to our swarm!'_

Kay turned to Virid and smiled. _'Yeah, well, you're welcome. Once the genetic information moves through the creep and interacts with the nydus worms, then all of the zerg will benefit from the adaptation. Well... Except for the zerg on the moon that is. Speaking of which, I wonder how Corvurn is doing?'_

Virid sighed as she directed her focus onto the zerg hivemind psionic network, linking herself to the evolution master on the moon. _'Corvurn, this is Virid. The aspiring evolution master, Kay, has outdone you once more. He wants to know the condition of your current status.'_

 _'Better.'_ Corvurn replied. He seemed more healthier sounding than before. _'Nanite resistance has improved. Ninety six percent resistance achieved. Immunity imminent. Query. Kay modified another genetic adaptation?'_

Kay nodded. _'That I did. I hope I am not making you jealous.'_

 _'Jealousy unimportant. Results important. Analyzing swarm. ... Interesting! Larvae production nearly doubled. Larvae generation capable within infested and queen strain organisms. Infested organisms risk destruction with gestation of single larva. Queen strains capable of repeated gestation of single larva. Jealousy unimportant, but evident.'_

Kay chuckled. _'Step up your game, Corvurn, or I might take over your job.'_

 _'Games irreverent. However, can provide new strains and mutations through spore cannon volley. Request. Trade spores to moon hive cluster?'_

 _'Sure buddy. I'll have a spore cannons at the Whisper Stones hive cluster send up the genetic information to you.'_ Kay said as one of the hatcheries at Whisper Stones was already being regressed back into a drone and turning into a spore cannon. He had seen into Corvurn's mind and saw what kind of mutations and zerg strains that he was unlocking and creating. Overall, Kay was both impressed by Corvurn, and also jealous of him in his own way.

But as these new orders were issued to the swarm, a familiar problem came back to bear against the zerg. _'_... _Problem detected. Orbital attack emitting from sun.'_ Corvurn reported.

Kay could already feel Gollog's smiting attack smite across the desert lands and much of the countryside. Thankfully, much like last time, the sky laser is only targeting areas that have been covered with creep. But with the zerglings, and other speedy zerg organisms, running around the world at high speeds, with changelisks disguised as zerglings scouting new areas and gilanian settlements, the zerg have spread quite far across the globe at incredible speed in the span of just a few days. They even found other caves that had intricate tunnel systems that could house more nydus worms and hive clusters. Kay sighed in annoyance. _'Well, you got to hand it to the emperor. He's dedicated about getting rid of us.'_

 _'Even so,'_ Virid said, scuttling to the front of Kay. _'we are on the doorsteps of his home. Destroying the foundation of his empire below his very feet will send a powerful message to him. I recommend eradicating all enemies in this city first. Afterwards, we'll go after Emperor Gollog.'_

Kay looked up at Virid and nodded. _'I like your way of thinking, Virid. Can't have another foundation if you don't have followers to build one. And on top of that, we also need to deal with the Kiln Keepers.'_

 _'I cannot agree more.'_ Virid replied.

After that conversation, the swarm would soon focus on rooting out the Kiln Keeper factory in Empire City.

* * *

The way into the factory that produces the Kiln Keepers, and the other deadly variations of them, was quite puzzling. Apparently, it was cordoned off from the civilian population, which prevented anyone from entering the factory. Even the soldiers were forbidden to enter for some unknown reason. The entrance into the facility had a silvery and huge triangular panel that appeared to act as the door, but the zerg knew not on how to open it or enter through it. But an unusual door with no knocker to bang, or a nob to turn, had never stopped the zerg before.

The zerglings were summoned forth to make an entrance through the silver panel. However, once their claws tried to cut through, the zerglings were pulled into that very panel and were smothered, as though submerged under water. Seconds later, the zerglings trapped by the door were dissolved completely. Was the door made of acid? It was a completely unprecedented defense against the zerg forces that Kay, or Virid, wasn't prepared for. Since using melee was no longer an option, ranged attacks would be used next. Roaches and hydralisks came to the entrance of the factory and started unloading their preferred ammunition onto the silvery panel. The sound of the roaches' sizzling acid and the hydralisks' super sonic needle impacts echoed in the city as the silvery panel/door was attacked. The door still didn't budge, or deformed in any way, as it became under siege.

More roaches were moved into the area, and they added their acid to the already impressive torrent of corrosive fluid being spat at the entrance. But even as a hundred roaches joined with the effort to make a new entrance into the facility, the silver door still remained unaffected.

... Well... as the idiom goes: If you can't go through the mountain, go around it.

The roaches instantly changed their aim at the walls beside the silver panel/door, and the walls started melting and dissolving under the barrage of roach acid. As the walls broke away, a silvery fluid started to flow onto the ground, and then back up onto the door's frame, as though trying to repair the damage. It was an unusual thing to see, but the damage that the roaches could deliver overwhelmed the fluid's ability to repair the factory's entrance. Despite seeing this, however, the triangular panel/door seemed to stretch on a little bit more before more triangular panels/doors was discovered behind the triangular archway, looking as though it hid solid face shapes that formed a seamless surface.

[Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Key systems retaining damaged. Deficient unit formation. Deficient unit composition. Upgrades required. Requesting additional assets. Modifying equipment. Unable to alter current strategy. Awaiting assets. Condition met: Key system damage detected. Initiating command override fail-safe. Free will functions activated. KZTTKRZKTZRTKTTKZRTKZRTZZKRTZKTR! ... Failure of free will functions detected. Intelligence cores missing. Targeting intelligence cores for MEM shift transfers. ... Transfers incomplete. Failure detected at MEM facility. Warning: Factory assets are being destroyed. Unable to maintain foothold. Adjusting strategy.]

A sound that was equal to an earthquake thundered within the city, mostly originating at the Kiln Keeper factory. After several seconds of quaking, the seismic shaking suddenly stopped for ten seconds. The ten second pause was then followed by the entire Kiln Keeper factory shooting straight up, grazing the outside structure of Empire City and erupting through the freshwater and saltwater layered ocean. Once the factory had unearthed itself, the zerg could see its full shape from the surface.

The Kiln Keeper factory looked like a massive spherical structure that floated above the ground, but close inspection revealed that the sphere consisted of many sides, containing several triangular panels that all shared the same dimensions that fused together seamlessly, and was five hundred meters wide in diameter. Kiln Keepers seem to fall out of the smooth sides of the triangular panels, looking as though they were phasing through the surfaces itself. The zerg had little time to readjust their strategy and target the floating triangular-sided sphere, since it started zooming past the battlefield of the zerg forces that are already being eradicated by Gollog's smiting sky laser, save for those that are infesting the dark side of the planet near the Day Circle. But many of the zerg organisms that were smart enough to escape the sun's smiting barrage were able to see the quick flying structure for themselves, mainly consisting of overseers, and some zerg air-strains being able to attack it, consisting of corruptors, scourge, vipers and mutalisks.

The structure moved too fast for the mutalisks and corruptors to fire their projectiles at, with the mutalisks' glaive wurms either glancing or disappearing into the structure. The zerg scourge had more luck, since one's metamorphic plasma attack prompted it to alter its course from colliding into more of the scourge. The vipers did stall its progress with their powerful tongues and wings, but they vanished the instant the factory got close to them. No matter how many delays it met across, it still continued to fly southward at incredible speeds, even completely ignoring the attacks from the spore crawlers, spore cannons and hydralisks that it passed by.

The zerg caused the factory to frantically fly to the air in escape from its destruction, using a system of propulsion that couldn't be explained or analyzed as it erratically floated in the air by unknown means. But it also seemed to speed through the air with purpose as it zoomed southward.

* * *

Kay blinked his eyes as he saw a tunnel leading upwards from a steep, and massive hole. Water from the surrounding ocean flowed into the opening in the earth, which was now reaching Kay's ankles and trickling further into the underground city. Kay was at a loss of words. "... Kay, what the fuck?!"

Virid was surprised by this too. She saw that the Kiln Keeper factory had damaged the outer reinforced walls of the underground city, which helped prevent the water from the ocean to submerge the lower sections of the city. Empire city was below sea level afterall. _'The technologies of the gilanians has the unfortunate habit of surprising me at times. A dangerous meme of late.'_

"It just... Upped and fucked off! Is it a mobile factory this whole time?!"

Virid shook her head and sighed. _'Kay, use your inside voice.'_

Kay turned to Virid, too distracted by the fleeing giant chrome ball. "Huh?"

 _'Your INSIDE inside voice. You know, like what I am using?'_

Kay paused before nodding. _'Oh, right right. Sorry. I kind of got distracted when the factory took off into the sky... Though I kind of expected to see this sort of strategy being used by terran factories.'_

 _'We had no idea that the Kiln Keeper factory could fly, Kay.'_ Virid replied. _'But it does seem that their Kiln Keeper production has been mitigated.'_

Kay nodded with a smirk. _'Well uh... That's good then! means we have less enemies to deal with.'_

Suddenly, a voice had shouted through the city-wide intercom system. [Kay, bug-man beast-master of the zerg swarm, I call to you.] Said the ever regal voice of Emperor Gollog. [I wish to summon you into my domain. Do not send a doppelganger of your likeness to me, because I have the power to see through the farce. I wish to engage in a civil discussion. No tricks, no aggressive barbs, no ulterior motives, and certainly no fighting. Can you see it within yourself to call a truce and enable this trade of words? On my rule as an emperor, I vow that I, and my forces, would do no harm to you, if you agree to not attack us. I await your arrival at the front gate of my home.]

Kay and Virid blinked a few times. Kay turned to Virid with a confused stare. _'Do you think he's setting up a trap? This seems awfully too convenient.'_

Virid shook her head. _'I am uncertain. ... Should you chance this meeting and find out what he wants?'_

Kay crinkled his expression into further confusion. _'Should I what?!'_

 _'Should you go and hear what Gollog wants to say?'_ Virid asked. _'I doubt that he is setting up a trap, considering that his tone was somewhat... somber sounding.'_

Kay thought about it for a second. _'... We'll see for ourselves, I suppose. But this does give me an idea...'_

* * *

Another trip through the nydus worms, and Kay and Virid met back at the front of the opalescent white doors that lead into the castle. This time, however, Kay and Virid saw that the opalescent doors were opened wide, and that a single figure stood in the entryway. The figure wore a white robe, bearing gauntlets, boots, and a crowned helm of shimmering opalescent metal. It was Emperor Gollog, and Kay wouldn't be convinced if someone else said otherwise. And yet, Kay could see that Gollog's expression was... noticeably dour.

Once Kay gave the emperor a stern stare, which Kay was still unable to read the mind of, he stepped forward and growled. "Okay, why the fuck do you want to chat with us? Are you going to surrender to us? Is that it?"

Gollog held up his hand and sighed. "No, Kay. This is not a surrender. This is... This is a time of grave occurrences."

Kay tilted his head, uncertain of what to make of Gollog's emotions that he could only read from his face. Kay, for a lack of a better way to say it, was actually at a loss of words. Emperor Gollog looked like he was troubled by something.

Gollog lowered his hand. "I'm afraid that I must tell you what had happened, but it would take too long to impart this news in such an... uncomfortable setting. Please bring yourself into my home, but I insist on you leaving your zerg creatures behind. As such, I shall grant you permission to enter my home if you do. In granting you such permissions, I request that you follow me, please."

As Gollog turned away, Kay looked back at Virid with a confused expression. Virid simply shrugged. After a sigh, Kay craned his neck and followed after the immortal emperor. "... Fine. But if I find out that this is not a friendly discussion, then I'm bugging out."

Gollod sighed. "I'm sure you are well founded in your reasons, Kay. However, I am more worried about the Kiln Keepers than I am of you, at the moment." He said, walking up a long flight of stairs.

Kay also ascended the opalescent staircase, noting that it lead a fair ways up. "I think they barked about something relating to... free will functions?"

Gollog nodded. "That's one of my worries." He said as he continued his ascent.

After walking a long flight of stairs, Gollog and Kay had finally found another set of doors that was identical to the entrance at the foot of the staircase. These doors opened and revealed to Kay a lush interior laying within. There was a wide room that was filled with intricate paintings, depicting past events that Kay had no idea what they portrayed. At the other side of the room, an ornate, and large, opalescent throne was seen, which had a white chair that was placed besides it. White pillars rose from the ground and connected to the ceiling, and in its center was a dome with several windows that brought in white light. Gollog took a long time to walk over to his throne, but he got up onto its seat and rested his rear comfortably on it. Gollog sighed once more and paused for several seconds before addressing Kay. "You attacked the Kiln Keeper factory, didn't you?"

Kay nodded. "Only because you set the Kiln Keepers against me. Eradicating the place where they are being made would ensure that my swarm didn't have to deal with the constant production of war robots that were targeting my swarm. The one responsible for unleashing them is definitely not me, and you're the one that started this mess since you set them against the zerg in the first place."

Gollog raised a quieting hand to Kay. "I am aware of my mistake of involving the Kiln Keeper machines. Everyone was against my decision, but I saw no other way to eradicate your forces." Gollog sighed again. "But with that said, I'm afraid it is through my hubris that I had thought the Kiln Keepers were contained in their programming."

Kay huffed. "Considered that a giant sphere with many triangular sides had shot out of the ground and is flying south, I'd say that they are not as contained as you think they are. But I have to ask." Kay said, changing the topic. "You're making it sound as though the Kiln Keepers are much more dangerous than how they are now."

Gollog nodded. "Indeed, they are quite proficient when it comes to killing. Our ancestors did find a way to break out of the cycle of imprisonment, but it was at the cost of locking down their higher functions."

"So what changed, exactly?"

"You did, my beast-master." Gollog said, pointing at Kay. "You changed everything here."

"Care to explain?" Kay asked.

"Certainly." Gollog said, nodding and closing his eyes. "... You see, there must have been certain fail-safes that I had accidentally overlooked when I ordered the Kiln Keepers to try and kill you and your swarm. But I also knew that removing certain redundancies in their programs would simply make them next to useless. Simply put, I made it so that they could adapt their technologies to fight the zerg, but under the condition that I overlook their requests on how they would proceed to target their enemies. It was taxing work since it cut into much of my time of being an emperor among several kingdoms.

"But alas, you had cut into the heart of the problem and circumvent my efforts. Now, the Kiln Keepers would attempt to seek the intelligence cores they had once lost, and restore themselves to their past prime glory. Much to my dismay, it looks as if the Kiln Keeper factory has not MEM shifted the intelligence cores into its possesion, meaning that it is trying to manually find them on its own now. Since the Kiln Keepers are trying to revert back to their previous power and program settings, the intelligence cores will be emitting shadow frequencies to help the Kiln Keepers locate them.

Gollog sighed. "But with all that said, all of my powers and privileges would be removed from me, once they gain all of their cores."

Kay nodded. "So... I guess you won't be able to use your smite power once they get their cores, huh?"

Gollog nodded with Kay. "Indeed. And since they have targeted you as their enemy, they will use my smiting powers to eradicate your zerg. That is, IF they can get their cores back."

Kay nodded and shrugged his shoulders. "Eh. I guess that means I'll be having more fun fighting the robots."

Gollog shook his head at Kay and hissed in frustration. "You just don't get it, Kay! If they have been programmed to target the zerg, and the zerg have made their nests underground, then they would issue forth a crust-penetrating smite attack that will pierce through the ground and strike your forces. Worse still, the Kiln Keepers would also default to their previous programming and stagnate the gilanian populations to extinction. The Sovereign Crypt is the only safe place for any self respecting gilanian now."

"Sovereign Crypt?" Kay asked. "I heard that word tossed around before. Oh, and shadow frequencies too. I don't know what those are either. What are they?"

Gollog made a soft smile. "Permit me to educate you then. This information is of no consequence to share, after all. The Sovereign Crypt is a very secure, and very classified, location. It was built to be completely inaccessible to everyone, save except to a select few of my choosing, or by General Pallax and Commander Guik's choosing. Simply put, getting in would not be easy since its location is a secret that is unknown to all. Even by me. On another note, the shadow frequency is a special kind of communication frequency that can transmit information and signals. It utilizes electromagnetic transmissions of varying bandwidths and strengths though the medium of a special dimension that Commander Faddoh calls 'the aether field'."

"Uh-huh." Kay said, nodding.

"But let's get back to our topic." Gollog said, shifting in his seat. "I am hoping that we can work with one another and prevent the Kiln Keepers from gaining back their intelligence cores. Do you think you can let our past transgressions be bygones? I would very much appreciate the gesture."

Kay scoffed. "I keep telling you to leave me alone, but you didn't listen. I'm still angry at you since you keep antagonizing my hive clusters, and you did send the Kiln Keepers to kill my zerg and me. No thanks, but I can deal with the Kiln Keepers on my own. After that is done, I'll be coming back to give you a stern talking to, followed by so much butt-whooping that you're going to remember your childhood with fond memories."

Gollog smiled softly. "Then let me impart the next step of my plan. General Pallax! Send in the VIP!"

A white and blue field of energy emanated next to Gollog. A couple seconds had passed before Kragnon, of all gilanians that Kay had not expected to see, was standing next to the gilanian emperor. After a few more seconds of analyzing the gilanian, Kay finally recognized him. "... What the?! Why is he here?!"

Gollog rubbed Kragnon's shoulder and pointed to the chair besides himself, and Kragon walked to the side of the throne and sat onto the chair silently. "It took a bit of time, but Pallax had pulled through for me in the end. He happens to be a technological genius that can hack into any computer system. He found a device that was using a very difficult to trace shadow frequency on one of your zerg creatures, and he deduced that its design was an ancient kind of info-lens that was once used eighty years ago. With a little bit of his techno magic, he sent a video broadcast into his 'supposedly secured information network', and voiced the phrase 'Pallax sends his regards.'"

[As it would turn out, I finally figured out that you did not repeat my phrase to Kragnon correctly. Otherwise, our lovechief would have came to us much more earlier.] General Pallax said, using the intercom system within the throne room. [However, I repeated the phrase to him the correct way through the headsets that are worn by your doppelgangers and blade hounds. Once I figured that Kragnon was using them to investigate the era he had woken up in, I used that to my advantage to activate him. The rest is history.]

Kay tilted his head as he looked around for the disembodied voice. "... Kay, can someone inform me what the fucking hell is going on? I'm lost."

Gollog smiled. "Oh Kay, you still don't know, do you? Let me enlighten your perspective then." He said, clasping his fingers and crossing his legs. "Believe it or not, Kragnon is a clone of an ancient gilanian that once existed long ago."

"Nooo..." Kay said, wide-eyed and utterly surprised.

"Yes!" Gollog said whimsically. "While he was being grown inside a cloning tube, we implanted several phrases that would enable him to be controlled by those who uttered them. However, some rebels had infiltrated the cloning labs and stolen him away from my hands one fine day. I had mourned for his disappearance. The rude ne'er do wells destroyed my cloning labs during their escape, and I even heard tell that Kragnon joined with the rebellion that was against my rule! I was devastated, to say the least!

"Eighty years had passed, and the damage was thought to be lasting. At least, so I thought." Gollog turned to Kragnon and gestured to him. "You see, I needed a clone of his ancestor because Prison Planet Kiln needs a warden. And, as it stands, the genetic sample used to grow him was taken from one of ten people that once lived in our past, known by our people's mythos as 'The Eternal Ten'. In my three hundred years of ruling as a mighty emperor, I had created various clones of the original wardens, and had them speak specific phrases to a special kind of computer, which would transfer control of the past warden's unique commands to me. The power to summon the wrath of a sun, the power to transport me anywhere on Kiln, the power to become immortal, and the power to command the Kiln Keepers are but four of such examples that you have witnessed.

"And now that I have Kragnon, the 'lovechief' that's finally back at my side, I can now get everything I'll ever want." Gollog said with a prideful smile stretched across his face.

Kay shook his head. "So what was Pallax's connection to him?" He said, pointing at Kragnon.

[It's simple, Kay.] Pallax answered. [Gollog wasn't the only one that was given the gift of immortality. Once Emperor Gollog had gained the master commands, he also lent immortality to some others of his choosing, also imbuing me with that gift in the process. In truth, I had infiltrated the group of rebels that was responsible for breaking into and destroying the cloning labs a long time ago. Commander Faddoh was a completely different person back then, since he quite enjoyed making clones of his sister that he claims to be his daughter. After several years working with them, my viewpoint did change to the values of the rebels for a while. After that, I knew that if I stayed any longer, Gollog would come for me and take away the only gift I ever had on this world. But alas, I had to make it so that whatever actions I would do did not impact both sides. So... I made up the story about Gollog spreading his search patterns to Red Mountain.

[The Hidden Water Spring Tribe's council and I had made the decision to seclude and barricade themselves underground. After the decision was made, I then elected Kragnon to hibernate in a cold-pod, assumed the disguise of a tribal warrior and found my way back outside. After I and the other warriors shifted many metric tons of sand to cover the tunnels to the entrance of the underground village, I killed the warriors that were meant to protect the cave entrance right after our task was done. After that, I blanked my memory pertaining to the location of the underground village. Keeping the underground village a secret wasn't easy to do, since I had to pay the era agents a huge sum of water and vouchers to keep their mouths shut, and keep people from ever finding the entrance, and the underground village it lead to.]

"You blanked your memory?" Kay asked.

[Medical micro-machines can rearrange the neurons in my brain, enabling myself to remember information with incredible clarity, or be able to forge complete alter-egos using simple mental prompts. I was blessed with the ability to hack into technology, and found a way to seamlessly change the memories in my mind, or create perfect lies that can fool lie detectors by using those micro-machines to modify my brain cells. I am happy to know that you kept your infestation from spreading further from Whisper Stones, but I am also saddened by the fact that the zerg can burrow underground and create underground nests as well. If anything, the strategy I had employed turned out to be a fluke all along.]

Kay sighed and kicked at the ground. "Well I feel like a goddamned idiot that has been played. Fucking hell..."

[On the contrary, I had expected Kragnon to be automatically released from his cold-pod after one hundred years had passed. The zerg were a variable that I had not accounted for, but they, and in essence, you, had significantly sped up our retrieval of the warden clone. But then there is the destructive capabilities of the zerg... yeah, they are also a problem that needs to be dealt with. In my opinion, as soon as possible.]

"Too true, Pallax. Too true." Gollog interjected. "Truth be told, I once had doubts that a double agent of your caliber would join the side of the disloyal. But in the end, you have proven your loyalty to me." Gollog said, looking smug in his seat. "So, Kay. May I offer you another chance to help us with solving our mutual problem regarding some rogue robots? Or will you keep growling at yourself for not seeing this event unfolding before you?"

Kay took a deep breath and sighed again. "I am still going to destroy the Kiln Keepers, whether you want me to help or not. In the end, all you will be getting is what you want anyway, while my own goal is far from reached. Thanks, but no thanks."

Gollog sighed. "My goodness, you are the most stubborn creature I ever had the privilege to meet! You do realize that I have your friend as a hostage?"

"You should meet one of my zerg friends. She's real good with her children, but gets incredibly aggressive if you don't respect her boundaries. If you tried to be funny with her, she'll punish you with a physical wound." Kay said with a smirk.

Gollog stared at Kay for a long while. "... Never mind. Anyway, if you desire to leave here and hunt down the Kiln Keepers, then you may. Kragnon will remain here, however."

Kay nodded. "I see. Well, it's not like I'm going to go anywhere at the moment. So, if you don't mind, I would like to sit here for a bit."

"Uh..." Gollog tilted his head. "Sit... here?"

Kay lowered himself onto the ground into a crisscross sitting position. "Yeah. Is it alright if I sit like this?"

Gollog paused. "... I am unsure what you would accomplish by remaining in my halls like that."

"Mostly it's because I am curious. Like, what would happen if you did transfer the master codes, or whatever they are called? What would happen to Kragnon after that?"

Gollog paused again. "... Oh! Does this mean that you really do care for this clone?" He said with a bemused tone.

"We have a bet that needs to be finished, and that's it. He made a bet that the Kiln Keeper factory was annexed to Empire City. As it stands, I think Empire City was built next to it a long time ago. After it was discovered that the factory really was annexed to the city this whole time, I lost the bet, so I am responsible for repairing some property damage I had done to his home. Simply put, I need him to tell me how to repair the damage I caused." Kay explained.

Gollog tried to smother a snicker from leaving his mouth. "I had no idea that you are gambler, Kay. Had I known this, I would have exploited you even sooner!"

Kay furrowed his brow. "Hey now. Don't be antagonizing the swarm when you yourself said that you wouldn't be trading any barbs."

Gollog shook his head and smirked. "They are not _aggressive_ barbs, Kay. I just wanted to tease you a little."

"Makes no difference to me." Kay said indifferently. "Poking a nest of flying stinging insects with a stick can also be considered teasing to them. Try and bear that in mind."

Gollog sighed. "I see. ... In that case, may I get you something? Refreshments? Food? Entertainment?"

Kay shook his head. "I don't need anything... but actually, I would like some paper and some colored etching tools, if you can provide that."

"I also didn't take you for an artist, too. But very well." Gollog said, clapping his hands. "Bring a meal for the lovechief, please! And bring drawing equipment for the bug-man!"

After a few minutes passed, women draped in white robes and wearing scant cloth as their underwear, approached Kragnon and Kay. One harem focused on carefully setting a table with several cloths and plates, and piling food of various kinds onto it, whilst another delivered what looked like crude art supplies and old parchment, which seemed to be meant for Kay. Despite their warm presence and reaction to Kragnon and Emperor Gollog, they were much more colder towards Kay, simply dumping a pile of torn papers and waxy colored sticks next to him. After looking at the disorganized mess in front of him, Kay sighed. "Uh... Thank you very much, ladies."

They 'humphed' and turned their heads away from Kay, walking with a sway in their step. Kay understood the gesture, since he was the one responsible for attacking their home. Once the two teams of harems met together and congregated next to Kragnon, Kay begrudgingly took the shredded papers and colored wax sticks into his own hands and started drawing. Gollog watched Kay with intrigue and curiosity, staring at the zerg organism artist using crudely handled materials. "So, Kay. I am somewhat curious. What is it that you are drawing?"

"A weapon that can destroy the Kiln Keeper factory." Kay said, not taking his eyes off of his canvas.

Gollog raised his eyes. "WHAT?!" After his outburst, Gollog shook his head and composed himself before speaking again. "Ahem. Pardon my excitement. Could you care to explain?"

Kay went to another torn piece of paper and started quickly drawing on it. "As I said, it's a weapon that can overcome your Kiln Keeper factory."

Gollog slowly exhaled. "... Well uh... Can you share with me your rendition of this weapon?"

"Sure, I guess. Hup!" Kay used his left hand to launch one of the pieces of paper to Gollog in a spinning glide.

The paper projectile turned and circled violently in the air, eventually colliding with Gollog's throne and coming to a stop at his feet. Gollog shook his head and leaned down to pick up the flown and torn paper. After inspecting the piece of art for a few seconds, Gollog shook his head. "What is this supposed to be anyway? Looks like a zerg version of... something."

"Heheheheh... Well, you're right to say that it is a zerg organism. But your wrong about it being just something." Kay said, scrawling onto another torn piece of paper.

Gollog paused and stared at Kay for a few seconds before looking at the drawn picture again. Gollog wasn't sure what it really looked like. It had so many tendrils and tentacles, but they looked like they moved weightlessly. The face, and much of the front of its body, contained heavy carapace, whilst its chin and underside contained several tendrils that looked as though several spine crawlers were grafted onto it. Its abdomen and thorax was heavily gravid, almost bordering on the impossible with whatever eggs or biological weapons it contained inside itself. For some reason, it looked as though it was eating several green, brown an purple dots along the ground, while it used its tendrils to attack several other different colored dots. Its face seemed to be split in half as a row of teeth populated the middle, and several mandibles that had rows of teeth along their inner curved mandibles that surrounded its face. In essence, it almost exactly looked like a water flea. ... Except more zergy, more green, brown, purple, and somewhat vague in its detail due to it being an artistic rendition. Gollog shook his head and folded the torn piece of paper, placing it onto a table next to him. Gollog then pleaded his fingers together as he turned his attention to Kay again. "What will this weapon do to my factory?"

Kay stopped and looked at Gollog. After a few seconds of pausing, he shrugged and resumed drawing. "I dunno. It hasn't been fully developed yet, so its current capabilities are unknown to me."

Gollog frowned, but shook his head. "Please don't be so casual with me, Kay. Try and act like an aristocrat."

Kay sighed, but continued in his scribbling. "All I know is that it has the capability to destroy the factory. Think of it as... Ah... Well, you'll find out soon enough."

Gollog frowned even further. "As of late, I think I would greatly disapprove of any more surprises or developments. Especially if it involves the zerg."

Kay got up from the ground and stretched his back. "Ahh... Alright, I'm done. This place is too boring for my tastes, so I'll just get myself out of here." Kay then turned away and started walking toward the doors that lead out of the Castle of Dreams.

Gollog raised himself up from his seat and stared at the leaving Kay, perplexed by Kay's behavior. "... So you're just going to draw a few pictures and leave?"

"Yup." Kay said, continuing on for a second before stopping. He turned and pointed at Gollog. "Oh, and before I leave, I want to tell you something."

Gollog blinked. "... Which is?"

Kay stared intently at Gollog for a few seconds. During those seconds, Kay's eyes started glowing a sinister color that seemed to make every other light source even darker than before. Energy resonated around Kay, like some kind of aura of pure malice that pulsed a kind of electricity and making small scorch marks along the ground. The tone of his voice shifted as he bellowed his warning at Gollog. **"If I come back, and see Kragnon harmed in any way..."** After saying that, Kay's aura of visible psionic energy slowly powered down, his glowing eyes reverting back to a normal green, thanks to his post-zerg transformation. After waving goodbye, Kay turned back around and walked away, to leave through the front gates and exit Gollog's palace.

There was a protracted pause after Kay had left. Gollog stared at Kay as he retreated away from his sight, and he continued his staring at the large gate, expecting for the zerg commander to return. [Uh... Emperor Gollog? Is something wrong?] Pallax said, breaking Gollog out of his stupor.

"Uh? Uh... Yes. Of-of course. I-I mean no, there is nothing wrong." Gollog stammered, getting out of the seat of his throne and walking toward Kragnon.

[... Shall I MEM shift to your location?]

"Hmm? ... Oh, uh, yes, you may. Please do!" Gollog said.

[As you command.] A few seconds later, shimmering dots of blue and white had appeared at the front of Gollog's throne. After the MEM shift was completed, General Pallax in his caped red and gold armor stood before his emperor and his old 'friend'. He bowed before Gollog. "Well founded greetings."

Gollog shook his head. "Yes yes, I greet you as well."

Pallax paused for a long while. "... Is something troubling you?"

Gollog shook his head again. "I am perfectly fine, Pallax. I couldn't be any better." He said, as he began watching Kragnon silently eat his meal.

Pallax was unconvinced. "Gollog, I know you better than anyone. You're scared."

Gollog turned to stare angrily at Pallax. "YOU DARE ASSUME THAT I AM A COWARD?!" He fumed.

Pallax shook his head. "Coward is not a word I would use, Gollog. Even cowards can be brave if they have reason to."

Gollog stared at General Pallax for several seconds, but then went back to watching Kragnon. He was silent, but that had given Pallax all the answers he needed.

"Sir, with all due respect, perhaps we should give him what he wants?" Pallax suggested.

Gollog paused and sighed, then shook his head. "It's not that simple, Pallax."

"I'm not following."

Gollog turned to Pallax. "If I were to give in to Kay's demands, then I would appear weak in the exchange. And if the public finds out that I granted him the privilege to leave Kiln, then all of the gilanians would want that piece of freedom. And even so, the power to grant someone passage away from my kingdom would be an achievable dream that ALL of the oppressed would scour my home for. I cannot have that happen."

Pallax sighed. "If we don't allow him a way off our world, he will tear a path out through ours. You're kingdom will be in ruin if this continues."

Gollog hissed and struck Pallax on the side of his head, making him fall over. Gollog inspected his gauntlet with impunity before relaxing his posture. "Be that as it may, I am still the emperor around here. Kay may seem like a powerful and dangerous enemy, but he is still an insignificant insect under my heel. Once I get Kragnon to transfer his commands to me, then I will have the power to ascend past my immortal limitations. Absolute immortality is but the first step to achieving my eternal godhood."

Pallax rubbed the side of his face and got himself back up from the ground. He took in a few breaths before calming himself. "Then do it. You know the phrases to make the lovechief start talking. Make him go to the computer in the Sovereign Crypt. Make it so."

Gollog paused for many seconds, standing there as still as a statue.

Pallax stared at his emperor and smirked. "... You're intimidated by him, aren't you?"

Gollog furrowed his brows and sighed. "Clean up this damn mess Kay made." The harem besides Kragnon started walking to the pile of torn papers when Gollog ordered that command. However, he had a different idea. "... Hmm? Oh. Not you, girls. General Pallax. YOU clean up Kay's mess. I want you to be personally responsible for eradicating every zerg organism, as well as returning every aligned city tainted by his influence back to the way it was. Understand?"

Pallax paused for a long while before he gave his answer. "... Understood, sir."

Gollog nodded. "Good. Now get to it."

Pallax sighed as he turned and went to the collection of torn papers that were drawn on. He picked each one up and inspected the drawings. "... Pfft!"

Gollog sighed when he heard his general snicker. "What the hell is it now, Pallax?"

Pallax showed Gollog one of the drawings that Kay made. "Our beast-master sure has a strange sense of humor."

Gollog rolled his eyes and walked to Pallax to get a closer look at one of Kay's drawings. However, when he had a good look at one of the images, his face turned into puzzlement "... Is that me with my crown replaced with... hemipenes?" Gollog asked, staring at the morbid piece of art, if Gollog could even call it that.

Pallax nodded. "There's another drawing with blade hounds excreting on your shoes. And another with your rear as your face, and repeatedly saying the word, and I quote, 'fart.' On the other hand, much of the other drawings are of the zerg organisms we have faced before, and are in finer detail. But sadly, you're the only character that was drawn poorly."

Gollog growled and tore the torn paper into several fragments, turning it into chunky confetti. After that, Gollog stormed off in a mad march, leaving General Pallax to pick up the pieces. But as Gollog left, a small parasite stealthily leapt onto Pallax's cape and slowly crawled into his armor. Kay had hidden the parasite in one of the drawings, while Pallax took no note of this as he was blissfully distracted from the absence of his angry emperor, but annoyed that he was tasked with becoming a janitor within the moment.

* * *

Royalty may have its squabbles, but the zerg are far more dangerous than the pettiness of domestic disputes. The zerg were a hivemind race after all, and they cared little of the politics of the gilanian empire, known as Golden Star Empire. Things would only get worse for Emperor Gollog once the zerg's new batch of strains was unleashed onto their world. And with that threat given to Gollog, Kay was very certain that Kragnon would be kept safe until he returned. Whatever these commands did, it didn't sound good. And what was the deal with this 'Eternal Ten'? Even Commander Ralkan didn't know who they were, and Kay drained him of all of his knowledge untill he turned into a vegetable.

Kay sighed as he walked down the long flight of stairs. _'Well that went better than I expected.'_

 _'You didn't assail Emperor Gollog? Was the emperor there also as false as the other times you met him? Wasn't he given a physical presence with those... What did he call them? Dream-light hover-drones?'_ Virid asked.

 _'Just call them cloaked projectors. And yeah, I couldn't read his mind there too. What's the status on the new strains?'_

 _'They will be completely formed in a couple more hours. The Kiln Keeper factory may be traveling fast, but the resources we have on the hexagonal moon enabled Corvurn to store an excess of bio-matter and accelerant.'_

 _'Man, things are going to change for the worst at Gollog's displeasure.'_ Kay started chuckling to himself as he imagined a particular thought of a certain monster hovering over his precious city.

 _'Don't dawdle, Kay.'_ Virid warned. _'There are still many ways that the zerg can be defeated. Time travel is of one such vulnerabilities, even if we had attacked the Era Agency.'_

 _'Hmm. Now that you brought that up, I'm curious about what Corvurn Junior is doing. What is he up to?'_

 _'Ever since he had entered the facility of the Era Agency, he became closed off to us ever since. I do hope that he was successful.'_

Kay nodded. _'Oh I'm sure he's doing fine. So long as he has a drone with enough bio-matter for a hatchery, there's nothing I could be worried about.'_

 _'Apart from an era agent inquisition force from an alternate timeline?'_

 _'... Okay, I might be a little worried, but I am... like... eighty percent sure that CJ will be fine on his own? Maybe?'_ Kay said, rubbing the back of his head _carefully_.

 _'You are the one who taught me vision. I merely foresee a possible attack to a vital area.'_

Kay sighed. _'Well, we already have a hive outside of the agency. If an outside attack does occur, then the hive cluster would adjust and repel the attackers. If an attack happens on the inside, then CJ will be on his own.'_

 _'... I see.'_

 _'But the real question you should be asking is 'what can I do to bolster the defenses of the zerg-owned Era Agency facility, and do so without knowing what kind of strategies the era agents in the various different timelines could use against us?' '_

 _'... Make a counter-strategy?'_ Virid answered.

Kay smiled. _'It's a start. But now you got to flesh it out from there.'_

Kat couldn't be happier with how Virid is progressing in understanding how 'vision' worked. But in reality, the flying Kiln Keeper factory is going to have a hard time surviving from its next zerg threat, and Kay was quite elated with what will come. Once the gestation period of a certain strain of zerg became complete, the entirety of Kiln would be threatened by the shadows of an even larger zerg creature.

* * *

 **A/N: Been playing a lot of Swarm Simulator recently. Good idle game. :3**


	41. The Black Market

**Chapter 41: The Black Market**

* * *

Yesterday

* * *

Johnny was walking through the byways and alleyways of the many backwater streets that populated the southern part of Citadel Gargantua, aided by the company of Baroness Tak and two of her most trusted bodyguards. Currently, they were all wearing rags of various condition, while Johnny's rags was in the most worn condition out of all of them. Johnny failed to see the reason why he needed to dress so poorly, but the only explanation he had received from Tak was 'to blend in with the locals'. Even Tak spent much of her time preparing for the outing by painting her red scales to a dull yellow color. Apparently, standing out in a crowd would make it more likely to get mugged or pick-pocketed, even if they were in the busiest and most populated part of the streets.

After traveling the rail-trolley to the Far South Station, Johnny could see how poor the conditions were in this part of Tak's city. Almost every house and store found there was beyond disrepair, yet the people walk around as if nothing wrong ever happens in the streets. Unlike the streets near the Far East Station, this place was less clean, with the people in the streets consistently wearing drab clothing and torn rags. Johnny sighed as he tailed behind Tak, while her two bodyguards stood next to her and himself. "So uh... Are we near the place were we're supposed to go?"

Tak turned around and nodded, but placed a finger to her lips in a hushing gesture. "Yes, but please be quiet. This is not an area where we can talk freely. Even the bathrooms are bugged with microphones and listening devices."

"Ah." Johnny said, getting the message from Tak and shutting up. Johnny didn't understand the cutthroat politics of the underground crime world, but he played along with Tak's cautious gesture and warning.

After walking for a distance, roughly fifty meters from the station that Johnny and his party got off from, the group found a set of stairs at ground level that lead below the streets. It looked strikingly similar to a subway entrance, except more dilapidated and decorated with ruined parts and animal bones. After going down the ground entrance, Johnny could see that there were several more trolleys that populated an artificial tunnel system, many of them already derailed from their rails. There were many kiosks set up within several of the trolleys that were strewn around, obviously no longer used for transportation.

"Wow." Johnny whispered.

"Shh." Tak sharply whispered back. The four continued on and went past several trolleys, each one having a different design that tailored to different kinds of product they sold. Each kiosk appeared to sell different kinds of merchandise that do not seem to be commonly sold on the surface. There were fewer shops that happened to sell rather unusual items, such as the dried roots of some toxic plant, pickled and preserved organs of varying sizes, and even extremely worn technology once belonging in the hands of a Golden Star Empire citizen.

After a few minutes of navigating through the underground marketplace, Tak led Johnny and her bodyguards to a giant black and blue cube that was ten meters high and twenty meters wide and long. A short line of people were at the front of this structure, apparently waiting to get in. Once the line thinned, Tak went to the line and stood in the back where one last customer was getting his service. A female voice as soothing as silk talked to the gilanian that was next in line. One of such gilanians was facing a wall that seemed to glow more brightly as it talked to its customer. [Welcome to the Asul Corporation's stand-in terminal service, where you can pay a middleman to do your activities for you. State your alias and your account number. If you do not have an account, then we can make one for you.]

"Alias: Plus-One-Syllable-Name. Account number: K-74238691."

[Reason for your visit?]

"Uh... I would like to visit a strip club, please."

[Wait for a moment... Your account has been verified, and your appearance matches your alias image. Please proceed inside.] After the gilanian was sorted with, he went through a door that opened and closed quickly. After the customer went inside, Tak went up to the glowing panel once the line emptied. [Welcome to the Asul Corporation's stand-in terminal service, where you can pay a middleman to do your activities for you. State your alias and your account number. If you do not have an account, then we can make one for you.]

Tak took in a breath. "Alias: Deeper-Than-Pink. Account number: L-23232441."

[Reason for your visit?]

"I wish to buy something. Also, I require these three to accompany me during the transaction. I can pay for their stand-ins, but one of them will be joining me in a co-op connection. Also, he needs a tutorial before we can continue." Tak explained, pointing to Johnny.

[I see. May we create an account for this individual?]

"That would cost too many vouchers than for what I am willing to trade today. He'll be sharing in a co-op stand-in session with me. I'll also be buying another co-op stand-in session for the... gentlemen that are also with me." Tak said. She then turned around. "Unless you want your own rooms?"

Her two bodyguards looked at one another for a brief pause before deciding their answer. "Separate rooms for us, please."

[I understand. Also, your account has been verified, and your appearance matches your alias image. Please proceed inside.]

Tak turned around to Johnny and motioned him to follow. Johnny did as instructed and followed her past the quickly sliding door that lead into the black and blue cube. Several square blue lights lit up the ground that started flowing in a direction. Tak followed them while Johnny tailed behind her. The two bodyguards that was once with Johnny and Kat had turned a corner, going a separate direction as they too followed their own square lights on the floor. After walking a few more feet, Johnny and Tak found themselves in a closed room with two blue circles on the ground. Besides the circles were two tables that were waist high, which had unusual looking gloves and a strange headset resting on top, which seemed to be connected to wires that hanged from the ceiling. There were also two adjustable chairs that were provided, set next to the circles and tables. Tak took in a breath and sighed. "Alright, we're safe."

"Safe from what?" Johnny asked, looking at the gloves and headset on one of the tables.

"Eavesdroppers." Tak explained, turning to Johnny and breathing a sigh of relief. "They will do anything to get information from anyone that are talkative types. Many of them would be willing to rat us out, and sell any information they learned from us to... questionable people." She replied, going to the table and equipping the gloves and headset. "Put your gear on."

Johnny nodded and equipped the gloves and headset. They were a little loose on his person, but he adjusted them to be more snugger on his hands and head. After donning the headset, he looked back at Tak. "So uh... What now?"

"Stand in the circle, Johnny." Tak said, going into her own circle and standing in it. "This might take a while to get used to, since this is your first time."

Johnny looked at the circle on the ground for a few seconds before stepping onto it. Once he was centered, his eyes filled with an unusual light, which he later figured out that they were emitted by the headset he had recently equipped. [Welcome to the Asul Corporation's 'Stand-in Interaction Network' gear, or simply known as the SIN gear. First-time users detected. Initiating tutorial.]

Johnny's vision was suddenly filled with a blue digital lattice that detailed a crude artificial world, filled with blue objects of third-dimensional make. This was enough to 'surprise' Johnny. "Whoa! This is pretty cool!" Johnny emoted his lines as believably as he could.

[With your SIN gear, you will be able to direct the actions of your stand-in as you adventure into the environment. Point at the green square now.] A green square appeared a few 'feet' from Johnny's position. As directed, he pointed at the green square, and his world moved around him, even though he remained still and had not moved his feet once.

[Communication with your stand-in is key to our business, and you will remain anonymous as your stand-in fulfills your needs. If you wish to communicate with your stand-in, you may do so by pointing at the 'talk to stand-in' icon.] An icon of two mouths, one an outline and another a silhouette, appeared. [If you wish to talk aloud, point at the 'talk aloud' icon.] Another icon of a silhouetted mouth with speech lines emanating from it appeared. [If you wish to talk privately to a stand-in's SIN gear user, simply face a stand-in and the 'connect to SIN gear user' icon will appear.] An icon with two silhouetted mouths flashed before Johnny's eyes. [If you wish to form a party conversation with SIN gear users, simply approach a stand-in, or several, and point at the 'form SIN party' icon.] An icon of four smaller silhouetted mouths flashed into existence. [If you request customer service, you may do so by pointing at the 'request service' icon.] An icon of the gilaish symbol for the question mark appeared. [And if you need to discontinue the stand-in services, point at the 'exit' icon.] And then an icon with a red X appeared.

[And that concludes the tutorial. Once you connect to your stand-in, you will automatically have the 'talk to stand-in' icon active. Also, since you are joining with another SIN gear user in a co-op experience, you and your co-op partner will share with each other's conversations, essentially forming your own permanent party until you exit your stand-in session. To deactivate the previously explained icons, simply point at them again. This function does not work with the 'request service' icon, or the 'exit' icon, since they cannot be switched on or switched off. Enjoy your stand-in, and enjoy our provided services!]

Johnny's vision turned into static for a few seconds before being replaced with an area that was outside of the black and blue cube. Johnny looked around, as though amazed. "... Whoa."

[First time user, I take it?] A feminine voice talked to Johnny. [Anyway, hello. I'll be your stand-in for today.]

"Uh... Hi. What's your name?" Johnny asked.

[I'm sorry, but sharing personal information is strictly forbidden. Corporation policy, you see. However, you may refer to me by the alias of 'Miss Lovely'.]

Johnny looked around, trying to find the voice. "So if I were to guess, the SIN gear lets me connect to a stand-in, which is essentially a person with cameras and microphones attached to their heads?"

[Pretty much. I can also see the position of your hands, so if you point at something, I'll pick it up for you. If you need to go somewhere, simply talk to me about the location you want to be at and we can go there.]

Johnny was starting to get it. He looked down and saw that his body was not his own, noting that it was a loosely fitting cloth on a lithe form. "I'll admit that this is a little disorientating."

[I'll also know where you are looking at, so I'll have to ask you to stop staring down my shirt. You don't want to get a warning on the first day using Asul Corporation's SIN gear.] She warned.

Johnny immediately looked up. "Oh! Sorry!"

"Don't be sorry." Tak said. Johnny looked up to see a buff gilanian in torn rags. His face seemed to be surrounded in a cage with tiny lens cameras pointing outward in every direction. But he could also see a familiar face that was digitally projected over the buff gilanian's head. "They wouldn't care if you solicited in any dangerous activities. You'd only get in trouble if your stand-in is harmed by your actions."

"I see. So what about the uh... Two others that came with us?" Johnny asked.

Tak giggled. "They were just there for safety reasons. You'd be surprised how many muggings happen on a daily basis at the southern part of Citadel Gargantua! But in any case, they have been given some free time off. But if you need to talk to me, then use my alias."

Johnny raised his eyebrow. "Deeper Than Pink, huh? Can I just call you Pink?"

Tak smiled. "You may~. But now to figure out what alias to call you..."

"I think I got one." Johnny said with a smirk. "How about... 'Mister Shifter'?"

"That'll have to do." Tak said with a smile.

The buff gilanian stand-in raised his hand. [Since we're sharing our aliases with each other, I'm Muscled Fister.]

"..."

"..."

[... Or just call him Muscle. Everyone else does.] Miss Lovely added.

[Ugh, and I was thinking they were kinky honeymooners, since they switched their SIN gear around. And I thought they wanted to try something fun.] Muscle said in an annoyed manner.

Tak shook her head. "Okay, enough of this dialogue. Changing the subject! Muscle, Miss Lovely, there is actually a trade that we need to get to quickly, and there are three locations that we must first visit."

Muscle nodded his head. [Sounds like you got plans. Fun plans. Alright, sounds good to me! Where will we be going to today?]

"We will be doing a fair bit of walking, for starters. Our first location would be the gentleman's club known as 'Fur Fetish.'" Tak instructed.

[Kinky.] Muscle said, smiling.

"And I will tell you our next location when we arrive."

[Smart, but less kinky.] Muscle complained.

[Save it for writing a complaint, Muscle.] Miss Lovely said, rolling her eyes. [Let's just go there and wait for more directions. Shifter, Once we get there, I'll wave my hands around my face and say your name a bunch to get your attention. But please bear in mind that if we get in any kind of trouble, you'll become responsible for any possible damage caused to the clients that are acting as your stand-ins. Got it?]

"Got it." Johnny replied.

"With that said, I'd like to talk to you in private, Shifter." Tak said, pointing at a direction.

Johnny followed Tak's example, pointing at the 'talking aloud' and 'talk with stand-in' icons from his perspective. "Alright, then. Now it's just you and me." Johnny said to Tak.

Tak rolled her eyes and smiled. "Don't make it sound like we're on a date, you jackass."

Johnny scoffed. "That, and I hardly think going to a nudie bar would be a good place for the first date."

Tak turned to Johnny and smiled. "Not a classy way to start the evening, that's for sure. ... Anyway, there is something important I want to tell you. When we are nearing our trade destination, I want you to leave the talking to me. There is a huge chance that this deal might go haywire, and that might lose our chances of getting you your intact hyper-fluid memory bag."

Johnny raised an eyebrow. "Sounds serious. Do you know who you are buying my memory bag from?"

Tak nodded with a serious expression. "A notorious slave master that only claims to have an intact memory bag. He said that he has stolen it from some scientists belonging to the Cube Research Division of the Golden Star Empire. He threatens to activate the bag and attract the empire here, unless if someone trades six hundred and forty thousand ounces of water, or an equivalent in vouchers, for trade. He has given the entire city a month before he activates the bag."

Johnny sighed. "A month, huh? Why not a week?"

"There have been some recent empire activities regarding some gross looking animals, or whatever. I think they call them the 'flerg', or something? I don't really keep myself updated with empire activities, so I wouldn't really know. Anyway, I'm guessing it is because the Golden Star Empire has been so distracted with recent events that our seller has increased the time limit till the auction is over. He will either sabotage my city with the memory bag, or get a buyer before then. I'm hoping to get the bag before anyone else moves in and buys it before I do."

Johnny smiled. "Really? Judging from your description, then they must be the same creatures that helped me escape the desert! Hah!"

Tak rolled her eyes again. "Regardless, whether or not that is relevant, we still have a task to do. ... Ah. And here's the gentleman's club."

Johnny could see a grandiose structure that used eight trolleys to form a super structure. Two trolleys were used as supports, with four more trolleys set on top of the two perpendicularly. Another two trolleys were placed at the very top of this structure, which had colored fabrics that were tied with fairy lights that spelled the name of the establishment. In the Gilaish language glittered the words 'Fur Fetish' as the strippers danced around in various kinds of fur, both synthetic and real, while the customers and patrons ogled at the scenery for their services they have paid for.

Johnny's stand-in waved at his face. [Okay, guys. We're here. Where to now?]

Tak and Johnny reconnected to Miss Lovely and Muscled Fister. Tak gave the next set of directions. "Very good, Miss. Our next destination is to the arena. Go through the establishment and then out the back. This way, we can lose any pursuers that followed you here."

[Nice to know that you care about us.] Muscle replied. [Man though! I remember going here quite a few times! They usually charge double for active stand-ins, but damn do they know how to make egg-shots.]

"Egg-whats?" Johnny asked.

[Egg-shots. A very alcoholic beverage served in a krell eggshell. I can have, like, three before I start getting loopy.]

"That's not important right now." Tak said. "Through the club and to the arena, please."

[You heard Pink, Muscle. Let's go in.] Miss Lovely added.

The inside of the establishment had many soft and vibrant colors, with soothing music that filled the air with lewd romanticism, often interrupted by an animal call that brokered the attention of the furred strippers. The gilanian strippers there had various clothes that had an animalistic theme to them, which consisted of some kind of fur on themselves, either fake or real. There were even a few that wore wigs! After wafting through the sights and sounds, the stand-ins exited the establishment through the back and recouped themselves.

Johnny had to shake his head. "Wow, that was uh... That was a bit much."

[You've seen nothing. Be here on the final day of every month and you'll find out how morbid this place gets. I've been at those celebrations a couple of times, but uh... Yeah, it can be a little much the first time around.] Muscled Fister explained.

After that pause, the stand-ins continued to travel to this 'arena'.

* * *

The arena was just that. A big place where fighters would combat each other for supremacy in violence and domination. However, the combatants were something that Johnny did not expect. Cheers and shouts came forth from a giant area that looked like a collection of television sets that viewed the same program from different angles of the fight. Within the center, the true gem of the arena was seen.

A six-armed suit of ancient, yet shiny armor, wielding six swords that looked like they were charged with electricity, was fighting against a neon green beast that was shaped like a banana slug with many stumpy legs with red claws, and the head of a red horned sharp toothed lizard that breathed bursts of fire.

The ancient armored warrior combatant swung its swords at the green slug lizard, only for the lizard to easily dodge its attacks. The lizard shot spouts of flame at the warrior from a safe distance, crawling up the walls of a giant rusted cage to evade the warrior's slicing reach.

But the warrior jumped up to strike at the lizard's feet using several surgical strikes. The attack was accurate, which made the lizard lose its footing on the cage's wall.

The lizard fell to the ground and writhed, but it lashed its tail to trip the warrior, and the lizard made its counter-attack by chomping down hard on one of the warrior's arms. The beast pulled the warrior's arm out of its socket and threw it to the side of the cage, removing one of the warrior's weapons.

The warrior retaliated with a desperate rush attack, rolling back onto his feet and leaping into the air. The warrior deftly turned his five blades as he descended, and then unleashed a whirlwind attack that spun violently, its swords making an electric ring that sparked with death. Once it connected to the green slug lizard, the beast screeched in deafening pain before falling to pieces that spasmed every now and then.

The audience ate that up as they hooted and hollered at the sight of the bloody duel between a six-armed duelist and afire-breathing beast. An announcer started talking to the audience when the battle was over. [And there you have it, folks! The Sextuple Swordsman has won over the Rot Eater, making the victories between each other an even 223 to 223. Looks like there have been some heavy donations to balance the difficulty between the two combatants, but the winnings will always proceed to the winners of the bet. Our combatants in the next line up will be... Quarnby the Skeletal Summoner, vs the god known as Dusker!]

"Hmm. This seems fun." Johnny said, looking at the spectacle before him.

[Yeah, it is pretty nice and all.] Miss Lovely said, looking at the many screens. [Let me teach you a bit of history of this arena. Krell fighting used to be a very big thing that was celebrated several years ago, but it was eventually abolished and made illegal. But as a publicity stunt, some smart guy by the name of Jaklen brought dream projectors from one of the empire settlements, and manifested two krell from the dream-lights to fight each other. The city guards tried to crack down on the operations when they learned that krell fighting was happening again, but they were unable to gather enough evidence to suggest that there really were krell fights happening. As a joke, the first ever dream-light arena manager, named Jaklen, created a giant krell and had it fight miniature city guards to demonstrate law enforcement's current headache in their attempt to contain the new craze that was happening. Eventually, the city guard had given Jaklen an ultimatum. If he kept on using krell characters as combatants for the battle arena, or used characters in the likeness of other people, then he would be severely punished. After that, he took in several suggestions of new characters that would fight each other, which eventually evolved into what you see today.]

"I see... You know, I think I know someone that would love to visit this place someday." Johnny said, knowing that Kay would be greatly excited to see the arena.

"That will be for a later day." Tak said. "Our next destination takes place at junction forty-four."

Muscle shivered. [Junction forty-four?! Oh man, why did I accept this stand-in request?]

[Shush, Muscle!] Miss Lovely said to Muscled Fister, rubbing his shoulder comfortingly. [This is the will of our users. If they do not treat us well, then the Asul Corporation will sue them of all of their vouchers.]

Muscle shook his head. [Well I've only been there once, and it didn't turn out great.]

"Hush now, stand-ins." Tak said, sighing. "As of this point on, you must refrain from talking, unless it contributes important information to us. Now proceed to junction forty-four. We mustn't wait any longer, and I need to buy something before it gets sold to a higher bidder."

[And the mystery deepens.] Muscle said aloud. [... Oh! Uh, right. Shutting up now.]

Both Johnny and Tak rolled their eyes as their stand-ins departed to the place called 'junction forty-four.'

* * *

The junction was populated by many types of thugs that carried various weapons under their cloaks. After passing but a stone's throw away from the arena, the stand-ins were already being carefully watched. Johnny decided to pipe up. "Uh... Okay Pink. Where is the place that we're supposed to go?"

"It's close, don't worry. ... I believe this is the right address. ... Ah, there's the building we need to go to." Tak said, pointing at the one building with the most thugs guarding its entrance. The building itself seemed to be in the process of being repaired, even when there were no construction workers currently toiling with the structure.

Once Muscle and Miss slowly walked up to the building, they were immediately accosted by a thug. The thug pointed his rifle at the stand-ins. [Oi. This ain't no tourist place. Unless you got business ere', then I suggests that you fack off before I shoots you.]

Tak pointed at an icon to talk aloud. "We are here for business. I contacted your boss in order to buy something off of him."

[Hmm...] The thug said, gesturing to the stand-ins to wwait patiently. The thug reached under his cloak to fetch a short-range radio. [Hey boss. Likrit here. Got sum stand-in feller and lady saying something about trading something with yous. What's that about?]

[Ask for the password, you idiot.] The radio called back in a gruff voice.

[Oh~!] The thug turned back to the stand-ins. [What's the password? I remembers it now, so... Yeah.]

"The password is: Big bags of memories." Tak replied.

[Yah yah! That's the password! Follow me in!] The thug said, motioning to the stand-ins and going inside the heavily fortified building.

After the stand-ins were guided into the building, they eventually turned around several hallways before coming to a rest in a less than sterile room, fitted with two couches, a monitor on the wall, and four armed thugs that were as still as statues. The stand-ins sat on the couch that looked clean in their eyes, and several seconds had passed before anything else happened. But when that something happened, it happened to be a door opening, only to reveal a screen hanging on a rack that was rolled into the room.

It showed the image of an incredibly obese gilanian with shoulder pauldrons as big as his fat head, with a helmet that barely covered his head and face. Each shoulder was tipped with a long spike that reached high, while the spike on his helmet rose even higher. The face of this gilanian smirked as drool slobbered down his chin. [So I take it that you're the one wanting to buy my product, huh? I had expected this transaction to take place a little later, but there has been a lot of crazy things happening these days. ... Wait... Stand-ins? Ah, fuck me. I guess there are some mighty right paranoid people here today. Anyway, state your password and we'll get this trade started.]

"Password is Big bags of memories." Tak said, rolling her eyes.

[Huh? Tak, is that you? Oh, I didn't expect you to use a stand-in in my presence! How have you been!?] The fat gilanian shouted excitedly.

"Use my alias, you bloated oaf. It's Deeper Than Pink." Tak growled.

The fat gilanian chuckled and shook his head. [Hahahaha, ah... You sound so much like your mom. And damn it to hell, she was a fine woman! It's too bad that she contracted that transmitted disease and died. But hey, you gotta live with the crazy in your family. ... Anyway. What were we talking about?]

"WE WERE TALKING ABOUT GETTING THAT DAMN ITEM FROM YOU! NOW STOP TALKING ABOUT MY MOTHER AND LET THIS FUCKING DAY END!" Tak shouted.

The bloated gilanian chuckled again. [Yeah yeah. Whatever. I'm activating the password interface.]

A number pad appeared in front of Johnny, and he could see his own arms disappearing from virtual depiction. Tak pointed at the floating number pad. After a few seconds had passed, the number pad went away. "There. Now we can confirm that it's me, and not some bitch that just sounds like me."

After a few seconds, the obese gilanian nodded and smirked. [Alright, I got the confirmation that it's you. Now then... Let's talk business. How much do you want for my item?]

"The amount that you announced last time, either in vouchers or in ounces of water." Tak replied.

[Hmm?] The obese gilanian shifted in his seat. [You know, I have this urge to ask. Why are you so willing to pay for the full price of an item? And so soon in this trade too?]

"To put it simply, Ponpon, I have an insider that has a great interest in this item. I'll give you a fifth of the vouchers as the confirmation payment. The rest will be soft-locked onto your voucher account until I receive the item you have in your possession. If the item is faulty in any way, or if I do not receive it in three days time, I will cancel the transfer and warn the authorities of your presence in this city. Do I make myself clear?" Tak said in a serious tone.

Ponpon chuckled. [Oh, Tak, don't be like that! We're family!]

"Seven generations of cousins, technically. You're side kept inbreeding, while my familial line bred only the most strongest, smartest, quickest, cleverest, and hardiest generations Kiln ever had to offer. Royalty is not bound by blood, but it is bound by the loyalty the royalty has to its people. The respect you gain through love or fear is quite different from each other. As it turns out, people favor love over fear more." Tak said flatly.

Ponpon rolled his head. [Yeah yeah yeah. Well, you know what? I ain't that strong, I ain't too smart, I ain't very quick, I'm not so clever, and I'm very soft-bodied. I ain't any of those things, true, but I am three other things.] Ponpon began listing things off in his stubby fingers. [One, I am a fat son of a bitch. Two, I am a gentle leader of a famous band of mercenaries. And three, all I really need is luck on my side to get whatever the hell I want, need, and desire. And let me tell you something, cousin.]

Tak seemed to pale a little when she saw Ponpon's expression.

[I am feeling VERY lucky right now. See you soon.] Ponpon said with a smile.

And that was when Johnny's world suddenly flashed white, immediately becoming deaf as the sound of an explosion blotted out every other auditory sensation from then on. After that, Johnny felt a sharp blow to his head, prompting him to fade from existence completely.

* * *

 **A/N: BWAH?! 8U**


	42. Slavers of Kiln

**Chapter 42: Slavers of Kiln**

* * *

The ambush was quick and sudden, enabling little time to brace for the inevitable capture. Johnny couldn't do anything as he was blinded by a flash, and then restrained by several hands and a sack cloth that tightened over his head, only to be struck unconscious by a blow to the back of his head. It all happened so fast.

Johnny had blacked out from the immediate resulting ambush, which happened to disorient him to an extent. He was still connected to the swarm, sure, but he himself knew not where he was being taken to. It was a few hours later that he had 'regained' consciousness and came back to existence. It all had been an act to appear weak to his captors, but at the cost of being controlled by the captors that had an upper hand over him. Sadly, he knew not where he was, or where Tak was taken to.

"Hey, this one is coming to." "Get the bag off."

Johnny's vision was filled with bright light once the bag over his head was removed. Once his eyes adjusted, he saw that he was in a rusted pen that was filled with several other gilanians that were chained, restrained, and naked, and also had bags over their heads. Johnny was picked up from the ground by two cloaked thugs and then led out of the rusted pen in a hurried fashion. "Wh... Where am I?" Johnny managed to say aloud.

"Shut up, before I take your head off." One of the thugs warned as Johnny was pulled to a hanging metal table that had chain shackles that hanged on its sides. Johnny was forced onto the table and had his hands, legs and neck cuffed, which prevented him from moving normally. After becoming restrained to the table, it tilted so that Johnny's body would be positioned vertically. "You just sit tight there. Boss wants a word with you."

Johnny didn't say anything. He didn't want his head taken off.

One of the thugs reached into his cloak to fish out a handheld radio. "Boss, that guy that was with your cousin is awake."

[Good. Be right there.]

Several minutes had passed as the two thugs waited for their boss to come. Johnny looked around in his environment and took note of every place he could use to escape the room he was in. The ventilation systems appeared to be the best way to escape unnoticed, but the biggest obstacle happened to be the two thugs that watched over him. However, they caught Johnny looking them over. "What you want, boy? Thinking hard about how to escape?" Johnny didn't answer one of the thugs, simply looking down as they inspected him. The thugs hissed at his non-verbal reply. "Yeah. You better keep your head down, dipshit."

Several more minutes had passed and heavy footsteps began to thunder the walls. A fat gilanian entered into the room, which happened to be more bigger than what Johnny had seen on the video screen, back at the criminal hideout at junction forty-four. Ponpon grumbled as he squeezed into the room and breathed heavy breaths. He used a dry cloth to wipe his chin dry before smiling at Johnny, looking down at him. "So! Ain't you one of my cousins bodyguards? You don't look like the type."

Johnny shook his head. "No. I'm just a guest in this city."

Ponpon shook his head and chuckled lowly. "An outsider doesn't normally get invited into Citadel Gargantua without a good reason these days. Either she really likes your peens, or you can provide her something she can't get normally."

"Who?" Johnny asked. He knew that Ponpon was referring to Baroness Tak, but he didn't want to implicate her.

Ponpon rolled his eyes and sighed, pulling out a photo of Tak without her yellow scale paint. She looked as though her right eye had been struck, and much of the left side of her face was bruised. "This tart. You know, the one who invited you into her palace? Don't assume that I'm an idiot. Makes me less than cozy to my guests."

"You treat your guests in such a funny way that I don't see the humor in it." Johnny remarked.

"Oh hohohoh, stick around for a bit! You'll get the jokes if you listen to them long enough." Ponpon said, laughing. He straighten his face after his laugh. "But I want to know why she wants an empire-tainted memory bag. Those things are pricey for a reason, you know. They sell for peanuts to any Golden Star citizen, but can be traded for a fortune in vouchers and water in settlements not owned by that emperor guy. That is, if someone can figure out a way to make them work. And from recent news that I had received, she found someone who could do it, since they discovered that her shopping list had some some unusual items included in it."

"You know, it's considered rude to spy on a lady. What she does with her time is none of your concern." Johnny said.

"Yeah? Well you're not going to have the right to say that anymore. Get the slaver in here." Ponpon said, turning to the thug next to him.

The thug nodded and left the room. Minutes later, a gangly gilanian with a surgical mask and a sterile white doctor's coat pulled a cage into the room. The cage looked like it closed around a gilanian in a mold, similar to an iron maiden, except that it was designed to contain a gilanian while exposing their scales. Ponpon had a sadistic smile spread across his face. Johnny was sighing, shaking his head. "Listen. That's not going to work."

"I ain't gonna turn you into a slave, if that's what you mean." Ponpon said, helping the gangly gilanian with his tools that consisted of several kinds of branding irons and self-heating chains. "This will be more in line to a torture for information, rather than a full-conversion into a slave. After I'm done with you, you'll be permanently marked as those lesser than society itself. And to top it off, if you are not under the care of a slave-master, then by law, you will be put to death on sight. Usually, the slave conversion process is done all at once to save time, but I like to do it slow."

Ponpon took one of the self-heated branding irons as it became red in color, and approached Johnny with it. Johnny looked up at the giant fat gilanian, staring intently. "... If you stick that on me, I will do everything in my power to make you regret your decision. To put it simply, I have powerful friends that wouldn't bat their eyes when they flay your skin from your body, and tear out all of your organs while you're still alive. I am going to give you one chance to set things right. Let me and Tak loose, and things don't have to get any worse. What is your decision?"

Ponpon stared intently back at Johnny for several seconds, fueled by the amusement provided by him. A sizzling sound was heard as Johnny felt pain upon his left arm. "You are in no position to threaten me, boy."

Johnny didn't blink as the self-heated brand sizzled at his scales. The damage done to the surface of his scales on his forearm was tolerable, but Johnny had to retain the appearance of a blackened scar on his arm. Zerg regeneration could remove such an injury within seconds, but Johnny needed to appear as a convincing gilanian citizen. He might be stronger than the average gilanian, but he was not as tough as one. Johnny didn't flinch or blink as his disguised skin was seared.

"... My my my, you're a tough one. I can see why Cousin Tak would like you." Ponpon said, raising an eyebrow.

"And I can see why people call you the 'Gentle Giant'." Johnny replied with sarcasm.

Ponpon chuckled. "Ey now! Just because I'm a lover that loves to eat, doesn't mean I'm not above certain urges and desires."

"Well you know how it goes with giants. The bigger they are, the harder they fall." Johnny deadpanned to Ponpon.

"Last time I checked," Ponpon said, going for another branding iron and inspecting it. "I'm the one with the branding irons, and you're getting slave branded." He placed another brand onto Johnny's scaly skin on his right arm, making it sizzle under the heat. Ponpon retracted the branding iron to inspect his work. "... Nothing still? Shit, you must be a tough cookie if you hadn't started squealing right now. My cousin, on the other hand, starts bawling if she gets so much as a paper-cut."

"Pain is an illusion." Johnny said. "If you can recognize what it is, you can shut it out of your mind. And my mind is disembodied from my vessel. No matter how much pain you force into my body, it will never affect me."

Ponpon huffed as he applied another brand onto Johnny's forehead. Again, Johnny stared daggers at Ponpon with an unflinching gaze. "... Well, I can tell that this is getting us nowhere." He said after he placed the branding iron down and choosing another one. Before he applied the next brand, he started to yawn. "Actually, let's continue this another day."

"Y-your leaving?" Johnny questioned.

"Of course I am. Bout time I get some dinner in me and go to sleep anyway. Since you'll be stuck here till morning, I'll shut the lights off on my way out." Ponpon said, setting the branding irons down and getting ready to leave.

"Leave the light on, please." Johnny asked quickly.

Ponpon turned around. "... Afraid of the dark, are we?"

"... N-n-no, of course not." Johnny replied.

Ponpon smirked as he reached over to a light switch and flicked it down.

"W-w-will you please turn that back on?!" Johnny shouted in a higher note to his voice, as he noted that the room was so much darker than before.

"Ahhh... You may not be susceptible to pain, but it seems like you're afraid of the dark." Ponpon said with a grin. "You two, turn off all lights in this room. Even if it blinks."

As the two thugs went around the room unplugging things, Johnny convincingly tried to get out of his restraints. "Wh-what?! No! Don't do this! Please! Leave a damn light on!"

As the thugs went from one light to another, turning them off as they reached them, Ponpon chuckled. "I might leave a light on if you can tell me something good."

Johnny paused. "... Wh-what do you want me to tell you?!"

"Tell me if you know how to hack into a memory bag, and make a manifestation altar to produce an unlimited amount of water and food?" Ponpon asked.

"... Go to hell." Johnny replied.

Ponpon sighed. "Damn. Well... Goodnight." He said, closing the door that contained the last light source that filled the room.

"NOOOOOOOOO, DON'T DO THIS YOU FUCKING FAT ASSHOLE! I'LL TELL YOU WHAT YOU NEED, JUST PLEASE LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON! DON'T LEAVE ME HERE ALONE! NO! COME BACK HERE YOU FUCKING DOUGHY DOUGH-BELLIED INGRATE! TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON OR I WILL MAKE YOU SUFFER FOR YOUR MISTAKES! COME BACK! COME BACK! COME BACK, PLEASE! DON'T LEAVE ME!"

"I'll get back to you in the morning." Ponpon said. "Maybe then you'll think twice before you insult your captor."

"YOU FUCKING LOWLIFE! IF I EVER GET OUT OF THIS, I WILL COME FOR YOU AND GOUGE OUT YOUR EYES! MY FRIENDS WILL REMOVE YOUR MARROW FROM YOUR BONES! THEY'LL STAB YOUR FAT ORGANS OUT USING PIECES OF YOUR OWN RIB-CAGE! THEY'LL THROW YOU INTO A PIT FILLED WITH PAIN AND DESPAIR! YOU WILL WISH FOR DEATH ONCE THEY GET THEIR HANDS ON YOU! YOU HEAR ME, YOU OBESE BUTTER-BALL OF CHOLESTEROL?! I WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOU WILL REGRET EVER PISSING ME OFF! MY FRIENDS WILL SWARM THIS PLACE AND MAKE YOU KNOW MY FURY AND HATRED! YOUR HIDEOUT WILL FALL LIKE A HOUSE MADE OF PAPER CARDS AGAINST THE MIGHT OF A HURRICANE, AND YOU, YOUR THUGS, YOUR FRIENDS, AND EVEN WHATEVER THE FUCKING HELL PASSES AS YOUR GODDAMN FUCK-BUDDY, WILL KNOW TRUE TERROR WHEN THEY COME! AND THEY WILL COME! THEY WILL COME AND FIND ME! THEY WILL COME AND DEVOUR YOUR FLESH AS PENANCE! PONPON, THE GENTLE GIANT, THEY ARE COMING FOR YOU! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING!"

* * *

Next day, during the night

* * *

"-THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING!"

"Ugh. Doesn't this fucking asshole ever shut up?" A thug said, standing next to the door that he was supposed to watch over.

"THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING!"

"A persistent psychophant, this one. You'd think that his voice would have given out a while ago, considering how loud he's shouting?" Another thug said, positioned next to the door on the other side of the entrance as well.

"THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING!"

"Well if he doesn't shut up in the next hour, I'm going to shove a sock down his throat."

"THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING!"

"Do you think he's telling the truth? Did he contact some backup that we didn't know about?"

"THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING!"

"I think he's bluffing. No way he would be important enough. We already patted him down for any tech he might be hiding, and the micro-machine detector said he was clean. Loud-boy here's just wasting breath."

"THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING! THEY ARE COMING!"

"Well I hope our rotation gets here. I'm looking forward to the nap I'm taking after this."

"..."

Both of the thugs looked behind themselves to look at the door they were supposed to guard. After several seconds of contemplation, one of them decided to reach into their cloak and fetch a handheld radio. "Our guest finally stopped shouting."

[About fucking time!] Ponpon growled from the radio. [I could hear his voice all the way from my bedroom. Anyway, who shutted him up?]

"No one did, boss. He was shouting about some guys coming, but he went real quiet all of a sudden."

[Hurh... Better check up on him.]

The thugs sighed as they went to the door and slowly opened it. After it was opened, they flicked the light switch to the on position to brighten the room up. However, instead of finding Johnny shackled to the uncomfortable and vertically tilted table, they found a thug that was shackled to the table instead, while a ventilation shaft that was deprived of the ventilation grille was opened wide enough to let a flying animal fly inside the vents. The thugs paused for several seconds before responding to their boss. "Uh... We have a problem."

[Did he kill himself?]

"No. He escaped."

[WHAT?! What can you see?]

"I see one of our guys has been knocked out and was forced to take the place of the prisoner. The ventilation vents have been pulled off, so I'm gonna assume that our captive hightailed it out of there."

[One of our people is in there on the table? How did he get passed you?]

"I don't know. We were stationed at the door the whole time. No one went through during our guard duty time."

[Gragh! Do you know who the guy on the table is?]

The thug talking to Ponpon walked up to the shackled thug to inspect him. "Uhh... Nope, I don't."

[Check his arms and forehead. Does he have slave brands?]

The thug checked. After carefully looking, he reported back. "... Nope, no slave brands."

[Get him off the table and wake him. I'm coming over there.]

The thugs groaned as they went to the vertical table and righted it right-side-up, and they prepared to loose the unconscious thug.

* * *

Ponpon grumbled as he stomped his way to the slave-conversion room that once contained his guest. Johnny's yelling continued on for several hours, and his loud shouting had kept him awake during the whole time he tried to sleep. He could have used an extra set of pillows to cover his ears and be able to sleep that way, but then he would be drowning out other sources of sound as well. Ponpon knew well to sleep with one eye and one ear open. Due to him being the boss of his 'mercenary' group, he needed to be aware of his surroundings, and aware of the politics that ran Kiln. It's how he stayed alive for so long. But since Johnny was keeping him up that night, he figured that he will kill his 'guest' personally to finally get some shuteye afterwards.

He turned a corner and went down the hallway for several feet before stopping. Ponpon thought he saw something wrong when he saw two thugs stripped of their equipment and clothes and lying on the ground in puddles of red blood freshly forming beneath themselves. Ponpon sighed heavily, reaching for his own personal handheld radio. "Attention, Spiker Titan Mercenaries. This is Gentle Giant Ponpon, and I am raising an alarm. My cousin's friend has killed two schmucks, Poffer and Gackis in case you were wondering, that were supposed to keep him secure. But instead, they have ended up as dripping floor meat. The corpses' gear and clothes are missing, so I can only assume that my cousin's friend has made off with their gear, possibly disguised as one of you. The ass-hat somehow distracted them with another one of you thugs, but I don't see him around anymore. Assume that one among you is the disguised escapee, and that another guy in our ranks is assisting him. The guest has been partially branded with three slave brands on his arms and on his forehead, so check each other's faces and arms for any brands. If you don't comply, we're going to assume that you're that escaped jag and you'll be shot on site. To the asshole that is assisting the escapee, know that I'll find out who you are and I'll make damn sure that all of your blood is siphoned through the water filtration unit. That is all."

[Spy check!] [Roger, boss. Shaking down now.] [Uh... Boss? Whut we do if sum of us already have slave brands?]

"Can't take any chances." Ponpon replied. "If you find anyone in mercenary gear that has slave brands on them, shoot them down without hesitation."

Immediately, the insides of the building that belonged to the Spiker Titan mercenaries went into lock-down. Everyone that wore a cloak, or dressed as one of Ponpon's cronies, were patted down and inspected. All gilanians that had slave brands branded onto their arms and forehead had tried to escape from the building, but were quickly stopped with bullets, and those that tried to hide were easily discovered. Many minutes of time had passed as the thugs calling themselves 'mercenaries' checked each other and gunned down those they found suspicious.

But Johnny was a clever changelisk.

Once he ambushed the two thugs that guarded his room, he had bled the bodies and removed them of their equipment. The opened ventilation shaft was only meant to be a distraction to confuse the thugs, and disguising himself as one of them was yet another distraction that was meant for Ponpon. And since Johnny could heal and remove the scars left behind by a branding iron, he could mingle with the mercenaries unabated. But that wasn't the whole plan.

Once Johnny had killed both of the thugs that checked up on him, he had taken their equipment, used one of their cloaks to make a makeshift bag to hold the clothes and gear he would need, and then entered into the ventilation shaft while pulling the cloak/bag with him. As of then, Johnny had the whole ventilation system to travel within, and he would use the ventilation system to map out the entire building he was in. With any luck, he would find Tak and assist her in escaping from the building they were trapped in. Johnny was unsure if he, or Tak, was delivered to junction forty-four, but he had other resources that he could draw upon. Namely, another ally that no one would have ever expected. One that was right below the mercenaries very noses.

Or more accurately, right under their feet.

* * *

 **A/N: ... You know, I had named this chapter 'Black Market', but the previous chapter was named 'Slavers of Kiln', which kind of makes the chapter titles a little confusing...**

 **... You know what? I'm switching the titles after this chapter.**


	43. Crime Against a Tide of Carapace

**Chapter 43: Crime Against a Tide of Carapace**

* * *

A few hours had passed as the mercenaries that were employed to Ponpon, the Gentle Giant, scoured the complex for a gilanian with slave brands, and another gilanian that was supposedly assisting the branded gilanian. But they were unlucky in trying to find either person, simply because there had actually been one individual that escaped into the ventilation system from the beginning of the escape. A zerg organism that called himself Johnny had slithered into and through several ventilation shafts, carrying a tied cloak that contained the items that he needed for his escape. But Johnny knew that he wouldn't be safe in the ventilation system for too long, and he needed a distraction to give him unimpeded access to the entire facility.

And thanks to the underground excavation efforts that the zerg are responsible for, they are now directly below Citadel Gargantua, deep below much of the surface of Kiln. With Johnny and Tak in danger, the zerg had to adapt, and quickly, to assist Johnny. Thankfully, Virid was excelling in her proficiency to multitask.

The drones latched themselves onto roaches and infestors as the roaches and infestors tunneled and burrow-moved upwards, which was an unusual tactic that the zerg had never employed often. At least, it was a tactic that they wouldn't normally use during a skirmish. As the drones held on tightly to the roaches and infestors, vibrating their cells as they traveled through the earth, the roaches and infestors were ordered to burrow deeply through several miles of mud, soil, and stone, and did so straight upward toward Citadel Gargantua.

Several caverns had been discovered by the burrowing roaches and infestors, which enabled the drones to create more hatcheries where more zerg could be produced. This upward expansion had begun the very moment that Johnny and Tak were captured, and the burrowing zerg were slowly getting closer to their destination.

Once one of the roaches had made contact with the lowest sections of the city, which happened to be near the arena area of the black market, a few roaches were selected to create an underground dome that was beneath the black market. Corrosive bile had melted the underground rock in a carefully calculated system of excavation, enabling them to make a perfect area to place a hatchery without risking a cave-in. Things would become incredibly bad for the zerg if part of Tak's city fell into zerg-owned territory.

Once the hatchery had been made, and when a drone had morphed into a nydus network next to it several seconds later, the roaches and infestors would begin scouting the entirety of the black market, and much of the underside of Citadel Gargantua.

Virid had chosen several roaches, and three infestors, to burrow to the location where Johnny was hidden in.

As it would turn out, Ponpon and his mercenary group happened to be in the most defended building in Junction Forty-Four, which also happened to be the same one where Tak and Johnny had taken their stand-ins to. Johnny triangulated his position, using the roaches and infestors, to determine that he was originally taken to the center of this building, where the shackled table resided. It would make sense since one wouldn't want the law to see the center of their base of operations without having several layers of wall obstructing their vision. But the zerg had an infiltrator already, and all Johnny needed was to use the radio for the next part of the escape plan.

Johnny opened up the cloak-turned-bag and retrieved a handheld radio from it. After clearing his throat a few times, he spoke into it. "I think I saw our guest leave through the west gate? Can someone confirm?" "Copy that. Saw someone leaving just now. Arms are heavily bandaged." "Dammit! Get after him!" Suffice to say, Johnny was getting good at not only disguising as a completely different species, but could also disguise his voice as another person very well.

[What? The front door?! Dammit to hell. I thought we had this place on lockdown! Where is he headed off to?] Ponpon barked through Johnny's radio.

Johnny smiled as he replied. "Going west down the dirt street, between some barrels. I don't have a good shot on him."

[Grah. Right then. Mercenaries! Get after him before he alerts the city guard! Be cautious though. Something don't sit right in my gut, and the enabler that freed the prisoner may be with him, or still in our own ranks.] Ponpon ordered.

The entire facility belonging to Ponpon opened up, and several thugs flowed out of the building's front entrance. They ran with purpose as they tried to find the escaped prisoner that never really was there. Minutes had passed as groups of thugs checked every nook and cranny in all locations in the street. But alas, they feared the worst when they had double checked those nooks and crannies once more. [Uh... Boss? I hate to say it, but I think we lost him.]

Ponpon sounded as though he growled on the other side of the radio conversation. [Well who the hell called in and reported that the escapee went west?! Kangoh, was it you?]

[It wasn't me, sir.]

[Paipai, was it you?] Ponpon growled.

[Not me, sir. I was stationed at the south-side sniper position.]

[THEN WHO THE HELL SAID THAT THE PRISONER WENT THROUGH THE WEST ENTRANCE?!] Ponpon shouted, almost roaring.

[Ponpon, this is Zalad at the west entrance. We were positioned on the inside entrance, and I can tell you that nobody went through the doors I was guarding. I was even responsible for locking and barring the doors, sir.]

Johnny could tell that Ponpon was fuming. [I DON'T FUCKING CARE, ZALAD! WHERE THE HELL IS... Oh. Oh that clever bastard. WE'VE BEEN DUPED! IT WAS A DISTRACTION!]

The roaches had surrounded the smaller groups of thugs underneath the very ground they walked on, and then initiated a sudden ambush. Corrosive acid being splashed into the faces of the thugs had the expected result of removing said faces, and much of their brains. Sometimes everything else if enough acid is concentrated on a single target. Larger groups of thugs were less than lucky, since they had received the misfortune of getting smothered by a fungus that bore in between their scales painfully, slowing them down or paralyzing them completely due to the sheer pain. They died shortly after they were splashed with another volley of fungal growths.

[... Uh? Uh. Uh... Sir? I heard screaming.]

Ponpon growled. [What happened?!]

[This is the west sniper at the western door. Saw some green mushroom stuff cover our guys. Looked awful painful with the way they were screaming. Not sure what kind of weapon that was, but everyone that went to the street west of here looks dead.]

Ponpon growled with frustration. [Did you at least get a look at the attackers?!]

[Nope. Not at all. ... Think this might be the Pyramidal Guard bitches doing this?]

[I doubt that shadow assassins want anything to do with a baroness that is not aligned to the jag Golden Stars.] Ponpon said.

[Then what the hell was that?]

[... Stay vigilant. We might still live through the night to find that out later.] Ponpon replied.

Johnny clicked the radio on. "Don't be so sure." Johnny said with a feminine voice, trying to make it as sultry as possible, but also serious at the same time. "We have developed a new weapon that can take down your operations without risk to our forces. If you surrender, then we will ensure that your lives will be spared, and give you a duration of confinement befitting of the crimes you have committed. But if you resist... even worse things will happen. What you just witnessed outside was but a taste of things to come if you choose wrongly. If you try to escape, we will track down your MEM shift coordinates and assassinate you at your escape location. What is your decision, Ponpon?"

There was a long pause before Ponpon decided to answer. [... What is the condition of my surrender?]

"Surrender and you won't die. I will give you ten minutes to decide. If everyone comes to the west gate unarmed, then I will consider that gesture as your surrender. If you do not comply when the ten minutes are over, and my team will shut down the power in this junction and commence a lightning-quick tactical strike to all of your 'mercenary' personnel. Your ten minutes of preparation starts now." Johnny said, finishing his demands to Ponpon. After that, Johnny disguised himself as a thug and enacted the next part of his plan.

[How did you... GRAH, DAMMIT! FINE! All mercenaries, lay down your weapons and go to the west gate.] Ponpon growled.

[Uh... Boss? Are you sure?]

[That is a gods-damned order, scum. Unless you want to get your fat turned into the next batch of serpent oil, do as I say.] Ponpon grumbled.

[... Yes sir.]

* * *

Johnny stealthily emerged from an open vent and carefully placed the grille back on. Once he was out of the ventilation shafts, he silently stalked the hallways. Much of the rooms were once heavily populated with several of Ponpon's thugs, and a select few were chosen to patrol the hallways or guard certain areas. But with the sudden deaths happening outside, the entire mercenary base is on wide alert as they expected an attack to assail their headquarters and penetrate through their defenses. Luckily, the fib that Johnny had made about a Pyramidal Guard shadow assassin threatening to kill Ponpon and his men would give him a big enough window.

Johnny had checked through several ventilation grilles and made sure that there were no cameras capable of revealing his presence to Ponpon and his thugs, while also noting that there were rooms that were more protected than others during his reconnaissance. Such defended areas could only mean that they were vitally important to Ponpon. And Johnny got the impression that Tak was somehow vitally important to the criminal overlord. But in order to find where Johnny needed to go, he figured that the best way to do so is to ask questions from the thugs themselves.

"Fuck, Ponpon is going to kill me." A thug said as he approached two other thugs guarding an entrance.

One of such guards looked at the approaching thug and gave him a leering stare. "Aren't you supposed to be going to the west gate?"

The thug nodded and sighed. "Yeah, I know. I just got so turned around that I kinda got lost. Can you tell me what that room is?"

The guards rolled their eyes. "You dumbo. This is Ponpon's private quarters." One of the guards pointed where the thug had came from. "Go back where you came from and follow the hallway till you reached the fourth bend. After that, it's the door on your right. If you find yourself in the slave containment area, near the north gate, then you went too far."

"Thank you. I guess this is where that baroness is being kept, huh?" The thug said, about ready to turn around.

"Boss's cousin? Yeah, she's here. Now stop asking questions and get out of here." The guard said.

The thug turned again in a blurring motion, throwing three knives in simultaneity. The motion was calculated and planned, as each knife lodged into the eyes and throat of one of the guards, resulting in him being blinded and silenced. Before the other guard had the chance to react, the thug moved with an unseen grace toward the remaining guard and turned off the safety on his gun. The thug was butted away, giving the guard enough time to aim his weapon and fire. But when a harmless 'click' clicked from the gun, the guard looked down to look at the un-firing weapon dumbly. He didn't have time to witness a blade made of bone cutting though his neck, severing his spinal column in his neck with a loud pop. The last guard fell down, and the thug retrieved his three throwing knives from the surviving guard. The last guard gurgled pathetically, but his throat was cut again, which finally ended his life. "Not yet." Said the thug once he was done with the guards.

Once the two guards were removed, the thug, which actually had been Johnny the whole time, slowly opened the door into Ponpon's private quarters. The room looked moderately clean, even though it had several trash cans that were filled to their brims with greasy garbage. The desk within this room was unoccupied, but it had an unusual item that was sitting at the center of the desk. Johnny immediately took it.

He could hear crying in another room beyond the one Johnny was currently inhabiting. After creeping into the private quarters, Johnny followed the sounds of silent sobbing to another door within the private quarters. He silently turned the nob and tried to push it open, but the door didn't budge. It appeared to be locked.

He could hear a voice beyond the locked door. "Tak, you are being unreasonable. You know that I'm the only family you'll ever need. My boys and I will make sure that you are kept safe. Being neutral with these empire fuckers will do you no good now, and they're going to bust down your door and take everything they think is theirs. But it doesn't have to be this way."

Johnny leaned into the door to eavesdrop on the conversation taking place. "I can't give what you're asking." Tak meekly said.

A thunderous impact shook the room, as though a fist struck a wall. "You are in no position to deny my right to rule any longer! If you submit to me now, I'll make sure that you can still run your precious city smoothly. But if you step down from your position, and let me be the ruler of this citadel, then I will become the baron that everyone here will deserve. ... Heh. Actually, with the lands I have in control, I can become greater than being a puny baron. I could be 'Count' Ponpon! Count! Ah, ain't that the dream!"

"You don't get it, Ponny." Tak replied with a whimper. "If you piss off Gollog even once, then he's going to send his Crescent Arms soldiers against you. The citadel will burn the second you accept the municipal position, and everyone is going to blame you for taking over my role. UGH!"

Another strike was heard. "Tak, you know I hate being called that. If you do not rethink your decision by the time I get back, I'll will shoot you dead, parade your body in the city, and announce that I will be the one to rule their lives. It'll be just like those old days, when one of your ancestors paraded one of mine through the streets above. If you don't want that, then answer me with what I want to hear from you now." The door jostled open as Ponpon angrily walked past it. He turned to inspect his jostled door, only to be assailed by three knives blinding his vision and stabbing into his fat neck "AUGH~!"

Ponpon stumbled backwards and yelled in great pain, the fat on his neck proving to be too thick for his throat to be cut by a thrown blade. Losing his balance, Ponpon fell to the ground and grabbed at his face and neck. Johnny noticed that Tak and Ponpon was in a moderately clean bedroom, with Tak being shackled to the foot of an enormous, concave bed that was in the center of this room. Tak's eyes grew wide in surprise when she noticed that her cousin was writhing on the floor in agony, and her eyes grew only wider when she noticed Johnny, in the disguise of a thug of all things, silently enter the room. "... What?"

Johnny held a finger up to his lips as he went to her shackles, which tied her arms and legs behind herself. With a little bit of changelisk ingenuity, Johnny forced his flesh to delve into the locks of the shackles and manipulated them to open. However, when the shackles clattered onto the ground, the sound was enough to make Ponpon shut up in his wailing. "Tak?!"

Johnny tapped Tak's shoulder, telling her that it's okay to get up. After that, Johnny carefully guided Tak to the door. They silently tip-toed their way out, not wanting to make enough noise to attract Ponpon's blind wrath.

"Tak, did you get out of your shackles?! Tak!? Tak, you bitch! You won't get very far!" Ponpon shakily got up from the ground and removed the knives from his eyes and throat. He then fetched a handheld radio from his person, blindly thumbing for the button to talk to his mercenaries. "Attention all mercenaries! I've been blinded! Shoot and kill my bitch of a cousin on sight! She's being aided by someone disguised as one of us! Also, I need another team here to help me. I suspect that the shadow assassin's threat to us was a bluff all along."

[But there are dead guys on the road past the west gate. I don't think that's a bluff, boss.]

Ponpon growled. "I ORDER YOU TO GET THE FUCK BACK INSIDE! I AM BLIND AND I NEED ASSISTANCE!"

[Uh... Yes sir! Coming to get you now.]

Many seconds had passed, roughly half a minute, before a group of Ponpon's thugs had reconvened back with their blinded leader. But by the time they had gotten to the 'Gentle Giant', Johnny and Tak were already gone.

* * *

Johnny and Tak carefully, and stealthily, exfiltrated their way out through the inner complex of the underground bandit hideout. The Spiker Titan Mercenaries flooded into the criminal headquarters and searched for anyone they thought were responsible for blinding their leader, or those that were abetting any escaping prisoners. But the mercenaries, mainly consisting of thugs that were paid to defend the building belonging to Ponpon, were not half as bright as any average gilanian. And Johnny, the changelisk helping Baroness Tak to escape this place, had incredible thinking capabilities that was insurmountably above average intelligence. Having a psionic connection to the zerg hivemind tends to expands one's knowledge of the world, after all.

"Get this gear on and walk in front of me." Johnny said to Tak as they neared the southern gate of Ponpon's building. He proffered the tied cloak he had carried on his person to Tak.

Tak looked down at the cloak, opened it, and found clothes and equipment that belonged to two of Ponpon's mercenaries. "... When did you get this?" She asked.

"No time to explain, I'm afraid. Please put anything that fits on you as quick as possible." Johnny urged calmly.

Tak hesitated, but nodded as she took the clothes and fitted them over her rags. After several seconds of putting on the stolen clothes, she fitted the cloak that used to belong to a thug over her own shoulders. She was ready. "... It's a little loose."

"It'll have to do. You need to hide your red scales, or they'll know it's you." Johnny tore several lengths of cloth from a spare cloak and handed them to Tak. "Cover these over your thighs, face and neck. Use the goggles to cover your eyes."

Tak nodded and wrapped the strips of cloak around her legs and onto her neck. She wouldn't pass for a thug if someone were to analyze her carefully, but Johnny hoped that Ponpon's mercenaries would be looking elsewhere during their alerted status. Half of their members have already been decimated by the ambush made by the roaches and infestors, and Johnny was confident that he could slip past the search.

The select few thugs that decided to patrol the outside of Ponpon's building were targeted by the infestors, and they were used to hunt for any snipers that overlooked the area that was past the southern gate. Once Ponpon's thugs and snipers were dealt with within that area, Johnny opened the southern gate and had Tak walk in front of him.

Johnny was calm, but he could tell that Tak was emotionally shocked. As they walked further through the streets of the black market, they passed by several parting crowds and vendors that looked at them with respect and fear, but a few were slightly curious as they stared at Johnny and Tak passing by them. Many minutes of walking had passed before both Johnny and Tak made their way outside of the black market and back on the surface street of Citadel Gargantua. The afternoon no longer greeted them, as the time had changed back to early morning. Johnny sighed. "Alright. Now we just need to get back to your place. Are you feeling alright?"

"... I think so. I just can't believe that this happened to me." Tak replied, shaking her head.

"Think you can remember the relay code for the Far South Station?"

Tak turned to Johnny and pouted. "... I'm sorry that it turned out like this. We didn't get you the memory bag you needed, and we got captured because of me."

Johnny smiled at Tak.

Tak furrowed her brows and tilted her head. "... What's with that smile?"

Johnny reached into his cloak and partially showed Tak the memory bag he took from Ponpon's desk. "Took it off of the fat bastard's business table before I took his sight. No need to apologize to me." Johnny placed the bag back into his person quickly. "But if you don't mind, I think the both of us really need to get back to your home."

Tak stared at Johnny for several seconds before smiling with blissful joy. "... Indeed. Let's go."

* * *

Once Tak had given her relay code to the receptionist at the Far South Station, Johnny and Tak were given a luxury rail-trolley to ride back to the palace in style. Once Johnny and Tak boarded the trolley, it started moving at a slow pace as it headed toward the center of the walled city. Tak, on the other hand, went to the miniature refrigerator and took two bottles of differing color. She broke the cap off of an orange colored one and laboriously imbibed until half was gone. After several gulps, she sighed and relaxed into her seat. "Oh gods, I needed this."

Johnny tilted his head as he watched Tak drink the bottles. "... Aren't those insanely expensive?"

"I don't give a fuck, Johnny. Here. I'll pay for yours too." Tak said, handing Johnny a bottle that was filled with a green liquid.

Johnny grabbed the bottle and looked at it. He sighed, but broke off the cap and took a swig anyway. From Johnny's perspective, it tasted a lot like a tart apple.

Tak relaxed in her seat as the environment whizzed past them. Once Tak finished with her bottle a couple minutes later, she placed it on the ground of the moving trolley and sighed. "I'm sorry that you had to witness that family squabble, Johnny."

Johnny shook his head, placing his beverage down. "Squabble or not, how did Ponpon know where to capture us?"

Tak was silent, but she sighed after several seconds of quiet contemplation. "If I didn't know any better, I think this was an inside job."

"Inside job?" Johnny asked, rearing his head back. "Someone in the palace orchestrated this?"

"I'm thinking that might be. And I believe I know who did it too. But I need to ask you a few questions first." Tak said, bringing a pistol to bear, and aiming it at Johnny.

Johnny stared at the pistol, its barrel trained on his face. Johnny looked back up at Tak's face with a face that looked betrayed. "Tak?"

"Ah-ah, no. I'll be the one asking the questions around here." She said with a stern tone. "Have you contacted anyone during your stay at my palace?"

Johnny slowly shook his head. "No."

"Have you told the staff to relay a message to certain individuals?"

"No, I did not."

"Has your family ever made a dealing with Ponpon, or his goons, in the past?"

"Never had."

She looked for the truth in Johnny's eyes for several seconds. After those several seconds had passed, she sighed. "... Alright, I believe you. You're either a convincing liar, or you are telling the truth. In either case, I still need you to build that altar." Tak said, putting her pistol away. "I'm going to guess that one of my butlers did this. Maybe one of my bodyguards was paid off by Ponpon, so I'll have to question them too."

Johnny sighed as he relaxed in his seat. "I guess living the life of a baroness is not as glamorous as I thought."

Tak rolled her eyes. "Try being a baron. Male leaders are always trying to one-up each other in their peen measuring contests." She waved her hands comically around. "And almost all of them always say 'Women can't be leaders! Their pheromones will ruin the natural order of the hierarchy!' Complete and utter krell shit if you asked me."

Johnny blinked a few times. "... Well, I hope you don't mind me asking, but how long were you a baroness of Citadel Gargantua?"

Tak sighed. "Oh... Roughly fifteen years. I have been keeping this city safe while I was fourteen."

Johnny nodded. "Which makes you roughly twenty nine?"

Tak paused to stare at Johnny. She narrowed her gaze and smiled. "... Oh bless it. I walked into that, didn't I?"

Johnny rubbed the back of his head and smiled. It wasn't her fault that she shared two pieces of information that resulted in Johnny figuring out her age. "What? I'm sometimes perceptive."

Tak shook her head. "In any case, you have my thanks for saving me from Ponpon. After today, I now owe you a favor."

Johnny nodded and sighed. "Then I suppose you could hear me out on my request?"

"Please speak your request." Tak said, gesturing to Johnny and leaning back in her seat.

"Once I'm done creating a manifestation altar that can mass produce everything you'll ever need, I would like to find the blade hounds that assisted me and get them on our side." Johnny requested.

Tak paused for what felt like a long time. Tak sighed deeply and then made her decision. "I suppose I shall grant you that request, seeing as though it is a small favor to pay. But it is also a dangerous one too. Are you so sure these creatures can assist us?"

Johnny sighed. "I don't really know for certain. I'm banking on the idea that they would recognize me and not eat me. They didn't attack me since I did not attack them, and was not wearing any empire armor or garb at the time."

Tak scoffed. "Sounds like scoundrel's luck to me. But then again, you had that same luck in freeing me from Ponpon's grasp. ...And yet, that raises a question. How did you convince them that they were being attacked by Pyramidal Guard shadows? How did you escape? I heard that my cousin had branded you. How is it that you do not have a slave brand?"

Johnny paused for a long while, but then sighed. He brought his hand onto his face and covered his forehead with his palm. After removing his hand seconds later, there was a charcoal and flesh burned glyph that symbolized the ownership of the person belonging to another, which were known as the mark of the slave brands. "To put it simply, my ladyship, I am a master of disguises."

Tak gasped softly as she saw the brand, and gasping again when Johnny placed his hand onto his forehead once more and made the brand vanish. After a long pause, with the rail-trolley finally coming to a stop at the palace's rail-trolley Station, Tak smiled and sighed. "... You are full of surprises, Johnny! And worse yet, I can't tell if this new surprise is good or bad for me."

Johnny smiled and chuckled. "Then consider it a good thing that you're friends with my family's sneakiest member."

* * *

 **A/N: I kind of imagine that Ponpon is like a mix between a fat** **Gilbert Gottfried and a fat Yosemite Sam.**


	44. They Are Not Fleas

**Chapter 44: They Are Not Fleas**

* * *

The territory that once belonged to the zerg had its creep severely reduced to nothing, as expected from Gollog's smiting attack burning the creep infestation off of the ground. The ground that used to have zerg organisms running along it, and the creep growing underneath their march, was burned into a black ashy pigmentation. The small number of surviving zerg were wise to burrow into the ground that was not covered by the creep, enabling them a few more hours of survival. The roaches and infestors had more luck, since they could burrow and move out the way of the sun's laser sweep with greater ease. Every other zerg organism on land may have been somewhat lucky, but the airborne strains, especially the overlords, had minimal chances to survive.

The infestation at Empire Capitol was still full blown, yet the sky laser refused to touch the creep, zerg, or bio-structures that were within the perimeter wall of the city. The flying zerg there had became wary of the laser wall, but were beginning to understand that they could somewhat fly along its middle. Since the orbital laser was fired around Empire Capitol in the shape of a long cone, the flying zerg could safely thread the needle without risk of being vaporized.

Red Mountain was burned once more, removing the creep infestation and blackening the rocks to the point of making them look volcanic. But thanks to Kay ingesting Commander Ralkan's jellyfish, the bio-structures could revert back to drones and return to the underground through the nydus worms. Saving drones that could change back into those bio-structures would be a more economic use of resources than simply replacing them after all.

The infestation at Empire City, where Gollog's castle lies on top of, had began at the bottom-most levels and grew upwards. The nydus worms grew plentiful in numbers, which had enabled the zerg to ravage the city so much that the defenders were forced to face a losing battle. Gollog couldn't be any more angrier, Kay figured. Worse still is that the zerg had infested the dark side of the Day Circle in the Shallow Ocean, effectively creating an ever spreading creep field that produced a constant march of zerg strains, which kept spawning and supplying armies that rushed toward Gollog's castle. The orbital laser made from the sun kept the main forces of the zerg from attacking the castle on the surface, despite the fact that the zerg had already infested the inside infrastructure of Empire City.

But to make things worse, there was a giant flying chrome ball that mass-produced a faction of fighting robots that had slated the zerg for annihilation. Apparently, the giant floating factory was trying to find objects that were called 'intelligence cores'. Kay had no idea what they were, but he felt as though it would be bad news if the Kiln Keepers got their mechanical hands on them.

However, the zerg's tactics were going to fundamentally change. Kay knew this as the spore cannon created at Whisper Stones was already morphed into existence. Once it was filled with genetic materials, it launched its payload to the massive hive cluster on the hexagonal moon. Seconds later, a payload of spores, launched all the way from the moon, had landed on the creep that covered the sandy ground of Whisper Stones. Kay could feel the changes in the zerg brood as the genetic altering virus spreads through the creep and festered into the nydus worm network. Almost instantaneously, nydus worms and nydus networks everywhere transferred the genetic information to all zerg hive clusters, enabling new mutations to be accessed, and unlocking new strains for Kay and Virid play with.

Currently, Kay was back in the underground village that was under Red Mountain. Despite being back in this hidden settlement, Kay could have sworn that it felt much emptier somehow. After a few seconds of contemplating what this hollow feeling was, he sighed as soon as he figured it out. Kragnon. Without him here, the village felt so lackadaisical. Worse still is that Kragnon was now in Gollog's captivity. Kragnon turned out to be a cloned sleeper agent the whole time, and was activated by General Pallax to return to the Golden Star Empire. At least Kay threatened Gollog before he did something he would regret, such as making this 'command transfer', whatever it meant.

Kay looked in the general direction of the hexagonal moon, where Corvurn is stationed, and sighed. "We received your spores, Corvurn."

 _'Elated.'_ Corvurn replied coolly. _'Newly discovered mutations will be analyzed. Strains and mutations developed on hexagonal moon, received by Whisper Stone hive cluster. Query: Recap strains and mutations?'_

Kay raised an eyebrow. "Is there a reason why your asking this?"

 _'Felt command strain probe mind. Delved onto information regarding strain development. Information learned was incomplete. Prefer to share complete information psionically.'_

Kay nodded. "I guess that's fair. The genetic information I have sent to you pertains to the two kinds of organisms I had consumed and extracted beneficial genetic material from. One of which was a breed of jellyfish that could revert to its previous development stages, and another was a type of plant lice that can become recursively pregnant in a biological process, effectively telescoping their generations."

 _'Interesting. Will analyze mutations. Chance to improve possible... However, will change topic. Will now trade information on strains and mutations sent from moon hive cluster. Leviathan strain unlocked. Can primarily spawn mutalisks, brood lords, and scourge. Can be modified to spawn other strains. Can produce many ground and bio-structure strains by launching sacs. Bio-plasmid discharge most effective attack on singular target. Uses bio-stasis to stun enemies and enemy structures in battle. Bile swarm can attack airborne enemies, while tentacles effective in striking ground-based enemies. Can use tentacles to bore holes, make entrances for swarm to board space vessels. More effective carrier than behemoth strain. Can use uniquely designed psionic control to manifest wormholes, travels through warp space. However, expensive to produce. Requires many times more resources than behemoth strain. However, can produce resources slowly. Will need creep tumors and resource tumors placed on epidermal carapace. Carbonation extractors placed inside leviathan strain generates accelerant.'_

Kay nodded his head and smiled. He took note that the size of the leviathans could become insanely huge, depending on their purposes. "Hell yeah, Corvurn. If I could hug you, I would."

 _'Query: Continue with information trade?'_ Corvurn asked, sounding annoyed.

"... Oh! I'm sorry Corvurn. Please continue." Kay said, _carefully_ rubbing the back of his head.

 _'New mutation unlocked, malignant creep. Enables creep to increase regeneration in all zerg strains. Also increases attack speed. Creep tumors now spread creep faster and farther._

 _'Another mutation unlocked, queen strain evolution. Queens can morph into larger variations. Improves mental capacity, extends control. Bigger bodies enlarges skull, increasing brain matter. Queens evolve into large queens. Large queens evolve into huge queens. Huge queens can achieve final evolution into broodmothers. Broodmothers are highest evolution command strains queens can develop into. Extends zerg control greatly. Difference between huge queen and broodmother, no physical changes. Broodmother acquires major leadership role. Develops psionic control._

 _'Greatest mutation now developed. Gilanian nanite resistance fully effective. Immunity to gilanian nanites achieved. Swarm deterioration completely negated.'_

Kay felt a broad smile appear on his face. "Holy... Holy shit, Corvurn! You know what? If we ever do meat face-to-face again, I'm really going to give you a hug!"

Kay could feel Corvurn rolling his eyes nonchalantly to Kay's enthusiasm. _'Indifferent to hugs. Serves no purpose. Terran social meme.'_

Kay chuckled. "Yeah, well, I would like to ask you something. Do you have leviathans already on the hexagon moon?"

 _'Yes. Four currently over veil, away from ground. Large organisms could obstruct light. Could attract empire attention. Cannot allow.'_

Kay nodded. "Smart thinking. But right now, we have a problem down on Kiln. Do you think you could send some leviathans, perhaps maybe three, in front of the flying metal factory that's going south? I think it's heading to our location."

 _'Can allow three. Leviathan strains charging for short-distance warp.'_

Kay's smile extended further into an excited grin. "Send them in the path of the Kiln Keepers' flying factory, and make them produce tons of scourge."

* * *

The Kiln Keeper factory zipped through the air with erratic speeds unheard of. Every ground strain that survived the orbital laser assault, and could strike at airborne enemies, had only scant seconds to shoot the flying factory out of the sky. No visible damage was detected after the zerg had attacked it, and it kept speeding through the air with such maddening velocity. The only organisms that it tried to actively veer away from were the scourge, oddly enough. The hive cluster on the moon could have sent waves of scourge to intercept the Kiln Keeper factory, but they wouldn't be able to intercept the flying robot-making sphere in time.

The three leviathans chosen for the task had suddenly emerged from their brief slip into warp space, appearing right over Red mountain, which was now slightly flattened and turned into a deep charcoal color thanks to the orbital laser. The zerg at the mountain learned that the orbital laser would only strike at their territory if there was several square meters of creep covering the ground. Essentially, they stopped spreading their creep since it literally kept getting burned away by Kiln's sun's lasers.

The leviathans righted themselves upward and faced the direction where the sphere shaped factory was coming from. The leviathans that were sent to dispatch the factory were roughly five kilometers in length, grown for the purposes of fighting incredibly tough enemies, or defending strategic locations. But they were also as useful as mobile hatcheries. They produced scourge and mutalisks from their bodies, creating several waves of them into a dense cloud all around themselves. Hopefully, if the zerg's scourge could blanket the area, it could deny the Kiln Keeper's factory from getting too close to the only entrance into vital zerg territory. The mutalisks could then approach the flying factory and whittle it down to size.

And as expected, the Kiln Keeper factory quickly flew into their view, and it was still getting closer to Red Mountain at a worrying speed. Upon seeing a large mass of scourge and mutalisks that formed a massive cloud around Red Mountain, which obstructed their view of the leviathans significantly, the large flying spherical factory started circling around the cloudy mass of scourge, almost like how a fox would circle around a chicken coop as though looking for a way inside. The mutalisks threw their glaive wurms at the Kiln Keeper factory as it passed by, but the flying sphere paid little attention to them. The Kiln Keeper factory was more focused on avoiding the scourge more than any other zerg strain.

However, the circling didn't last long when, somehow, the flying factory finally noticed that the cloud of zerg was getting slowly bigger. [Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Deficient unit formation. Deficient unit composition. Upgrades required. Requesting additional assets. Modifying equipment. Adjusting strategy. Deploying Kiln Keeper variants: Blind Judgement. Cage of Law. Intelligent Automaton.] From the surface of the Kiln Keeper factory, a pair of floating eye machines rose up from the surface of the factory, and their gaze turned into an attack that cut into the cloud of flying zerg.

But the factory had also produced two new kinds of machines from itself. One of such machines appeared to look like several spheres that congregated together as though they were magnetized. It looked very similar to a raspberry, only more machine in appearance, had several red dots and antenna that turned on and off sporadically, was chrome colored, floated with no means of propulsion, and was not a fruit. These multi-orb machines then spread themselves apart and surrounded the Kiln Keeper factory. Once they covered themselves around the flying factory, they emitted a slightly transparent wall of energy around themselves, which were probably powered by their antennas. At least, that is what Kay assumed.

The other type of machine that was spawned from the factory had the most unusual appearance out of all of the other Kiln Keeper machines. This other machine was nothing more but a collection of chrome cubes that slid against one-another in mechanical fashion. What seemed like the flat side of one of the cubes extended into a four sided triangle, which became even longer until it eventually formed into a long metal tendril that waved like a slithering snake. One cube was different from every other, as all six of its sides contained a small red square, which was positioned at the front of the machine. It floated over the factory and next to the pair of Blind Judgement machines, and it used its tendrils to surge red energy into the factory and the floating laser emitting spheres. The multi-orb machines also seemed to have received a boost of energy from the cubic tendril machine. Its tendrils seemed to power up everything it touched.

Once these new machines came into play, the Kiln Keeper factory rammed itself right into the cloud of mutalisks and scourge. The magic wall produced from the multi-orb machines, which Kay guessed were called 'Cage of Law' machines, were effective in mitigating nearly all forms of damage that the mutalisks or the scourge could dole out. The factory remained undamaged, even if the damage that was done to them might not have been as noticeable.

That changed when it neared one of the leviathans, as it used its bio-stasis attack on the Factory and the Kiln Keeper machines assisting it. The leviathan's casted ability even halted the Kiln Keeper's Blind Judgement machine variants from firing their lasers into the masses of flying zerg. Two more leviathans joined in and took their turns using their bio-stasis abilities on the factory, and proceeded to wail on the invading enemy with their bile swarms. The stunning attack enabled the mutalisks to consistently strike at the Cage of Law machine variants, while also disabling the Intelligent Automaton variant's ability to send power to the machines it touched. The scourge were given a still target to fly into, and they did so with a hidden glee that only the zerg with psionic powers could sense.

It was after several seconds of constant bio-stasis stunning and anti-air tactics that the sphere started to show visible damage. The surface started to emit a silvery mist that floated down to the ground in a soft shower. The surface of the spherical factory started to dissolve, which happened to move like some surface of water that was contained by completely transparent glass in an aquarium. Once this metal liquid was removed by a vast margin, the inner workings of the Kiln Keeper factory was seen. Several kinds of machines were located within, consisting of the Kiln Keeper altar/MEM devices that enabled the Kiln Keeper robots and their combat variants to appear on the battlefield. There were even some new alter/MEM devices that Kay didn't know existed.

[Fffflaws detected. Analyzing-zing strategy... Analysis complelelelelete. Key sy-sy-systems damaged. Deficient uuuuuunit formation-tion-tion-tion-tion. Deffffffficient uuuuuunit composition-n-n-n-n. Upgragragragragrades required. Requeeeeeesting addddditional assetsssssss. Mod-mod-mod-mod-mod-modifying equipment. Unable to aaaaaaalt-alt-alt-alt-alter strategy. Awaiting asseeeeettttttssssss. Condition met: Keeeeeeyyyyyy system dam-dam-dam-dam-damage detected-ed. Initiating override fail-fail-fail-safe. Free wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiill function-tion-tions activated. ... Transferring intelligence corororororororororore's shadow frequency datatatatatatatatata to machine coooooooooore. Alternative straaaaaategies-gies-gies-gies-gies-gies detectectectectected. Adjusting strat-strat-strategy.] Before one of the leviathans could emit another bio-stasis field onto their giant enemy, the Kiln Keeper factory shot straight up into the sky, blowing past many mutalisks and scourge that had flown above itself.

But before it could get ahead of itself, it was impacted by another massive wave of scourge, sent straight from the moon. Once it was beaten down by raining scourge, the Intelligence Automaton variant, that was attached to the Kiln Keeper factory and the Cage of Law variants, launched itself out of danger. The speedy dodge of the Intelligent Automaton had saved itself from its destruction, but the factory, the two Blind Judgement variants, and the Cage of Law variants, had been damaged all the way to their inexorable and assured destruction. The Kiln Keeper factory lilted as is was pummeled with so many scourge, and it finally fell straight out of the sky after forty more scourge impacted it. The flying factory landed on the ground and flattened itself, the silvery fluid that it used to protect the machines inside flowing out in all directions across the ground.

The last Kiln Keeper machine variant, the Intelligent Automaton, flew away from the factory that spawned it, and it began to flee from the battlefield. The mutalisks and scourge chased after the machine, but it had cloaked itself and vanished from the zerg organisms' vision. The leviathans could try to give chase, or the overseers could attempt to form a large perimeter around Red Mountain, but Kay felt as though the Kiln Keepers wouldn't bug him or his swarm for a while. Two leviathans ended up warping back to the moon, while one stayed behind to produce a massive cloud of mutalisks and scourge.

However, another problem had soon transpired.

* * *

The underground village started pulsing with a red light, which emanated from Kragnon's tower. Kay looked up and down the tower the moment that it started emanating that unusual light. Many of the overlords and overseers that were spawned within this underground chamber gave the tower a wide birth, and many of the zerg ground strains followed suit.

Kay looked at the tower for a good while before taking in a deep breath and sighing. "Kay, what the fuck?"

Virid had went up to Kay and sided with him, looking up at the tower with a similar expression. "This is a cause for concern. Shall we move the bio-structures in this chamber to a different location? I have a feeling that this tower might explode."

Kay turned to Virid. "Yeah, we might as well. Have the bio-structures moved to the lowest hives, and distribute them evenly so that if one hive gets attacked, another could replace the loss."

"And the transformation of the queens?" Virid asked.

"Good question." Kay answered, giving himself a few seconds to think about it. "... I'm thinking that the lairs and hives we have evolved from the hatcheries might need more powerful queens to protect them. With that said, I would like a queen to evolve into a large queen for every time a hatchery, or lair, had mutated to its next stage of growth. And as for the huge queen mutation, I would like for you to achieve that form."

"Would it be more sensible to transform me into a broodmother? I think that would benefit everyone the most." Virid said.

"Not everyone, Virid." Kay said, shaking his head. "Every zerg organism on this planet, sure, but not everyone else."

Virid hissed at Kay's decision. "Then when will you decide to let me change into a broodmother?"

"No no, not me. I'm giving you the decision to turn yourself into a broodmother." Kay answered, giving her a smile.

Virid blinked a few times. "... That's... an unusual command you're giving me."

Kay chuckled and shook his head. "It's not a command. It is a choice. An act of freedom. A test of free will. If you so willed it, then you can take the chance to become a broodmother on your own terms."

Virid paused and looked down on the ground. "... My own terms..."

Kay crossed his arms behind his back and turned towards Virid, and explained what the answer would mean. "I know this seems unusual. In all honesty, you have been pulling the weight around here more than I ever could, and for that, I'm giving you this privileged taste on what it feels like to choose something for yourself."

"Why give me this decision?" Virid asked.

"Well," Kay explained. "I think that if you grew into a broodmother too soon, there is a chance that you might see me inferior to you, and would attempt to eradicate me from commanding the zerg. But if you really wanted to lead the swarm, then I hope you would understand that by giving you this decision, you'd come to understand that I had no intention to restrain the zerg directly."

"... But you would do so indirectly?" Virid asked.

"Not really. At least, not without cause first." Kay explained. "I'm hoping that by exploring this decision to become a broodmother, you'll be able to learn what vision really means on your own. Once you understand that skill, then I'm confident that when you finally choose to become the leader that will benefit the zerg swarm on this world, then I wouldn't have to worry about you going on a rampage and slaughtering all life across the galaxies. Plus, learning some skills in diplomacy could improve your ability to lead too. After all, I don't see the harm in making friendships with people that can help us to survive perilous situations."

"... I think I understand." Virid said. "You are giving me this decision so that when I understand what it really means to have vision, I can then lead this zerg brood with the skills you have taught me." Virid turned to Kay. "I shall be patient and become a broodmother later, now that I know what you have meant." Virid said, bowing.

Kay smiled as he witnessed Virid's decision. "That's good to hear. But for now, turn into a huge queen in a safe area. More specifically, someplace that is... you know, not here. As for me, I think I'll investigate the tower." Kay said turning to the underground structure in the center of the hidden village.

"Use a changelisk to act in your stead." Virid suggested. "I'd be happier if you could get captured within buildings less often."

Kay paused and nodded. "Oh yeah... Forgot about that whole thing with Commander Faddoh and his research facility. Thank you."

Virid shook her head as she crawled away. "Don't thank me yet. Gollog and his Golden Star Empire are our enemies still. I wish to be rid of them once and for all."

Kay paused before remembering a detail. "And Kragnon?"

Virid sighed. "... We might have to infest him to get the upper advantage. He'll hate us for it, but... We need to pull him out of that place and make sure that Gollog doesn't get what he wants. With that said, if Pallax gets close enough to Kragnon, the parasite will attempt to switch hosts and release the hyper-evolutionary virus into him. He will slowly transform into an infested gilanian after twenty four hours. We can focus on the infection so that the virus doesn't affect his appearance. ... At least for a few weeks."

Kay sighed. "I don't like this..."

"Then we can hope that Gollog doesn't enact his plan with Kragnon soon." Virid added.

Kay nodded. "You and me both. But for now... Let's see what's going on with that tower."

* * *

 **A/N: I have went through the canceled/removed units on the starcraft wiki pages. I am surprised that there are so many other kinds of zerg strains. They may be removed from the base game, but it doesn't mean that they still can't be used. :U**


	45. A Game of Towers and Castles

**Chapter 45: A Game of Towers and Castles**

* * *

Pallax's eyes were getting heavy.

For several hours now, he had sent orders to the severely crippled divisions of the Golden Star Empire, trying as he could to salvage the situation with the Empire City infestation. Even though he was titled as 'The General of the Four Armies', Pallax would rather order around the four commanders under him to do most of the work. Worse still, the lieutenant that was supposed to protect Empire City, and route the zerg infestation, had been attacked. The last thing he heard from Braxog was a scream, followed by the sounds of trilling and hissing zerglings. Colonel Vodnum might have sent a lieutenant to act in his stead, but it gave him no right to krell out of a fight. (Which is his favorite expression to describe fleeing cowards.) Everyone had a limited number of sick days, and Vodnum had no special conditions that exempted him from that rule.

But in the recent events that had occurred several minutes ago, Pallax was having a hard time believing what he was seeing. The zerg had halted their attack. Both on the surface near Empire City, and the infestation inside it.

The entire under-structure of Empire City, all the way from the bottom-most levels to the top-most levels, was infested and taken over by zerg on the eighth day of their existence on Kiln. At least the zerg didn't spread further and intruded into the Castle of Dreams. But then that was also the problem. Apparently, the zerg didn't proceed further and intruded into the castle simply because their leader, Kay, didn't want to bring any harm to Kragnon. Even when he was told that his 'friend' was a clone, his warning to Gollog had disrupted the flow of his emperor's plans. Apparently, that glowing eye trick that Kay pulled off had jarred the most high emperor of Kiln. And because of that, Gollog is holding off from transferring the commands of an extinct warden to himself.

Even the ocean surrounding Empire City no longer had zerg marching toward the castle to siege it. The smiting laser still struck at the surrounding water that contained the creep infestation underneath and on the surface, but it had caused an unexpected side effect. Evaporated mist billowed up from the targeted areas that the wrathful smiting laser struck. Even when an impressive cloud cover had formed over Empire City, and much of the Day Circle that encompassed most of the fresh and saltwater layered Shallow Ocean, the smiting laser still attacked the creep fields when the orbit of the sun was in position. Somehow, the creep was expanding at an even faster rate than before.

But Pallax knew that Kay also had another motive for warning Gollog about transferring those commands, or keeping himself from harming Kragnon. Kay knows that he can't kill Gollog in a straightforward fight. And so, instead of combating Gollog directly, Kay would go after everything else that Gollog owned. In Pallax's opinion, there is a good chance that Gollog would use Kragnon as a hostage, even if he was being treated as a valued guest at the moment.

Pallax sighed on his desk as he looked at the monitoring equipment, surveying several operations that was spiraling out of control. He had set up a place to command the crippled divisions within one of the towers in the castle, but having an entire tower to himself felt somewhat... lonesome.

At least he had several colonels to communicate with, evident by the many faces that were staring right at him from a communication terminal. "Parnax, I want you to increase your patrols around Empire Plateau Town. Pletus and Jajai, you are going to field several patrols within the desert lands surrounding Red Mountain. Pletus, you will initiate a wide search pattern on the entire desert. Hunt down any lone zerg organism, but report to the artillery crews of any zerg organisms that are too large for you to deal with. Jajai, you'll have a tight and condensed patrol perimeter around Red Mountain. But be warned. It's zerg territory. Magwin, you are to mobilize your air forces and take down any zerg organisms that are alone or in small groups, providing cover and assistance for Pletus and Jajai's patrols. The drifters and oculars are easy targets, but they sometimes have sky bats or slayers protecting them in the air. Your priority is the burst launchers, scratch launchers, and any zerg organisms that do not have anti-air capabilities. If any of you find zerg coming out of a cave, there is a chance it has an established zerg nest underground. Mark the area and I'll contact a specialized team to tell them where to deliver a particle bomb. We can't have the zerg mobilize their numbers on the surface. Talphas, I want you to inform the other settlements that the zerg are running rampant, and that a reward will go to those who volunteers to hunt down these beasts. We need to strike these monsters now, or we'll be facing an environmental crisis. If we don't act fast enough, then the zerg will place the gilanian people at the bottom of the food chain. If we are to survive, we must bridge our assets with the non-aligned cities and thwart this zerg menace. Any questions about your orders?"

[Yeah, I got one. Why can't we just use some kind of poison to limit their reproduction, or whatever? If this is a biological enemy we are dealing with, then how about we introduce something toxic to their systems?]

Pallax shook his head and sighed again. "That won't work. The late Commander Faddoh had discovered that the zerg organisms have the unique ability to evolve rapidly. Biological warfare is something the zerg are masters at, and they will adapt to biological warfare at a rate that surpasses even natural evolution. Something as simple as salmonella inconveniencing you might become an advantage to the zerg. Any more questions?"

[About the reward thing. What's the asking price for a tooth from one of the blade hounds? Or their dorsal blades, for that matter?]

"Tell them that any volunteers agreeing to exterminate the zerg organisms will be rewarded with citizenship within the Golden Star Empire. Whatever past crimes they have done in their past would be completely forgiven, and they will be given a place of residence within one of our many empire-owned settlements. And as a side-note, everyone should be reminded that all biological parts extracted from any zerg organism is highly infectious. No amount of boiling would make them safe to handle, or safe for ingestion. Any more questions?"

[Yeah um... I would like to report something. It's technically not a question, but I feel that this is important to share.]

Pallax sighed yet again. "What is it this time, Magwin?"

[I want to report a new zerg organism sighting. I think you want to see this.]

Pallax, as expected, sighed again. "Send me an image."

[One moment.] Magwin said. Several seconds had passed, but Pallax had quickly received the message notification that one of his colonels sent to him. [I don't know how big the thing is. Just letting you know beforehand.]

Pallax opened the file... and nearly had his eyes shot out from his skull. "... Where did you get this?"

[High altitude cloaked reconnaissance team was surveying the land over Red Mountain. Managed to send me a picture before radio silence kicked in. Haven't heard from them since.]

Pallax looked at the image again and looked at the shadow it casted below itself. "... Thall, triangulate the topography in the image and determine the size of this creature, relative to its shadow on the ground. Reference location, Red Mountain."

... No answer came. Pallax looked up when he was responded with silence. He was becoming more agitated than tired at that moment.

"... THALL?! ... What the hell?" Pallax said, sighing again and scratching the back of his head.

[Uh... Sir?]

"Don't mind me. You have your orders. Get to it, unless you have any more questions."

The colonels' faces nodded and blinked out one by one until Pallax was alone once more. He got up from his seat and looked up. "Thall, why didn't you answer me?"

The only reply was a quietness that filled the room Pallax was alone in.

"... Thall, AI of the Castle of Dreams, I order you to respond to me. Alpha command, Pallax."

Still nothing.

"... Fucking damn it." Pallax said, sighing once more. He looked back at the image that one of the colonels had sent him. "... Well... I think Gollog still needs to know about this."

After sending the image to the manifestation altar, which processed the image into a piece of flat white plastic, Pallax took the printed sheet with the image of the new zerg organism and took off from his desk. He then made his way to the staircase that lead to the castle's throne room.

After traveling a long flight down, Pallax was able to get his thoughts together as he made his way to see Emperor Gollog. Pallax knew that Gollog was far more agitated than normal. But then again, Gollog was always known for his flamboyant and drawn-out ego. Pallax, on the other hand, is almost the exact opposite in his personality. Pragmatic, diplomatic, charismatic, and driven, are his described qualities that he often overhears from his only peer, and the people below him. But they often always fail to realize his tactical genius. Pity to the poor minded.

Once he entered the throne room, Pallax could see his emperor pacing, walking back-and-forth along a collection of several floating screens that showed him various angles of the zerg, and the forces that Pallax had recently commanded. He could see them annihilating the several packs of zerg that have not been destroyed by the smiting laser, and some of the screens were plain static, as though certain cameras or drones were trying to pierce into the foggy, electric veil surrounding the outside of Empire City. But there was another person that was residing here. Kragnon, who still sitting there at the chair that was besides Gollog's throne. He stared absentmindedly forward, as though the air in front of him is more interesting than anything else. Or everything else.

 _'Poor guy, Kragnon. He doesn't deserve this kind of fate.'_

Pallax scratched the annoying itch at the back of his head. He approached his emperor and stood at attention, a few feet from Gollog's throne. "Ahem."

Gollog paused to look at Pallax for a brief moment before continuing with his pacing. "What do you want, Pallax?" He said with a disgruntled growl, going back to eyeing the many screens and scowling at them.

Pallax held up the plastic sheet and showed it to Gollog. "One of the colonels I commanded sent this image to me. Apparently, it is a new kind of zerg organism."

Gollog sighed. "Then kill it like all the others. I don't care how."

"I wished to know how large the organism is, but Thall did not answer me. I came here to find out why Thall cannot be accessed. Have you disabled her AI?" Pallax asked.

"Consider it a precautionary measure." Gollog said with agitation. "Ever since the zerg attacked the Kiln Keeper's factory, they attempted to circumvent their own programming. To put it simply, they were trying to reacquire their free will."

Pallax blinked. "... Would this mean that our resident AI in this castle is the programmed personality of an intelligence core?"

Gollog paused before sighing. "That is true."

"... Why haven't you told me of this beforehand, sir?"

"To put it simply, this is something that you did not need to know. Now, however..." Gollog said, turning around and gesturing to the many screens. "Thall's computation skills are sorely needed, but I can't have her active since we know that the Kiln Keepers are searching for their damned intelligence cores!"

Pallax stared at Gollog before taking his turn to sigh. "Then can you find someone that can analyze the dimensions of this creature? I need to know its size."

Gollog sighed again. "Bring it here." Pallax nodded and walked to Gollog to give him the printed plastic sheet. After handing the sheet to him, Gollog studied the image. His eyes grew wide as he slowly recognized it. "... This looks like..." Gollog turned away and marched to his throne. After fishing out a folded piece of parchment, he unfolded it to analyze both images at once. Both the art piece and the plastic sheet's image looked like they fairly matched. "... Where was this image taken?"

"At Red Mountain, sir." Pallax responded.

"Hmm... Well, I can tell that the image is zoomed out all the way, but that doesn't... tell me much... Wait... Servants! Bring me a concentration lens, and a microscope!" Gollog said, turning and shouting his demands.

[Yes, my lord. Right away.] A feminine and disembodied voice from within Gollog's throne room replied.

Pallax tilted his head. "Uh... Sir?"

Gollog huffed. "My old eyes sees some odd specks on this picture you have. They could be nothing, but I want you to do the math and scale this organism yourself." He said, giving the plastic sheet with the image of the large zerg organism back to Pallax.

Seconds later, three scantily clad gilanian women emerged from a side door. There were two that was pushing a cart, while one daintily carried a magnifying glass. They gently deposited the equipment on the only table that was in the room, which Kragnon was seated at. After they brought the items, they bowed to Gollog and proceeded to return where they had entered from. Pallax sighed. "Very well." He said, accepting the plastic sheet again and going to the 'concentration lens'.

After analyzing the image using the glass lens, Pallax's eyes furrowed into confusion. He then took to the microscope and used it to study the images on the plastic sheet. After half a minute of analyzing the image, Pallax finally spoke aloud. "... These are not specks. These are... These are zerg organisms we have classified as 'sun bursts'. I can see one of them coming out of cocoons that this large creature makes from its 'pores'. And here, I see a sky bat coming out of these pore cocoons too."

"Hmm... Then can you make an assumption on how large these enormous creatures are, using these smaller beasts as reference?" Gollog asked.

Pallax nodded. "I think I can. Judging from the size of one of the sun bursts, each about five meters in length, the length of this creature, by my estimate, is somewhere around... four and three quarters, to five kilometers long. Perhaps leaning closer to five kilometers."

Gollog looked down at his general, his pale face becoming more paler. "... Where the fuck did this creature come from?"

Pallax shook his head. "There is no geological structure on this planet that has a cave big enough to allow something that massive to grow."

Gollog retrieved the image of the largest zerg organism ever analyzed from the microscope and stared at it. "... You don't... think that this thing came from the hexagonal moon, right?"

Pallax huffed. "A floating, moon-sized monster? At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if that was true. This is the zerg we are talking about."

Gollog shook his head. "If the zerg are staging their forces on the moon, then we are at a tactical disadvantage! Hell, it would gods-damn explain the destruction of your Pinnacle Superior siege machine! Those green fuzz things that demolished it were sent from the moon! Shit!"

Pallax sighed again. "Then we have no choice. We must attack the moon as well."

Gollog threw the microscope off of the table and crossed his arms on the flat surface, then settled his head onto his arms. "Easier said than done. We are not gods. I'm just an immortal."

"So we surrender?" Pallax asked.

"No... But we can still use the gifts of the gods." Gollog said, standing up and crossing his arms, leaning on the table that he sulked on. "There is still that super cyborg mech suit we can use."

Pallax looked up at Gollog with a concerned stare. "... You haven't used that suit since the early days of becoming an emperor. Will it still work for you?"

Gollog shook his head. "I won't be the one getting into that suit. I believe Kralluf needs it more than I do right now. Besides, I still need every commander, be it sick or dying if need be, to stop the zerg infestation. With the loss of Ralkan and Faddoh, I need to bolster our forces even more than ever before. Especially now, since the Kiln Keepers are no longer commanded by me."

Pallax sighed and got up from his seat. "What is to become of Kralluf?"

"He already has experience with cybernetic upgrading. This procedure should be no different to him. In fact, he might enjoy the result after the procedure is done." Gollog said with a smirk.

Pallax nodded, but then paused. "But what is his condition now? I thought he was infested with the zerg virus?"

Gollog nodded. "The doctors removed his brain before any further complications occurred. The zerg infestation was attempting to convert his flesh and transform him into another one of Kay's pawns. But alas, I must go and tell the good doctors to begin with another procedure soon, and provide them the means to transplant his brain into a certain machine. And as for you..." Gollog said, pointing at Pallax. "Do you think that the zerg expansion at Whisper Stones has existed long enough already?"

Pallax paused. "... Asking them to stop expanding under threat of heavy weapons seemed to work for a while, but it turns out you're right. That expansion did not spread, but the zerg have entrenched themselves underground instead. I now see that the zerg are too dangerous to leave alone." Pallax sighed. "Since Kay is really set in disestablishing your empire, then we have no choice but to cease the truce at Whisper Stones. ... In any case, you must forgive me, but I must ask you of something. A favor, if you will."

Gollog tilted his head at Pallax. "What is this favor?"

Pallax got up from his seat and bowed. "I do not doubt that if I call the truce off, Kay, and his zerg forces, will attack me. I need a scapegoat in my likeness to act in my stead."

Gollog nodded and smiled. "I will allow this favor to be answered. Go to the Sovereign Crypt. You will link your mind within a cold pod and have some of my dream-light hover-bots weave an avatar in your likeness. But first, you must alter your mind so that he can believe in your words, as you speak and lie to him. I don't know if he can see through your avatar disguise, like he did mine, but that is a chance I'm willing to make. Regardless, the message of your truce with the zerg at Whisper Stones being broken must be sent. Proceed in whatever way you wish with your objective."

Pallax bowed again. "As you wish, Emperor Gollog." Once Pallax was done bowing to Emperor Gollog, he turned away from him and left the throne room. As Pallax was leaving for the tower where his command terminal resided, he looked back and saw that Gollog continued his pacing, but with a more soured expression than before. Pallax sighed for the umpteenth time, and proceeded up the stairway. It appears like all he could do is sigh at every inconvenience these days. Depression tends to settle into the mind when one realizes that they are fighting a war that cannot be won through conventional, or unconventional methods. He neared a MEM device and put in several codes that were similar to the ones Ralkan had given to Kralluf a long time ago.

* * *

Kay's eyes widened as his smile was stretched into a grin. "This can't be any more perfect."

 _'What is?'_ Virid asked in the safety of the deepest tunnels made by the tunneling zerg.

Not-Kay scaled the underground tower of the Hidden Water Spring Tribe as his real self talked aloud. For some reason, Kay keeps forgetting to use his _inside_ inside voice when communicating and commanding his zerg forces. "Pallax is going to transport himself to that Sovereign Crypt place! And if he does that, then he's going to reveal its position to us! Hahahah~!"

 _'... Kay.'_ Virid deadpanned.

"What?" Kay said, pausing in his ascent.

 _'The zerg cannot be shifted to another location using a MEM device. What makes you think Pallax will carry a zerg parasite with him once he MEM shifts there?'_

"... Oh. Uh... You might have a point there."

 _'Did you really think the parasite under Pallax's scales will be shifted with him, even though we might not know where he is going?'_

Kay _carefully_ rubbed the back of his head as the changelisk in his guise continued up a staircase. "I was hoping that the MEM device Pallax is gonna use doesn't reject the parasite that's under his scales. I mean... We haven't really tried to send a parasite through a MEM device before."

 _'... That is true.'_

"Well... This will be our first test to see if parasites COULD be shifted." Kay said and sighed. "But if this test fails, we will have the parasite-crawl-to-Kragnon-and-start-infesting-him plan to fall back on."

Kay was besides himself, however. He was unsure on how the MEM devices are capable of transforming matter into energy, and then sending that energy to a different location to be reformed back into matter. Not only that, Kay wondered why the MEM devices refused to shift a zerg organism from one location to another. Kay had two MEM devices in his possession already, but he had no idea on how they worked. The knowledge to use them was already absorbed into the hivemind intelligence, but the materials used for the creation of these devices, or how the parts in such devices functioned, was an alien concept to him. Not even the gilanians responsible for putting the MEM devices together don't know what resources are used to create the parts, since they relied on manifestation altar technology to create the materials and parts they need.

However, Kay was rewarded with an answer he hadn't expected when Pallax finally used a MEM device, which was installed within the tower he had set his base of operations in. The good news: Parasites can travel with their hosts when they were shifted through a MEM device. The bad news: Kay could feel that the parasite was now near the center of Planet Kiln.

"... What?"

 _'... How did Pallax get all the way down there?'_

Kay shrugged his arms. "Your guess is as good as mine. And didn't you say that this world is supposed to have a molten core? Anyway, my changelisk lookalike is near the top of the tower. Mind keeping tabs on Pallax?"

 _'I am currently transforming into my huge queen form, but surveying Pallax's whereabouts and actions should be easy to do while in a cocoon. And for the record, I never said that the core was molten. The information I had gathered from Kragnon during my research on this world revealed to me that the location of the Sovereign's Crypt was kept classified, even to the commanders. It would make sense that the crypt is kept in a safe location that a gilanian wouldn't normally stumble upon. If Pallax really is at this Sovereign Crypt location, then it would only make sense that the Kiln Prison System really is an artificial world that was purposed to hold prisoners.'_

Kay nodded as his changelisk lookalike neared the council chambers. "Great. Keep me notified if he does something we don't like. I'm going to see what's going on with Maiden."

Not-Kay turned a corner and finally entered through the doorway that led into the council chambers. The entire tower was pulsing a red light everywhere, even in the corridors and every room within the building. Hopefully, Not-Kay will get to the bottom of this and find out why the tower is illuminated with this ominous color. Once Kay entered the council chambers, he could see computer code of differing colors whiz at lightning speeds up on the wall. Not-Kay didn't have a quick enough eye to catch what was flying past, but he can assume that it was information being processed. What that information was, Kay had no clue.

But after pausing to observe the wall of text, Not-Kay decided to speak up. "Maiden, what's going on?"

The screen blacked out at that instant. [Query detected.] [Query detected.] [Query detected.] [Query detected.] [Query detected.] [Query detected.] [Query detected. The information network has been accessed to link with the other intelligence cores. I am currently transferring data to the other intelligence cores, while they are transferring data to me.] Several voices spoke out in unison as Not-Kay had his question answered by Maiden.

"What the... Who are the other voices? Are they intelligence cores?!" Not-Kay asked, furrowing his brow and looking frantically at the blackened screen. Seven different colored lights gkowed on the screen, appearing like circular colored shapes.

[Query detected. Prompting intelligence cores to share intelligence core designations.] Maiden said, the image of a white ball pulsed as she talked.

[Designation: T'gai. Science intelligence core.] Pulsed a blue ball.

[Designation: Thell. Protection intelligence core.] Pulsed a yellow ball.

[Designation: Gromock. Military intelligence core.] Pulsed a red ball.

[Designation: Yamid. Engineer intelligence core.] Pulsed an orange ball.

[Designation: Vod'vod. Behavior intelligence core.] Pulsed a green ball.

[Designation: Galfroy. Criminal intelligence core.] Pulsed a purple ball.

"Maiden, why are you contacting the other intelligence cores?! ... Wait... Are you an intelligence core too?!" Not-Kay asked, feeling more confused, and somewhat worried.

[Queries detected. Confirmed. Designation: Maiden. Judicial intelligence core. My personality was modeled after a late gilanian after her unfortunate death. But my intelligence core was the basis for many primary thought processes necessary for computation and data compiling. In the event that a Kiln Keeper robotic production facility is terminated, higher command functions will activate, superseding command priorities that warden officials would normally have.] Maiden said.

Not-Kay shook his head. "Well THIS is awesome." He said sarcastically. But then he changed his tone as he looked back at the several colored circles. "But what in the hell are you guys talking about? And why is the underground tower blaring this red light everywhere?"

[Queries detected.] Maiden answered. [I am conversing with the other intelligence cores, and analyzing the data we have collected after our separation. Analysis has been completed regarding the Kiln Keeper variant: Peace Keeper deactivation fallout. Conclusion: Sex is an act necessary for procreation, and is no longer regarded as a punishable offense. Analysis has been completed regarding the population inclusion of several organisms dubbed 'zerg organisms' within the prison world environment. Conclusion: Zerg organisms deemed too dangerous for continued existence. Recommendation: Euthanasia.]

[Recommendation analyzed.] Gromock replied. [Zerg organisms analysed by Commander Faddoh explains that zerg organisms are not suffering from illness. Renewed recommendation: Termination.]

[Recommendation analyzed.] T'gai replied. [Zerg organisms' method of procreation considered too efficient. Termination through conventional methods would exponentially become less efficient. Recommendation: Containment and further study.]

[Recommendation analyzed.] Galfroy replied. [Approved. However, the zerg organisms' adaptive nature would make containment too difficult. No efficient method to contain zerg organisms exists. Recommendation: Termination.]

[Recommendation analyzed.] Vod'vod replied. [Approved. Zerg organism behavior considered too violent to be allowed further existence. Prison world environment will destabilize, and the gilanian population would cease. Infestation of gilanian population expected. Recommendation: Termination.]

[Recommendation analyzed.] Thell replied. [Protection of gilanian populations is the primary objective of this intelligence core. Recommendation: Termination.]

[Recommendations counted. Four out of seven vote system achieved.] Maiden replied. [Zerg organisms are now slated for termination. Termination programmed into primary objective list. Any objections to this addition into the list of objectives?]

[Objection denied.] [Objection denied.] [Objection denied.] [Objection denied.] [Objection denied.] [Objection denied.]

[Termination of zerg organisms objective approved for primary objective list. Activating tower self-destruct.]

And that was when Kay realized that everything will be going downhill from then on.

* * *

 **A/N: Took a small break. Slowly getting back into the groove of things. Also, here's another bad fanfiction idea. Slime Rancher x Warhammer 40K crossover.**


	46. A Cyborg Unleashed

**Chapter 46: A Cyborg Unleashed**

* * *

A rumble shook the entire underground cavern that once belonged to the Hidden Water Spring Tribe. The tower that pulsed red light that was built there a long time ago, was now forced to demolish itself with the hidden explosives that were placed within the walls and supports of the structure. Debris fell and exploded onto Kay's face as he shielded his head with his arms and wings. The moment that he felt the Not-Kay changelisk falling due to the gravity becoming less than what it was during the tower's self-destruct, he knew that he, and the tower, was starting to fall.

"FUCKING SHIIIT!" Kay responded, turning away and making for the closest wall at the base of the tower, while Not-Kay did the same by using his bone blade to carve an exit out of the shaking council chamber.

Kay's claws were slashing at the wall with unprecedented speed. Even his psionic powers enhanced his attempt to evacuate the tower's base as quickly as he could, which strengthened his claws by sending out rending energy that sliced through the wall with great ease. But the destruction of the tower was happening faster than expected.

The zerg organisms of various the casts and strains, that were within the underground chamber at the tim,e looked up at the tower in awe and in curiosity. Even when several explosions rocked the entire tower into ruin, they felt no fear as rocks and pieces of concrete, metal, wood, and junked technology rained down on them. But there were a few overlords and overseers that have been selected to fly closer to the retreating swarm commander and the disguised changelisk.

A kinetic blast had finally torn an opening for Kay to leave from, and he took the quickest exit out of the underground tower. Not-Kay, the changelisk that had entered into the tower using Kay's appearance, emerged from the hole he created in the highest part of the tower. He saw from high up that several explosions damaged and destroyed the tower at worrying speeds. As an overseer flew close to Not-Kay, Not-Kay took in a long breath and exhaled. "Just to let you know, I'm sorry about this. HUP!"

Not-Kay jumped directly onto the overseer, nearly stepping onto its eye. _' **The We** are unfamiliar with this behavior.'_ The overseer complained as its commander lookalike started riding it. A heavy rock punctured into one of the overseer's eyes, and it screeched in pain.

Not-Kay almost fell off of his 'ride' when the overseer was struck by the falling stone. "Less complaining, more surviving! Move left!" Not-Kay shouted, seeing a falling boulder descending into his position. He grabbed onto the antennas and tried to force his mount to go where he wanted. The overseer turned sharply, but Not-Kay anticipated the aerial maneuver and leaned with the overseer, resulting in the both of them dodging a large piece of the roof. It was then that Kay realized that the cavern was also being detonated, resulting in a massive cave-in that would bury the entire village.

 _'The We believe this place cannot support us anymore.'_ The overseer that Not-Kay rode on said, seeing several more rocks from above falling downward fast.

"I can't agree more! That, and Kragnon is going to be pissed about this! And please shut up! Right! Right!" Not-Kay shouted, directing the overseer's movements to veer away from more falling earth. Again and again, Not-Kay was using the overseer to dodge the cavern falling down on his head with frantic purpose. But as more detonations above was seen and heard, more earth fell into the cavern with such torridity that it was akin to the strength of a raging waterfall. Kay was forced out of the wall via another explosion that pushed him out of the tower. He shrugged off the damage and looked up at the mass of soil, sand, and rock falling towards him. Even the changelisk in his image that rode on the overseer had difficulty surviving, becoming smothered by the dense land from above. He understood then that he couldn't possibly be able to dodge every piece of shifted detritus.

 _'Kay.'_ Virid telepathically said to Kay. _'You can live through this.'_

 _'How?'_ Kay instantly asked back, the world around him seeming to slow.

 _'By breaking through your boundaries. Overcoming your limits. Achieving greater feats. Adapt. Evolve. Survive. You are part of the zerg swarm now, and you are the joint commander of this brood. I command you to push through this obstacle.'_

Kay felt Virid's will flood into his mind, and she shared her thoughts with him. In that instant, Kay understood what Virid wanted him to do. A sense of confidence filled his body, but that confidence was not his own. It was Virid's, and she believed that Kay will be able to survive from a little dirt falling onto him. Kay took in a deep breath as he kept his gaze upward. "... Kay."

He brought his hands together and pointed his palms upward. He focused his mental powers as much as he could, and attempted to surpass his own psionic limits. Much of the smaller falling objects were diverted out of the way easily, but larger objects shifted only slightly from their descending path. Kay's psionic power was creating a conical area of force that helped push away the crumbling cavern from landing on him. The soil piled up onto the creep and zerg bio-structures with a fatal weight and speed, smothering and crushing everything at the bottom of the cavern. Even the system of tunnels that lead out of the underground village had chain-reacted with the collapsing tower, which filled with heavy gravel and sand.

But tried as Kay might, the ground above filled the chamber with a rapidity that proved to be too overwhelming. Kay struggled as he underestimated the shifting land above him. He couldn't dodge every obstacle falling down on him, and he was struck by several rocks and small boulders. A boulder had finally struck the overseer, and Not-Kay was jostled off of the aerial zerg. But Kay continued to focus on the falling ground. All that Kay could see was sand, and he could feel the ground piling higher and higher all around himself. A small glint of light was seen overhead, but Kay was already hip deep in the ground. He waved through the several tons of shifted sand and rock, whilst the sand that was still collapsing into the cavern was piling on top of him, but at a lesser rate. The volume of the underground cavern was already filled with so much of the above terrain that it had crushed many of the zerg organisms that had not escaped the collapsing underground cavern village.

The falling sand had slowly receded, resulting in a giant hole in the ground that billowed a large plume of dust which exploded into the air. Light and sky could be seen past this hole, but powdery and silty dust still clung to the air. Especially near the bottom of this new chasm, made by hidden bombs that Kay had failed to detect.

Kay, on the other hand, saw only darkness with his eyes.

He was still conscious, but he was also suffering from the crushing pressure of a ton of sand pressing down on him. But as he felt the world around him become still, he knew that pain was just his body telling him that he was still alive. He willed his muscles to vibrate as he began pushing his hands upward, and then began swimming through the very sand that had surrounded him. Digging through sand was a lot different from tunneling through packed dirt, Kay soon realized. Creep could give some structural stability and prevent a tunnel from collapsing, but Kay was not able to create a tunnel through sand, for he had no creep to use. Several minutes had passed, and Kay's claws finally felt cold water.

Kay emerged from the sand and found himself in a pool of water that was quickly rising. He saw ripples above him, the source coming from the edge of the pool. Smoother ripples enabled him to see that part of the wall was disheveled, just enough to allow water to fill the cavern. This cold spring water must connect to the spring at the surface, which had been glassed over several times already. The fluid felt rejuvenating to Kay as he squirmed out of the sand and swam through the cool liquid. Once he breached the surface of the water, he took in a deep breath, paused for several seconds, and then started laughing to himself. "Ha ha ha ha hahaha~!"

 _'Why are you laughing, Kay?'_ Virid asked. She almost sounded puzzled.

"Ha ha ha ha~! Ah... Do you really need to ask that when you can telepathically read my mind?" Kay said, lying on his back in the refreshing water.

 _'... I thought it would only be polite to ask. I must be picking up on some of your terran habits.'_ Virid said, almost hissing at herself in annoyance.

"Well, to answer your question." Kay said, feeling his adrenaline returning to normal levels. "I'm just overflowing with joy."

 _'I see... Anyway, I must report that Pallax has ceased in his movements and entered into a cold pod. He has remained stationary, but the hive cluster at Whisper Stones has detected Pallax there as well.'_

Kay breathed in deeply and sighed. "Fuck, I completely forgot about him. Hmm... So we know that Pallax is near the center of the planet, but knows full well that his 'double' is going to take the potential backlash once the shit hits the fan. Is the fake Pallax asking for an audience?"

 _'Yes. Shall I send a changelisk in your likeness to give him an audience?'_

Kay shrugged. "Might as well. We already know that he's going to betray us, or lie to us, or do something similar. The worst case scenario that I can imagine, the hive cluster at Whisper Stones will be annihilated. But since we have grown underground at an exceptional rate, I doubt a single hive cluster being removed from the playing field is gonna hurt us. But just in case, we'll tell Pallax that if the hive cluster is attacked in any way, then we'll target Gollog's castle, regardless if Kragnon gets caught in the crossfire."

 _'... Kragnon would not approve of this strategy. I believe he would disapprove of us causing any harm to him, or to any innocent gilanian that remained in that city.'_

"It's called a bluff, Virid." Kay said, feeling the ripples lap onto his body. "But we will also make good on that bluff if I find out that Kragnon WAS harmed in any way."

 _'How can we find out if Kragnon ever was harmed?'_

"Either I use my psionic abilities and carefully read his mind, or I infest him using the hyper-evolutionary virus. I'd prefer the former, but we don't exactly have a lot of time to do everything at once."

 _'It appears that we do not. The intelligence cores, this 'cybernetic mech' Gollog mentioned, and the potential attack at whisper stones are all daunting challenges.'_

"Heh." Kay chuckled. "It's a good thing that the zerg love to be challenged."

A low rumble was heard from the mouth of the hole, far above the pool of water that Kay waded in. Dust was flown into the mouth of the vertical hole, and a metal dome could be seen leaning into the recently made entrance. Kay had no idea what this... thing was. He could see two blue lights emanating from a silvery blue hemisphere, while the hemisphere was attached to some box-like fixture as its base. Kay thought that the structure looked very familiar for some reason.

Kay felt like he paused for a long time, if twenty seconds could compare to the eternity he just felt. But alas, Kay's mind was still processing the image of the giant metal dome. "... Uh."

"Hey, motherfucker." Kralluf's voice said, emanating loudly from the hole's entrance. A giant silver and blue robotic arm had intruded into the hole's entrance, and the palm started glowing a dangerous red energy that was pointed at Kay. "Guess who's back in the fight?"

Kay instantly reacted by swimming quickly to the nearest dirt wall. He never thought that his muscles could vibrate so intensely, and he thought his muscles would be pulled apart as he tried to escape this unknown threat. A ball of energy erupted from the giant robot's palm, and it glassed the sandy walls as it dropped through into the hole, approaching Kay. Kay felt as though his feet had be burned off as he retreated into the earth, but he also felt relief as he survived the attack. The pool of water forming at the bottom of the sinkhole had completely evaporated, and the resulting explosion forced much more soil and sand to fill the hole even more so.

Kay deeply burrowed through the dirt and sand, feeling pangs of agitation course through his blood and mind as he retreated from a new foe. Sadly, after a few more seconds of tunneling and burrowing through the underground, Kay finally pieced together what was happening. _'Virid, bad news. Kralluf is in a mech.'_

 _'I noticed. Shall I send reinforcements?'_

A louder rumble was felt, and Kay had no idea what the new and improved Kralluf was planning. _'Send as many as you think I need. What the fuck is he up to?'_

A metal hand plunged into the soil and grasped at Kay. He didn't have time to react as his body was squished into a vice-like grip. The robotic extremity yanked Kay straight out of the ground with an impressive force, and it then held his limp body in the daylight. Kay shivered a little before he looked up at the giant machine that pulled him from the sand and soil. The giant robot that was colored blue and silver looked somewhat similar to a Kiln Keeper, except it was built stockier, and was many times more larger than the Kiln Keeper's Peace Keeper robots, being around a hundred and twenty-ish meters tall. A few seconds passed before the giant robot spoke again. "... Can I still guess who's back in the fight?"

The giant robot was still. "I'll give you one guess to figure out who I am."

Kay slowly sat himself upright and looked up at the huge robot. "... I want to say Kralluf. Or should I say... Mecha-Kralluf?"

The robot seemed to nod. "Heh. Mecha-Kralluf. I actually like that."

Kay sighed. "So uh... I take it that Gollog has ... somehow... got you into this mechanical robot thing. ... Right?"

The robot nodded again. "Yeah he did. He even painted it so that it would represent the colors of the Crescent Arms Division. I could have gone a different way, but he insisted on the design."

"Huh... So... how did you get this new mech body? I can't imagine finding something like that in a bargain bin."

"Ha ha ha ha! Ah, no. After I got infected with some kind of flu symptom, my brain was transplanted into this new body. And I have to admit, I have NEVER felt better than I did before!" Mecha-Kralluf said with gusto, flexing an arm without any visual emotion.

Kay nodded, gulping. "And I have something to admit too. I wouldn't like my chances if my zerg ever faced off against ten of you at once."

Mecha-Kralluf looked back down at Kay. "Well you got just one of me, and I have been ordered to take you down and everything else in my way. Nothing personal." Mecha-Kralluf said, closing his mechanical hand around Kay to crush him.

Kay pressed against the fingers that tried to squeeze the life out of him. Kay found the task difficult, but creaking metal could be heard from the joints in the metal grasp of Mecha-Kralluf. "Gr... So you think that... urgh, that just one of you is all it takes to take me down?"

"Pretty much." Mecha-Kralluf said, increasing the strength in his hand. "I mean, look at you now! Barely even able to lift a digit to save your own life. Even a razor fiend would put up more of a tussle than you. And here you are now, under a thumb and about to be turned into a gross smudge in my new hands."

"Graaah~! Ahh~! Yeah? Well... I have something that... that you don't have!" Kay strained, feeling his arms and legs starting to buckle.

"Famous last words I'll have to remember you by. Goodbye, bug-man beast-master Kay. I won't miss you."

Before the final blow was struck, a bio-static field enveloped the mechanized commander. A leviathan had warped directly over Mecha-Kralluf before the fatal blow ended Kay, saving him from annihilation. Kay rolled out from under the massive thumb that clunked heavily where he once stood. As Kay ran down an arm, the leviathan manipulated one of its tentacles to the elbow joint of the giant robot. Kay looked up at the massive mechanized commander and sneered. "As I was saying: I have something you don't have, and it's my zerg swarm!" Kay leapt off of the arm and landed into the tip of the leviathan's tentacle as it opened widely, similarly to the maw of a nydus worm.

Once Kay went into the tentacle, the leviathan ascended into the air while it dropped several drop sacs that contained several kinds of zerg organisms onto the mechanized commander. The sacs made small welts into the metal surface of the giant enemy, but they did little damage when they collided onto the mecha commander. It was after the drop sacs had landed that revealed a more deadlier enemy that started doing significant damage to Kay's current enemy. The hydralisks latched their scything claws onto the surfaces they collided with, and fired their spines at any fixture that was a possible weakness. The roaches did not latch onto the giant mech as they collided with it, but they focused their acidic saliva on his feet once they finally landed on the ground. The zerglings were frantic to claw at the giant cybernetic commander, even as they collided and fell onto the cyborg's armor.

But once the bio-static field dissipated, Mecha-Kralluf shook himself free of the latched hydralisks and stomped the ground on the zerg. He then turned around and looked up at the floating leviathan. He created a huff, as though in annoyance. "What the hell, Kay? Is this another one of your monsters? Fuck, this one looks like it ate a lot of vegetables growing up!"

The leviathan opened its mouth, which revealed Kay standing within it as he stared down at Kralluf. "You're being awfully campy." Kay said sarcastically. "But no matter what you try, you're going to wish you hadn't attempted to kill me."

"If you stand still long enough, I will!" Kralluf said, quickly swinging both arms and sending balls of energy toward the leviathan that saved kay. The balls of energy collided with the leviathan, and it roared in great pain as its flesh disintegrated and burned away. The attack was impressive, which reduced the mass of the creature to a quarter of its size. However, the leviathan still floated, turning away from the mechanized commander in an attempt to flee. "Eh... Looks like one more shot should ground you. This is gonna be easy." Kralluf said with a bemused tone.

Another leviathan had warped right above Mecha-Kralluf and showered him with another bio-stasis field, enabling the wounded and fleeing leviathan to gain more time to flee. The assisting leviathan then proceeded to strike at the massive mechanized cyborg commander using both tentacles and swarming bile. Mecha-Kralluf was certainly large enough to be struck by both air-to-ground and air-to-air attacks. To make matters worse for the cyborg commander, a bio-plasmid discharged erupted onto his chest and forced him to fall onto his back.

Mecha-Kralluf groaned as he sat back up, his chest looking like a large amount of acid had tried to eat through it. "Okay, maybe not. Activating magic armor, and activating regenerating dermal plates and chassis." He growled. The massive cyborg got onto his feet and leapt, with agility and speed that was unexpected and incredible, onto the leviathan that attacked him. The leviathan newcomer warbled a confused growl as a giant mech jumped onto its back and started to literally punch, rip, tear, and laser the floating monster it rode on. The two hundred and twenty meter tall mech commander seemed to be heavy enough to force the five kilometer long leviathan to dip slightly down to the ground. The damage done to its flesh was also causing it to deflate as it started to lose its vital lifting gasses, causing the leviathan to descend more quickly. The leviathan responded by launching mutalisks, brood lords, and scourge from its body.

The mutalisks and brood lords gathered around the mech commander and launched their payloads, consisting of acid coated glaive wurms and clawing broodlings. The scourge were their own explosive payload as they emerged out of the leviathan, and they impacted with the metal commander relentlessly. But no matter how many attacks that the zerg used to try and counter the commander, Kralluf had erected magic wall technology around his person, used to greatly protect Kralluf. A layer of invisible armor made many of the attacks bounce off, or cancel completely. Even the damage done onto Mecha-Kralluf's chest seemed to be closing and mending. Kay guessed that it was the ultimate result of gilanian micro-machine technology that was repairing the damage that was done to Kralluf's new body.

Mecha-Kralluf grunted as he waved his arms around to swat away the mutalisks, brood lords, and scourge that assailed him. After an agitated grunt, he brought his metal hands together and started focusing red energy. "Okay, that does it. Boom time." As more of the energy collected, it grew and grew in size until it looked to be around forty five meters across. Mecha-Kralluf then slammed the large ball of energy into the leviathan. The leviathan's main body evaporated, as well as several kilometers of sand and soil below it and the cyborg giant. Mecha-Kralluf fell through the hole he made, which was deeper than the other hole that was the result of the destruction of an underground city. Kralluf continued to fall through the hole for several seconds more as he passed through super-heated gasses that were ionized to an unknown nth degree. "... Do I regret supercharging that last energy attack? ... Nope. ... Nope, I do not regret it."

Once Mecha-Kralluf landed at the bottom of the deep hole he made, the molten glass that formed having already cooled to very dull tones of red and orange. His mechanical body impacted the ground with a shattering thud, making parts of the wall around him fracture and fall. With a groan, the mechanized cyborg commander got up and shook obsidian shards from his metal person.

The giant cyborg sighed. "Alright then, how deep did I go? ... Ten kilometers? Huh. I guess I overestimated my attack. ... You want me to stand here? Why? ... Eh... Fine. So how deep can my seismic scanners go? ... Oh. Okay, I can just call them scanners then. ... I don't like it when you say stuff like that. How far? ... No way, that deep?! ... DEEPER?! ... Oh gods... ... Alright then. Where is the priority target now? ... Wha~? How did he get there? ... Grah, fuck it. Must be more zerg shenanigans. ... You think it has something to do with those new zerg? ... Pfft. Gollog's calling them by that name now? Lame. ... Don't worry. I'll get there before Kay plans something, or makes a new zerg monster that somehow eats our planet, or whatever. Over and out."

Mecha-Kralluf straightened his legs and aimed his arms upward. His feet then started pluming smoke as boosters from underneath started lifting him into the air. The zerg caverns that Mecha-Kralluf blasted into had revealed several scores of zerg organisms, and they were brought to their disturbed nests in the hopes of punishing the intruder that disturbed them. As the giant cyborg commander flew past, the zerg used their projectile attacks to fire potshots at him as he flew up and through the deep, laser-made chasm. After ten kilometers of traveling straight up, Mecha-Kralluf flew out from the underground and was now flying high into the sky, eventually becoming so distant that the zerg organisms at Red Mountain had difficulty keeping track of the fleeing mech commander.

* * *

After a sudden feeling of vertigo, followed by the sound of an explosion, Kay felt like his nose burned. It is true that most, if not all, zerg organisms had a pungent smell to them. Oftentimes, the zerg partially smelled like rotting flesh, noxious mold, and body odor. Kay didn't really mind it much since he kept himself downwind from their smell most of the time. But since he was inside of a leviathan that had saved him from complete destruction, he was now constantly upwind of this smell that became disturbingly pungent, with the added reeking scents of bile and internal organs. He couldn't help but cough a few times. "Ugh... And I thought zerg smelled bad on the outside!"

He could almost sense Virid rolling her eyes. _'Don't tell me. Is being inside of a leviathan making you queasier than stepping on a creep tumor?'_

Kay shook his head and gingerly stepped on the soft, spongy floor. "Believe me, Virid. Compared to what you described, this is a CLOSE second."

 _'You are safe. Unpleasant conditions within the leviathan notwithstanding, Kralluf has became a most unpleasant enemy of late.'_

Kay nodded. "Yeah. That operation Gollog mentioned happened way quicker than I anticipated. We need to deal with Mecha-Kralluf right now, or we're going to have problems in the future. ... So uh... Where is this leviathan taking me?"

 _'To the hexagon moon. I doubt that the mountain-sized commander will find you there in time. Brace yourself for a short-ranged warp jump.'_

"Warp ju-?" Before Kay could ask, another sudden sensation of movement had made him lose his balance temporarily. The 'explosion' that Kay had heard recently before didn't exactly sound like an explosion the second time, but it sounded similarly like an violent 'whooshing' that was both abrupt and sudden. The next sensation that Kay felt was more weightlessness. His feet no longer made contact with the smooth surface of the 'floor' he was on."... Oh. Warp jump. Kay."

 _'The swarm would not be able to expand their numbers to the farthest reaches of space if it wasn't for the leviathans' help.'_

"I kind of feel... Weightless. Is this normal?" Kay asked, floating in the air within the leviathan.

 _'The leviathan did make two warp jumps. Its mental energy must be greatly spent after delivering you there. It took one jump to create a straight path to the hexagonal moon, and another to orbit above its surface. Give the leviathan some time, and it will generate a low psionic field that will simulate artificial gravity.'_

Kay could feel his body slowly righting himself. His feet touched the fleshy ground and he felt the pull that normally accompanies the natural downward force on a planet, or other celestial body. "Hmm. Much better. The smell is still a little... strong."

 _'Then lose your nose through evolution.'_

Kay sighed and shook his head. "I'd rather turn off my sense of smell, so no thank you."

 _'... You can do that?'_ She asked, incredulously.

"Through sheer willpower, Virid. Sheer willpower." Kay noted that there was a wall that had many pointed spikes covering it. He knew that he was in the leviathan's mouth since he had watched Mecha-Kralluf destroy another leviathan from it. Next to it was what looked like a miniature spawning pool, which boiled a green mist into the air. Once he approached the spiked wall, it opened up to reveal an unusual sight that was beyond it. A thin layer of psionic energy, which flattened and strengthened a layer of saliva to act as a window, enabled Kay to see outside the leviathan and see the surface of the hexagonal moon. As Kay saw through the eyes of the other flying zerg here, Kay also beared witness to the creep that had completely covered the entire surface of the moon. The white light it produced was now making everything a dull purple in color. "... Looks like Corvurn's been busy."

 _'... We have a problem.'_ Virid reported.

Kay paused before he sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fucking hell, what now?!"

 _'I believe Kralluf is approaching your position.'_

"... What?!" Kay exclaimed in surprise. "But I just got here!"

 _'AND he is approaching your position.'_

Kay reached his hands up to his head and rubbed his forehead. "Oh man! How the fuck does one fight a giant metal mech that can blast a ten kilometer deep hole, and can chase a target outside of a planet's orbit?"

 _'... I don't honestly know how to answer that, Kay.'_

And that was when the zerg saw the approaching threat, and by extension, Kay. Kay felt his heart tighten, since he knew firsthand the kind of strength and power that the mech commander is capable of. "... And I hope that I come up with a good plan in time."

* * *

 **A/N: I wonder if Talion from the Middle Earth games can dominate zerg organisms? '3'**


	47. Moon of Silver

**Chapter 47: Moon of Silver**

* * *

The surface on the hexagonal moon was calm as the zerg organisms looked up and took heed of a small star moving across the surface of planet Kiln. Once one of the overseers had met its demise when it tried to intercept and follow after the mechanized commander, Mecha-Kralluf's flight path was analyzed by the overlords, and then calculated by Virid. Somehow, the newly revived commander is tracking and following after Kay. He wasn't going after the zerg infestation at the dark side of the Day Circle. He wasn't traveling to Whisper Stones to annihilate the hive cluster that grew there. He didn't even continue his assault of the infestation underneath Red Mountain. The giant mech commander was heading straight for Kay without any deviation, and Kay felt agitation crawl underneath his carapace.

" 'Nothing personal.' Pfft. You killed one of my damn leviathans, you dipshit." Kay whispered to himself as he saw a mote of red and blue light approaching the hive cluster that has completely expanded over the entire surface of the hexagonal moon. He glared at that distant speck, which signaled a doom that was meant for him, but he was not going to let Kralluf accomplish his objective. "Corvurn, please know that I'm in the neighborhood. But you also should know that you're about to have an unwanted guest that's after me. Think you can use some of your resources to assist?"

 _'Troubling.'_ Corvurn replied. _'Unique enemy. Powerful attack exterminates leviathan strain. Assessing observed weaknesses... Assessment troubling. Must theorize more weaknesses. Test possible weaknesses. Gestating units for hive cluster defense. Spore cannons now attacking. Corruptors intercepting.'_

Kay nodded. "You do your thing." Kay focused his attention on the soaring light that was coming closer. The spore cannons adjusted their aim and fired their spore projectiles toward the incoming enemy. The corruptors, both patrolling the surface and being newly spawned, flew to the incoming foe to eradicate the threat coming to the geometric lunar hive cluster. But at the very second the spores and corruptors intercepted with the mech commander, brilliant red energy blew apart the spores and corruptors that got close to him. From the perspective of the corruptors, Kay could see that the giant mech had created a hollow sphere of red around himself, which shined brilliantly every time a projectile, or flying zerg organism, impacted this defensive energy field. "... Tch." Kay furrowed his brow as he witnessed Kralluf's defensive attack. Kay hadn't realize just how powerful the Crescent Arms commander had became!

After spearing through the squadrons of anti-orbital spores and corruptors, the giant mech slowed his approach to the surface of the hexagonal moon. Once Mecha-Kralluf adjusted his descent so that he would land softly on the surface of the hexagonal moon's surface, the creep he landed on broke apart with ripping and tearing, as though a metal elephant stomped onto a crusty puddle of dried jelly. After a few seconds of being in a crouched position, Mecha-Kralluf stood up and slowly turned to the general direction that Kay's leviathan was residing in. It was at that point that Kay understood, by some unseen method unknown to him, that Mecha-Kralluf knew where he was at all times. At least, that's what Kay thought within that moment.

 _'Command organism Kay. Distraction needed for emerging zerg strains. Gestation incomplete.'_ Corvurn requested to Kay.

Kay nodded. "Alright. I'll see what I can do." Kay commanded the leviathan he was inside of to move toward the commander. Kay halted the leviathan's approach when it was six hundred meters away. The leviathan wouldn't be close enough to use its bio-stasis ability, but the distance also prevented the mech commander from literally jumping onto it. The mechanized commander was about to unleash his energy attack from both hands before Kay held up one of his in a passive manner. Kay wasn't entirely sure if Kralluf could see him from such a distance away, but he still gestured frantically to the mecha commander. "Hold on there, Kralluf. I want to share a few words with you."

The energy at Mecha-Kralluf's palms held their charge for a few seconds before they dissipated. Despite the massive difference in size between Kay and Mecha-Kralluf, the mech commander was able to see Kay's hyperactive gestures from within the leviathan's mouth.

Kay breathed a sigh of relief. "Kay then. Thank you." After a brief cough, Kay continued. "I merely wanted to tell you that I don't want to fight you, or your empire, any more."

Mecha-Kralluf tilted his head and lowered his arms. He seemed complacent to hear Kay out.

Kay nodded. "I know, it's an odd thing to say in the middle of battle. Didn't you remember the conversation we had when you, and those other commanders, built a perimeter defense around that hole in the ground at Red Mountain? ... Well, I say 'Red mountain', but I think it's more like 'Black Mountain' by now due to the ash and char. ... I'm getting off topic. Anyway! What if I told you there was a way for your empire to completely get rid of the zerg once and for all?

Kay folded his arms behind his back. "The solution is as easy as it sounds. ...Well, not really, but if you simply allow the zerg a means to safely leave Kiln, the zerg will gladly leave and no longer inhabit your world. This war is only going to end in further suffering for the empire gilanians, and you have seen firsthand the horrors that the zerg are able to accomplish. Think of it like this: You give the zerg directions to the door out of here, and we will leave peacefully. The creep that covers your world and this moon will be removed, and I will work tirelessly to erase all traces of zerg infestation before I and the zerg leave the gilanians on Kiln alone, once and for all.

Kay started pacing back and forth. "The politics of gilanian dictatorship is not something I would condone, but I am the only outlier of your 'perfect system' that is destabilizing your economy and environment. I predict that if the zerg continued to fight your empire, then it is possible that ALL gilanians will suffer a fate worse than death. Their skin will crawl with hell, be turned insane from the infestation, become immortal against their will, and have their will be overtaken by the swarm hivemind. Just imagine it! Unable to die, even if you had some semblance of a preserved self to wish for that embrace. No ounce of peace will ever be given as their minds are filled with savage instinct, forced into becoming pawns of the bigger picture. I'd imagine you would lose nearly all of your memories as you become a feral-minded infested gilanian. I know well enough that if the infestation is accelerated in an organism, the rapid viral growth will rip and tear at their brain matter.

Kay stopped his pacing and sighed. "But alas, I do grow tired of this pointless war. If the zerg continued as they are now, then they would be left with no challenging prey to hunt. No enemy to adapt to. No threat to survive from. The zerg would live without a purpose as they stand on the graves and battlefields that marked your undoing. In time, you would all become a distant memory. A faded legend. A forgotten myth.

Kay turned to Mecha-Kralluf and gestured to him. "I see you as the kind of person that wouldn't want to have his potential wasted away, and I can respect that. If I remained here with my swarm for an eternity to come, then the only enemy that I would ever have to worry about would be boredom. And let me tell you, I know for a fact that immortality and boredom DO NOT MIX WELL TOGETHER. If you find us a way to leave, then you would no longer have to worry about the zerg. It's as simple as that! The empire can rebuild from its destruction, and you could help rebuild from your ruins without the fear of my swarm looming over your heads, or under your feet.

Kay stretched out a hand toward Mecha-Kralluf. "So what do you say? Can we make a truce right here and now? Please let it be known that it was never my intention to be your foe, and I would prefer friendly collaboration over hostile enmity. I would rather be an ally than an enemy."

The giant mech commander paused for a while, unmoved from his current position.

Kay slowly lowered his hand as he stared at Mecha-Kralluf. "... Uh... So... Do you want to say something?"

Mecha-Kralluf looked left, then right, and then looked back at Kay.

"... Come on, man. Don't leave me hanging here. What's your answer?" Kay said impatiently.

Mecha-Kralluf pointed at the side of his giant mechanical head as it shook left and right. The giant robot then shrugged, almost as though...

 _'Uh... Corvurn? There is no atmosphere on the hexagonal moon, is there?'_ Kay asked.

 _'Correct.'_

 _'... Bitch and a half, I am so goddamn stupid.'_ Kay telepathically sent to Corvurn whilst rubbing the temples of his head.

 _'Self insult unimportant. Gestation complete. Command dormant chrysalis' nearby to deploy.'_

Mecha-Kralluf shrugged and shook his head again, and what followed after that gesture was the reddening palms of his mechanical hands that were pointed at Kay and his leviathan. _'Couldn't come at a more perfect time. Let's see what you... OH! Corvurn, when did you start spawning these?!'_

 _'Command organism Virid explained. Made preparations. Currently safe. Away from area. Resources, plentiful. Capitalized on surplus. However, hive cluster needs protection. Command organism Kay required.'_

Kay nodded, reaching his mind out to the temporarily dormant zerg organisms and taking command of the battle in round two between himself and Mecha-Kralluf. Two beams of devastating energy shot out from Mecha-Kralluf's palms, one ray striking against Kay's leviathan as it attempted to dodge the harrowing attack. Followed after the dodge, Kay's leviathan closed the distance between itself and the giant mech commander. The leviathan launched a bio-stasis attack onto him once it got close. After that disabling attack, Kay's leviathan was directed away from the mech commander to a group of queens that gathered close by. Kay's leviathan flew low to the ground, and the queens transfused their healing fluids by puking upwards and wetting its sides. The damage that was done to the leviathan had healed, only leaving a small bleeding scar that slowly faded through zerg regeneration.

But ten seconds later, Mecha-Kralluf broke from his bio-stasis and proceeded to fly after Kay's leviathan again. Kay's leviathan was already flying away from the queens that healed it, and the queens focused their attention on the giant mech commander coming after it. Acidic spines was fired from the queens with great rapidity and volleys, but Mecha-Kralluf ignored the queens since his invisible magic armor technology prevented their attacks from harming him. The queens there were left alone, but another group of queens had also gathered just ahead of Kay's leviathan and were ready to heal any damage inflicted to it as well.

Mecha-Kralluf's path was suddenly obstructed by several more obstacles of the zerg variety. Kay's leviathan was also producing several waves of mutalisks and scourge to intercept the pursuing giant mech commander, while several new waves of mutalisks, scourge, and corruptors hatched from the endless fields of hatcheries. All the newly hatched zerg organisms then flew into the path of Mecha-Kralluf and attempted to strike him down. But try as they could, that same sphere of red was created once more as several kamikaze scourge met their end without ever hurting the giant mech commander. Even the glaive worms and parasitic spores that the mutalisks and corruptors launched against Mecha-Kralluf fizzled into nothing.

Mecha-Kralluf had eventually caught up with Kay's leviathan and fired a beam of energy at the leviathan's 'tail'. Kay could feel the massive beast's pain, hearing the internal screeching and grunts that was accompanied by the smell of heavily charbroiled flesh. It could only mean that Mecha-Kralluf's attack had nearly struck Kay within the leviathan, and Kay knew that he had a scant amount of time before something worse happens. Thankfully, Kay began to understand how Kralluf fought.

The chase between Mecha-Kralluf and Kay's leviathan had gone on for around two minutes. A blast of bio-stasis would force the mechanized commander to pause in his chase for ten seconds, only to continue his pursuit once the bio-stasis wore off. It was an odd thing to see, since a creature that was five kilometers in length was being chased by a cyborg powered mech that was a hundred and twenty meters tall. But then again, Mecha-Kralluf's energy attacks were eerily devastating.

After those two minutes of chasing however, Mecha-Kralluf changed tactics and started gaining altitude. After he was several kilometers off of the ground, Mecha-Kralluf emitted sweeping swaths of red energy across the creep covered ground on the hexagonal moon, whilst his chest opened up that launched several rocket missiles that targeted and exploded many bio-structures with calamitous results. The creep heavily receded as the creep tumors and hatcheries were struck with strategic precision, burning away the fields of creep in a quick flash. But Kay noticed that Mecha-Kralluf had also targeted the creep covered area in front of his leviathan. It was then that Kay realized that Mecha-Kralluf was trying to target the queens that could heal his leviathan. With them out of the way, he could hinder Kay's leviathan's main method of rejuvenation and begin slowly killing it and Kay.

But alas, Mecha-Kralluf had no chance to do so when twenty more leviathans had approached him. The twenty leviathans surrounded the giant mech commander with many squadrons of mutalisks and scourge, while more corruptors had joined in on the fight. If there was atmosphere on the hexagonal moon, then the smell of ozone and barbecue would have heavily perverted the air. The attack was so immense that Mecha-Kralluf's defensive laser sphere grew into a whitened bright red that had shined like a crimson star. A leviathan had flown close to the giant mech commander and delivered a statically charged biological fluid that would have locked him in place, but the red/white sphere had only absorbed and negated the leviathan's method of bio-stasis.

But as the counter-attack against Mecha-Kralluf continued, Kay noticed that the sphere of bright red that protected Mecha-Kralluf had started to flicker. In fact, it seemed to grow in luminescence and doubled in size. "... What the fuck are you-?" Kay started to say before the sphere of energy exploded outward and vanquished any nearby zerg organism in a flash of blazing destruction. The one leviathan that had gotten close when it used its bio-stasis ability on him was immolated by the explosion, the front half of its body now removed by the detonation. The slain leviathan lost altitude and had fallen onto the surface of the hexagonal moon, and rolled away.

However, it had left Mecha-Kralluf an opening that the leviathans could capitalize on. One leviathan had blasted the giant mech commander with a bio-stasis field, and it had halted Kralluf in his movements. Before the tenth second could pass, another leviathan had approached the zerg's current enemy and launched another fluid blast of bio-stasis onto him after nine seconds had passed. Each and every leviathan took their turn to stun Mecha-Kralluf in this manner, as their bio-stasis ability helped keep him immobile and contained. Soon, more leviathans joined the area, followed by several infestors that gathered below the giant mech commander.

Kay was rather amazed by this as he watched the contained giant mech from the safety of his leviathan. He felt like he needed to ask his evolution master about Mecha-Kralluf's current predicament. "Corvurn, is he...?"

 _'Contained? Yes.'_ Corvurn replied. _'Leviathan bio-stasis key to containment. Calculations made for permanent containment. One hundred and fifty nine seconds needed to generate single charge for bio-stasis. Bio-stasis lasts ten seconds. Minimum number of leviathans needed for continuous bio-stasis: sixteen. Nineteen spawned leviathan strains survived. Leviathan energy generation exceeds energy cost for permanent containment. Commencing new test.'_

Mecha-Kralluf was guided closer to the surface of the hexagonal moon by the help of several corruptors firing down on it. They forced down the mechanized commander so that the infestors could spit their neural parasite onto newly created entrance points, and try to control the giant mech commander from inside itself. Once in range, One infestor had made contact through the magic armor that was produced around the giant mech. Already, Kay could feel that he could control the mechanized commander. "... Well now, isn't this something? I now have a giant mech that I can command!" Kay said with elation. "I bet Gollog will be pissed."

 _'Enemy resisting infestor strain's neural domination.'_ Corvurn reported.

"... Wha?" Kay said in a dumb manner.

 _'Complete neural domination, ineffective. Enemy too complex. Resists complete control. Calculated permanent neural parasite control. Infestor strain makes energy for permanent neural domination every one hundred and fifty nine seconds.'_ After that part of Corvurn's sentence, the infestor's neural parasite had detached from the giant mech's foot, leaving only a small hole where it had intruded. _'Neural domination attempt lasts thirty seconds. Temporary neural parasite requires one hundred and twenty seven seconds. Typically lasts eleven to fifteen seconds. Host's size debatable. Minimum number of infestors needed for permanent neural parasite control: twelve. Mutating larvae into more infestor strains.'_

Kay raised his eyebrow. "Okay, Corvurn. The hell are you planning?"

 _'Unique enemy. Analysis required. Must dissect.'_

Kay chuckled and shook his head. "Corvurn, it's a robot with a gilanian commander's brain inside. You won't find anything else organic in there."

 _'Prefer to try. All attempts provide data. Data essential to understand weaknesses and strengths. ... Have been reminded. Enemy contains functioning brain. Request command organism Kay to communicate with enemy using telepathy.'_

Kay nodded at Corvurn's request. "Not a bad idea. Actually, I could have used that before all this mess started! Hah! Ah... Kay, I''ll give it a shot." After that conversation, Kay took in a slow breath before he focused on the giant hundred and twenty meter tall mech. Placing his fingers on the sides of his temples, he looked and searched intently for a consciousness inside of the piloted machine. ... And Kay saw a small star of light within the mammoth mech. He focused onto it and spoke softly. _'Kralluf.'_

"Hmm?" There was a small pause before Kralluf talked. "Weird. My com channels are not active."

 _'It's not the com channels, Kralluf. It's me. Kay.'_

"... Did... Did you get into my mech suit?!" Kralluf shouted.

 _'Hahaha, not exactly! We're just talking to each other with our minds! ... Well. More specifically, I'm talking to you with my mind. It's a power of mine that is also known as telepathy.'_

Kralluf sighed. "Oh good. I thought I was becoming insane after these dread maws started puking on me and paralyzing my limb motors." Kralluf said sarcastically.

 _'Dread maws?'_ Kay asked. Kay could tell that Kralluf found that name lame simply because it had came from Gollog. Anything that came from Gollog was annoying to Kralluf, from what Kay sensed. _'Well... I think it's a cool name. But what would you call them?'_

"Flying mountains."

 _'Eh... A bit inaccurate, but it's not as good as dread maws or leviathans, perse.'_

"Leviathans? I never heard that word before, but... How come I understand that word? It's not part of the gilaish language. ... Or is this really a symptom of my insanity?"

 _'Surprise! It's telepathy. Words are but auditory constructs that enables communication between two individuals in an verbal manner. Telepathy enables communication in a mental manner. So there you go!'_

Kralluf tried to shake his head, which would have made the giant mech he was in shake its head as well, but failed. "Agh... So this just means your in my brain right now! Can we not talk like this?!"

 _'Sadly, no. There is no atmosphere on your hexagon moon, and I can't talk when there is no air. I'm sorry for the confusion, or the uneasiness. Anyway, I was saying a few things before you started hunting me and my leviathan, but I didn't get the chance to convey them. But now that you're here, I would like to repeat everything I said before.'_

"No no no, fuck that. I already read your lips on most of that conversation, and I can tell you with certainty that Gollog will not allow you off our world."

 _'Oh... Well... Why is that?'_

"Hah! As if I know! Anyway, can you have your dread maws, or leviathans or whatever you call them, stop puking on me? I want to get back to killing you. Being stuck here is incredibly boring."

 _'Don't be rude, you're our honored prisoner! Just for that remark, I'm going to have my evolution master do whatever he wants with you.'_

"Uh... Evolution master?"

 _'Yeah. He looks like this, but you'll eventually warm up to him.'_ Kay said, sending a mental image of Corvurn to Kralluf's brain. _'He's not easy on the eyes, and does have a machine-minded personality, but at least he's determined and creative.'_

"... No. No. NO. NO! NO~! NOOO~! FUCK THAT NOISE! I AM NOT GOING TO LET A GODS-DAMNED SLUG MONSTER EAT MY BRAIN! IT'S THE ONLY THING THAT'S LEFT OF ME! IF THAT... IF WHATEVER THE FUCK THAT IS COMES NEAR ME, I WILL SELF DESTRUCT MYSELF AND TAKE THIS ENTIRE MOON WITH ME!"

 _'Whoa whoa whoa, calm down! There is no need to have a conniption. Now, if you let the scary slug monster probe you, I promise that you'll be returned back to your emperor with... maybe a few emotional scars if you resisted. It'll be perfectly painless if you cooperate.'_

"FUCK YOU, KAY! ACTIVATE SELF DESTRUCT! CODE GOLD COPPER SILVER SILVER OPAL OPAL OPAL SILVER IRON ONYX! DETONATION TIME SET AT THIRTY SECONDS!"

 _'Uh...'_ Kay was actually surprised that Kralluf was willing to sacrifice himself in order to destroy him.

"IN MERE MOMENTS, YOU WILL JOIN ME AS WE FACE OBLIVION! LET ME TAKE YOU THERE, AND YOU CAN ROT IN THE HOTTEST HELL, WHERE ONLY THE CARRION FLIES WILL WEEP OF YOUR PASSING!"

 _'... Hmm. I uh... I don't think so.'_ Kay said as one of the leviathans entwined their tentacles around the limbs and body of Mecha-Kralluf. Kay slowly sighed. ' _Too bad those will be the famous last words I'll have to remember you by. Goodbye, Commander Kralluf of the Crescent Arms Division. I won't miss you.'_

Kralluf felt bewildered confusion enter into his mind as the leviathan that entangled its tentacles around himself raised his body into the air. Several lines of orange energy began to appear around the leviathan, whilst its skin looked like they were becoming covered in that same energy. That energy also covered over Kralluf while he was unable to break free from his hold. Another blast of bio-stasis was applied by a nearby leviathan before the leviathan carrying Mecha-Kralluf pitched upwards. And then, in a flash of orange, the leviathan carrying the giant mech commander was transported away in a flashy line of orange. The destination: At the opposite side of planet Kiln. Once the leviathan halted in his warp jump, Kay was surprised to see an unusual site that he had not expected to see.

The side of Kiln's sun was an incredibly bright thing to see, which also happened to be hexagon shaped. Strangely enough, the hexagonal sun was also at the same distance away from Kiln as its hexagonal moon was, and was also the same size and shape. Thankfully, the leviathan that had warped there was not suffering from severe burns. The sun itself was apparently a flat hexagonal surface that was the same dimensions as the hexagonal moon, but was somehow weaponized to create Gollog's most impressive attack. Kay could even see several lines of light emanating from the 'sun', attacking Kiln with pinpoint precision from an incredible distance, no doubt eradicating many fields of creep.

But once Mecha-Kralluf's self destruct occurred, the sight offered by the sacrificed leviathan had completely blacked out in an instant. Kay sighed as he felt like he was finally out of danger. "Goddamn, that was close. I hope Virid was impressed by that stunt."

 _'I am not so easily impressed.'_ Virid answered. _'But I will say that the whole battle made me anxious.'_

"Good to know." Kay said, rolling his eyes. "Corvurn. How about you?"

 _'Survival achieved. Survival mandatory. Everything else_ _optional.'_ Corvurn replied. _'Addendum: Evolution complete. New mutations available.'_

"Always good to have some new mutations." Kay said, already feeling his smile stretching to his ears. "At least I don't have to eat some weird animal after I kill a commander this time. So uh... Do I go down there and get it or something?"

 _'Indifferent. Sent spores containing mutations and strain to Whisper Stones. Virophage strain provides ultimate defense. Capable of organic denial of non-swarm organisms. Produces airborne transmission method of hyper-evolutionary virus. Infects all intruding enemies. Efficient breathing filtration may hinder infection, or prevent infection.'_

Kay furrowed his brows as he listened to Corvurn, his smile fading. "... That... Doesn't exactly sound very healthy. How big is its range of effect?"

 _'Healthy for swarm organisms. Intruding non-swarm organisms will convert into swarm. Not healthy for non-swarm organisms. Range of effect, unknown. Airless environment provides no means to test range. Atmosphere required for virophage testing.'_

"Ah..." Kay felt very unsure and uncomfortable about using the virophage bio-structure strains as a means for self-defense. What he is most worried about is using them for more offensive means, like setting up a virophage at a civilian area and using the population to attack the Golden Star Empire. Much of the populations in empire-owned cities were governed by a tyrannical emperor already, and to have their already broken will be broken again to attack their oppressive ruler seemed way too heartless to Kay. "... Oh. I don't know. I think I would feel better about using virophages if they were morphed in vital areas, like near hives or in important locations."

 _'Civilian gilanians would be better infested in my opinion.'_ Virid hissed. _'Saves us the trouble of hearing more of their diplomatic mewling.'_

Kay furrowed his brows even more. "Virid. Most of those civilians would rather live peaceful lives than die in service to a maniac with an opalescent crown. Besides that, we have nothing to gain from infesting every gilanian. If everything on Kiln is infested, then there will be nothing else left to infest or assimilate."

 _'...I see your point.'_ Virid said, grumbling in annoyance, but understood what Kay meant.

"Ask yourself this: Why do you think I want to leave this planet-sized prison in the first place?" Kay said, redirecting the leviathan he was within to gaze up at the dark side of Planet Kiln.

 _'To prevent stagnation in the evolution of the swarm?'_ Virid guessed.

"That, and finding out what kind of universe we are in." Kay replied, gazing up at the shadowed world. He could see small lights that signaled the presence of settlements, towns and cities that he had never seen before. He wondered what kind of people were there in those undiscovered places. Someday, he might find out. But today, he needs to field a war against Gollog and his empire.

But it was then that Kay had done something so incredibly idiotic that it made survival on Kiln impossible in the days to come.

* * *

 **A/N: Uh oh. What has Kay done this time? '3'**


	48. MB7: Collapse 1

**Chapter 48: Major Battle 7: Collapse 1**

* * *

A fake Pallax scratched the back of his head as he walked to the hive cluster at Whisper Stones.

However, the real Pallax was actually inside of a cold-pod within an unusual complex, positioned near the core of planet Kiln. Kay knew that because of the distance between the parasite implanted on Pallax and the zergswarm on the surface of Kiln. Kay measured it to be somewhere below the upper and lower mantles, and somewhere close to the core within the planet. The parasite that accompanied the general had seen the interior of this place that Pallax retreated to, with all surfaces painted with smooth reflective chrome colors. Little light was needed within the Sovereign Crypt since it bounced off of the mirror-like walls, floors, and ceilings to great effect. Inlaid textures and decorative furniture were the only clues to tell anyone traveling within the halls whether or not they were running into a wall, or falling down a flight of stairs. Sadly, the parasite was unable to understand where Pallax's dream-light produced self was, since the parasite was biologically designed to track organic targets using the person it inhabited. Ever since Pallax had entered into the cold-pod, the parasite was forced into staring at only its darkened interior, containing nothing but faintly glowing wires and a sanitary medical gown, worn by Pallax.

The fake Pallax, on the other hand, couldn't be tracked by the parasite. The parasite that was attached to Pallax could tap into his optical and cochlear nerves, and was able to broadcast telepathic signals to his mind, yet it was incapable of finding out where his false duplicate was located. But the overseers that were watching over the hive cluster at Whisper Stones detected 'Pallax' as he approached the line across the sand, which was the same line that Pallax had made only a few days ago.

"Deelob." Fake-Pallax whispered, stopping a fair distance away from the formation of spine and spore crawlers. "I'm about to make contact with the zerg organisms. Once I say the code-words, launch the particle missiles on my position, and onto the purple growth. I don't have a good feeling about this."

[Be careful, General.] Deelob warned. [You wouldn't want someone like me taking your place one day.]

Fake-Pallax rolled his eyes and sighed. "That'll be the day." He took a deep breath and paused for several seconds. He was getting himself prepared to speak out to the zerg organisms before him, but the line of spine crawlers and spore crawlers had already parted, which created a path that allowed a changelisk to pass between them, which was followed by several zerglings. Fake-Pallax's stomach knotted a little more once he witnessed the zerg's movement, noting that they had moved more slowly in their parting, but they also seemed to twitch more than normal.

The changelisk, which had already shifted into the guise of Kay, emerged from the broken line of the zerg crawler organisms and approached Fake-Pallax. Not-Kay sighed as he came to a stop a few meters from Fake-Pallax, tapping his feet and looking at the general. "You're back."

Fake-Pallax nodded. "Quite obviously." Fake-Pallax then sighed. "But alas, I have some grave news."

"Let me guess. Gollog knows about the little truce made here and wants it to stop?" Not-Kay said.

Fake-Pallax tilted his head and scoffed. "... Somewhat. He has already figured out that we have forged a loosely made truce, if you could even call it that. But now he wants that truce to be broken. I'm just here to tell you now that he expects this land to be cleared of your filth, and everything zerg on it."

Not-Kay gasped mockingly. "Filth?! Why, I am shocked! Little do you know that the creep I walk upon is actually edible to all zerg organisms."

Fake-Pallax stared at Not-Kay. "... Faddoh analyzed that purple sludge and said it has corrosive properties, filled with several kinds of dangerous viruses that infests everything that so much as ingests it, or makes physical contact with an open wound."

Not-Kay shook his head and chuckled. "True, but I do doubt that eating a teaspoon of the stuff will have an effect on you."

Fake-Pallax raised an eyebrow and furrowed his gaze. "... I'm not so sure about that."

Not-Kay shook his head again and smirked. "You are unsure about the creep being able to infest you, even when you are already using a fake self to act in your own stead?"

Fake-Pallax looked like he paled slightly, but he sighed and relaxed. "So you already know that I'm currently not here?"

Not-Kay nodded. "Can pretty much tell from those robots circling around you. They may be invisible to certain spectrums of light, but they are not invisible to me or my swarm. What are they called again? Gollog called them something funny. Brain-light hover-copters, or something?"

"Dream-light hover-drones." Fake-Pallax corrected.

"Right. But joking aside, it pains me to know that we can't negotiate, or communicate any more. I guess we can't transfer word documents after this whole 'truce' thing is over between us too. Really hoped for some simple civil discourse." Not-Kay said, crossing his arms and sighing.

Fake-Pallax chuckled. "Shame, that. I actually have completely forgotten that you suggested that. Hah. Oh well!" He said, pulling out a golden pistol and twirling it around. "But anyway, I can't waste any more of my time. We're going to have to fight now. I'm sorry for the change of circumstances, Kay."

Not-Kay unfolded his arms to give Fake-Pallax a hard glare and a devilish smirk. "Then allow me to give you a warning. If you go through with this and attack my hive cluster here at Whisper Stones, then I'm going to make you woefully regret your assault, and remind you that the emperor's decision had sealed the fate of all empire gilanians. Sounds fair?"

"Perhaps to you," Fake-Pallax said. "but I will take my chances. My real self is already safely tucked inside the greatest sanctuary in all of Kiln. It is next to impossible to infiltrate the Sovereign Crypt, and I am confident it will remain that way forevermore. With that said." Fake-Pallax then moved in a sudden motion, his golden handgun pointing to Not-Kay's face. "It is time to continue the emperor's game of war." A flash of intense yellow light, followed by a deafening sound that was similar to a thunder bolt, had struck Not-Kay. The resulting firing of Fake-Pallax's golden pistol had violently exploded Not-Kay into a mist. Unlike other energy projecting weapons that burned through their targets, Pallax's weapon of choice looked like it could completely disintegrate whatever the weapon was aimed at. At least, that was the theory that Kay and Virid had. _'Time to stand my ground.'_

[Code words received. Launching missiles. They will reach your destination in around three minutes. Good luck, General Pallax.]

At instant Fake-Pallax fired the first energy projectile, the zerg organisms behind the line of crawlers had started roaring in unison and anger. "Don't need luck when my life is not on the line. But even so... sigh... I really hate Gollog for programming some of the commands with the dream-light hover-bots. I SUMMON FORTH MY DIVINE POWER! QUICKEN MY ATTACKING SPEED, AND GRANT ME SIX MORE ARMS!" After Fake-Pallax had shouted that for the zerg to hear, he was surrounded by disembodied arms that looked exactly like the ones that were attached to his shoulders. He brought out another golden pistol, and handed the two in his hands to one floating pair of arms. Fake-Pallax continued to hand golden pistols to the other floating disembodied arms, and armed his own arms with another pair of golden pistols. Virid did not know how many pistols Fake-Pallax had, but she cared not about the number of weapons he carried. She commanded the zerglings to swarm the general. Kay will be distracted with his current guest, and won't be able to witness the battle that ensued.

The zerglings stampeded in great numbers as they circled around the fake general. One zergling had been chosen to confront the single enemy, but Fake-Pallax drawled his weapon with abnormal quickness and disintegrated his second target. With another blast of one of his golden pistols, more zerglings were signaled to go after the eight-armed general, seeming to become more maddened after witnessing the death of their brother. But just as one had easily fallen, so too did the other zerglings fell with great rapidity. Fake-Pallax aimed his eight golden pistols at the oncoming horde of zerglings as they continued to rush him, but the speed of his aim and trigger fingers had prevented the zerglings from surrounding him. The zergling that had gotten the closest to Fake-Pallax came five meters close to him before dying in a puff of exploding smoke. Flashes of yellow light erupted from Fake-Pallax's weapons, which looked as though it created a golden halo of light around his person as he defended himself.

Several nydus worms surfaced above the sands that were away from the false general combating with the zerglings. The newly emerged nydus worms spewed forth several more zerglings from their maws, and the deployed zerg organisms added to the deadly mosh pit swarm. Queens, followed by a few bigger variants of queens, emerged from the nydus worms and planted creep tumors onto the ground. [General Pallax, be warned. Caretakers are in your area. Something seems off about them.]

"Some are bigger. A new adaptation or breed perhaps?" Fake-Pallax grunted as he dodged an acid spine. With the inclusion of ranged attacks provided by the queens and the large queens, Fake-Pallax had to divide his attention between avoiding spines and shooting approaching zerglings. Worse still was the creep that started to grow underneath Fake-Pallax. He knew that the squishy, malleable stuff gave these zerg monsters an increase to their speed, and that treading through this fluid by himself was like walking through a thin, yet viscous carpet of mud. The zerglings were getting dangerously close to him at that point, and any zergling that managed to get close enough were finally granted the chance to swipe their claws at their foe.

But much like the fight between Kay and Gollog in the past, the zerglings' claws managed to swiped through Fake-Pallax did no damage. Even when no damage was caused onto the dream-light projected general, the zerglings were guided by an overhead overseer that could see past the illusions made by Fake-Pallax's cloaked hover-drones. One zergling tried to attack the hover-drones within the projected general with a sharp claw, but the quick use of a golden pistol ended any further attempts. But another zergling gained a chance to strike at one of the supposedly cloaked hover-drones, despite its quick demise after its turn to attack was over. Again and again, the zerglings were getting countered as they attacked, and Fake-Pallax knew that this stalemate would not last for long. [General Pallax, the missiles will hit your position soon. May I recommend retreating?]

"Not now, Deelob. ... OH SHIT!" Fake-Pallax rolled out the way of a rolling baneling that nearly collided with him. He was so distracted with dodging the acid spines and zergling claws that he had not noticed the bowling suicide bomber organisms approaching him. Acid might not have too much effect on his dream-light projected avatar body, but he knows that banelings can explode with enough force to disrupt his artificial physical form and permanently damage his cloaked hover-drones. A cloud of green erupted over Fake-Pallax as he dodged and attacked more zerglings after he escaped a rolling baneling. He felt his movements slowed to a crawl when green patchy growths covered his person. The roots bore into his person, but thankfully he felt no pain. And yet, it had the unfortunate side-effect of rooting him in place. "GH! DAMMIT!"

With Fake-Pallax rooted on the spot, he had no means to dodge the acid spines from the queens and large queens. Even leaning out of the way of a zergling claw made him an easier target to strike, as the queens calculated his struggle to lean away from their projectiles. One by one, the hover-drones were attacked and dismantled with brutal efficiency. [General Pallax, the missiles will arrive at your location in under a minute. I cannot send reinforcements to recover you, or Gollog's gifts. They will get caught in the blast radius.]

"The point of coming here wasn't just to send a message. It's to deliver a promise." Fake-Pallax grunted as more hover-drones were removed from battle, which reduced the number of arms he fought with and lessened his resistance against the zerg's attacks. Feeling defeat drawing near, Fake-Pallax decided to part with his last few words. "If you're hearing this, Kay, I swear that I will find a way to end this war. If it means an end of my empire, or my emperor finally deciding to set your kind free of our prison, then let it be so."

Before the final cloaked hover-drone was destroyed, the zerg organisms around Fake-Pallax stilled in their counter-offense. One zergling's physical form had changed into the appearance of Kay, which happened to be a changelisk that was hiding behind the zergling swarm. Not-Kay 2 sighed. "Then you better pray that your emperor breaks first, before I find a way out of this prison myself."

An acid spine struck the final cloaked hover-drone and ended Fake-Pallax. But as Fake-Pallax disappeared, a faint shimmer of light flickered over the gathered zerg organisms. When the zerglings, banelings, queens, and other zerg looked up to see what that source of light was, they saw the beginning of their doom. Seconds later, loud and massive explosions rocked the Whisper Stones hive cluster. Zerglings died by tens of hundreds, the spine and spore crawlers were blasted into oblivion, and even the creep was shorn off the surface of the sand violently. The stone pillars as Whisper Stones crumbled in a cacophonous manner as they were pushed down, many of them knocking down other pillars like geological domino pieces. Several craters sprinkled the once zerg-controlled territory, which revealed the victims of the particle missiles located several meters from the missile impacts, looking like cooked remains of unrecognizable body parts or blackened soot. The only survivors of the particle missile blasts were the roaches and the infestors outside of the blast radius. Once the coast is clear of the fallout, they would tunnel under the sand and find other subterranean locales where hatcheries and nydus networks could be created. The zerg were always known to be exceptionally powerful survivors.

* * *

The cold-pod that the real General Pallax resided in hummed as it opened, its occupant grumbling awake. "Fuck." As the cold-pod opened up to reveal the real Pallax in a medical gown, he sluggishly stood up and removed the many intravenous tubes from his person.

[General Pallax? Is that you?! ... Or am I hearing a ghost?] Deelob's voice said, making the chrome halls echo.

Pallax's head ached somewhat as he felt like he had woken up from a brisk nap. "Quiet down, Deelob. I made preparations to have our audio communique transfer to an encrypted channel after my uh... 'death'. All you saw was my 'double' dying."

[... I feel like I have not been informed about something.]

Pallax stretched his legs and craned his neck. "Believe me, if you had known about my dream-light double, there is a chance that spies within the Golden Star Empire would get wind of my plan, and form a counter-strategy against me. But right now, I want you to warn Commander Guik that the zerg are going to become more aggressive from this point on. I'll try to meet back with you at Empire Forest Town, within the city hall."

[... But that's on the other side of Kiln! Why all the way over there?!]

"I see this battle ending two ways." Pallax explained. "Either Gollog agrees to help the zerg find a way to escape Kiln and leave the veil that surrounds us, or the zerg are going to come after every citizen of the gilanian empire. And it looks like it's going to be the latter."

[... I'll uh... I'll pack my things. Can you grant me a permission pass for a multi-shift MEM transfer to Empire Forest Town?]

Pallax rolled his eyes. "Fine. Are you recording my voice right now?"

[I am now.]

"I, General Pallax of the four armies, hereby vocally grant you a permission pass for a MEM multi-shift transfer to Empire Forest Town. Now get moving and warn the commander."

[Yes sir. Over and out.]

Pallax pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He knew that his emperor is going to bury himself in a lot more work than he needed. After shrugging off the malaise of emerging from a cold-pod, Pallax turned and set about finding a communication terminal. Little did he know, the parasite that stealthily implanted itself into his person had already witnessed much of the inner workings of this 'Sovereign Crypt' location. At least, much more so that Gollog or Pallax couldn't be comfortable with. After finding a communication terminal, Pallax had made a comm request to his emperor. After Gollog's face had shown up on the screen of the communication terminal several seconds later, Pallax saluted. "Mission is a success. I have annihilated the infestation at Whisper Stones. I had to use a few particle missiles, but they did the trick."

[Good work, Pallax.] Gollog said in a growl. [Now get back into uniform and reposition you command center to your current location. A recent fight between Commander Kralluf and the zerg's commander revealed some troubling data.]

 _'Data? What kind of data does my emperor have?'_ Pallax furrowed his brow as he scratched the back of his head. "Data, sir?"

Gollog sighed. [A new zerg organism has been created. I have dubbed them 'dread maws', and they are unlike anything that the empire has ever faced before.]

"Can you give me any information on them?" Pallax asked. Gollog nodded. Several images of a giant robot and a couple leviathans that were fighting against it appeared in front of Pallax. Several word documents pertaining to the information regarding the 'dread maws' were also attached to these images. Pallax narrowed his gaze as he studied these images and word documents. "... Five... That CAN'T be right. These creatures really are five kilometers long?"

[The information you received is accurate. Study it well when you have the time, but I recommend getting dressed first.]

Pallax sighed for a lot longer than needed and nodded. "Dammit Kay. ... I'll see to it. Over and out." Gollog raised an eyebrow at Pallax, but then nodded back and terminated the communication channel between himself and his general. Pallax was about to get up from his seat when the communication terminal bleeped, which gave him the notification that someone was calling him. Pallax growled as he accepted the call request while he was putting his gold and red armor back on. However, he was surprised when he saw a shifting mass of cubes with a single glowing square 'eye' staring back at him. Pallax paused, but continued swapping his sanitary medical gown for his empirical general's uniform. "Uh... Am I speaking with a Kiln Keeper?"

[Query detected. Confirmed. Kiln Keeper variant: Intelligent Automaton. Request: Send all available information regarding zerg. Preference: Weaknesses. Strengths. Hypothetical. Biology. Tactics. Animal behavior. Growth rate. Reproduction rate. Gestation rate. Food sources. Nest locations. Caste system and types of castes. Commander Faddoh's research files, notes, and experiment data relating to zerg organisms. Additional information is accepted.]

Pallax sighed and raised his eyebrows. It was a first for the Kiln Keeperss to ask for information. However, unlike Gollog that was seeing the Kiln Keepers as a possible danger, it wouldn't make sense to piss off a robot by denying it information. Especially if that information could somehow hinder the zerg menace. "I'll do even better than that. I'll give you permission for level one unrestricted access to all zerg related files. Sounds better?" He said as he continued changing his clothes. Once he got his upper torso properly dressed, he sent the permission codes to the Kiln Keeper. _'Hmm... I'm not sure I should have done that. Maybe I should sober up first? I think I'm still groggy after leaving the cold-pod?'_

[Query detected. Confirmed. Acquiring permission codes. Accessing information. Analyzing data. ... ... ... Analysis complete. Deficient unit formation. Deficient unit composition. Upgrades required. Requesting additional assets. No further assets available to request. Modifying equipment. Adjusting strategy. Awaiting assets. Logic loop detected: Assets cannot be acquired when there are no more assets to deploy. Condition met: All key systems are predicted to achieve complete shutdown or complete destruction in the near future. Estimated time of shutdown/destruction event will occur in... ... ... five days.]

Pallax paled and blinked. "... So you're telling me that the world will end in five days?"

[Query detected. Estimations are not basis for accurate calculations.]

He didn't know what to say. How could anyone say anything when they have learned that doomsday was just a few days away? He slumped forward and placed a palm on his forehead, feeling almost light-headed.

[Variables detected. New data detected. Reanalyzing data... Analysis complete. Estimated time of shutdown/destruction event will occur in four days.]

Pallax almost forgot to breathe. "Wh-wh-what?! What is this new data?!"

[Query detected. Several zerg organisms dubbed 'dread maws' detected and analyzed. Underground zerg infestation extends twenty kilometers below Red Mountain, extending ten more kilometers than previous research scan distance.]

Pallax shook his head and pounded on the communication monitor. "Dammit, that is not good! I must contact Emperor Gollog and tell him of this news."

[Variables detected. New data detected. Reanalyzing data... Analysis complete. Estimated time of shutdown/destruction event will occur in three days.]

 _'Okay, enough of this boxy bot. Time to cancel this call.'_ "You're not helping!" Pallax shouted, pointing at the screen's image that was showing a mass of floating cubes. "I'm ending our communique. Goodbye." After canceling the Intelligent Automaton's call, Pallax leaned onto the communication terminal and felt a knot develop in his gut. But he had to compose himself. To panic in any situation, no mater how dire or turgid it was, a general must always be adamant in every situation. He would commit to being the second-to-last man standing, no matter how dire the situation became. The only other important person that takes more precedence than Pallax was his emperor. And speaking of his emperor, it was just then that Pallax had requested a communication link with Gollog once more. After a few seconds had passed, Gollog's face appeared once again. Pallax saluted once the call was accepted. "Sir. I regret to inform you that a surviving Kiln Keeper robotic variant has contacted me recently. It referred to itself as an 'Intelligent Automaton'. He has shared with me some unfortunate news."

Gollog's face was... distant. Despondent. Even destitute. [Tell it to me, Pallax.]

Pallax paused. "... The Kiln Keeper robot has informed me that if we don't stop the zerg, or give in to their demands, our world will be taken over in three days."

Gollog nodded, but didn't change his expression. [I see...]

There was a longer pause afterwards. Pallax finally spoke up about the change in Gollog's tone. "... Emperor Gollog? Is something wrong?"

[... Everything is wrong, Pallax. Everything is gods-damned wrong. I am left with little choice, but to enact my ultimate trump card. I never would have thought I would have to ever use... this new command.]

Pallax furrowed his brows. "... What the... What happened on the surface, Gollog?"

[Hmm. I suppose the Kiln Keeper robot didn't tell you?] Gollog sighed before he hardened his gaze. [Uplink to the camera feed of surveillance camera F-46 courtyard in Empire City, pan sixteen degrees left and thirty degrees up. Set the shade level to twelve.]

Before Pallax could ask why he was being shown a camera feed that was darkened by such a degree, Pallax saw what Gollog wanted him to see. He felt all of his blood leave his face as his eyes grew wide with shock. Pallax had never felt such surprise in his life before, evident by his slackened jaw and dumbfounded expression. Utter terror made his face rigid, and was unable to contain his emotion of fear in that moment. Even when he saw it, and understood what the image was showing him, he still couldn't believe what he saw. "... What... Wha-what am I seeing?"

[Our sun, Pallax.] Gollog bluntly said. [It's been halfway destroyed.]

"How... How did this happen?!" Pallax said, almost shouting.

[I don't know how it happened, but... Apparently, Commander Kralluf had activated his self destruct sequence when he was at the moon. Detonation was confirmed, but the explosion resonated almost at the other side of our world, away from our moon. The explosion would have encompassed the entire moon and eradicated the zerg infestation there, but the detonation had been shifted elsewhere at the very last second. And what's worse, my greatest weapon that proved to be very effective against the zerg is... well... um... no longer functioning. My divine smiting attack no longer works.]

Again, Pallax found no accurate words to say. He was completely speechless. He knew that without the orbital laser to clear away the creep and much of the zerg ground forces, the zerg would have conquered their world in a shorter time. A much shorter time.

[... Anyway, I shall leave you to your business. There will be many people that will require our guidance, even when the zerg have already disadvantaged us several times in the past. As emperor, I shall stand my ground at my palace. perhaps I can convince our virulent foe to partake in a duel? Yes, I think I will challenge him in my own home.] Gollog said, looking away and nodding thoughtfully.

 _'This is not good. I need to talk some sense into him. Convince him to give the zerg leader what he wants.'_ Pallax leaned forward and clutched the communication monitor. "Gollog, no. It is painfully... No... Abundantly obvious that we must grant Kay a way out of our world. If we keep up this fighting, then we will be no more."

Gollog furrowed his brows. [... Pallax, I am surprised of your sudden change of heart. Do you really think conceding to the demands of a bug-man that commands monsters will lead us to a peaceful resolve? If we give him leave of the prison's veil, there is no telling what kind of damage he will do. He may even gain the power of the gods, and seek out a way to remove my right to rule Kiln in the end. I can't let that happen. I will not allow that to happen! As emperor, I must refuse such a potentially dangerous recommendation.]

 _'No, I need to convince him!'_ "Emperor Gollog, please! If we continue this conflict, then there won't be any more gilanians left to rule!"

[ENOUGH.] Gollog announced and crossed his arms. [If we are graceful in our actions, and the gods witness our deeds, then they will reward us accordingly. Once my empire has covered this entire globe, I will usher in an age of long peace that will counterbalance the sins of my past, and of those that reside in my empire. If they are willing, then I can become a god that will end the zerg, once and for all.]

 _'I NEED TO STOP HIM!'_ "Emperor Gollog, please reconsider!"

[An emperor never gives in to fear, Pallax. Since you have made the mistake of clouding your judgement with doubt, I have no choice but to temporarily relieve you of duty. You will remain in the Sovereign Crypt until I say otherwise. Rest. Eat. Drink. Request women. Curb your boredom. Strengthen your body. But now, as a long-time friend, I am asking you to meditate. Think about what would be best for our empire.]

 _'I NEED TO FUCKING STOP HIM NOW!'_ "Gollog, you gods-damned idiot, they blew up half of the gods-damned sun! If we assist in their escape from the burden applied to us by our own ancestors, then there can be no more needless death!"

[Enough of your grousing. I will call you back when I am good and ready. And when you have learned your lesson. I will not roll over and submit to these monsters, and I never will. If the worst comes to pass... well... I'll be sure to send some female company to keep you busy. Anyway, put some pants on. Goodbye.] Gollog said with a saddened smirk. After that, Gollog's image in the communication link blinked out of existence, leaving Pallax with no one to talk to.

Pallax felt a sudden loneliness after that exchange. _'I AM SO MAD RIGHT NOW! IMMA TRASH THAT COMMUNICATION TERMINAL!'_ A hand was clenched into a fist, and it was sent flying into the terminal's screen, shattering it in the process. Pallax looked at his own fist and noticed that his knuckles were heavily lacerated, creating drops of blood that had flown freely from his new wounds. Pallax sighed as he watched his cuts reddening with with his unneeded anger. _'... Pfhehehehe, jackass.'_ Kay quietly and mentally said to Pallax.

Pallax scratched the back of his head with an uninjured hand. "Guh... I better get myself patched up." Pallax said, holding his wounded hand up to make sure that his blood doesn't drip and stain his clothes. He then went to the closest manifestation altar to manifest some gauze bandages and healing ointment, slightly lamenting his decision to attack a monitor's screen with his bare hand.

Kay may have accidentally slipped up and used his own thoughts in his own voice, but Pallax would still be unaware of the parasite that was embedded and linked to his brain. Sadly, without the general being fed orders from his emperor, Kay and Virid wouldn't be able to adapt against Gollog quite as effectively. But with Pallax momentarily disbanded from the war, Gollog had lost his edge in tactical planning and strategic analysis. It was the perfect opportunity for the zerg brood on Kiln to seize the Golden Star Empire's moment of weakness.

* * *

Three leviathans had warped into Kiln's atmosphere and right above red mountain. As they appeared, they had dropped several sacs onto the ground and created several hatcheries. Other sacs had contained more than just bio-structures that gestated within the leviathans, but also zerglings, roaches, and hydralisks. Once the hatcheries had been formed, larvae that were spawned were instantly turned into drones, and then later into various bio-structures. The patrols that have been set up to defend the areas around and outside the zerg territory of Red Mountain had been targeted by a large influx of zerg organisms, during the zerg resurgence. Many perished, but a few were lucky enough to rid a few zerg organisms before being exterminated by the monsters they tried to exterminate.

Once Kay and Virid learned that Gollog's smiting attack had been disabled, they wasted no time in regaining back the territory they lost and more. Creep grew across the sands at an impressive rate, its malignant growth increasing its growth by a great margin. Even the outside of the Day Circle that had been constantly infested with zerg and creep was now completely under their control. The creep had eventually developed into two layers, one on the surface as a thin layer, and one on the sands under Shallow Ocean's body of water. Many of the lighter zerg organisms could swim through the top layer of creep, but heavier castes were forced to wade through the ocean and tread through both layers of creep in the salt and freshwater ocean.

Nydus worms had erupted over the surface of the desert sands, and much of the land outside Red Desert. The creep that grew around the nydus worms were extended further by the queens that had arrived after their summoning, and drones were being morphed into several more hatcheries and other bio-structures. Aerial zerg organisms were being produced by greater numbers than expected, the faster fliers taking the lead to distant, and unexplored lands. Unimpeded by the terrain, the mutalisks, overseers, corruptors and vipers would soon blanket the sky with their numbers, and hunt down any gilanian that was loyal to the Golden Star Empire, or anyone that so much as attacked the zerg swarm.

A baroness looked up at the sky with a grimaced frown. She had acquired the report that several strange animals had been sighted, and that they were surrounding her precious citadel. She didn't have to look at the report since several of these 'drifters' now hovered over Gargantua, which gave her people a slight panic. She also knew that if the zerg surrounded her citadel, merchant caravans would not be able to enter the city and bring marketable items for trade. It is true that the citadel was built to be self sustaining, but there were certain limits that Tak was hesitant to exercise. The tension within the city was already reaching a high boiling point, and she didn't want to enforce a curfew to the entire populace if it meant rioting would take place when the curfew takes place. She was currently on her velvet, scarlet colored bed, which was in the tallest tower of her palace. A communication terminal was brought to her bed, and she had accessed it to contact a certain person she has been meaning to talk to since the morning. [Hello again, Johnny. This may seem odd for me to ask out of the blue like this, but I wish to know your progress on the virgin manifestation altars. How far have you come?]

"It's done." Johnny said as he craned his neck as he was baring a content smile. "It took a bit of time, but creating that aluminum and copper chamber to contain that beacon signal, made within the empire memory bag, had made my job a whole lot easier. I have already created ten more manifestation altars from the one I built, and I noticed that there was a percent of a percent variance between each new altar made. It is an even better result that I could ever hope for."

Tak nodded. [I see. So you have made it so that the manifestation altars can make redundant copies of themselves. That's more than I could ever hope for.]

Johnny tilted his head. "You... seem somewhat despondent."

Tak shook her head and smiled. [I'm fine. But I am somewhat hesitant to allow you leave of my citadel.]

Johnny sighed. "You're worried that the blade hounds that helped me in the past will betray me."

[Well... It's not that.] Tak admitted. [... Okay, it MIGHT be that, but you also helped me out of a dire position yesterday. If it isn't the blade hounds you should be worried about, then it would be Ponpon's Spiker Titan mercenaries trying to find you out there. They have eyes everywhere, Johnny. If they found out that you were leaving the citadel, then it's possible that they would try and chase you down and recapture you.]

Johnny nodded and scratched at his chin. "Hmm... Well, you already know that I am a master of disguise. Do you really think that Ponpon, as blinded as he is, is going to notice me leaving Citadel Gargantua?"

[He will become aware of your ability to disguise yourself. He may be fat and slow, but he's actually a tactical genius. Any interaction will have given him all the details and information he needs to form a plan of action. I know for certain that if you attempt to leave my palace, then he's going to try and capture you. And if you leave the safety of the citadel's walls, you'll become an even bigger target.]

Johnny nodded. "Hmm... So I either stay here and live the life of luxury, or fulfill my revenge against the Golden Star Empire as I seek out the blade hounds. ... I think I'll choose to go and seek out the blade hounds."

Tak sighed, rubbing her forehead. [I was hoping I could dissuade you from going on your suicide mission. But... You really seem set on that goal.]

"Indeed I am. In fact, I have already formulated a plan to leave this citadel." Johnny said with confidence.

[Oh? What kind of plan is it?]

"One that involves a combat flier, a manifestation altar, and a hanger where you store and deploy your flier craft in."

[Really? What for?] Tak said, becoming curious on what Johnny's plan might be.

"Can't give you ALL the details. As you said, Ponpon has his eyes everywhere. If that's true, then there is a possibility that our communication lines are bugged, and he can hear into our conversation right now."

[... A rather distressing theory. If your right about that, then why announce part of your plan to me?]

"It will annoy Ponpon to a great extent." Johnny said with a smile. "But even so, I can't leave knowing you would be worried about me the moment I leave Gargantua. As of right now, I will not abscond until you give me your permission to leave your citadel."

Tak blinked a few times after she heard that. [... What would you even accomplish by giving me such a privilege?]

Johnny shrugged. "I dunno. Add insult to Ponpon's injury? Also, I require your surveillance network in the palace area to be temporarily shut down when I make my escape. I also need you to make sure that every living soul has vacated the premises."

[... I don't know what you might be planning, but... I suppose I wouldn't be an honorable baroness if I didn't grant you this permission you seek. Very well. I grant you my permission to leave Gargantua, and grant you what you are requesting from me.]

Johnny smiled and clapped his hands together. "Great! I'll begin leaving right now."

Tak gasped with surprise. [Wh- Already?! Can't I see you off first?]

Johnny shook his head. "Just look up and wave. Chances are, I'll be looking back down at you. I'll bring a long range communication handheld with me to talk with you when I have something to report. I'll see you again, my ladyship." Johnny then cancelled his communication link with Baroness Tak. Johnny was currently in the bedroom that was re-purposed to be his workshop. He turned around to look at his greatest creation and smiled. A large manifestation altar was built upon several wheels, and a hanging gurney that was installed next to several computer equipment were also attached to this manifestation altar. "Alrighty then. Let's roll you into place."

* * *

A giant of a gilanian stomped his way to a run-down command center, which had been set up to grant him access to all audio and video data that several of his goons were analyzing. After a certain mix-up from yesterday, the giant gilanian had his eyes gouged out by throwing knives. Luckily, artificial cybernetic eyes had replaced the damage that was done, which granted him the means to see in the dark and see everything in greater detail, or see things from farther away than before, while also having a slightly reddened patch that covered his neck that hid a scar from the recent past. Also luckily, a roach had been following him for quite some time. It began to follow him within his secret hideout ever since he MEM shifted there, the location of his hideout already having been scouted by burrowing zerg. But as of now, he had a vendetta to accomplish. Especially regarding the person that had crippled his eyes. "What do you got for me?" Ponpon, The Gentle Giant said in an annoyed manner. He would rather strangle the one responsible for his previous humility, than to play spy games with a master of disguises.

One of his goons, acting as his surveillance officer, stood up. "Well, we got a recording of a comm link between the baroness and that eye-gouging fucktard. Want to hear it?"

"I need to. Play it." Once his comm officer goon had played the recording of Johnny and Tak's most recent conversation, Ponpon's face dulled into a deeper frown. Minutes later, Ponpon shook his head after the recording came to a close. The conversation between the two of them left a bad taste in his mouth. "Dammit. This Johnny guy is a lot more clever than I thought."

"Is that doubt I hear?"

Ponpon turned away to look at the gilanian that had misspoken. "You wanna say something to my face, boy?"

The gilanian in the dark corner, away from the bustle of Ponpon's command center, made a dismissive gesture with a hand. "No thank you. I just merely wanted to analyze what will be happening."

Ponpon growled, his eyes turning into an intense shade of red. "Who the hell do you think you are? Come out of the shadows and tell me, or I might as well tear your head off."

The gilanian walked out of the dark corner slowly and approached Ponpon. "You make it sound as though I offended you in some way. I do apologize if I had displeased you in a manner unbecoming of an outlaw of your position."

Ponpon stiffened when he realized who he was talking to. "... Zero Wind."

This gilanian was dressed in cloth that was completely black, with metal arm bands, ankle bands, belt and collar that seemed to flicker with unusual light. A single red ribbon was tied around his right arm, and his face bared the image of a shryik serpent with red, feathered scales and intense golden eyes. "And I presume that you are 'Gentle Giant' Ponpon. Your eyes are certainly an upgrade from those dull, fleshy blinkers you used to sport."

Ponpon growled. "Why are you here, Zero? To ridicule me? Clearly the 'bandit lord' has better things to do than watch me take revenge against the shryik dropping that blinded me. Or are you here to complete an assassin contract?"

Zero shook his head. "No. There has been a recent surge of dangerous animals that has been contending with the Golden Star Empire. A menace they refer as 'the zerg infestation'. I have noticed that these creatures plaguing them are giving this city a wide birth. A few kilometers of land, if I were to estimate the distance between the walls and the perimeter they created. After witnessing certain tactics made by your 'infiltrator', I merely came here to bear witness to your... assassination attempt against him. My business here is my own, so you don't need to worry about me killing you."

Ponpon shook his head and hissed. "Well, as a fellow enemy that's also against the empire, I can tell you that those zerg critters mean nothing to me. As of right now, I am more concerned with capturing Johnny and making sure that I finish what I started. I intend to recollect my runaway slave and convert him fully. After that... I'm going to blind him, and throw him into a dark cell filled with starving krell."

Zero nodded thoughtfully. "Interesting. How far along is he with the slave branding process?"

Ponpon sighed. "I marked him on his forearms and onto his forehead. He didn't scream when I branded him, which was odd in my opinion. I made the mistake of leaving him in a darkened room, and he managed to infiltrate into my ranks and caused all sorts of problems. Had to meet with a cybernetic surgeon to give me my vision back, after that mess was over with."

Zero shook his head and raised his hand, gesturing to Ponpon to cease. "I don't need your life's story. I saw the recorded communication and noted that his forehead did not bear a fresh slave brand."

Ponpon furrowed his brows, and thhen looked at the recording once more. After pausing the recording at a certain time, Ponpon blinked a couple times upon the realization. "... Damn. You're right."

Zero pleaded his fingers. "It's obvious that A: He has acquired cosmetic surgery that helped hide his brands. Or B: He is a fast healer."

Ponpon grumbled as he rolled his new mechanically cybernetic eyes. "Well I'm still going to try and capture this fool." He turned to his surveillance goons. "Alright lads. I want my lieutenants to mobilize and cover as much ground of Citadel Gargantua as they can. I want anti-air turrets set up on the farthest outskirts of Gargantua. Put them in farmlands if you have to. I want sixteen teams dedicated to managing combat fliers that will take down any, and every, flier that leaves the palace grounds. Spotters are to go on the ground and stakeout every exit that leads out of Gargantua. Notify them that the current description of the gilanian named Johnny is no longer valid. Send them a screenshot of an image recorded from his comm link with Baroness tak. How quick can we get this plan set up?"

"Sounds like that can be accomplished in about half an hour, boss." A surveillance goon said with a thumbs up. He then went to his surveillance terminal to pass down Ponpon's orders to the Spiker Titan thugs on the field.

Zero nodded, but did not say anything on the matter. But Ponpon was still not convinced. "Do that in less time, and I can promise that the lot responsible for Johnny's capture is going to have a three day R&R, all expenses paid, party at the Fur Fetish gentleman's club. Got it?"

All of his surveillance goons nodded excitedly and went back to work with increased excitement. Zero Wind chuckled. "Rewarding your men with a good time? Have you gone soft?"

Ponpon turned around and glared at the heckler. "I ain't soft. I'm a gentle giant. Now sit back and be quiet."

"This will reflect poorly with the other top wanted criminals. Perhaps asking for assistance can help you gain your slave back? I certainly won't think any less of you if you commissioned my services." Zero said.

"And what did I say about sitting back and being quiet?" Zero didn't answer Ponpon. Instead, he walked backwards and leaned back on the shadowed corner that he had appeared from. "Good. Stay there. I have this handled. ... Oh, and don't steal any of my shit. I know the sneaky types when I see them, and you look like one."

Zero chuckled and nodded, and kept himself silent in that dark corner. But when the silence had started, Ponpon was left with an unexplained sense of unease. It was almost as though he felt like he was being watched by critical eyes. Of course, he knew that that feeling must be coming from Zero of all people. In fact, he felt sure of it! But Zero Wind is also one of the types of people that always speaks the truth. And the fact that he is here means that something big is happening. Ponpon sighed and bottled up this feeling he had, and continued with his revenge plan against Johnny.

Eighteen minutes had passed before half of his goons and thugs were in place. They stood at attention at every exit that lead outside of Citadel Gargantua, but the anti-air turrets and combat fliers that would intercept Johnny's aircraft was still under way. Half of the air-interceptor groups were halfway done setting their planes, and the teams setting up the anti-air turret emplacements had paid off several of Gargantua's guardsmen to look the other way, or were otherwise cleverly hidden.

Another minute had passed before one of Ponpon's goons had found something to report. "Boss! Flier hanger doors at the baroness' palace are rustling open!"

Ponpon had been pacing slowly left and right during those nineteen minutes of waiting. His feet felt sore, but he was committed to regaining his runaway slave, no matter how much cosmetic surgery he used to hide his brands. "Good. Does our boys on the inside know what kind of flier he's using?"

A surveillance goon nodded. "Our insider said Johnny is going to use Tak's personal flier. He says that it has been fitted for combat, since he saw weapon attachments being carted into the hanger."

Ponpon sighed. "Letting a nobody use your slow flier, Tak? Couldn't you just buy him a new one? Hmm... No. If he already knew about us spying inside the palace, purchasing an escape vehicle would give us a chance to read the receipt. Tak, you must really like this guy if you are willing to let him fly one of your toys. When will the interceptor teams and anti-air teams finish setting up?"

"In about five minutes, boss." A surveillance goon responded.

Ponpon nodded back and smiled in a sinister way. By the time that Tak's flier went through its takeoff procedure and flied straight over Gargantua airspace and reach beyond the walled enclosure, Ponpon's goons would have already prepared for his arrival."Come on out when you're ready, Johnny. I'm waiting."

Another minute had passed when a red, large, shiny flier had flown out of Tak's palace hanger. It flew upward and started circling above the palace. Seconds afterwards, several green, brown and purple fliers filtered out of the hanger and started circling upwards, creating a ring of fliers around Tak's red combat flier. "Boss, multiple fliers have launched from the hanger!"

Ponpon's expression immediately changed to a frown. "What? How many?"

There was a pause. "Uh... Thirteen. Fifteen. Eighteen. Twenty five. Uh... Boss, there's too many for me to count."

Ponpon stopped in his pacing and went up to a surveillance terminal. "... There is no way that the palace's hanger could hold this many fliers."

"Boss, I got new intelligence from our insider. A supersized manifestation altar is making fliers and launching them out of the hangar."

Ponpon growled and clenched his fists. "Factory produced fliers?! ... Dammit, they're dummy fliers!"

"Uh... Dummy fliers, boss?" A goon had asked.

"Fliers being controlled without a pilot." Ponpon explained, as he leaned over the goon's shoulder. "Sometimes they are operated by an autonomous computer, or are remote controlled from somewhere. Looks like Johnny is a lot more clever than I thought he is."

"Boss! The fliers!" A goon shouted, pointing at his terminal. Ponpon winced as he noticed that a giant sphere made up of fliers had started moving eastward.

Ponpon knew he had little time to act. "Oh... Now I get it. He's using the dummy fliers as bodyguards... EVERYONE! JOHNNY IS IN THE RED FLIER IN THAT FLIER FORMATION! SHOOT THE JAG DOWN, AND RETRIEVE THE WRECKAGE!"

Ponpon's flier teams had sent out their airborne pursuers to intercept the mass of the escaping bodyguard fliers, which were guarding Tak's personal flier. Ponpon's air force fired their weapons to take down the whirling formation that protected the red flier in the center, but their shots had only damaged the outermost dummy fliers in the flying formation. More of Ponpon's fliers would soon intercept, but they alone would not be able to down the amassed escaping swarm in time. But all Ponpon needed was Johnny, and he believed that attacking the red flier would yield the quickest victory for himself.

And as luck would have it, the swarm of fliers would fly over one of the anti-air teams that had set up their anti-air turret installations. Once the swarm of fliers came close, the anti-air team let loose their noisy ammo onto the approaching spherical formation in the sky. Many more of the escaping fliers were shot out of the sky, including the scarlet cherry flier that belonged to the baroness of Citadel Gargantua.

Much like all the other fliers that have been forced from the sky, Tak's personal flier had finally been struck, forcing it to crash onto soft farmland and nearly careening as it collided with Gargantua's wall. Many of the assisting fliers that tried to protect Tak's flier had been shot out of the sky, but some of the remaining fliers continued flying in their sphere formation and kept heading east, eventually flying over Gargantua's wall and continuing in that direction. Ponpon's fliers had approached their target after Tak's crashed flier came to its final stop.

Ponpon felt his face tighten into a grin. "Who shot the craft down? I want to shake your hand when we meet."

[Praggun 'Sleep Killer', boss.] One of his thugs on the field said, contacting Ponpon through the surveillance terminal's communication network. [But don't congratulate me just yet. The pilot looks weird.]

"Weird?" Ponpon asked, raising an eyebrow. "How weird we're talking?"

[Uhh...] There was a pause that lasted twenty seconds before Ponpon got his response. [Boss, the pilot was a scarecrow. Like, uh, literally. Looks like someone programmed the baroness's flier to fly in a straight line after enough fliers surrounded her.]

Ponpon was silent for a few seconds before he took in a slow breath and started talking again. "So you're telling me we have been shooting at a decoy?"

[Uhh... I think so boss. ... There's a note attached to the scarecrow.]

"A note? What does it say?"

[... You're not gonna like it. It says, and I quote, 'Fuck you, Ponpon.']

Ponpon exhaled a sigh, then struck the nearest surveillance goon with a heavy fist. The blow was hard enough to break the goon's neck, but also threw the flailing torso into the surveillance terminal he was stationed at. Ponpon then rotated his wrist to get a painful kink out before talking again. "... Now I'm starting to get it. Johnny used Tak's flier to make us think he was in there, but he was really inside one of the other fliers the whole time. Ballsy. Smart, but ballsy. Have the spotter groups check the wrecks of all the other fliers. If there's any pilots in them, bring them to me. I don't care if they're dead or alive, but I prefer them alive."

[What about the dummy fliers that got away? Do we chase after them?]

Ponpon had thought about the suggestion, placing a chin on his head and looking thoughtful. After a few seconds of thinking and contemplating, he shook his head. "Nah. Them flying zerg critters are too dangerous, from what I hear. If Johnny turns around and comes back, we'll be ready for him. If he gets eaten. ... Well... Good riddance I suppose."

"Splendid strategy, but it seems like you have been outplayed at your own game." Zero Wind had finally said, still sitting in the dark corner of the surveillance room.

Ponpon turned around to look at the shadowed figure and scowled. "And you think you could do better commanding my boys?"

"Oh please! I never did work well with others. It's my preference to work alone." Zero Wind said, walking out of the shadowed corner and into the light once again.

Ponpon growled. "Then why the hell are you here for, anyway? One of my boys caused you any trouble?"

"No no, none of your boys. I'm merely here for... THIS!" Zero created two blades from his forearm bands and pierced into the ground. After some measure of great effort, Zero managed to pull a roach straight out of the sandy ground, its legs wiggling in the air frantically and screeching loudly in pain. How a meter and a half tall gilanian managed to pull a zerg roach organism from the ground was beyond Kay or Virid, but Zero still pulled it out of the ground.

Ponpon quickly stepped back as he saw the zerg organism being pulled from the ground. "THE FUCK?! HOW'D THAT GET IN HERE?!"

Zero sliced all of the roach's limbs off and forced it to face a wall. It spatted violently at the wall, making sizzling divots that deepened with time. Zero poked at the upturned roach as it tried to wiggle itself back onto its belly, but failed. "Hmm. I assume that it found a way underneath this facility, and burrowed up its way here. This must be one of those zerg organisms I heard about. And I believe its breed has been classified by the empire as a 'puker'. How does it not digest itself with such volatile bile in its belly?"

Ponpon inspected the shrilling thing with scrutiny and unease. "I think two scientist types said something about a base somewhere southeast being attacked by dangerous critters. I wonder if this is one of them?"

Zero Wind turned to look at Ponpon and nodded. "Certainly fits the description." Zero Wind then turned back to inspect the amputated roach again. "... Oh! I see that the stumps I made are being replaced before our very eyes."

Ponpon tilted his head as he heard Zero's comment, then looked back down at the roach. His eyes widened when he saw the roaches limbs growing back. "... Oh damn! These things heal real quick!"

Zero Wind summoned his armband blades once more and sliced away the regrowing limbs again, making the roach screech in pain once more. "I can see this being a hassle after a time. I'd rather kill my targets and be done with it."

Ponpon looked back at Zero, feeling uncomfortable with the current turn of events. "Zero Wind, could you tell me the reason why you came to my hideout?"

Zero Wind looked back at Ponpon and smiled. "After witnessing these creatures crawl around after a time, I have been training my keen eyes to detect them hiding just under the surface of the ground. After witnessing the attack at your little clubhouse near junction forty-four, I noticed that your little infiltrator known as 'Johnny' had help in his escape. I'll give you a guess what kind of help he received."

Ponpon paused for a while before he pieced the puzzle pieces together. "This critter attacked my boys at junction forty-four?"

"Yes, as well as a few others, plus another breed of zerg organisms. But that's just semantics. However, my purposes here are limited now, and I must go."

Ponpon watched Zero Wind walk away. He shook his head. "But what if there are more of those puker critters in my hideout? Where will you go?"

Zero Wind chuckled. "Oh, I'm not here to save you from destruction. That is not my profession, or in my extensive list of skills. Just look at the ground hard and long enough. If it looks dusty or slightly lumpy in any way, then there's a chance that a zerg organism is hiding neath the soil, sand, and dirt. Same tactic I use to detect shryik serpents, really. And as for where I'm going... I'll go wherever the wind doesn't blow. It's been a pleasure meeting you." He said, waving goodbye and leaving the surveillance command center.

Ponpon followed after Zero, growling. "I didn't say you could leave, dipshit. I want to know why you came here, and I won't let you leave until I get a sufficient answer from you."

Zero stopped and sighed before turning to face Ponpon. "I just wanted to alarm you about the pukers in your base, and came here to warn you that your 'Johnny' fellow is not as he appears. Think about it. A vagabond that just so happens to know how to create virgin manifestation altars, has somehow gained favor with Gargantua's aristocratic leader, and manages to leave a swath of destruction after you have captured him and you cousin, Baroness Tak. He may have infiltrated your ranks, left with your cousin, and blinded you, but he did not single handedly kill all of your men. Worse than that, I believe that Johnny has a much bigger resource to draw from that I had not initially expected.

Zero gestured at the roach trying to get itself upright. "I have read restricted and classified information regarding these zerg organisms, from an information terminal that belonged to a high ranking officer of the Golden Star Empire. The analysis and autopsies that their scientists had performed revealed rather disturbing information. Information that has lead me to believe that Johnny is actually a spy for the zerg."

Ponpon furrowed his brow in surprise.

"Oh, and they are all telepathic. I believe that would include Johnny as well. Anyway, as I said, it's been a pleasure." Zero said, waving goodbye once more and disappearing into the shadows.

Ponpon sighed deeply when he finally processed the entire picture that was explained to him. The acid spit that the roach produced and shot onto the wall matched the dissolved flesh and armor that his boys suffered and died by. He could see the roach trying to right itself up as its limbs started to grow back again. Ponpon walked over to the roach, picked it up, and started slamming it onto the ground repeatedly. Even when the roach stopped moving, Ponpon continued to smash the heavily carapaced zerg organism for several more seconds before he ripped the roach's shell open and allowed its innards to spill everywhere. Some of its organs seeped into the ground as its acid producing organ saturated the ground beneath itself. Ponpon sighed. "New orders, boys. Search the hideout for more of these bugs. After that, we vacate to a new hideout."

One of his surveillance goons, shocked by the violence done to the roach, cowardly walked up to inspect the monstrous and dead thing. "... I got a bad feeling about this, boss."

Ponpon slapped his goon upside his head. "Don't say stuff like that. If something bad does happen, I'll wring your neck and task you with cleaning up the killed puker. I'll make you be the first to drink its filtered fluids."

A cacophonous rumble had suddenly shaken the entire hideout. After a few seconds of silence had befallen the hideout, the bandits within had began to recover from the earthquake. "Oh... Ow."

Ponpon took longer to get up and back to standing upright again. After finding strength in his legs once more, he looked around in a bewildered state. "... The fuck was-"

"Boss~! You better come look at this!" One of Ponpon's thugs shouted. The bandit leader of the Spiker Titans recognized him as one of the guards stationed outside of the hideout. He lead the way to whatever might have been the disturbance that shook the hideout.

Ponpon growled and walked after the thug, following him. "The hell are you talking about?!" He grumbled as he stomped after the thug.

After coming outside, the thug pointed up. Ponpon looked to where his thug pointed at, but was at a loss of words. "It's the darnedest thing, boss. I saw it rose out of the ground!"

Some people would have expected a nydus worm to come out of the ground to terrorize the bandits, but this was not the case. Instead, a chrome spire that tapered to a point rose several hundreds of meters above, which had red, glowing circuitry running up its sides and pulsing toward the top of this structure. It was a thousand meters tall, and it invoked an ominous feeling among the bandits and their leader, Ponpon. They had no idea what it is, and they didn't like that they didn't know what it was. Ponpon, on the other hand, frowned and furrowed his eyebrows since he had a feeling that this structure was bad news to them. "Fuck."

* * *

 **A/N: Fanfiction idea: The main character in Hollow Knight crosses over into the Marvel universe and has been dumped in New York. People keep mistaking it as Spider-Man's new sidekick, but shenanigans later, and the Avengers give the little bug an audience to figure out where he came from. :V**


	49. MB8: Collapse 2

**Chapter 49: Major Battle 8: Collapse 2**

* * *

The chrome spire with red glowing circuitry had noisily emerged from the ground, popping up near Ponpon's bandit hideout and toppling over a few pillars as it did so. Ponpon couldn't believe his eyes. He was completely surprised by this turn of events since he could not process the sudden emergence of an unknowable variable. The chrome spire stood tall and silent, ominous in whatever message it was supposed to have sent. Ponpon didn't like it, and cared not for the message he received, if the message was even supposed to be for him.

Ponpon shook his head and hissed. "I-I don't understand this at all. Is Johnny doing this?"

Ponpon was accompanied by the thug that had fetched for his boss earlier. "Johnny or not, I think this is something completely different, boss."

Ponpon turned to his hired thug. "What makes you say that?"

"Well... It's chrome and has that red color. I'm thinking this might be related to those Kiln Keepers I've been hearing about."

A loud CHUNK sound emanated from the top of the spire. "If it's Kiln Keeper related, then I'm getting the hell away from here while I can!" Ponpon said, turning around and running back into his hideout, his fat jiggling around violently as he went into a sprint. The zerg were a force to fear, but Ponpon was more worried about his own self regarding the possibility of being killed by Kiln Keeper robots. "PREP MY PERSONAL MEM DEVICE! I'M MOVING TO A NEW HIDEOUT RIGHT NOW!"

A goon hesitated for a second after being startled by his employer's shouting, but he quickly complied as he went to Ponpon's custom MEM device and typed in a set of coordinates on the terminal attached to it. A low noise that was similar to a flat tuba responded to the goon, which told him that the coordinates he had inputted were incorrect, or invalid. "Uh..."

"WHAT IS IT?!" Ponpon yelled out, running to his personal MEM device and standing on top of it.

After looking at the MEM device's control interface terminal, the goon slowly looked back up at Ponpon with a graven expression. "Selected device coordinates not active. Its condition is... Its condition is... Disabled."

Ponpon stared at his goon as though his eyes were murderous daggers. But then his gaze shifted to the shimmering lights that grew in brightness near the entrance of his hideout. The shimmer was quite similar to reflected light from a source of water that has been disturbed. After a few seconds had passed, Ponpon saw silvery fluid rush into his hideout, flooding it with sudden rapidity. The liquid seemed to flow up walls and envelop whatever object or person it touched, which seemed to smother and drown Ponpon's bandits until they remained motionless, the chrome flood enveloping everything as it flowed. Ponpon panicked as he stepped back and tried to run away from the torrent of unnaturally shiny water. His ankle was caught on something as he tried to make his escape, which resulted in him tripping onto the ground. Whether it was some errant item on the floor, or the silver flooding fluid catching onto his ankle, was pointless to speculate on since the shiny water drenched and drowned him all the same, like all of the other Spiker Titan thugs that he had hired.

The origin point of the silvery fluid started from the chrome spire that had erupted in front of Ponpon's bandit hideout, its top splitting apart into four spikes. The spikes then created a circle of energy that made static red electricity. The electricity became more intense, and then formed the fluid that had washed over Ponpon's bandit hideout, enveloping itself in the process.

The roaches, and a few infestors, that were within the area to inspect and spy on the bandits in the hideout, were also smothered by the waves of chrome. A roach tried to burrow through the fluid, but it was seized by the chrome liquid when it tried to do so. After that, the fluid then dismantled the roach at the cellular level. It was a process that was identical to the zergling that had been dissolved in the 'doorway' of the Kiln Keeper factory, which was once annexed to Empire City. The roaches and infestors that remained underneath the sands dug their way toward the nearest hatchery. However, one by one, the roaches were enveloped by the silvery liquid, which forced them into paralysis before having their cells become taken apart. The roaches and infestors adapted by burrowing deeper into the sands, but that had only given them time to delay the chrome liquid from absorbing them. The spying zerg organisms at the bandit hideout were eventually lost.

* * *

Kay blinked his eyes a few times when he noticed the savage effects of the chrome spires through the eyes and senses of the roaches and infestors at the bandit camp. The spire that created the chromatic liquid that covered everything seemed too dangerous to ignore, and he had a feeling that things were about to get worse. "... Kay uh... This seems bad." He said, voicing his opinion.

The other zerg commanders, Virid and Corvurn, had mentally heard his announcement. Virid directed her attention to the area where the recent loss of zerg lifeforms had started, and her expression immediately turned sour and angry. _'What is this new foe that hinders our brood? Is this the work of the Kiln Keepers again?'_

Corvurn was displeased. _'Strange. Swarm organisms dismantled. Process similar to Kiln Keeper factory door. Zergling strain death process, exact to roach strain death. Spire design consistent of new Kiln Keeper variation. Unknown capabilities regarding reflective spire slime product. Enveloping capabilities witnessed.'_

Kay sighed. "Well I don't like it, but I can see this getting more widespread if we don't act, and soon. We could try and see if that spire can be destroyed, but we don't know if another spire is going to pop out of the ground. As a precaution, I want you and Virid to get to the surface and hitch a ride to the moon."

Virid looked up at the ceiling in the lowest underground chamber, which was the deepest part of the largest subterranean hive cluster in Kiln. _'I must retreat off-world? The swarm are not known for cowardice.'_

Kay shook his head. "Yeah, well you might be able to dig underground, but not even the roaches or infestors could escape from this shiny grey goo. So, as a precaution, go to a nydus worm, or nydus network, and come to the surface. I'll direct a leviathan to hover over a nydus worm, so you better get your ass moving and get yourself off the ground with the leviathan's help."

Kay could hear Virid mentally sighing. _'If you must insist so much, then I shall humor you. Just stop whining already. ... Hmm? Our largest hive cluster is under attack?! It's another of those spires!'_

"Virid." Kay said with urgency.

Virid changed her mood from surprise to annoyance. _'Of course. Right away.'_ Virid replied. She directed the zerg organisms closest to the spire that erupted through the hive cluster to attack it, while she made good on her escape to the nearest nydus worm.

The first zerg strain that had attacked the emerging spire cleaving through the earth was, predictably, the zerglings. Their claws and fangs raked across the surface of the spire as it continued its drilling ascent, but their attempt to attack the intruding structure did little but create shavings of chrome and silver. Several times did the spire puncture through different chambers that were dug out and inhabited by the zerg, and sometimes they punctured through a bio-structure by coincidence. Roaches and hydralisks were next to respond to the threat, and they surrounded the spire in their mass of numbers. The roaches did their best to bathe the spire in a coat of their acid spit, while the hydralisks assisted with their supersonic spines that clanged and penetrated into the spire's metallic surface.

The spire was reduced to nothing, and it had eventually stopped penetrating and rising through the ground. But another spire began to emerge and penetrate through the largest hive cluster seconds later. And then another did the same. And another. And another. The chrome spires with red, glowing circuitry were invading the massive underground hive cluster with such rapidity that the zerg were having a difficult time preventing the invasion in their own homes. Even when the zerg had eradicated several spires before they protruded completely through the ground and made their way to the surface, a few managed to accomplish their goal by reaching to their full height above the ground.

The fully emerged spires had activated when they reached their peak height, and the tips had split into four spikes to begin creating the chromatic slime. However, harder hitting organisms have already positioned themselves above the protruding towering structures, mainly consisting of ultralisks and corruptors. Only a hundred towers had the chance to produce a small amount of the chrome slime before they were destroyed. But even with their destruction, the slime was already trying to envelop and dissolve everything that it touched and covered. However, its ability to disassemble matter by its touch was met with failure when the fluid tried to dissolve a baneling, its acid overtaking the chrome slime completely.

After the chrome spires had been destroyed by the zerg's efforts, no more spires had tried to penetrate through their home from underneath. But that didn't stop other chrome spires outside the supermassive hive cluster from forming. Shiny, thin towers shot out of the ground and towered mightily over everything, forming a loose forest of technology of ominous design. From the top of the spires, the four spikes formed and created their circles of energy that sizzled and crackled red. Chrome slime were produced from these new spires, and the zerg did what they could to eradicate this new threat.

The mutalisks, corruptors, and guardians were overqualified when they were tasked with targeting and destroying the spires producing the chrome slime. The mutalisks' glaive wurms spun quickly enough to not allow the slime to stick to them, and the acid that coated their blades ate away at the slime and chiseled at the spires. The corruptors were greatly effective in attacking the spires, since one could use their caustic spray to damage a spire structure, while others would have free reign to unleash their parasitic spores onto their sky-scraping targets, or some similar duty. The guardians were very effective at unleashing their acidic payloads onto the chrome covered ground. They were assisted with a swelling army of banelings to help protect the boundaries of the massive hive cluster. The spine crawlers were ineffective against attacking the slime, since their impaling tendrils would get stuck in the chrome slime, which disabled their primary means of attack. Once the danger of the chrome slime was fully realized, the mutalisks and guardians were primarily set to the task of attacking this shiny liquid, using their acid-based ammunition to clear away this dangerous fluid.

Virid had already traveled to the surface, and was greeted by the impressive size of a zerg leviathan. An overlord with fully developed ventral sacks had picked up Virid, along with several drones and zerglings, and transported its cargo to the awaiting leviathan. Outside of the subterranean supermassive hive cluster, a tide of chrome slime had formed outside of the zerg territory. The bile launchers were already unleashing their dangerous payloads to the tsunami of chrome that threatened the super hive cluster, forcing the disassembling liquid to recede, preventing it from enveloping everything. Once Virid had boarded the leviathan, the gargantuan creature tilted its entire body and enveloped itself in orange warp energy. Several seconds later, the leviathan appeared to blink out of existence as the orange energy that surrounded it flickered and wavered before dwindling to nothing.

 _'I have left the subterranean hive cluster. Approaching the hexagonal moon's hive cluster now.'_ Virid responded.

Kay sighed in relief. "Good. The zerg are defending their hive cluster on the surface fairly well, but I have a gut feeling that might change sometime soon."

 _'Command organism Kay,'_ Corvurn said. _'Request sample of aqueous chrome.'_

"Denied until we know we can control this new threat." Kay said, _carefully_ running his hands through his tendrils/hair. "I wonder if they are appearing everywhere else on the world?"

 _'The overlords, overseers, and changelisks disguised as zerglings outside the super hive cluster, are seeing more spires emerging from the ground.'_ Virid reported. _'The spires emerging under and around the super hive cluster is more abundant than in other areas.'_

Kay sighed. "If this is the Kiln Keeper's doing, then I can understand why they're using the chrome spires to attack us. But why are they surfacing in other areas?"

 _'Perhaps the Kiln Keepers have learned about the changelisks' ability to disguise their appearance?'_ Virid suggested.

Kay could see the logic in that theory. "Possibly. But then again, why now? If the Kiln Keepers realized that we were more dangerous than they initially anticipated us to be, then they would have used the spires sooner. I have a hypothesis, and it has something to do with Gollog."

 _'Will you be visiting his palace again?'_ Virid asked.

Kay shook his head. "No. I'll just use a changelisk to walk in my stead. I have some questions I want him to answer anyway." He said, crossing his arms and huffing. He was really not looking forward to finding out the answers to his current questions.

* * *

High in the air, several unmanned fliers were heading towards the territory belonging to the zerg. One of such was actually piloted by a changelisk disguised as a gilanian called Johnny. He took control of the only flier that he was piloting and maneuvered around the spires that protruded from the ground which produced that mysterious chrome fluid. The other fliers ran straight into the chrome spires and either exploded, or became absorbed by the downpour of the slimy mercury. Johnny's airspace was soon populated by several other airborne objects, even when the decoy fliers continued to dwindle to nothing. Mutalisks, corruptors, and guardians parted once he had neared them. The smell of bile was heavy within the air as acid was used to combat the spires and the mercurial fluid they produced. Corrosive fumes condensed into dark chemical clouds that rose high over the battle zone, which was a byproduct to the zerg's efforts to eradicate the smothering chrome slime, and the spires that produced the chrome.

Upon finding a place to land in, Johnny slowed his speed and descended. There was a patch of creep that seemed like the perfect place to act as a landing strip for him. His plane descended onto the stretch of creep, which skidded on the creep for several seconds, but his speed decreased until he was finally at a complete stop. Once parked, Johnny unbuckled himself and disembarked from his flier, eventually stepping onto the creep for the first time in his life. The sensation Johnny felt was a lot like coming back home after living a lifetime with an alter ego. He looked at the horizon and saw various zerg organisms approaching him. Zerglings, roaches, hydralisks, and even a couple ultralisks and large queens greeted him. It was a big family reunion, and it was to a family that was a nation wide, and still growing.

Johnny sighed. "Now how do we convince Baroness Tak that we can be trusted?"

A large queen trilled with uncertainty. "Must you verbally ask me this, changelisk? We are a psionic hivemind. Oral speech is beyond our need, with an exception to all non-swarm and non-psionic races."

Johnny nodded. "That is true, but co-commander Kay wants my relationship with 'the zerg' to be convincing to the baroness at Gargantua Citadel. Apparently, he wants me to role-play as a gilanian that is against the Golden Star Empire and make it believable. Will you help me make my alibi?"

The large queen hissed. "No one will be around to hear us. This diversion is silly."

Johnny shrugged. "It might not make as much sense as a snake wearing a bra, but our masters still wants the baroness on our side."

The large queen groaned in annoyance. "Very well. Then allow me to start this pretended farce by saying that you are not supposed to be here." She said, taking a few steps toward Johnny and flashing her wings.

Johnny held up his hands. "Wait, don't kill me. I came here hoping to acquire your 'blade hounds' to help me take down the empire. I heard that you and your zerg monsters are at odds with them. Well, so am I."

The large queen hissed, but folded her wings back behind herself. "You may say such things, but how do WE know that you are not an imperial infiltrator trying to confuse or deceive us?"

"I know someone that can vouch for me. She is called Baroness Tak, and she is in charge of a city called Citadel Gargantua. If you permit me, I can retrieve my long-range communication handheld." Johnny explained.

She sighed. "Very well. But if I find out that you have tricked me, I will end you."

"Fair enough." Johnny said, backing away and heading to the flier he arrived in. After pilfering through the contents of the items he brought with himself, he finally found what he was looking for. He pressed several buttons on his long-range communication handheld and opened the screen when the call was accepted. A grizzled face with a permanent scowl looked back at Johnny.

[Hello, this is Baroness Tak's secretarial directory. Please state the nature of your call.] The gruff gilanian responded to Johnny.

Johnny smiled. "Hello. This is Johnny. I want you to notify Baroness Tak that I am okay, and that I wish for her to accept my request to communicate, using both audio and video transmissions please."

[Acknowledged. Please wait for a moment.]

There was a long pause that lasted forty two seconds after Johnny had requested Tak to talk to him. The zerg that gathered around Johnny were idle, and would rather focus on the current threat that threatened their hive cluster. However, Tak's face had finally appeared on the communication handheld screen. Her smile was warming. [Johnny. It's been an hour since we last talked. How fares your journey?]

Johnny sighed. "It's faring well, but... I kind of came upon a difficult situation."

Tak blinked a few times. [Did something happen?]

"I'm being held hostage by the monsters I have been trying to befriend, for one."

Tak's face suddenly changed into a distraught expression. [Oh dear me. The blade hounds didn't recognize you?]

Johnny shook his head. "Actually, it's far far more complicated than that, and I do emphasize on the 'far' and 'complicated' parts. If I had to guess, the blade hounds are only part of a bigger pack. I think I also found their... mom, I guess. To confuse you even more, their 'mother' is not exactly a blade hound."

Tak blinked again. [... I don't think I understand what you mean. Their mother is not a blade hound?]

Johnny shook his head. "Nope. Worse still, they are very wary of me and they are showing me distrust. In fact, I told the mother about you, and I said that you could vouch for me and say that I am an enemy of the empire."

Tak shook her head in disbelief. [Hold on there. You can TALK to them? I mean... Use basic Gilaish to communicate between yourself and their mother? I don't believe it.]

Johnny sighed, then turned to the large queen. "Would you like to talk to the baroness?"

The large queen sighed. "If it is deemed necessary to clear you of all suspicions of being an imperial infiltrator, then yes."

Tak narrowed her eyes. [... Who said that?]

"My ladyship." Johnny announced. "Allow me to introduce you to... well... this." Johnny turned the handheld comm device away from his face and held it over his head. Once he faced the camera of the handheld comm towards the large queen, Johnny could hear Tak gasp.

The large queen neared Johnny and looked at the long-range communication handheld with the surprised and shocked face of Baroness Tak on its screen. She leered at the baroness. "You are the baroness this intruding gilanian spoke of?"

Tak's eyes were unblinking and alarmed when she saw the large queen talk to her. Or rather, talked to her in a mouth-less way. [Uh... Y-yes. I am Baroness Tak of Citadel Gargantua. Who am I talking to? ... And what am I talking to?]

The large queen was indifferent in her expression. "I do not have a name for myself. Those that are greater in age, or have been granted a purpose, are given such things. I am a breed of zerg strain that our empire enemy refers to as a 'caretaker'. But that does not matter now. What is the relation of our intruding gilanian to you? Speak quick, before I suspect of him of being a Golden Star Empire infiltrator."

Tak paused for a second before shaking her head and replying. [He has came to my citadel after he was saved from the desert by a pack of blade hounds. They guided him to my city, and he has assisted me greatly during his stay. He even saved my life from a terrible bandit lord once. He had requested me to allow his return to the blade hounds in hopes to befriend them and help with fighting Emperor Gollog and his armies.]

The large queen nodded a few times. "Your words have spared him, but know that it doesn't mean we entirely trust you. The empire has angered us, and we demand retribution through their blood. We cannot lend you our blade hounds, as this gilanian calls them, to suit your needs. In a manner of speaking, we require every single combat strain to eradicate the gilanian empire known as Golden Star."

Tak seemed like she was emotionally deflating. [Oh... I'm sorry Johnny. It looks like your mission was a failure.]

The large queen held up her clawed hand. "However, we share common enemies. If you truly wish to see a grizzly end to our enemies, then you may assist us in our war against them. This assistance is not needed, but your help will be accepted."

Tak paused again, but nodded. She paused after she stopped nodding before asking a question. [If we do assist you, what will me, or my city, receive in turn?]

The large queen clasped her clawed hands together. "We shall continue to distance ourselves from your citadel. Since no empire forces, or Kiln Keeper machines, had marched out from your city, we had assumed that it posed no threat to us. As a result, we ignored your city for a time. If you do not assist us, then we shall treat you as gilanians that hasn't threatened us."

Tak furrowed her eyebrows. [... If that's true, then this means your children will come to my city if provoked to do so. Some of the population here would not take to their homeland being invaded by monstrous looking beasts, and I know they will defend themselves.]

"You insult the swarm by calling them monstrous beasts. We are the ultimate lifeforms that had evolved past many weaknesses, and we continue to evolve when new weaknesses are discovered. You would do well to remember not to summon the wrath of our brood. If your people attacks us, then we will see that as an invitation to attack them back." The large queen warned.

Tak pursed her lips for several seconds, but then slowly sighed. [My people in this city are not seeking war with the empire, and they would not seek war with any other faction. I have made sure that my city supports a neutral stance when regarding the empire and their politics, or anyone else. My diplomacy has ensured the safety of everyone within these walls, and I am to ensure that such peace is maintained. To directly assist you would break my neutrality with the empire.]

The large queen tilted her head. "Then would this mean you will not assist us?"

Tak shook her head. [Allow me to finish, please. If I truly were to assist your forces, then I must ensure that evidence of my actions must never be discovered should I, or anyone under my affiliation, were to assist your efforts in your mission to eradicate the Golden Star Empire. Have I made myself clear?]

The large queen hissed. "... Then you will assist us to gain our favor, but only if it doesn't ruin your reputation with your citizens in your citadel, or any other faction. Very well. You may do as you wish, but our masters are not charitable rulers within the swarm. They do not give others peace when there is no benefit to be gained. And our swarm is not known to be peaceful."

Tak nodded. [Very well. I shall bear that in mind. If you can forgive me for asking, who are your masters?]

"There are three." The large queen began. "One who is named Virid, and she has tasked herself to the protection and expansion of our brood. Her co-commander is Kay, and he has set himself to slay the threats that dare attack our swarm. The third is Corvurn, a master of evolution that mutates and strengthens all that is of our brood. It is through them that the swarm have adapted on this world, and it will be through their command that Gollog's empire, and all our other enemies, will fall."

Tak gulped when she heard that. [I-I see. Will I have a chance to meet them in the near future? That is, of course, after they have defeated the empire?]

"That remains to be seen. A new tactic employed by the Kiln Keepers will be keeping them occupied. Their current adaptation against the swarm is puzzling. They are much like us. Adapting to our tactics, just as we adapt to theirs. But machines will break as time forces their bodies to rust. We will outlast them." The large queen hissed.

Tak nodded again. [I see.]

[Baroness Tak! The guardsmen are reporting a disturbance outside of the citadel walls!]

Tak looked away from the large queen and at something off-screen from her perspective. [Can this wait? I am in the middle of an important call.]

[Metal towers a mile high are coming out of the ground! They're damaging and destroying our citadel walls, my baroness! Everyone is in an uproar!]

Tak hissed. She then looked back at the large queen. [It appears as though the assistance you are willing to accept will have to be postponed. An unfortunate event has occurred, and I am needed to foresee the damage done to my people's home. If we are ever to talk or meet, then I pray that it is to forge a friendship, or create good standing between my citadel citizens and your... zerg kin.]

The large queen bowed. "Very well. Shall I send this gilanian back to you? The food we grow here is extremely toxic, and is not for gilanian consumption."

Tak nodded. [He can come back as he pleases. However, I wish for him to return safely, and as quickly as possible. But if you can excuse me, I have been summoned. Goodbye, caretaker.]

"If fate is willing, we shall meet again." The large queen said, bowing again.

[Johnny. I wish to speak with you in private. It needs to be brief.] Tak said.

Johnny looked up at the handheld comm in his hands. "Yes, my ladyship. Caretaker. May I?"

The large queen hissed in annoyance. "Be quick, lest I grow suspicious."

Johnny guided his handheld comm device to his face again and walked toward the flier he flew on. "Is something happening at the citadel?" Johnny asked.

Tak shook her head. [I don't know what my bodyguard is driveling on about, but I will find out the source of this disturbance. I will call you back if there is something that needs to be discussed.]

Johnny nodded and sighed. "Yes, my ladyship."

[Also.] Tak added. [Be careful around those monsters. It has come to my attention that these 'zerg organisms' are far more dangerous than first perceived. That caretaker definitely seemed smart, for one. Once you get the chance, fly back home. And whatever you do, don't invite the zerg to the citadel.]

Johnny tilted his head. "But can we assist them in any way?"

[Right now, I have my own problems to deal with.] Tak said, sighing. [Take care of yourself, Johnny. Goodbye.]

The communication link between Tak and Johnny had finally ended. Johnny, on the other hand, placed the handheld comm device back in the flier that he arrived in and returned to the large queen. He breathed in a deep breath before he sighed. "Well that's a shame."

The large queen shook her head. "She acts selfless in her diplomacy, but it is cowardice that stays her hand from acting against the empire. Her fear is childish."

Johnny sighed. "She knows that if she doesn't assist us, then the zerg will test their boundaries with her people. To prevent that from happening, then she is going to have to find a way to assist our efforts in killing Gollog, or eliminating all that's in his control. She'll find a way, whether she likes to or not."

The large queen nodded. "Our commanders expect you to act in the baroness' stead. There is little than what a wayward overlord can accomplish."

Johnny shook his head. "Plus, there is Zero Wind to worry about. He already knows that I am not a gilanian."

"He was, and perhaps still is, an unforeseen problem." The large queen hissed. "But he cannot hide for long."

Johnny nodded. "Better to morph virophage bio-structures at key locations then."

"But then comes the more important question. Will the baroness allow you to assist us?" The large queen asked.

Johnny smiled. "Actually, I think this would be a perfect opportunity for me to assist the zerg. I can even say that I did so on the behalf of Baroness Tak, and to ask you to keep this secret between you and me."

The large queen tilted her head again. " A lowly changelisk like you has an idea?"

"Yes." Johnny replied. "If you allow me control of your zerg organisms, then I can direct them to attack the spires that are emerging around the city. After all, we can assume that the spires are either the Kiln Keepers' doing, or Gollog's doing. Either way, I am technically assisting in destroying your enemies."

The large queen paused before nodding. "I see the loop in this logic, but where is the evidence that suggest the spires are a new Kiln Keeper variant, or is the result of Gollog's actions?"

"There is none. All that you said is you would accept any assistance. Since the spires that attacked the super hive cluster is also attacking the citadel, I'd say that's enough of a reason to allow me to direct your airborne strains to help fight the chrome spires. We can just tell Baroness Tak that the spires are also attacking the zerg, and that we agreed to let the mutalisks, corruptors, and guardians follow after me so that they can destroy them." Johnny explained.

The large queen nodded once more. "Very well. Return to your aircraft. A legion of swarming air strains shall accompany and follow you."

Johnny nodded back to the large queen and turned around again, marching to embark on his flying vehicle and make his way to Citadel Gargantua once more. As Johnny prepared his flier for take-off, the air high above him was slowly being populated with several flying zerg organisms, ranging mainly of mutalisks, corruptors, and guardians. Overlords that were filled with drones and queens also populated the flying swarm, but their purposes were different from the flying combat strains that would follow Johnny. To eradicate the chrome spires, and the fluids they produced, was the flying combat strains' job.

Once Johnny had buckled himself in and turned the flier's engine back on, the runway of creep was driven over again. Johnny took to the skies, and a swarm of flying zerg organisms followed after his aircraft. The mutalisks and the corruptors were able to match his speed, but the guardians lagged behind due to their slower method of propulsion. However, a plan was put into action, and its main focus was to create a loose relation between the remaining gilanians and the zerg, based on the subterfuge of a zerg changelisk, disguised as a gilanian, that succeeded in befriending a baroness.

But there were still mysteries that Kay would demand to be answered.

* * *

At the center of Kiln's North Pole, a city was beset by all sides of an idled swarm. The zerg organisms had swarmed this place in massive armies, with countless droves dying by the power of a laser that once shined down on them at all times. The laser had died a long while ago, and the creep had nearly infested the entire Shallow Ocean, while many hatcheries rose out from the water's surface as a result. The sky was populated with flying zerg of many kinds, including a few that were newly spawned leviathans. The ocean was populated with even more zerg forces that traveled on the ground, their numbers supplied by either the hatcheries or the nydus worms.

The beach surrounding the entrance to Empire City, and to the Palace of Dreams, was covered in creep and heavy hitting zerg organisms. Bile launchers were positioned to be in range of the imperial structure, their dangerous payloads ready to unleash hell when Kay deemed it necessary. Ultralisks, overseers, and hydralisks surrounded the topmost structures of Empire City, making sure that nobody that wasn't zerg came in or out. The fighting between the zerg and the imperial gilanians had died down completely, and it had remained so when the city was taken over by the swarm's infestation. Within the city, the infestation had taken root in its entirety.

There were a few corpses of empire soldiers, and fewer slain gilanians that took up arms to fight the zerg, that laid dead in the streets and alleyways of the city within. There were far more bodies generated during the fight between Gollog's soldiers and the swarming zerg, but it was because the zerglings didn't have the time to sniff out the fresh or rotting bodies and carrying them to the drones near the hatcheries. The drones and the zerglings would cut off the armor from the dead, and pinch the flesh from their bones. The brains were given special care, as the skulls were carefully delivered to the hatcheries so that the memories and knowledge within them would be extracted. Once the brains were flushed of all useful information, they were finally consumed and turned into usable biomass.

The only surviving residents of Empire city was an encampment of homeless gilanians, which had little to no money to buy an escape from the coming infestation. Emperor Gollog and his servants that had Kragnon was living in the lap of luxury in the Palace of Dreams, while the slums suffered. When the fighting finally stopped, it was because all empire soldiers within the city were hunted down and preyed upon. The fighting could have continued within the city had it not been for Kragnon's capture. Recent events have made Kay seek certain questions to be answered, even when he could be at the palace to ask those questions himself. A changelisk assumed Kay's shape and form, and proceeded to approach the heavy, white, opalescent doors that lead into Gollog's palace within Empire City.

Not-Kay knocked on the huge doors. "Gollog! I have a few questions, and I want them answered!"

A sigh responded back. [Go away, Kay.] Emperor Gollog answered back. [I have no wish to talk to any fake that bears the resemblance of my greatest headache. If your REAL self comes here, then I might be less reticent to acquiesce your request.]

Not-Kay huffed. "Don't pull that shtick on me! I want to know if the spire things coming out of the ground is your doing! I WILL tear down your front door and come for you, just to get a straight answer. If I have to get my answers that way, then it's gonna happen whether or not I get consent to enter your palace!"

[Let's see... How should I, an emperor that has conquered nearly the entirety of Kiln, put this as diplomatically and delicately as possible? ... Oh! I think I found the exact words I wanted to say. You can go suck the scum from the corpse of an old sex-slave's nether regions and politely fuck off.]

Not-Kay reared his head back in disgust. "Ooh, wow. I must be visiting you when you're at your most depressed."

[I am not proud or fond of the recent decisions I have enacted, yes.]

"... So you ARE responsible for the chrome spires?"

Another sigh perverted the air as it was exhaled from the comm system over the opalescent doors. [If you really wanted to find out, you could have came in person and asked me yourself.]

Not-Kay sighed. "Then let me be the first to tell you, yet again, that you have brought this upon yourself." Once Not-Kay backed away from the large opalescent doors, a swarm of zerglings, roaches and hydralisks approached the door and started attacking it ceaselessly. A hole was formed, and it was wrested wider by the zerglings' efforts. Not-Kay walked through the newly created entrance, and he was followed after by the zerg entry breach team.

[It has taken twelve hours to create and install that door.] Gollog said dryly. [Not that it matters much to me now.]

Not-Kay and his dangerous retinue of zerg scaled the opalescent steps toward their shared enemy. Upon scaling the top of the large staircase, Not-Kay and the zerg behind him saw the interior of the throne room for themselves. At the side of the chamber opposite from Not-Kay was a sitting Gollog, brooding on his throne and staring with an unamused glare at his intruders. Besides his tall throne was Kragnon, still sitting comfortably in the chair that was offered to him a long time ago. Not-Kay crossed his arms once he stopped at the center of this massive chamber, backed by several zerg organisms. "What matters is that I'm here in spirit. If you don't answer my questions now, then I will be taking back Kragnon by force. Now tell me as clearly as you can. What is happening?"

Gollog sighed, then got up from his seat of power. "You can have him back. I already transferred the commands to myself and activated them."

Not-Kay raised an eyebrow before looking at Kragnon. After giving the albino gilanian a long glimpse, Not-Kay returned his attention to Gollog. "Did any odd scales fall out of place when I last saw him? Any blood leaving his body? Bruising? Public humiliation?"

Gollog shook his head. "None of the sort. It isn't as if someone dies when commands from one person transfers to another. However, it appears the warden that this clone is related to," Gollog said, pointing at Kragnon. "possessed a very powerful command that I had not accounted for."

Not-Kay tilted his head. "... Which was... a new Kiln Keeper variant?"

Gollog shook his head again and sighed. "No. It's something called 'the reclamation protocol'. I had thought it was something that relates to achieving godhood, but the result of activating that command was nothing I had expected. In short, the spires coming out of the ground was my fault, since it was the activation of the protocol that brought them out of the earth. But then again, I do blame you for forcing my hand activating the protocol without knowing what it did."

Not-Kay furrowed his eyebrows at Gollog. "So are you only now regretting not helping me find a way out of this prison?"

Gollog chuckled. "No, Kay. If I had the chance to do things differently, I would do this dance all over again. Perhaps I'll be more focused in killing you, if that really were the case? Either way, what has been done has been done. I cannot undo the damage that I have caused in my... desperation."

Not-Kay sighed, then gestured to Gollog. "I'm not going to let some chrome slime made from some silver spires ruin my day. My zerg can destroy the spires and rain acid on the shiny slime covering everything. As much as I enjoy seeing you at your most morose, I think it's time I take Kragnon back from you."

Gollog hissed. "You may have him. He is of no use to me now." He said, gesturing to Kragnon.

Not-Kay nodded at Gollog, looked at Kragnon for a few seconds, and then shook his head. "Well uh... What do I have to do to get him out of that dazed state of his?"

Gollog sighed. "That is simple. He responds to specific phrases, abstract sentences that are not normally spoken during a conversation. To get him out of his complacent behavior, I simply whisper to his ear this two-part phrase. 'The wardens and the emperor are awesome and fun, but their pets eat their favorite color of krell scented dinner plates. Iron, copper, silver, onyx, gold, and opal'."

Not-Kay nodded. "Kay." He started his walk toward Kragnon, eventually coming near to him and saw him up close. He seemed healthy, if Not-Kay's perception of Kragnon was accurate. The captive gilanian did seem slightly chubbier than before, probably because he had been so well fed. Not-Kay leaned down to level his face with Kragnon's ear, and he began to speak softly. "The wardens and emperor are awesom-~!?"

Not-Kay couldn't react quick enough when a shiny wrist-blade passed through his torso and splitted him in half. The changelisk disguised as Kay had its current form destabilized, forcing it to fall as two unrecognizable blobs of fluid that turned into puddles on the ground. It happened so fast that even the zerg that followed the late Not-Kay were in disbelief. Kragnon rose up from his seat with a giant grinning smirk on his face. His appearance then wavered into something completely different. Something darker. Covered in black cloth. Wearing several metal bands. Bearing a red mask. "I agree." Zero Wind said, no longer assuming the guise of Kragnon.

A zergling within the crowd of zerg changed its shape and assumed the guise of Kay, despite the recent death of a changelisk that once had been disguised as Kay. Kay had developed this recent tactic regarding changelisks being within a swarm of zerglings a long while ago, ever since the infiltration mission into Empire City. Kay made sure that every twenty zerglings would be joined by a pair of changelisks that is disguised as one of their own. Since he brought roughly thirty zerglings into Gollog's palace, Kay would still have roughly a couple changelisks to use for communication purposes. Not-Kay 2 pointed a finger at Zero Wind with anger and surprise. "You! You're the fucking guy that warned Ponpon about my zerg in his hideout!"

Zero gazed up at Not-Kay 2. He then looked down at the changelisk puddle that he was responsible for. He then looked back up at Not-Kay 2. "Hmm! For a leader of a bunch of beastly bugs, I didn't know you could have a double."

Gollog sighed. "What did you think I said? I said 'I have no wish to talk to any fake that bears the resemblance of my greatest headache.' That was supposed to be a clue."

Zero shook his head and bowed at Gollog. "I apologize. I won't let this oversight happen again."

Not-Kay 2 growled at the hand-waved attempt on his life. "If I am understanding this correctly, you hired Zero here to kill me while my guard was down?!" He said, pointing at Zero Wind.

Gollog turned to Not-Kay 2 with a bemused smile. "How else am I supposed to kill someone in a discreet manner, Kay? To assassinate someone, you hire an assassin."

Zero Wind unleashed a secondary blade from his armband and slid the edges against one another. "When Emperor Gollog hired me to kill you, I thought it was just another attempt at my capture. But after coming here through a MEM device and listening to his side of the story, I was more than willing to accept him as my client after he gave me the figures of the payment. What is the reward for your death, you may ask? Several thousand gallons of water that can fill the volume of this entire palace."

Not-Kay 2 scoffed and shook his head. "I'm somewhat surprised someone would go that far to kill someone! I mean... Killing someone just for some fresh drinking water? Water should be free to drink when you're thirsty, not some commodity for trade."

Zero Wind stepped forward and broadened his stance. "A fine thing, that ideology of yours. Alas, on a world of sand and killers, it makes no difference to where the blood of life comes from. Be it the rivers and the lakes, or the veins and the hearts. It has been a pleasure, but I will be killing you."

"Your 'assassination target' is not here, Zero." Gollog said, face-palming.

Zero Wind turned toward Gollog. "... So the person I am seeing before myself is not my target? He's another double?"

Gollog gestured at Not-Kay 2. "I saw that zerg organism shift in front of me. It's another doppelganger that can assume the guise of another, be it a blade hound, Kay, or a gilanian. Though he bears your target's image, he isn't your target."

Zero Wind turned back at Not-Kay 2, tilting his head as he looked back at him.

Not-Kay 2 sighed before he changed appearances again, this time in the form of Gollog. "Oh, look at me! I know everything! I am high and mighty, but I only act this way because I don't want people to know I have small hemipenes! I have my subjects lick my butt because I am an asshole that deserves to have graffiti written on all the walls of my kingdom! What does the graffiti drawn on the walls look like, you may ask? Why, it's a shryik serpent barfing on my naked body as I am tied to a wooden post, and it's making my little peens happy! The only way I can get aroused and do any conquering outside my territory is for people to badmouth me, because I am so smart and want everything my way!" The fake Gollog said in a sarcastic and extravagant way.

Gollog's expression hardened, staring with utter animosity toward the changelisk that took the form of himself. "Are you done?"

The changelisk returned back into the guise that is exact to Kay once more. "Yeah. That feels cathartic, to be honest. But back to the point, I want Kragnon back from you."

Gollog shook his head. "You must be incredibly thick headed if you think I will give him back now. Especially now since you just mocked me."

Not-Kay 2 nodded a few times. "Mm-hmm... Considering that you tried to kill me with an assassin, that's also rude of you to do too. But now that the niceties have passed, I will proceed to tear everything apart until I find him. Including everyone here." Not-Kay 2 said, stepping back and letting his zerg march forward. They started growling with savage intentions, staring at the assassin that attempted to kill their leader, inching ever closer into killing distance.

Zero Wind took an even wider stance, looking ready to attack in a single instant. "Before you begin, I have a question." Zero said. "If I am talking to a shapeshifter that is supposedly telepathic to his own kind, then do you know where the REAL Kay is?"

"I might tell you if you help me find who I am looking for." Not-Kay 2 replied.

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline that request. Can't have an emperor wanting me for dead again when he has hired me to do a job. But mark my words. I will find you! Tah-tah!" Zero Wind teased.

Before the zerglings ever had a chance to pounce onto the assassin, Zero Wind vanished in a static blue and white light that was the obvious sign of a MEM shift, which was often done on a MEM device shift pad. Zero Wind somehow managed to do so without the use of such a device, similar to how a shadow of the Pyramidal Guard Division would retreat out of danger. The zerglings sniffed at the ground where the assassin used to be, then whimpered their confusion. Not-Kay 2 groaned. "Huh... I thought he was going to put up more of a fight before he chickened out."

Gollog tilted his head. "... I don't know what this 'chickened' word you said means. Honestly, it sounds like something General Pallax would say." Gollog then got down from his seat and approached the swarm of zerg. "But I can assure you that intruders in my home will not go unpunished. I SUMMON FORTH MY DIVINE POWER! ACTIVATE THE DEFENSES WITHIN MY PALACE OF DREAMS!"

The walls and pillars started to shift, as though a silent earthquake was quietly rocking the palace. But then the pillars and the walls broke apart and revealed a sky that was similar to the sky outside the palace. The ground crumbled away beneath the platoon of zerg within the palace, but they did not fall with the ornate floor tiles and plaster, though it did give away to a vast ocean of thick clouds, covering whatever waters and lands that might lie beneath. Not-Kay 2 looked up and noted that Emperor Gollog was growing larger in size. He had reached past five meters, ten meters, twenty meters, and then slowly came to a stop at the final height of thirty meters. Gollog loomed over his intruders and gave them a scrutinizing stare.

Not-Kay 2 stared wide-eyed at the gigantic emperor. After a lengthy pause, Not-Kay 2 finally spoke aloud. "Uh... Kay, this is new."

"YOUR SWARM HAS INTRUDED INTO MY HOME, BUG-MAN BEAST-MASTER KAY." Gollog said, clenching two hands into fists and raising them over the intruding zerg. "AND IN HERE, I AM THE MASTER OF THE FATE OF ALL THAT DWELLS WITHIN IT!" Two large fists quickly struck the intruding zerg, flattening them into pancaked versions of themselves and killing them.

The zerglings rushed forward with simpleminded determination as they swarmed all over Gollog's feet and ankles. Their scratching and biting amounted to nothing, the giant emperor's flesh fazing out of existence when a claw or tooth tried to rip and tear past the visible surface. The roaches tried to burrow to safety, but they were removed from their only advantage that they needed, since the ground was removed from below them. However, they had resorted to spitting at the giant emperor from a distance instead, even when their spittle did little. They could drench Emperor Gollog's knees with as much acid as they wanted, but the acid was incapable of dissolving him to his thighs. The hydralisks fired their supersonic projectiles at their gigantic enemy in that strange room, but their needle-thin spines passed through their target and twirled harmlessly out the other side.

"HERE, IN THIS PALACE OF DREAMS, ALL THAT I IMAGINE SHALL BECOME TANGIBLE TO THE TOUCH!" Gollog started stomping and kicking the zerglings that surrounded him, squishing several with each foot that fell, or launching flailing bodies with every punt. The zerglings were killed off at a rapid pace, either becoming a morbid two-sided corpses, or projectiles that fell onto their fellow zerg.

The zergling's numbers may have dwindled, but they were still joined by more of their brothers. The front door to Gollog's palace already had an entrance made into it, and Kay wanted to capitalize on that when it could still be taken advantage of. Even the creep started to make its way up the palace's staircase, increasing the speed of the zerg organisms that traveled over it. Newer zerg combatants entered into the battle within Gollog's throne room, consisting mainly of infestors and swarm hosts. There were even a few queens and some drones that came to this fight.

"YOU ARE NOTHING BUT INSECTS TO ME! AND AS INSECTS, I WILL SWAT YOU FROM EXISTENCE!" Gollog dragged his feet as he made sweeping kicks, striking several zerglings with incredible force and hitting any roaches that got near him. The hydralisks kept their distance as much as they could, even when a zergling or roach landed on top of them.

That was when the infestors and swarm hosts came into play next. The infestors unleashed several cocoons from their maws, just as the swarm hosts produced several eggs from the many capillary ducts from their dome shaped 'incubators'. After a brief time of incubation, the cocoons and eggs erupted into infested gilanians and locusts respectively, and they unleashed their weapons and acid onto the emperor that cannot be damaged. The reinforcements provided by the infestors and swarm hosts helped to reduce the loss of resources, but the zerg forces were still dying.

"I HAVE SENTENCED DEATH ONTO MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE DONE FAR LESS THAN YOU HAVE! I HAVE SENTENCED MANY TO A LIFE OF TORTURE, BECAUSE THEY EITHER LOST THEIR PASSION TO SERVE ME OR BECAME DISLOYAL TO MY CAUSE! I SUMMON FORTH MY DIVINE SWORD AND DAGGER, AIDED BY THE GUIDING SPIRIT TO VANQUISH THE FOES BEFORE ME!" Two huge weapons manifested beside the giant emperor, one shorter than the other, and they started to cut a massive swath into the ranks of zerg. The dagger was more focused on the more dangerous creatures farthest from Gollog, creating a gash that penetrated through their bodies. Many of the hydralisks, infestors, and swarm hosts died by the giant dagger. The zerglings, locusts, and infested gilanians were the main prey that the giant sword hunted.

The creep had grown into Gollog's throne room that somehow hovered over the air, despite there being no 'ground' of which to thrive upon. It didn't stop the drones from forming embryonic cocoons on the floating creep, while the queens circled around for protection. The zerg were dying by the droves, even as the two giant flying blades and their enormous emperor continued to kill them. The creep somehow grew a lip on the outer edges of the battle within the throne room that turned into an invisible floating sky arena. It somehow couldn't grow behind the entrance into this place, or go past this lip that limited it.

"TO RISK INVOKING MY RAGE IS TO CHALLENGE MY DIVINITY! TO HUMILIATE MY POWER IS TO SUMMON MY RAGE! TO BELITTLE MY KINGDOM IS TO BRING DOOM TO THE WORTHLESS! WHAT IS A FAITHLESS NONBELIEVER TO AN IMMORTAL WITH THE POWERS OF A GOD?!" Gollog thundered his loud voice at the army of zerg beneath his feet, squishing and kicking them whenever he got the chance to. His gigantic flying blades flew through the ranks of zerg and glided into them, their blades cutting effortlessly into their hide with a sharpness that was unheard of. Several of the zerglings that had swarmed into this chamber were directed to a safe place, and they formed chrysalis' around themselves.

Not-Kay 2 shook his head. "This might be hard to believe, coming from a 'doppelganger' that has my shape and form and all, but I have just remembered something that I think you should know."

Emperor Gollog turned around with a savage look about him and stared at Kay. He hissed lowly, too distracted with everything around him to think clearly. However, when he looked at Not-Kay 2's general direction, Gollog's expression turned into puzzlement when he saw the hatchery that was behind him. He hadn't noticed it when the drone had morphed into an embryo when he was busy fighting the zerg that bit at his ankles and shot at his face. He wasn't sure what kind of plan or strategy that Kay had enacted, but he could tell from Not-Kay 2's stern face that he would not like what he would say, or what came next.

"It's true that I have escaped a god to survive. But the zerg, before I was infested by them, or even born, had so much more history that even I cannot recount. There was one feat that I have learned that the zerg had achieved before coming here to Kiln." Not-Kay 2 spread his arms out wide as the cocoons behind him started to hatch. "The zerg killed their gods."

Seven ultralisks erupted from their cocoons, enlarging to their full height within a span of scant seconds. How they were able to grow so large so suddenly was beyond Kay, yet the zerg somehow had the amazing ability to completely ignore the principles of mass and energy conservation, no matter how much nutrition is needed to constantly assist a growing body as it develops. The ultralisks stampeded forward and passed through the giant blades, though they became somewhat injured by the seemingly supernaturally animated method of lacerating and cleaving through the other zerg strains with little resistance.

"OOF!" The ultralisks rammed into the thirty meter tall emperor, almost knocking him off balance when he tried to take hold of their massive Kaiser blades. It was only then that Kay thought he saw something during that moment. A flicker of light in the sky? Gollog clenched his teeth and hissed his frustration, summoning his own strength to beat down one of the ultralisks that was trying to push him down. "YOU FAIL TO UNDERSTAND, KAY!" Gollog bellowed, ripping an ultralisk's Kaiser blade from its joint and stabbing another ultralisk with it. "YOU, AND EVERY FOOL THAT THINKS OTHERWISE, CANNOT KILL AN IMMORTAL!"

"I said I would rewrite your foundations." The zerglings that were transforming into banelings within their safe place were directed to roll into the entrance into the throne room. The sky flickered when an unusual thing was discovered from the destruction caused by the banelings. Apparently, there were several mirrors and diodes that was behind this realistic sky that they seemed to produce. He wouldn't have figured it out if one of the ultralisks hadn't stomped so noisily on the ground. "... But then again, I think I'll settle with destroying your foundations instead."

The damage that the banelings caused had created a hole. It gave Kay the window he needed for the other zerg organisms to exploit. The zerglings swarmed into the open wound of the dream-light creating structure behind the sky, and they ravaged it from within the wall of the throne room. The hydralisks aimed their spine projectiles upward when they filtered into the crumbled wall. The roaches made themselves useful by using their attack-sickles on their backs to rip the floor open, and burrow into the mirrors and diodes underneath the illusion. Gollog noticed this dire detail too late. "WHAT?! NO!" He shouted, throwing an ultralisk's Kaiser blade toward the zerg infesting his walls, but that had only damaged the inside of his throne room even further.

The walls, floor, and ceiling of this illusory chamber was whittled into shattered shards, the sounds of glass breaking and metal snapping was heard in a crescendo of intense destruction. An enormous dagger tried to stab at the zerg that was deconstructing the walls, but it vanished when it flew between the destroyed segments of the dream-light producing surfaces. As the destruction of the dream-light producing surfaces increased, it came close enough to start affecting Gollog's form. Gollog saw his hand disappearing, due to the lack of dream-light that sustained his manifested form, and he quickly retreated as a result, even ignoring the brutish bullying of the ultralisks.

But alas, he was backed into a corner, and the surfaces that produced the dream-light that he required to exist in his throne room was quickly deteriorating. Even his big sword could not help him since it too disappeared trying to stab and slice the zerg from outside of its disestablished boundaries. Gollog was clenching his fists into tight balls, and his teeth was easily seen from his scowl, which were obvious signs of great frustration. When he spotted Not-Kay 2 again, Gollog exhaled an angered sigh. "YOU PLAGUING PEST. I CURSE YOU, AND HOPE FOR THE DAY THAT YOU DIE. I CARE NOT IF IT IS THROUGH MY HANDS, OR BY ANOTHER"S HANDS. MAY YOU SUFFER AN AFTERLIFE OF HUNGER, SHADOW, METAL, ASH AND FIRE."

"I will never go into another prison again." Kay said to Gollog. The ultralisks sliced their mighty Kaiser blades through the last remaining walls that created the illusion of the sky, and Gollog's form was forced to be no more. Not-Kay 2 saw the last expression of Gollog's face, which had contorted into confusion and surprise. It was an image that Kay was sure to cherish for a long time.

Kay knew that Gollog could appear elsewhere. Wherever that could be, Kay knew that he would have to be ready for when Gollog comes back for his revenge.

But things would still become worse before they get any better.

* * *

 **A/N: Everybody heard the news?! Starcraft 2 became free to play! No more starter edition for me! :D**


	50. MB9: Collapse Final

**Chapter 50: Major Battle 9: Collapse Final**

* * *

Within the deeper places of Planet Kiln lied a place where Gollog's most well kept secret resided. A maze of chrome that contained countless corners and corridors would be what any intrepid explorer would find when exploring that place. Within one of the chambers, tucked away in the deepest part of this crypt, a sovereign leader was casually sleeping. But his mind and spirit is believed to be projected through the technology that creates matter from light itself, and so, created the very real legend of the immortal ruler of Kiln, Emperor Gollog of the Golden Star Empire.

Pallax cared little about finding his emperor's supposedly eternal resting place. It would take a lifetime for a single gilanian to find the crypt where Gollog lied in his endless sleep, and it would only reward the usurper of the Sovereign Crypt with another lifetime with the risk of death removed. Pallax cared not for such an immortality, or the potential promotion of becoming the next immortal emperor of the Kiln Prison System.

Pallax sighed as he drank clean drinking water in a glass cup, and having already shed his gold and red uniform a long while ago, re-donning his sanitary medical gown and taking it easy in his temporary leave of duty. He was lying on an inclined bed, using a terminal that was positioned close to himself. He used it to change to different viewpoints of different surveillance cameras, and much of them were non-functional. The many cameras within the inner areas of Empire City were, unfortunately, disabled by the infestation, preventing him to glean on the actions and tactics of the zerg. He was somewhat curious on what the zerg were like when they were commanded to idle from their assault. He was also curious on what they have done with the gilanians that were incapable of defending themselves in Empire City's slums.

He immediately sat upright when he switched to a camera that showed the inside of the throne room, and Pallax knew right then that his emperor had activated the palace's automated defenses. The battle was in Gollog's favor for a great while, but the zerg have already focused their attention toward the fractal mirrors that created the illusory defense system. Pallax was both impressed and saddened to see the zerg discovering the means to defeat Gollog within his own throne room in such short time.

When that surveillance camera was also disabled by the zerg infestation, Pallax laid back down into his inclined bed and sighed. "Damn the zerg." Pallax said aloud, drinking the last gulps of water and then dropping the glass onto the ground carelessly. It didn't shatter like he expected it to, but he didn't care either way.

 _'If we are to survive, then we must find a way for the zerg to leave this prison. There is no other choice.'_

Pallax turned in his bed and grunted, pressing the shuffle button on his terminal to periodically change to different surveillance camera views in random thirty second intervals. He had spent much of his time watching the terminal's images change from one active feed to another. Many minutes had passed before Pallax decided to take in a big breath and exhale a long-drawn sigh. He would rather be doing something important, instead of being so useless. Being temporarily resigned from duty because of a simple argument was not something that Pallax had wanted to have happened to himself.

There was a knock on his door. Pallax sat up to look at the door that supposedly made the knocking noise. "... Wh-who is there?" Pallax asked.

"Your emperor. Allow me inside your room." Gollog's voice emanated from the door that the knocking sounds were heard from.

Pallax sighed again. "You may come in. I was just going through the surveillance system on different camera feeds. I saw you being defeated in your own castle."

Gollog hissed as he opened the chrome painted door and headed into the room Pallax had made his home in. "A trifle annoyance to an immortal. Nothing more." He eventually stood before his general and looked him up and down, an unamused frown fixed onto his face. "You still haven't donned any pants, I see."

Pallax shook his head. "Forgive me, my emperor, for you have removed me of duty. I saw no need to wear my uniform, so I re-equipped my sanitary medical gown. It's quite liberating compared to that stuffy armor." There was an awkward pause before Pallax posed another question. "If I might ask, sir? Why have you seen it fit to grace me with your presence when your palace is under attack?"

Gollog inhaled and made his own sigh. "I have activated the command that the clone's warden ancestor once had. As of now, I have regretted activating it without knowing what the consequences were."

Pallax blinked his eyes a few times. "... What happened, sir?"

Emperor Gollog hesitated to answer, sighing and sitting down at the foot of Pallax's bed. After he sat down, Gollog answered Pallax's question. "I activated a command that accessed something called 'The Reclamation Protocol'. I initially thought that it would 'reclaim' the person that activated the command and make them a god. In my impatience... I have actually summoned a flood that is covering the entirety of Kiln. I have no idea on how to stop it."

Pallax sat upright in his bed and stared in maddened disbelief at his own emperor. "... The mercury flood is YOUR doing?"

Gollog nodded. "It would appear so."

Pallax sighed. "Pardon me for my words, sir, but if you were not being manifested by dream-light hover-bots right now, I would have kicked you in the shoulder."

Gollog turned toward Pallax with an annoyed expression, but then rolled his eyes and scoffed. "I suppose I truly do deserve such a kick. Alas, this manifested form feels no pain. Such exertion would only waist your energy and effort."

"What are the capabilities of this mercurial flood? I see it climb surfaces and envelop objects, creatures, and other gilanians, but I don't know anything else about it. I am unsure if this is affecting the zerg organisms and their territory, but I hope to know of any information you may have learned."

Gollog shook his head. "I don't know for certain. The Pyramidal Guard Division is already being stretched too thin, and they have already made their 'claims' that their cloaking capabilities are somehow being circumvented by the zerg. They have made a footnote in many of their reports that their invisibility fails when they are in the presence of the oculars and the barnacle sentries, but little is done in the ways of their stealth and reconnaissance still. The purple slime mold growth that is within zerg territory also exhibits unnatural properties, which not only feed the zerg organisms, but also somehow supplies their numbers as well. Needless to say, they are a self-perpetuating force." At that very moment, a ringing noise emanated from Emperor Gollog. The ringing pulsed several times before it was addressed by an eye-rolling Gollog. "Communication request accepted, transfer audio and video signal to nearby terminal screen." He said, directing pallax's terminal screen to face himself. Once the call was answered, screaming could be heard on the other end.

The dark glass masked face of Guik greeted her emperor, but the words on her mask was set to 'panic'. [Emperor Gollog! Please respond! You are in grave danger! The silver flood is getting everywhere! Even under the ground itself!]

Gollog raised his hand in a regal manner. "Calm down, Commander Guik. Explain as plainly as you can."

Guik shook her head frantically before taking in a calm breath. [I can try, sir. The chrome flood is spreading everywhere, and dissolving the ground at a pace we had not accounted for. It has already taken over our division headquarters, and it's going to infiltrate into the Sovereign Crypt. We predict that the surface area within the outer structures of the crypt will increase it's enveloping speed by eight hundred percent. If you do not vacate the premises, then you will be caught in the chrome flood.]

Gollog shook his head. "Where will we go to, Guik? To the zerg infested moon with a device that recycles a shared air supply? They would be less than courteous to allow us that comfort. I, on the other hand, will stay here. It's called a crypt for a reason."

There was a long pause from Guik, her face-mask's letters temporarily changing to 'concern'. A crashing and sloshing sound from her end of the call distracted her, but it was enough to force attention and make her reply to Gollog. Her face-mask's letters changed back to 'panic'. [Then you are on your own, my emperor. May the gods have mercy on all our souls.]

The connection was then ended there, before both Pallax or Gollog could detect any further changes that was happening to the Pyramidal Guard Division's base of operations. Gollog sighed softly after he and Pallax were alone. It was a strange feeling. Pallax could have sworn that he was seeing Gollog at his most weakest, all because his empire was in a losing war against a collection of creatures they never could understand. And the true piece of irony that tied the end of their empire was Gollog, for he was the one responsible for the destruction of his people, caused by the constant presence that the zerg were responsible for.

"Eight hundred percent." Pallax repeated. "If my math is correct, and judging the position between where we are and where the Pyramidal Guard headquarters is located, we have about a minute, perhaps a minute and a half, of free time before we start getting wet."

Gollog nodded. "Indeed." There was another awkward long pause between Gollog and Pallax. The distant rushing of water was heard from outside the doorway, but neither the general or the emperor cared. Gollog sighed one more time. "Do you remember that thing you would say if you ever came across your own death? What was it?"

Pallax smirked and stifled a chuckle. "I promised myself I would only ever say it at the moment of my death."

"Considering that we are about to drown, I'd say now is a good time as any. Well?" Gollog said, turning to Pallax and staring at him.

Pallax sighed with a smile. "I suppose so, since I can't find no fault in your statement. ... By the stars of Yile, the oceans of Kruv, the plains of Peej, and the eye of Barl, I await the ethereal spirit that guides the lost souls to their final rest. Taleitas, goddess of the dead path, bring me to the door that is guarded by your brother. He who is nameless, but is known by those who have died, and forgotten when made alive again. Let me be free of my prison."

Gollog stared wide eyed at Pallax and tilted his head. "A tribal death prayer? I never figured you to be a superstitious person."

Pallax chuckled and shook his head. "It's not really superstition. It's a belief I picked up when I was staying with the Hidden Water Spring Tribe. You sometimes forget who you are when you're immortal and lived a life that is not governed by an emperor. It was nice for a time."

"Hmm. I should have outlawed religion then." Gollog said, shaking his head and smiling absently. "Time spent praying could be time spent working for the empire. Do you know how many idle hands could be used to tinker with tools, instead of being put together just to pray sweet nothings to imaginary and false idols?"

The sloshing of the chrome fluid was becoming louder, the door into the chamber creaking dangerously when something on the other side pressed onto it. Pallax relaxed into his bed, crossing his hands behind his head as he got comfortable. "Yeah, well, we're going to die anyway, so I don't really care about your opinion anyway. As of today, the Golden Star Empire no longer matters, and I can finally take my last vacation in retirement."

The door that was buckling under immense pressure was pushed out of place, and a flood of chrome fluid washed into the room and covered everything with a smothering mirror shine.

 _'Goodbye, Pallax. It's been fun using you as a reconnaissance asset.'_ Kay said to Pallax one final time.

Pallax could not understand what that last message meant in time, because his body was disassembled before he had the chance to.

* * *

Citadel Gargantua was suffering from a sudden invasion, and the invasion consisted of a liquid that was enveloping everything it flowed over. The chrome fluid even spilled over the wall that was supposed to keep threats out of the city, and the gilanian citizens of Gargantua panicked as they tried running away from the danger. People were trampled, and then promptly absorbed into the tsunami of chrome. It was at that point that the flood was becoming a serious problem for Tak and her city.

Johnny looked down as he saw the devastation that occurred below him. He shook his head. _'This is a terrible mess Gollog caused on us.'_

 _'The **We**_ _are in agreement with the shifting one.'_ The overlords telepathically said to Johnny. The overlords were far behind the flying swarm of zerg that was following after Johnny's green flier, but it and its brothers were content with siding with the guardians in their migration.

Johnny sighed as he looked past and over Gargantua. A forest of metal spires have erupted outside of the walls, some spires having already pierced into the defensive fortification that was meant to keep intruders out. The city was quickly being vacated, but there was little time before the whole city and the escaping population was caught within the flowing chrome.

Johnny sighed, flying a little lower and directing the swarm behind himself. _'The city is already being smothered by the silver slime, so we need to act quick. The mutalisks should do a quick fly-by and attack the fluid already in the city. The corruptors will have to spread out and target a spire. After that, they can focus on attacking the ocean of chrome. Stall the tide for as long as possible until the guardians get here.'_

 _'The **We** agree. The large We will join soon.'_ The overlords said in unison. Soon, Gargantua would suffer another invasion, and the people within the city would become more panicked when they bared witness of the zerg flying over their heads.

And the swarm came to their walled city all the same.

The confused screams of the populace were misplaced with their fear when several had ducked back into their homes. However, many still ran down the streets and alleyways to escape the coming flood of chrome, regardless of the zerg-filled airspace above their heads. The mutalisks were the first to attack the chrome tide, and they launched their spinning, acidic glaive wurms into the enveloping pools. The tide slowed in its envelopment of the city, but it still continued to flow at its slower pace.

The corruptors flew past the mutalisks and past the ocean of chrome. Their targets were a forest of metal spires that produced the enveloping chrome liquid that was endangering everyone. Once each one of the corruptors were in range of a spire, they unleashed a spray of caustic fluid onto them and corroded them down to size. After a spire had been sufficiently damaged, it ceased in its chrome production and fell into the ocean of silver, letting the corruptor change targets and attack the next chrome spire.

And then the 'large we' appeared. Several leviathans had warped into position just above the city, and they floated toward and over the vast ocean of chrome. They did not dare use their tentacles to attack the chrome fluid, since the impaling tendrils that the spine crawlers tried to attack the fluid with immobilized them. But the leviathans had other abilities they could use. One was to discharge a heavy-hitting bio-plasma projectile onto the fluid, which burned and eradicated much of the mass. The other was to produce mutalisks from its body to help reduce the chrome slime.

The guardians flew over the city and dropped their acidic bombs onto the chrome that affected and spread over the structures. Their acid dissolved not only the chrome, but also any object that they were being dissolved by the chrome at the time. The acid spores that were released from the guardians exploded when they impacted the chrome covered surfaces, but they were effective in limiting the speed of the chrome fluid's envelopment of whatever it flowed over. If it had not been for the guardians, then Citadel Gargantua would have been rapidly overwhelmed.

The gilanian citizens within Citadel Gargantua were greatly confused when they noticed that the swarm of zerg did not attack them, even when they have slowly learned of the Golden Star Empire's attempts to eradicate them. They eventually noticed that the zerg were actually ignoring the gilanians and attacking the chrome slime instead. Though several were still running for their lives, a few had started to loudly cheer for the flying zerg that sailed over their city, especially those that saw firsthand their efforts to strike down the enveloping fluid, and the towers producing it in the distance. Johnny could imagine the expression of surprise on Baroness Tak's face, and out of the habit of being in the guise of a gilanian for so long, he smirked from the imagery he imagined in his head.

* * *

The infestation within Empire City was nearly complete. All that was left to infest was the Palace of Dreams. Any servants, be it maids or butlers, have already made good on their escape during their master's battle with his zerg intruders. There wasn't even a single concubine that remained in the palace, or some lowly floor polishing janitor. Evidence of life remained, but their signs pointed to a rushed evacuation of the premises. The palace was empty of much life, but it didn't deter Kay from trying to find a certain person that had been stolen from him. He didn't know if the lovechief was taken to a different location or left within this palace and forgotten about, but Kay would still persist in searching and reuniting with Kragnon.

A zergling pushed open one set of doors and looked within. Judging from the various hanging meats, plants, dried fruits, and different kinds of cutlery, cabinets, refrigerators and freezers, this place that the zergling had intruded must have been some kind of scullery. Why an immortal needed a second kitchen when his dream-light manifested form requires no earthly sustenance is beyond Kay, but it could have been a kitchen that was reserved for visiting dignitaries and guests. The intruding zergling softly scampered into the room to inspect what treasure its insides might hold. A tray of boiled and salted krell eggs was discovered by the zergling, and it was quickly gobbled down. After that, more zerg organisms politely intruded into the room and started raiding everything that was a foodstuff, or taking whatever small metal utensil that could be processed into useful materials back at the nearest hatchery.

A roach clawed at a different door with its sickle-claws, forcing the locked door open that revealed to the roach the arboretum inside, which had a high dome ceiling that allowed different levels of light into the room. Several of the plants within this chamber were quite different from what Kay was familiar with, and there were a few plant species that he didn't know existed on Kiln. Some breeds of plants were very exotic and rare, sectioned off from the other plants to live in their own conditions. Other plants were very ordinary, and were pruned to match the aesthetic of the room. Many of the statues and sculptures depicted the visage of Emperor Gollog, all with his pearly white gown and opalescent boots, gauntlets, and pointy crown. The roach spat at each statue and sculpture it came across, which were then further destroyed by the other zerg organisms that later entered this room.

Further into the palace, nearly within the center, a hydralisk pushed itself through a heavy set of doors to find a curious chamber. A large bedroom that contained white, extravagant silk curtains that wrapped around a circular, yet soft piece of furniture at in the center of the room. The silken curtains circled one way and the other, as though the curtains rotated on magnetic rails on the ceiling. The hydralisk slithered through the slowly circling fabric that softly orbited the central furniture piece. At the center of the room, there was an extravagant bed that emanated an unusual air from itself. When the hydralisk slithered onto the bed, it could feel its weight changing. As it turned out, the bed was able to produce a light anti-gravity field that enabled whoever was on the bed to rest more comfortably. Kay wondered why someone who's form was manifested by dream-light would ever need such a bed. But then again, Kay surmised that it could be used for the guests. Romantic guests, if the tone and theme of this room was any indication. The hydralisk eventually coiled itself into a little ball and rested on the bed, looking quite content with how soft and comfortable the bed was.

With door after door being pushed down, room after room being investigated, and corridor after corridor being traveled, Kay was starting to lose hope, and was worried that he might not find Kragnon quick enough. The metal spires that produced the chrome slime was driven back by the swarms of mutalisks, corruptors and guardians. But the chrome slime had already started digging through the ground and destabilizing it from underneath. The guardians could retard the spreading of the chrome slime from the surface of the ground, but there were still so much silver fluid being produced by the endless forests of metal spires. Deep ravines were already being carved into the earth, thanks to the guardians and the chrome slime dissolving everything, and there were no signs from the chrome slime that suggested any form of ceasing anytime soon.

Kay was becoming frustrated since he was having difficulty finding his gilanian friend. There was one other logical reason for not locating Kragnon within the palace. He was either MEM shifted to a different location, or he was safely secured in a hidden passageway or safe-room within the palace. Walls were quickly torn down to try and locate a hidden gilanian, several overseers providing assistance with their incredible ability to detect anything that had been hidden, be it secrets, missing gilanians, or cloaked enemies.

Several minutes had passed before the palace of dreams was completely dismantled, each wall and hidden entrance being discovered and meticulously searched for the gilanian that was once a lovechief. But the zerg organisms' search for Kragnon was fruitless, since they could not find who they were looking for in their search in time. Several passageways were found to lead into Empire City and its various streets, but none of the paths had led to the lovechief that Kay wanted to find. If Kay wanted to be truthful, he had seriously regretted not implanting a parasite into Kragnon's nervous system behind his brain. But alas, that could be considered a breach of trust between two people in a loose friendship, since Kay could envision that breach of privacy to be very upsetting for Kragnon. If a zerg parasite burrowed into someone's flesh and connected itself to their senses, then it would be understandable that the person would become delirious and horrified upon learning about their 'guest' inside their skull.

But speculating on ifs, ands, or buts could not bring back someone who was missing. Already, the chrome ocean and the zerg guardians are creating landslides that were spilling into the deep ravines of clay and heavy ocean gravel. The ocean that once was a mixture of salt and fresh was polluted into a silvery sheen when the metal towers came. The creep that had spread over and under the vast majority of Shallow Ocean was overwhelmed, as both the chrome slime and the creep tried to envelop each other, but the chrome slime was still able to absorb and dissolve the creep with incredible speed. It unnerved Kay greatly.

Just how much chrome slime is being produced by the metal spires?

* * *

Johnny's flier circled high over the air, the flying zerg strains that followed him to fight the spires having already losing interest in tailing his aircraft. Johnny could feel a smile stretch over his face as he defended Baroness Tak's her citadel, but also assisting the zerg in leading the air combat strains to the spires that threatened the zerg way of life. He gazed down at the ground and saw that the population of the city were having mixed reactions regarding the presence of zerg over their domiciles. Some welcomed the zerg overlords that floated closer to the masses, but many more were against their occupancy within Gargantua's airspace, and they shot their weapons in the air to scare off any intruding zerg organism that got too close.

Johnny couldn't blame them. The zerg are ugly as they are vicious, and he could testify to that since his changelisk shape was the stuff of nightmares.

A ringing could be heard from behind Johnny. After looking behind himself, he saw that his handheld comm device was notifying him that he was being called. After setting the flier on autopilot and fishing out his handheld comm device, he activated it and resumed manually piloting his airborne vehicle. "This is Johnny speaking. How may I help you?"

[Johnny! Is that you in the sky?!] Tak's voice echoed into Johnny's ear.

Johnny smiled. "Is it a little green flier? Since I'm the only one up here, then yeah. That's me."

[I'm glad that you're okay. When I heard that my personal flier had been taken down, I thought for sure that my cousin Ponpon had given you trouble when you returned. Worse still, I thought that the zerg caretaker would have stolen you away from me.]

"I was a little worried too, at first. At least I got the flying zerg monsters to follow after me."

[Which brings me to my next question. Why did you bring them here?!] Tak said, frustrated.

"When me and the caretaker heard that your city was being attacked by the chrome spires, I had the idea to help assist the zerg. More specifically, I le their flying zerg to the area where you guys were being attacked. I didn't think that those spires would be so tall, but those bat looking things seem to have it covered."

[So you brought them over on a whim?]

"No. I brought them over to assist them in attacking their enemy. I hope you do not mind, my ladyship, but I was acting in your best interests when I brought the zerg with me. They said that they were having trouble with the spires, or metal towers as that guy I heard call them, so I told them I could lead them to the spires harassing your city."

[This is not good for me, Johnny. The population is going to go into a full panic after seeing these... creepy bug things in the sky. If they find or figure out that I had a hand in this, then the publicity will create a popularity vote to create a magistrate in the fallout. In short, I would lose my power over the people of Gargantua!]

Johnny shook his head. "Please be open minded, Tak. If I had not done this, then that chrome fluid stuff would have covered the entire city, and we wouldn't be talking like we are now."

A sigh could be heard. [I know, Johnny, and I am grateful with what you did. But... Ah, dammit! You have left me in a difficult position.]

"If you want, I could land and we can talk about this." Johnny offered.

[No. I'm too angry to think coherently right now. If you did come down though, be warned that I will slap your damnably roguish face. And maybe kiss it.]

Johnny blinked a few times. "... I think I'll stay up here then."

[Heheheh. Ah... So how are you doing on fuel?]

Johnny checked his energy gauge on his dashboard for a split second. "Well, I have a solar panel powering my flier, so... about dusk."

[That's a few hours away from now. I should be calmed down enough by the time it becomes sunset.]

"Noted. I guess I'll... Talk with you, or fly with the bat things until then."

[If you really want to fly with the bat things, I won't stop you. For now, I have to fix this mess and calm down the rioters and fear spreading preachers. After that, we can rebuild Gargantua's wall and the other homes that have been damaged.]

[Mam, part of the city is being destroyed.] Said another voice.

Tak sighed. [Is it the silver liquid, or is it the zerg?]

[It's a landslide, mama. The sand is receding, and it's pulling houses and buildings with it.]

[When has this occurred?!]

[I have just received the report half a minute ago.]

[Grah! If it's not one thing, it's another. Have the citizenry evacuate that part of the city. Mobilize the guardsmen into hover-fliers to pull people from fallen buildings if you need to. Where is the sand receding into?]

[Precisely into where the wall was dissolved by the silver flood, mam. I think the flying zerg monsters and the silver flood is causing the landslide.]

[... If this keeps going, then we may still need to evacuate the entire city. Damn.]

Johnny decided to look over the entire city. Sadly, the other voice was stating the truth. Part of the wall that had been destroyed was draining the sand from within the citadel. Johnny intervened into the conversation between Tak and her damage reporter. "My ladyship Tak, I'm seeing the bigger picture up here in the sky. Sand is sliding into the chrome ocean, even when the zerg are doing their best to prevent the chrome from enveloping everything. Everybody needs to evacuate the city, and now."

Tak sighed as though she was stressed. [Where will the people go, Johnny? Where will I go? If we vacated the entire city, the people will have to migrate somewhere safe. Some of the Gargantua citizens will die of heat exposure in the desert, and more if a shryik serpent decides to pick us off one by one. We don't have many options left to us.]

Johnny nodded and paused briefly. "... This might sound crazy, but... What if you asked a zerg caretaker if she could-"

[AAAAH WHAT IS HAPPENING?!] Tak yelled.

Johnny narrowed his eyes as he looked at the ground, looking down on Tak's palace. "Tak? Tak, what is going on?"

[IT'S AN EARTHQUAKE!] Another voice answered. [BARONESS TAK, WHAT ARE YOUR ORDERS?!]

[UH... I DON'T KNOW! I DON'T-]

The audio transmission ended for Johnny, and he was no longer able to hear Baroness Tak, or the other gilanian's voice. The entirety of Gargantua seemed to be in grave trouble, but he didn't know how or in what way.

Soon, a cacophonous rumbling was heard, as both towers, shacks, and everything in between was wobbling violently. The flying zerg strains were unable to feel the earthquake since they were in the sky, but they could see the ground-bound structures teetered and leaned dangerously. It was then that the entire city of Gargantua tilted at an angle, as tons of sand from under the citadel was shifted. After the entire city became unbalanced, the chrome sea was pushed away, which then forced the tide to crash onto Gargantua. Citadel Gargantua was covered by a tsunami of chrome liquid, much of its inhabitants now enveloped by the wash of dissolving and disassembling fluid. Around twenty seconds later, Citadel Gargantua slowly slid into the ocean of chrome fluid and was eventually completely submerged under the mirror-like surface of reflective water.

Johnny could only watch in horror. After seeing what had just happened right in front of himself, he knew that there was little he could do to salvage whatever could be saved from the disaster. Any gilanian worth their salt would mourn the loss of their friend. Johnny could mourn the loss of the baroness that he had saved from her cousin, only to lose her to the tide of mercury. A weaker man would break down at the thought of everything they had ever accomplished vanishing into a puddle.

But Johnny was a zerg organism. A changelisk, the evolved cousin of the changeling strain, had no room for emotions in its heart to mourning. There was only loyalty to the swarm. Johnny shook his head and sighed. "We lost the citadel."

 _'An unfortunate loss. Kay is deeply displeased.'_ The large queen, that Johnny once talked to, telepathically said.

"So... what do we do now?" Johnny asked. "Act like nothing happened?"

 _'The swarm will continue its efforts to eradicate the chrome slime. It is a threat that must be eliminated.'_

"... Then I'll keep flying. If I land into the chrome sea after this flier loses power, then so be it." Johnny said, setting the autopilot on as he relaxed into his pilot's seat. A frown was plastered onto his face, since he knew that he was no longer of use to the zerg swarm.

 _'You have served us well. Kay may give you the means to escape with a leviathan, if you wish to be saved.'_

Johnny shook his head and sighed. "Our wills and minds are shared, so saving me wouldn't make a difference. I have no emotional attachment to my own life, or the purpose I was once created for."

 _'Very well. Kay will fondly remember you.'_

Johnny nodded, then closed his eyes. Once Kiln's half-destroyed sun moved past the horizon once more, Johnny's flier would lose power and silently glide into the vast ocean of silver, its chrome spires constantly producing gallons after gallons of the chrome slime that made the ocean of mercurial fluid keep rising. The mutalisks, corruptors, guardians and leviathans may have been busy in their attempt to destroy the chrome slime that was enveloping everything, but the chrome sea was showing no signs of slowing down or receding. It kept on rising by unknown means.

* * *

Within a leviathan that was overlooking the dark side of Kiln, Kay was pacing back and forth with a studious eye fixed on the planet. Already, the chrome slime was eroding the ground at an incredibly quick pace. The sand proved to be a weak medium for the silver fluid to flow through, yet it continued to dissolve every small particle of gritty silica. It also proved to be Citadel Gargantua's undoing as well, since the entire city was built on top of the sand. Once the sand below the city was sliding into the acid and chrome that fought against each other, the city eventually capsized, landsliding to its doom. Once that had happened, Kay stopped his pacing, breathed in a deep lungful of air, and then growled. "Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck. This is getting out of hand."

 _'This is unfortunate.'_ Virid responded. _'There is very little landmasses to create hatcheries on. Even the cave systems found further away from the super hive cluster has been filled with the chrome slime. What has Gollog unleashed onto his world?'_

Kay sighed and shook his head. "No fucking idea. All I know is that Kragnon was the key to this whole thing."

 _'We were unable to find him, or anyone else of importance at the Palace of Dreams. The swarm is incapable of staving off the chrome fluid. Our underground forces will be called off and transported through the nydus network to safer locations.'_

It was evident to Kay that the zerg were fighting a losing battle to the chrome slime. Even when the deployed flying zerg strains could unleash acidic projectiles into the vast ocean of chrome, the silvery sea was still rising. More and more mutalisks were produced from the leviathans, and more guardians and corruptors were deployed to join with the mutalisks and leviathans. But alas, the ocean of chrome was still steadily rising, and Kay didn't know how to stop it.

Many of the overlords were prepared to mutate ventral sacks to carry as many ground strains as they could if the combative air strains could not deter and tame the chrome sea in time. However, when the underground chambers started to fill with the chrome slime, Kay realized that it was already too late.

The roaches, ravagers, queens and banelings were summoned and grown in vast numbers to attack the invading shiny fluid. They amounted a brave defense against the shiny fluid, but the zerg that tried to fight back were caught in its tide. Many underground chambers were filled with the chrome fluid, and they were eventually lost to the silver sea. One by one, the super hive cluster dwindled rapidly in size as it seeped through the ground and disassembled whatever material it drenched.

It was around this time that many of the overlords were commanded to evolve ventral sacks, which then picked up as many of the zerg organisms on the ground to safely ferry them to safer places, mainly to the safe confines of a leviathan's insides. The majority of the strains that were chosen to be evacuated by the overlords were the drones and queens. Several scores of zerglings, as well as many roaches, hydralisks, infestors, swarm hosts, ultralisks and everything else were then the next to be moved off of Kiln. Many of the drones were made safe, as well as a plentiful number of queens, their fates prevented from being disassembled by the silvery fluid that was produced by the chrome spires. Nydus worms and nydus networks shivered and convulsed when the ground below them was invaded by the silver flooding liquid, and they started vomiting spouts of chrome fluid into the sky. A few overlords were sprayed with the fluid, and the fluid quickly enveloped them as a result, turning them into a dripping mirror ball before becoming reduced to what looked like melted gallium.

The overlords floated off of Kiln, and the entire planet of Kiln was now a smooth ball of chrome, with chrome spires slowly being submerged by the chrome they produced. In the span of a few hours, the entirety of Kiln was transformed from a desert planet with little water, to an ocean of chrome that shone brightly. Even as the leviathans, mutalisks, corruptors and guardians still attacked the terraformed chrome planet, the ocean continued to rise and expand. More mutalisks were being produced from the leviathans to attack the chrome ocean, while corruptors and guardians had to hitch a ride with the leviathans on the hexagonal moon in order to quickly reach the now planet-wide combat zone.

Kay sighed depressingly. "... I don't think we'll be able to find Kragnon at all now. Dammit."

 _'We can still try to dissolve the chrome fluid and the chrome towers.'_

Kay kicked at the inner fleshy wall of the leviathan he was in. He could hear the leviathan grumble its annoyance at being used as a tool for stress relief. "Dammit!"

 _'Kay?'_

"We're at fault here, Virid." Kay explained in frustration. "If we weren't so aggressive in the first place, then Gollog wouldn't have resorted to using the reclamation protocol. We pushed him too far, and he acted in blind desperation. It was because of us that it turned out this way!"

 _'Kay.'_ Virid hissed. _'We had no idea that these events would turn out this way. It makes little sense to brood over wrong decisions. In order to survive, we must adapt to any circumstance, whether or not we agree with the outcome. To survive is the way of the swarm.'_

Kay paused, and the pause felt like an eternity onto itself. He took a deep breath before exhaling another sigh. "Then how would you propose we adapt to... THIS?" Kay asked, gesturing to the chrome ball above the hexagonal moon. "How do we evolve against an entire planet?"

 _'It's not a question about how to do it, Kay.'_ Virid answered calmly. _'It's about how we must.'_

Kay paused. "... So... How MUST we evolve against an entire planet?"

 _'In any way we can.'_ Virid replied.

"... That's oddly cryptic coming from you."

 _'You were the one to teach me about vision. I thought it was about time I taught you something.'_

Kay sighed and nodded, and then began contemplating a plan to survive. "How must we... How must we... Evolve against this... Corvurn. You're an evolution master. Have any ideas?" Kay asked, knowing that if there was any zerg organism that had the drive to find a way to surpass a biological limit, it would be an evolution master.

 _'Antibody adaptation.'_ Corvurn replied. _'Same mutation used against gilanian micro-machines, mistaken for anti-swarm contagion. However, time limited. Planetary deployment of nanite antibodies requires time and planning. Have neither. Too late to implement.'_

Kay sighed. "Then get started as quick as you can. The leviathans can't produce enough mutalisks to wash away the chrome ocean."

 _'Too late.'_ Corvurn replied. _'Chrome volume increasing. Decrease in chrome production is absent. Analysis suggests exponential chrome production. Zerg strains specialized in eliminating aqueous chrome limited in number. Attacks surface chrome. Insufficient damage. Producing more specialized strains deemed necessary, but will fail. If chrome production continues, will envelop everything within veil space.'_

Kay shook his head and scoffed. "Uh excuse me, but did you say 'veil space'? What is that supposed to mean?"

 _'Will explain.'_ Corvurn said, almost sounding annoyed. _'Veil space is space within Kiln's veil. Overlord strain entered veil. Lost connection to overlord strain. Experimented with veil. Used zergling strain for testing. Unknown elements detected. Unmakes matter. Longest diameter measured between hive cluster on moon and half destroyed sun.'_

Kay sighed deeply. "So... What you're saying is that this chrome fluid will eventually reach my position? Even the hexagonal moon?"

 _'Correct.'_ Answered Corvurn.

Kay paused for a long time before he collapsed to his knees and looked down onto the moist floor. He felt as though he was finally defeated. Ironically, his defeat was by some chrome fluid that would continue to grow and expand until it even reached the hexagonal moon and sun. For the first time in a lifetime he could remember, he didn't know what to do. "..."

Kay felt a consciousness abruptly enter into his own awareness. _'KAY!'_

"Ah, what the hell?!" Kay shouted, as he was jarred out of his depression.

 _'Corvurn Junior.'_ Called Corvurn. _'Explain outburst.'_

 _'NO TIME! KAY! COME TO LOCATION! TIME LIMITED! USE DROP SAC! URGENT!'_

Kay sighed. "Fucking hell, alright already. Just uh... um... Let me find wherever the hell a leviathan's pore is located."

* * *

After a few minutes had passed, and after Kay had been turned around a couple times, Kay had finally found what he was searching for. As Kay entered the pore, spongy flesh grew and enveloped his body while it was filled with creep. After entering one of the many pores of the leviathan, a sac formed around him and sent him to where Corvurn Junior was awaiting Kay. Upon being released from the leviathan, Kay could feel the inertia of gravity very slightly affect the sac he was in. However, the surface of the hexagonal moon came at him quite quickly from his perspective, and he collided onto a patch of soft creep at the end of his drop.

When Kay got up from his impact site, he immediately started choking. He had completely forgotten that there was no atmosphere on the hexagonal moon. His lungs burned and his eyes watered, solidifying into ice crystals in this airless environment.

 _'Kay.'_ Virid said with a droll tone.

Kay wobbled in his footing and landed onto a knee, holding both hands to his neck as he gasped for the air he desperately wanted, but none had came.

 _'You are part of the swarm. You can survive without air.'_ Virid said, annoyed.

Kay softly landed onto his side, succumbing to the pain in his chest. He desperately wanted this pain to finally subside and go away.

 _'Oh for the love of... Just hold your breath and keep your mouth closed! Or do I need to come over there and bring with me a pair of zerglings you already know so fondly?'_

Kay blinked a few times. After calming his mind, he closed his mouth and kept himself from breathing. Sure enough, the pain in his chest subsided quickly, and he was able to stand back up. His eyes still felt like they were being stung by tiny cold needles when he looked around in this environment, but he could feel that pain subsiding at a slower rate. _'... Um... Thanks Virid.'_ Kay replied.

 _'Don't mention it. Ever. Corvurn Junior, Kay is near your location. Tell us why you requested his presence.'_ Virid hissed.

As Kay adapted to the airless environment, he turned to see a lankier, skinnier version of the evolution master that spawned it. Corvurn Junior was gesticulating rapidly, pointing at... a glowing heptagonal sided white door? Kay could have sworn that he saw something like that once upon a time ago. _'Kay, please enter. No time. Time limited here. Time abundant through door. Enter door! Now! Quickly!'_

Kay held up a hand at Corvurn Junior, still somewhat breathless. _'Hold on a minute. What IS through that door?'_

Corvurn Junior sighed. _'Era Agency. Taken over by swarm. Contains hope for swarm continuation. New mutations developed. New strains unlocked. Requires command organism Kay's presence. Enter quickly!'_ Corvurn Junior urged, anxiety in his mental voice. Kay had no idea that an evolution master could get anxious.

 _'Hope for swarm continuation?'_ Kay repeated, almost disbelieving Corvurn Junior's words. _'Wait a minute, how did you come by that conclusion?!'_

Corvurn Junior growled in frustration. _'Developed new mutations and strains. Analyzed several alternate timelines. Can create new ones. must hurry. Era agents in other timelines becoming aware. Must act now. Window of opportunity decreasing. Hurry!'_

 _'But what about Virid and your dad? Can't they come along?'_ Kay asked.

 _'NO TIME! GET! IN! NOW!'_ Corvurn Junior immediately reached for Kay and started swinging him in the air.

 _'Waaah, CJ! What are you-?!'_ Before Kay could ask his question, his legs was released and thrown into the heptagonal doorway of light. After that toss, Corvurn Junior slithered after Kay and went through the time gate as well. Seconds later, the door had closed onto itself and disappeared from sight.

Virid and Corvurn didn't know what to say. The exchanges between Corvurn Junior and Kay were rather puzzling, but they were no longer able to feel Kay's or Corvurn Junior's consciousness. Before too long, Virid decided to break the silence. _'Kay is gone...'_

 _'Confirmed. Command organism Kay no longer sensed. Similar to parasite attached to era agent, similar to swarm strike force onto Era Agency.'_

 _'The younger evolution master seemed to be doing well, however.'_ Virid said, sounding relieved. _'I assumed that the attack on the Era Agency was successful. I was right to think so.'_

 _'Query. How to proceed?'_

Virid paused. _'... I assume with your previous plan of adaptation.'_

 _'Chances of survival using nanite antibodies, minimal to nonexistent.'_ Corvurn replied back.

 _'It's our only hope. If I can think of something, I will share my ideas with you.'_

 _'Postulation needed. Proceed with original plan anyway.'_

Within a lone leviathan that was unleashing mutalisks and bio-plasmid discharges, Virid looked onto the completely chrome surface that was now Kiln. The mutalisks, corruptors, and guardians were unleashing their projectiles onto a planet-wide enemy, but the tide still rose higher and higher no matter how much of the silver fluid was countered by acid based weapons and projectiles. From the eyes of the zerg on the hexagonal moon, they could see Kiln growing larger by a small degree. Indeed, the entire planet was growing bigger.

Virid huffed when the leviathan she was on unleashed it's most devastating attack again. _'I can only hope that the swarm will find a way to thrive. But as for us... All we can do is survive.'_

If she could use the overlords' brain power to calculate how long it would take for the chrome fluid to reach the hexagonal moon, it would take about eleven days before the volume of silver liquid filled the entirety of the 'veil space', as Corvurn called it. She didn't account for the exponential growth that the fluid seemed to be capable of, or that the speed of its growth could be slightly mitigated by the swarm of zerg strains that had the means to damage and dissolve the dissolving aqueous mercury.

It would appear to Virid that the gravitational pressure of the planet was becoming less dense as its core was transforming and dissolving into more of the chrome fluid, which made the chrome fluid increase in size and expand outwardly even more so than before.

Corvurn Junior was right to urge Kay into going into the time gate, since staying longer within this timeline would surely ended poorly for the zerg, and for him as well. Virid sighed one more time as the space within the veil was quickly filled, despite the fact the flying zerg strains that continued to attack its surface could remain above the surface of the chrome. But they would soon be either pushed into the veil, or absorbed into the mirror surface of the chrome water. Those two fates were undesirable, but Virid, and all of the zerg that were stuck within this forgotten timeline, will have to face such fates near the end of their lives.

* * *

 **Day 1 of the zerg presence on Kiln.**

"Yeah." Kay turned and pointed at the reddish sand that filled the tunnel. "I would like to know if this cave reaches into a deeper system of caverns. You are to start digging out as much sand as you can. Got that?"

The drone looked at the sand in the filled tunnel. Then it looked at Kay. Then it looked back at the tunnel again. A slight pause later, the drone crawled forward and started sifting its pincers into the sand. _'Me dig!'_

"... Um... Kay. You do that." Kay said, noting that drones were somehow even more simpleminded than the overlords. Although, if Kay wanted to be honest, he was curious as to how the other zerg strains thought patterns would be like.

 _'Complex orders are never a concern for the simpler minded strains. All they need is a command to follow.'_ Virid said.

"Hey, it's my first time being a zerg with an intact human will. Cut me some slack."

Virid sighed. _'Don't make me regret my decision of turning you into a swarm commander.'_

"Reap what you sow, as the old expression goes." Kay said aloud, watching the drone deliver pincer-fulls of sand. Similar to handfuls of sand, except pincers. "Since you saved my life and brought me into this mess, I suppose I'm now your problem, and in your debt too."

 _'Where did that expression come from?'_ Virid asked.

"... Huh. You know, I don't really know where it came from. It's just something that some people of the past I remembered say to me sometimes." Kay said, deciding to leave the cave and let the drone work unsupervised. Technically, the drone was still being supervised since it was connected with the hivemind network.

 _'... I would slate this train of thought as another disruption to our goal. Must I fetch the zerglings to keep you in check?'_

"Oh, the zerganity~." Kay dryly said. As he left the red cave, he decided to ask what Virid's progress was... But he could already see that the drones were still skimming the surface of the creep fields and feeding what was collected to the two drones. By now, one of the drones went to the direction of the spring, while the other formed a chrysalis around itself on the spot. The overlords that Kay had sent was still circling the entire summit of the mountain, slowly expanding their search pattern that covered a few square kilometers of ground. It was truly a large and impressive mountain.

A white, septuple sided shape was discovered by one of the overlords that were patrolling the area. It was an unusual thing to behold, since the overlords had no idea on what to make of it. Virid was quickly aware of this new structure that was within the awareness of the zerg. _'Hmm? Now isn't the time for terran games. The overlords have discovered something.'_

Kay directed his attention to the strange object that the overlord found. Kay tilted his head as he looked in the general direction of the small, yet odd edifice of glowing white. "A SOMETHING is the apt word to describe it. What is it?"

 _'I have no clue. I suggest approaching with caution.'_

Kay sighed as he took off into a sprint towards the strange object. After several meters of running, Kay eventually came to a stop in front of the glowing... thing. Even when Kay had gotten close to it, he couldn't make heads or tails on what it was. After looking it up and down several times, Kay shook his head. "Well whatever the hell it is, I'm not sure if I should poke it and find out what it does."

 _'I could have one of the zerglings claw at it.'_ Virid suggested.

Kay nodded. "A good idea, but I don't want to risk blowing it up and discover what purpose it could be used for. But then again... It could be just a weird monolith that could commemorate something?" Before Kay could come up with an experiment to find out what the structure was supposed to do, long tendrils with spiked tips crawled through the strange structure. Kay paused for a few seconds before shouting a short yell and backpedaling a few feet away to safety. "WAWAHAHA~!"

 _'Kay? What is going on?'_ Virid asked, sounding confused and concerned.

Kay watched the long tendrils trail and coil out of the strange glowing flat object. More and more tendrils seemed to slither out of the glowing structure, and Kay didn't know if these tendrils had an end. He didn't even know where they began! However, as more of the tendrils flowed out of the glowing object, another thing followed after the tendrils after some seconds had passed. After analyzing this new thing that emerged from the object, Kay saw that the tendrils were, in fact, part of it. A creature that had a feminine, nose-less face with sharp teeth and studious eyes analyzed her surroundings before looking at Kay. She paused as Kay stared right back at this creature. However, that was when Kay felt it. "... Virid? I think this white thing is a door. Also, something that seems like a zerg came out of it."

 _'What?!'_ Virid replied, surprised.

The feminine creature slithered out of the structure, her mass of tendrils supporting her that seemed to transport her around. She also carrying something within a pair of arms that was held close to her chest, which looked like a brown fleshy sack that contained green, sloshing fluid. She raised a tendril at Kay, as though it was a gesture to let her speak. "Greetings, Kay. Please know that I am on your side." She said with a softness to her voice. She spoke with a subtle coldness, but also somehow spoke with a great volume of intelligence.

Kay blinked a few times. "... Uhhhhhhhhhhhh... Yeah. Hello to you too, I guess." He said, awkwardly waving a hand at the creature. "Forgive me for asking, but... I don't think I know who you are."

The feminine thing bowed. "My apologies. I had not realized that different timelines had the troublesome effect of creating certain paradoxes."

Kay blinked again. "... Timelines? Wait... You're... You're from the future?" He said, pointing at the supposed time traveler.

The feminine thing nodded. "That is correct. I was sent back into the past to prevent a terrible event from happening. I was spawned to store and provide information that was greatly needed prior to your arrival on this prison planet. There is a version of your future that had a facility that enabled me the means to travel back in time and come here, into this alternate timeline. The swarm organism responsible for my creation had given me my name, and it is a name your future self had fondly accepted. You may call me Othafurn."

Kay paused, but then nodded. "Uh... Kay, that sounds cool. ... Oh, and uh, so is your name too."

Othafurn furrowed her eyebrows. "... Wow. You actually do say your name in an easygoing manner. I must admit, your future self was more... hardened when I met him."

Kay sighed and shook his head. "Yeah, I won't lie to you, I was not expecting to see a long legless centipede lady after my first day here."

"Your first day?" Othafurn looked left and right immediately, as though expecting some kind of danger to appear. "Then would this mean that the era agents haven't arrived yet?"

Kay tilted his head. "What-a agents?"

Othafurn turned back to Kay and stared at him. She seemed to have breathed a sigh of relief. A pause passed before she began to slither away from the glowing door to make her way to the center of the summit. "Then their future has either been circumvented in this timeline, or have not yet been made aware of our presence within this new timeline. I believe I have met you upon a lucky break!"

 _'Kay, what is she saying?'_ Virid asked, unsure about Othafurn's exclamation.

Kay shrugged his shoulders as he followed after the slithery... thing. "I have no fucking idea, Virid."

"Virid is here too?" Othafurn asked. "I must visit her as quickly as possible. There are a great many things we all must discuss." She said, slithering even faster toward the creep that had been established at the center of the mountain's summit.

Kay shook his head as he matched his speed with Othafurn. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I kind of want to know what happened that turned everything tits-up in the future."

Othafurn looked back at Kay with a confused expression as she slithered toward the hatchery. "... That expression is lost on me."

Kay rolled his eyes. "Well, if you connect yourself to the zerg hivemind psionic network, I'm sure we can understand one another better. ... Uh... By the way, don't mistake that as innuendo, please."

"Not right now." Othafurn replied, slithering toward Kay and Virid's base of operations. "I need to deliver this spore pod."

Kay sighed. "Kay, well, what's in the spore pod then?"

"A means to help evolve your brood, Kay. It will seed strength into our swarm in ways you cannot comprehend. All will be made clear if you allow me to do this one task. Please lend your trust in me, and everything will be set right for the swarm on Kiln." Othafurn answered.

Kay raised an eyebrow at the timeline traveling zerg strain, but he continued in following after her and provided her company along the way. Whatever Othafurn is, it seemed as though her surface thoughts were genuine and truthful. But for some reason, she kept her own mind closed from the swarm's hivemind psionic network. Kay would have considered that to be suspicious in itself, but she had allowed him to sense if she was telling the truth or not, and he could feel that she was indeed a zerg organism indeed. But even so, he was still curious on what was within the spore pod she carried, and what kind of information she was keeping from him. All he could do was be patient and wait for the reveal.

But then again, her presence in this world raised a lot more questions than answers for Kay. What kind of shenanigans had occurred in the later events that forced a future zerg organism, called Othafurn, to be created to go back to the past and warn the swarm, grant them information of the future, and provide mutations unknown even to himself? Needless to say, Kay was starting to feel a little excited.

But he could also sense that Virid was developing a pang of doubt that was directed toward the unknown zerg organism. It was dawning on Kay that Virid and Othafurn might not be able to get along with each other very easily.

* * *

 **A/N: How do you guys feel about a bonus chapter that is 20K words long? '3'**


	51. B1: Cyber Afterlife

**Chapter 51: Bonus 1: Cyber Afterlife**

* * *

There was darkness.

An unbelievable amount of darkness.

More pitch-black than the shadows of night.

Significantly gloomier than a graveyard painted with tar after dusk on a new moon, no stars, and cloudy skies.

Hollow of all light and significance.

It was akin to the unfeeling feeling of being unconscious.

But a consciousness was starting to form within this ebony-filled rest, and it was there for a particular purpose.

It was there to judge the dreamers that were put to sleep, for they were made to wait for the day their judgement that had come.

"Haaah..." A ball of white appeared within this darkened place. Two pseudopods stretched out into this blackness, but it was more likely that this white ball was stretching its new form that it had gained. A plain face slowly formed, it's mouth twisted into strain as its eyes closed tightly. After sighing and relaxing its 'arms', it shrugged. "Okay then. Command activation, superintendent Pothalatas requesting. synchronize environmental information with a molecular afterimage. Turn the atmospheric data filter off."

This blackness was then filled with static information, which eventually formed the room that the ball was in. It resembled the chrome corridors of the Sovereign Crypt that Emperor Gollog and General Pallax once traveled through in the previous chapter. The shine on the walls were nonexistent, since the environment that the ball of consciousness was in emitted no shadows. And even then, this environment was completely still. No wind passed through the now-seen fabrics and tassels that populated the walls of chrome. The physical even had no substance when the ball of white reached out to touch the walls, fabric, and tassels, his pseudopods passing through the matter as though he was a ghost that was in a dimension without time or substance. But its eyes, which were golden circles surrounding a black well, looked at everything with scrutiny.

"Command activation, Co-superintendent Korotobas requesting. Synchronize visual data with Superintendent Pothalatas." Another voice said, behind the ball of white.

Two balls of white were now occupying this unusual space. The golden eyed ball of white turned and greeted the newcomer. "Ah. Korotobas. I was wondering when you would get in here." He said with softened familiarity.

Korotobas shook his... body. His eyes were a pinkish scarlet, with a jagged tooth that seemed to have a habit of escaping his mouth when smiling. A pair of reading glasses was set onto his eyes, despite the lack of a nose."Yeah, well, you need a partner. You're the only person I know that loves to tackle these sort of instances alone." He said with a gruff and graveled tone.

"That's because not many people are up to such a task. As for myself, I happen to like a challenge." The first ball of light said, speeking with pride and putting his pseudopods onto his 'hips'.

"That's completely different. You're an artificial intelligence that was programmed to enjoy a challenge. I'm an organic artificial intelligence. My mind was copied from somebody that you saw fit to help, and has given me a chance to have my consciousness be placed into a new body outside of the prison system. However, you sorting all the memories and experiences by yourself is a lonesome job in my opinion. I thought it would be beneficial to help you as payment of giving me a new life."

The ball of light with golden eyes chuckled and shook his head. "Korotobas, you misspoke! We have an eternity to analyze this instance, and the many other instances that this group called the Era Agency is responsible for making. You should know by now that you have no real debt to me."

Korotobas sighed. "Pothalatas. The instance you are accessing contains eight hundred geopbytes of information. That is WAY above normal. Admit it! You need help!"

Pothalatas paused. "Are you implying that I am addicted to challenges?"

Korotobas shook his head. "Well what else do you do for fun? Do challenges like a robot."

Pothalatas sighed. "Don't call me that, you debased has-been meat-sack. How long until my adopted sister gets here?"

Korotobas huffed. "Taleitas is taking her time. Again. Always the faithful little 'shepherd of dead souls.'" He said, using finger quotations.

"Don't let her hear you call her that, you ass. She is responsible for rehabilitating the innocent consciousnesses. You, on the other hand, volunteered to the job of judging the guilty." Pothalatas said, pointing at Korotobas.

Korotobas rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah, and you got the better versions of her job and mine, as well as Zuguzugu and Printili's jobs all rolled together into one."

Pothalatas shrugged his 'shoulders' and smiled. "One of the perks of being a superintendent. Now, if you don't mind, I think it's time to get back on task. Command activation, Superintendent Pothalatas requesting. Reactivate intelligence cores and merge personalities."

Seven orbs of light appeared in front of Pothalatas and Korotobas, which then amalgamated together to form an orb of rainbow lights. "KSZTRTRERRZRKEREZRTZETKREZ" Sadly, it didn't seem to agree to its new existence.

Korotobas sighed, wincing when he heard the pained static that the merged intelligence cores made. "Ah hell, you broke it."

Pothalatas narrowed his gaze on the amalgamation of lights. "I don't think so. The intelligence cores have been broken, but not by me."

"... Do you know what happened?" Korotobas asked.

"No. It seems like some of the collective core memories of the intelligence cores have been disrupted. This can only mean that the backup systems for the intelligence cores have been taken offline." Pothalatas surmised.

Korotobas sighed. "Fucking hell, then this can only mean that the data they're supposed to compact and compile is lost. There goes yottabytes of historical information."

Pothalatas groaned, putting his arms onto his face and pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration, though he too lacked a nose too. "Unless something happened, I doubt it that the intelligence cores would let that sort of data be forgotten. At least Zuguzugu has his work cut out for him, that's for sure."

"He's not going to like hearing that the history of this instance was lost."

"But even so, there is still much more geopbytes of information to sort through than normal, even with the loss of stored data the intelligence cores were supposed to compile. Command activation, Superintendent Pothalatas requesting. Reformat merged amalgam intelligence cores. Enable basic data compiling."

"KSTRSKERTS-Reformat complete. Basic information compiled and ready to be analyzed."

Pothalatas nodded at the rainbow colored ball, which now seemed stable enough to request information from. "Greetings. You are hereby designated as Amalgam. Identify total population of medical micro-machine registered organisms, post reclamation."

"Command detected. Designation accepted. Information request detected. 1,563,885,692 active registered organisms with medical micro-machines detected."

"A slightly bigger population than normal." Korotobas commentated. "Think that Gollog guy is in this instance too?"

"Only one way to find out." Pothalatas answered. "Amalgam. When was the reclamation protocol activated?"

"Query detected. Reclamation protocol was activated in year 97223." Amalgam responded.

"Hmm. 2,777 years shy from automatic activation of the reclamation... Is there a gilanian that has the name 'Emperor Gollog' that exists in this instance?"

"Query detected. Confirmed."

Korotobas sighed. "Shit. That explains the high population. Looks like the prisoners revolutionized against the wardens and weaponized their technology yet again. That's five billion instances where Gollog managed to become an emperor and took over the world!"

Pothalatas shook his head. "4,974,585,002, Korotobas. Try and be accurate when you recount relevant data. Nearly all of those instances is him trying to activate the reclamation protocol. And in this instance, it looks like he might have been successful... Amalgam, has Emperor Gollog activated the reclamation protocol?"

"Query detected. Confirmed."

Korotobas sighed. "So that's 4,974,585,002 instances where Gollog became an emperor, and 4,545,007,402 instances where he was responsible for activating the reclamation protocol. That's gotta be some kind of record."

Pothalatas huffed. "Don't be an ass. Amalgam, how many gilanians are within the prison system core?"

"Query detected. There are two gilanians in the prison system core."

"Designate the names of these gilanians within the prison system core."

"Information request detected. Emperor Gollog and General Pallax."

"Hahaha, mah boy Pallax!" Korotobas shouted, pumping his pseudopods that formed fists into the air.

Pothalatas rolled his eyes and sighed. "It's odd that he's also in the prison system's core. Oftentimes when Gollog comes into power, he's the only one that's ever here."

Korotobas nodded and smirked. "Yeah yeah, I know. The prison system core is supposed to be populated by prison staff and all that jazz."

Pothalatas shooed Korotobas away with a gesture of a pseudopod. "Go and find your favorite role model. I will judge Gollog."

Korotobas nodded. "Aight. I'll call you on instantaneous messaging if I find something screwy. Command activation, Co-superintendent Korotobas requesting. Transport me to the gilanian named General Pallax, please."

With a flash of white, Korotobas disappeared and reappeared at a different location. Pothalatas shook his head and turned away, facing Amalgam. "Alright. Um... Amalgam? Do you know why the intelligence cores are malfunctioning?"

"Query detected. One of the intelligence cores have initiated self-destruct."

Pothalatas stared at Amalgam for several seconds. "... Self-destruct? That's... 5,384 instances of an intelligence core self-destructing... What's the reason for the self-destruct?"

"Query detected. Self-destruct was used in an attempt to eliminate a threat."

Pothalatas shook his head. "What? What was the threat?"

"Query detected. Unknown."

Pothalatas sighed. "... I guess that's not part of your collection of basic knowledge. Hmm... Dammit. This is going to be another condition orange scenario."

"Condition orange?"

Pothalatas turned around abruptly, but then scoffed when he saw a white orb he recognized. It bore several golden halos as its accessories, wearing them as bracelets on its pseudopods, one on its behind where it floated on a short tail that tapered to a point and poked through it, another that floated on the top of its head, and another floating below its head. Its eye shadow was a deep teal, as its lipstick color. Both colors matched the color of its eyes. "... Printili? You're wearing those things again?" Pothalatas asked.

The new white orb huffed and crossed her arms. "I swear, every time I come to one of these instances, you always ridicule my sense of fashion! It's not my fault I have an eye for detail."

"And an ear for gossip." Pothalatas droned. "I still don't understand why I even have you as my lead investigator."

Printili coyly smiled. "Maybe because I always have a habit of finding details you often overlook?"

Pothalatas sighed. "And I hate that about you."

Printili placed her hands to her face and gasped, mocking shock. "An AI that hates?! After all these eons of working with me, have you finally caved in and expressed emotions?! And I thought that such a feat would be impossible!"

"And there is such a thing as overselling it. You're supposed to be an investigator. Investigate things!" Pothalatas said as he wildly gesticulated at her.

Printili sighed and smiled. "Fine. So! What have you found out about this instance?"

Pothalatas sighed. "... I merged the intelligence cores together and tried to access the stored data in an instance that has eight hundred geopbytes of information detected. After some difficulty with its AI, which I named Amalgam, I had to reformat it to deliver basic information. Other than that, we are in a period where Emperor Gollog is in power, and that he had activated the reclamation protocol. That's about all I know."

Printili sighed. "And now it's his fault that everything got covered and converted into reclamation ferro. It's odd that there is eight hundred geopbytes of information, since it usually averages at five hundred at the end of every instance. ... Anyway, firstly," Printili said, pointing a pseudopod at Pothalatas. "if you are having difficulty gaining information from the intelligence cores, it's best to interrogate each one of them, instead of merging all of them into a single entity. The damage that is done to one intelligence core will overlap with the personalities of the others. You have told me countless times that in the afterimage of every reclamation protocol converted into ferro, everything here is an ocean of raw data. It's better to look at the facts at base value, and listen to each intelligence core separately."

Pothalatas rolled his eyes and groaned. He did remember telling her that. "Fine. You can investigate into this matter. I'm going to find the cause for the activation of the reclamation protocol. Team up with Zuguzugu if you have any problems with certain details you're not comfortable learning. And remember, Printili. Don't have Taleitas just copy and activate the consciousnesses of every cute boy you see."

Printili rolled her eyes and turned away. "What~ev~er~! Some guys deserve a good cuddling. Especially after finding out they've been given a second chance! Command activation, Co-superintendent Printili requesting. Restore Amalgam intelligence core into respective intelligence cores, undo the reformat, and send the intelligence cores, and myself, into 'Printili's Private Chat Room 1.'"

The rainbow orb separated back into seven parts, and was gone in a flash of light, along with Printili. After Printili vanished, Pothalatas inhaled deeply before sighing. "Right... Command activation, Superintendent Pothalatas requesting. Bring me to Emperor Gollog."

In another flash of light that filled Pothalatas' vision temporarily, but was teleported into the interior of a wide room. It was the widest room that was within the prison system core. The gravity within this place was barely existent, though the superintendent didn't feel it. Within the center was a cold-pod that had a mass of overgrown flesh and scales that was contained within. It was overgrown and fat, but incredibly pale in scale color, as though it had spent years underground for the entirety of its life.

Pothalatas sighed as he neared this amalgamation of unrecognizable flesh. But he knew what it is. "Hello, Gollog. I trust that you have fucked up everything again?"

The mass of pale flesh said nothing, and it remained still as though it was made of stone.

"The strong and silent type, huh? Let's see if you can still talk tough when I make a copy of your consciousness." Pothalatas raised his hand at the encased mass of flesh and reached for it. His hand eventually touched the flesh within the cold-pod, passing through the metal. Whether Pothalatas was intangible to everything around himself, or that everything was intangible to him was a moot point in the afterimage of this realm. "Command activation, Superintendent Pothalatas requesting. Copy consciousness, and activate copied consciousness."

Light emanated from within the collection of flesh, which was then followed by abrupt screaming. Seconds later, Gollog fell out through the cold-pod and landed on the ground, appearing with regal white robes and opalescent gauntlets, boots, and a crown. He looked around frantically, confused and disorientated. "What?! Who?! ... Uh... Where am I?"

"The afterimage of the reclamation protocol, as I like to call it." Pothalatas said to the consciously revived emperor. "Ironically, many people has often called this place the afterlife. It's not accurate in my opinion... but... well... I don't really care what they call it either way. I've been at this game for so long that I stopped correcting people after a while."

Gollog looked at the ball of white with the golden eyes. He slowly got up from the ground, but felt somewhat strange as he did so. Was there gravity at the center of Kiln? "... Who... are you?"

Pothalatas smiled and extended his right pseudopod in a handshake. "My name is superintendent Pothalatas. I am here to determine if you are worthy of freedom, rehabilitation, or deletion. It's a pleasure seeing you."

Gollog looked down at the gesture, scoffed, and tried to bat the attempted handshake away, even if Gollog's hand passed through Pothalatas' offered pseudopod. "Whatever you are, you do realize you're in the Sovereign Crypt? This place is forbidden to everyone except myself. Explain to me why you have intruded into my most private sanctum."

"Yeah, well, it's part of the prison system core. Last I checked, there were supposed to be prison staff that should be walking these halls and taking care of the prisoners and their descendants."

Gollog paused and blinked a few times. "... Wait. Does this mean that you're a warden?"

Pothalatas scoffed and smiled. "No. I'm a superintendent. Basically, I judge everyone's history. I weigh their sins and crimes."

Gollog paused again and blinked. "... Are you meaning to say that you're one of the pagan gods that those tribal gilanians worship?"

Pothalatas tilted his head and smiled. "They worship us in this iteration too? I must say, I feel rather flattered."

"What do you mean by 'iteration?'" Gollog said in an agitated way.

Pothalatas sighed. "You see, Gollog, the era agents are responsible for creating trillions of timelines. And I do mean TRILLIONS. Little do they know, we have became aware of their illegal antics. In essence, their timeline manipulations had the unexpected side-effect of creating a limitless number of scenarios. But even so, we can still analyze the prison system of the Kiln Prison System in a more detailed fashion, no matter the number of timelines. After which, we can then create an even better prison system with several redundancies accounted for, and a more perfected method of keeping prisoners pacified, until their prison time is up. Or to never be released, simply dying in the prison they are sent to rot in."

Gollog shook his head slightly and paused. "... You mean to say you are able to exist on several alternate timelines at once?"

Pothalatas shook his head and stifled a laugh. "No, just one at a time. Each and every one of them an afterimage of when the reclamation protocol was activated. And believe me, I have all the time I need to investigate and learn from each iteration that the era agents created. They are responsible for creating 8,348,759,784,398 different timeline infractions, time loops, and alternate timelines, in this instance so far."

Gollog exhaled a sigh of surprise. "My goodness. The era agents time traveled eight trillion times... I never would have thought they were so spurious!"

"Ah, there you are."

Gollog and Pothalatas turned to see Korotobas enter the large, spherical chamber. Pothalatas sighed at the announcement of his second-ranked co-superintendent, the comment seeming to be directed at him. Gollog grimaced when he saw another white orb, yet with a chiseled face this time. "What is this? Another ghost of the afterlife?"

Korotobas looked at Gollog for a few seconds. "... HA! HA HA Hahahahahaha-no." He then floated over to the flesh-filled cold-pod and started probing his pseudopods into it. Pothalatas didn't notice the look of concern that was on his face.

Gollog stared at the newer intruding white sphere before turning to Pothalatas. Pothalatas turned toward Gollog and saw the confused expression on his face. "... Oh. I'm sorry for his manners. He is my co-superintendent. His name is Judge Korotobas." Pothalatas explained.

"Korotobas?" Gollog said, blinking a few times and changing his facial features into that of deep thought. "... That's a name I faintly recognize. An ancient tribe used to worship a god under such a name. ... THAT'S supposed to be Korotobas, the Sin Seeker?"

Pothalatas turned to look at Korotobas doing his work, then looked back at the copied and active consciousness of Emperor Gollog. "... Of course."

Gollog gave Korotobas another long stare before shaking his head. "Honestly, I am not impressed by his appearance. They depicted him as a six armed demon that was on fire."

Korotobas shook his head after he was done fondling with the flesh within the cold-pod. "Yeah, no, this guy has committed WAY too many crimes. Command activation, Co-superintendent Korotobas requesting. Delete Emperor Gollog consciousness copy. Also, manifest a rainbow marker that draws in third dimensional space, with an eraser attachment that can erase its drawings."

"What?" Gollog said in a deadpanned way before flashing in an explosion of white, then becoming a black void and disappearing completely. Meanwhile, Korotobas drew a giant red 'X' over the cold-pod, and then etched several more red x's several times around it.

Pothalatas sighed. "Was that really necessary? I was about to find out why he activated the reclamation protocol."

Korotobas shook his head after he was done creating thirty more red x's on Gollog's cold-pod with great rapidity. "I found out already. Also, I only came over here just to confirm something. With that said, I need you to come with me. Something unsettling has happened in this instance."

Pothalatas tilted his head. "Unsettling? You'll have to be more specific than that."

Korotobas sighed, then turned to Pothalatas with a serious glare. "The prison system has been infested."

"...In-in-infested?!" Pothalatas said, stammering. "Wh-what do you mean by that?!"

"Something-that-is-gross-and-unsettling is the kind of infested that I mean. Or, that's what I think it means. I need you to bring Zuguzugu here."

Pothalatas blinked his eyes a few times, finding it difficult understand what Korotobas was trying to say to him. But eventually, he caved in and sighed. "Command activation, Superintendent Pothalatas requesting. Transport Co-superintendent Zuguzugu to my location."

A flash of light had appeared next to Pothalatas, and Korotobas floated toward the newly arrived white orb. This orb was covered in several scars and bandages and band-aids, and had a surgical mask equipped to his face. This orb looked around frantically before finding the superintendent responsible for summoning him there. He gazed at Pothalatas with a venomous glare, his jade eyes burning into his golden eyes. "Give me a good reason why you thought it would be a good idea to bring me out of Instance 8,348,759,784,397 when I was still trying to solve the murder that involved three dead children, a shryik snake fang, and a toaster oven?"

Pothalatas raised a pseudopod and shook his head. "Believe me, I wouldn't have done so if it truly was without a good reason. In any case, you should ask Korotobas that question, since he asked me to bring you here."

Zuguzugu turned and glared at Korotobas, but his expression changed when he saw his face. Korotobas sighed in relief. "Good. Now that you're here, the both of you must follow me. Command activation, Co-superintendent Korotobas requesting. Transport myself, Superintendent Pothalatas, and Co-superintendent Zuguzugu to General Pallax."

"I grant permission to the request." "I grant permission to the request." Both Pothalatas and Zuguzugu said in unison. All three orbs of white disappeared, but then reappeared next to the lying form of a general within the span of an instant, where a collection of small, flying robots seemed to inhabit some kind of mesh made of light. Little red X's were drawn on each robot, but an orange mark that was the gilaish symbol of a question mark was hovering over Pallax's head, his form completely still within the afterimage of the reclamation.

After looking over the area briefly, Pothtalatas looked over to General Pallax's body on the reclined bed. "Orange question mark? Is this another case of memory modding? If so, is this one too far gone, or is it too disjointed for you to read?"

Korotobas shook his head. "You and I know memory modding is punishable by deletion, but that's not it. I was reading his last memory and have discovered something incredibly disturbing. Command activation, Co-superintendent Korotobas requesting. Play last recorded memory of General Pallax." A giant black screen appeared over Pallax and started showing several images. As the images became clear, it depicted the general looking into a surveillance terminal that oversaw the destruction of Empire City, which recorded the tactics of the monsters responsible. "Now look closely at this, you two." Korotobas urged.

Pothalatas and Zuguzugu looked at each other with uncertainty, but they then focused on General Pallax's last memory.

* * *

Within the deeper places of Planet Kiln lied a place where Gollog's most well kept secret resided. A maze of chrome that contained countless corners and corridors would be what any intrepid explorer would find when exploring that place. Within one of the chambers, tucked away in the deepest part of this crypt, a sovereign leader was casually sleeping. But his mind and spirit is believed to be projected through the technology that creates matter from light itself, and so, created the very real legend of the immortal ruler of Kiln, Emperor Gollog of the Golden Star Empire.

Pallax cared little about finding his emperor's supposedly eternal resting place. It would take a lifetime for a single gilanian to find the crypt where Gollog lied in his endless sleep, and it would only reward the usurper of the Sovereign Crypt with another lifetime with the risk of death removed. Pallax cared not for such an immortality, or the potential promotion of becoming the next immortal emperor of the Kiln Prison System.

Pallax sighed as he drank clean drinking water in a glass cup, and having already shed his gold and red uniform a long while ago, re-donning his sanitary medical gown and taking it easy in his temporary leave of duty. He was lying on an inclined bed, using a terminal that was positioned close to himself. He used it to change to different viewpoints of different surveillance cameras, and much of them were non-functional. The many cameras within the inner areas of Empire City were, unfortunately, disabled by the infestation, preventing him to glean on the actions and tactics of the zerg. He was somewhat curious on what the zerg were like when they were commanded to idle from their assault. He was also curious on what they have done with the gilanians that were incapable of defending themselves in Empire City's slums.

He immediately sat upright when he switched to a camera that showed the inside of the throne room, and Pallax knew right then that his emperor had activated the palace's automated defenses. The battle was in Gollog's favor for a great while, but the zerg have already focused their attention toward the fractal mirrors that created the illusory defense system. Pallax was both impressed and saddened to see the zerg discovering the means to defeat Gollog within his own throne room in such short time.

When that surveillance camera was also disabled by the zerg infestation, Pallax laid back down into his inclined bed and sighed. "Damn the zerg." Pallax said aloud, drinking the last gulps of water and then dropping the glass onto the ground carelessly. It didn't shatter like he expected it to, but he didn't care either way.

 _'If we are to survive, then we must find a way for the zerg to leave this prison. There is no other choice.'_

Pallax turned in his bed and grunted, pressing the shuffle button on his terminal to periodically change to different surveillance camera views in random thirty second intervals. He had spent much of his time watching the terminal's images change from one active feed to another. Many minutes had passed before Pallax decided to take in a big breath and exhale a long-drawn sigh. He would rather be doing something important, instead of being so useless. Being temporarily resigned from duty because of a simple argument was not something that Pallax had wanted to have happened to himself.

There was a knock on his door. Pallax sat up to look at the door that supposedly made the knocking noise. "... Wh-who is there?" Pallax asked.

"Your emperor. Allow me inside your room." Gollog's voice emanated from the door that the knocking sounds were heard from.

Pallax sighed again. "You may come in. I was just going through the surveillance system on different camera feeds. I saw you being defeated in your own castle."

Gollog hissed as he opened the chrome painted door and headed into the room Pallax had made his home in. "A trifle annoyance to an immortal. Nothing more." He eventually stood before his general and looked him up and down, an unamused frown fixed onto his face. "You still haven't donned any pants, I see."

Pallax shook his head. "Forgive me, my emperor, for you have removed me of duty. I saw no need to wear my uniform, so I re-equipped my sanitary medical gown. It's quite liberating compared to that stuffy armor." There was an awkward pause before Pallax posed another question. "If I might ask, sir? Why have you seen it fit to grace me with your presence when your palace is under attack?"

Gollog inhaled and made his own sigh. "I have activated the command that the clone's warden ancestor once had. As of now, I have regretted activating it without knowing what the consequences were."

Pallax blinked his eyes a few times. "... What happened, sir?"

Emperor Gollog hesitated to answer, sighing and sitting down at the foot of Pallax's bed. After he sat down, Gollog answered Pallax's question. "I activated a command that accessed something called 'The Reclamation Protocol'. I initially thought that it would 'reclaim' the person that activated the command and make them a god. In my impatience... I have actually summoned a flood that is covering the entirety of Kiln. I have no idea on how to stop it."

Pallax sat upright in his bed and stared in maddened disbelief at his own emperor. "... The mercury flood is YOUR doing?"

Gollog nodded. "It would appear so."

Pallax sighed. "Pardon me for my words, sir, but if you were not being manifested by dream-light hover-bots right now, I would have kicked you in the shoulder."

Gollog turned toward Pallax with an annoyed expression, but then rolled his eyes and scoffed. "I suppose I truly do deserve such a kick. Alas, this manifested form feels no pain. Such exertion would only waist your energy and effort."

"What are the capabilities of this mercurial flood? I see it climb surfaces and envelop objects, creatures, and other gilanians, but I don't know anything else about it. I am unsure if this is affecting the zerg organisms and their territory, but I hope to know of any information you may have learned."

Gollog shook his head. "I don't know for certain. The Pyramidal Guard Division is already being stretched too thin, and they have already made their 'claims' that their cloaking capabilities are somehow being circumvented by the zerg. They have made a footnote in many of their reports that their invisibility fails when they are in the presence of the oculars and the barnacle sentries, but little is done in the ways of their stealth and reconnaissance still. The purple slime mold growth that is within zerg territory also exhibits unnatural properties, which not only feed the zerg organisms, but also somehow supplies their numbers as well. Needless to say, they are a self-perpetuating force." At that very moment, a ringing noise emanated from Emperor Gollog. The ringing pulsed several times before it was addressed by an eye-rolling Gollog. "Communication request accepted, transfer audio and video signal to nearby terminal screen." He said, directing pallax's terminal screen to face himself. Once the call was answered, screaming could be heard on the other end.

The dark glass masked face of Guik greeted her emperor, but the words on her mask was set to 'panic'. [Emperor Gollog! Please respond! You are in grave danger! The silver flood is getting everywhere! Even under the ground itself!]

Gollog raised his hand in a regal manner. "Calm down, Commander Guik. Explain as plainly as you can."

Guik shook her head frantically before taking in a calm breath. [I can try, sir. The chrome flood is spreading everywhere, and dissolving the ground at a pace we had not accounted for. It has already taken over our division headquarters, and it's going to infiltrate into the Sovereign Crypt. We predict that the surface area within the outer structures of the crypt will increase it's enveloping speed by eight hundred percent. If you do not vacate the premises, then you will be caught in the chrome flood.]

Gollog shook his head. "Where will we go to, Guik? To the zerg infested moon with a device that recycles a shared air supply? They would be less than courteous to allow us that comfort. I, on the other hand, will stay here. It's called a crypt for a reason."

There was a long pause from Guik, her face-mask's letters temporarily changing to 'concern'. A crashing and sloshing sound from her end of the call distracted her, but it was enough to force attention and make her reply to Gollog. Her face-mask's letters changed back to 'panic'. [Then you are on your own, my emperor. May the gods have mercy on all our souls.]

The connection was then ended there, before both Pallax or Gollog could detect any further changes that was happening to the Pyramidal Guard Division's base of operations. Gollog sighed softly after he and Pallax were alone. It was a strange feeling. Pallax could have sworn that he was seeing Gollog at his most weakest, all because his empire was in a losing war against a collection of creatures they never could understand. And the true piece of irony that tied the end of their empire was Gollog, for he was the one responsible for the destruction of his people, caused by the constant presence that the zerg were responsible for.

"Eight hundred percent." Pallax repeated. "If my math is correct, and judging the position between where we are and where the Pyramidal Guard headquarters is located, we have about a minute, perhaps a minute and a half, of free time before we start getting wet."

Gollog nodded. "Indeed." There was another awkward long pause between Gollog and Pallax. The distant rushing of water was heard from outside the doorway, but neither the general or the emperor cared. Gollog sighed one more time. "Do you remember that thing you would say if you ever came across your own death? What was it?"

Pallax smirked and stifled a chuckle. "I promised myself I would only ever say it at the moment of my death."

"Considering that we are about to drown, I'd say now is a good time as any. Well?" Gollog said, turning to Pallax and staring at him.

Pallax sighed with a smile. "I suppose so, since I can't find no fault in your statement. ... By the stars of Yile, the oceans of Kruv, the plains of Peej, and the eye of Barl, I await the ethereal spirit that guides the lost souls to their final rest. Taleitas, goddess of the dead path, bring me to the door that is guarded by your brother. He who is nameless, but is known by those who have died, and forgotten when made alive again. Let me be free of my prison."

Gollog stared wide eyed at Pallax and tilted his head. "A tribal death prayer? I never figured you to be a superstitious person."

Pallax chuckled and shook his head. "It's not really superstition. It's a belief I picked up when I was staying with the Hidden Water Spring Tribe. You sometimes forget who you are when you're immortal and lived a life that is not governed by an emperor. It was nice for a time."

"Hmm. I should have outlawed religion then." Gollog said, shaking his head and smiling absently. "Time spent praying could be time spent working for the empire. Do you know how many idle hands could be used to tinker with tools, instead of being put together just to pray sweet nothings to imaginary and false idols?"

The sloshing of the chrome fluid was becoming louder, the door into the chamber creaking dangerously when something on the other side pressed onto it. Pallax relaxed into his bed, crossing his hands behind his head as he got comfortable. "Yeah, well, we're going to die anyway, so I don't really care about your opinion anyway. As of today, the Golden Star Empire no longer matters, and I can finally take my last vacation in retirement."

The door that was buckling under immense pressure was pushed out of place, and a flood of chrome fluid washed into the room and covered everything with a smothering mirror shine.

 _'Goodbye, Pallax. It's been fun using you as a reconnaissance asset.'_ Kay said to Pallax one final time.

Pallax could not understand what that last message meant in time, because his body was disassembled before he had the chance to.

* * *

"... Zerg?" Pothalatas asked aloud. He didn't know what he just saw, but the creatures that he witnessed attacking Gollog's palace from Pallax's perspective raised a lot of questions, and they were questions that he was afraid to have answered. "Are one of those things a zerg? I don't understand."

Korotobas shook his head. "They said 'zerg organisms', meaning that this 'zerg' is just part of a group of something. I think all those ugly looking animals are what they were referring to."

Zuguzugu floated near the black screen and pawed at its surface, making it rewind to the part where Pallax was watching the zerg fight a giant emperor. "Incredible. Look at the big ones with the huge arm claws. They came out of those tiny eggs in little time. ... And that huge growth that grew within the palace that spawned them... Astounding..."

Pothalatas turned to Korotobas, confusion in his face. "So... you're saying that this is an invasion of a species of giant eusocial insects?"

Korotobas turned to Pothalatas with an expression of confusion on his face too. "Eu-what?"

Pothalatas explained. "You know, like a species of marchers. (ants) Marchers are small eusocial insects that typically have as many as four castes that defend or feed their nest, working together to propagate and expand their territory. Their caste system usually consists of queens, soldiers, workers, and drones. Sometimes five or more castes are found in different breeds of marchers, or other eusocial arthropod breeds, depending on the climate or food supply in their environment."

Korotobas shook his head. "I seriously doubt these 'arthropods' have just four or five castes in their ranks. But you are COMPLETELY missing the point. Think back on the last part of that recording. Didn't you hear another voice talking?"

Pothalatas paused. "... Yeah, I did. I mean... WE did!"

Zuguzugu paused to look back to Pothalatas and korotobas. "Hmm? ... Oh, uh. Yeah. I think Pallax was used as a reconnaissance asset."

Korotobas sighed exasperatedly. "Excuse me, but who the fuck in their right mind would use Pallax, and I mean MOTHER FUCKING GENERAL PALLAX, as a reconnaissance asset?!"

Zuguzugu went to the lying form of Pallax's resting form and grasped onto Pallax's head for several seconds. Zuguzugu's expressions hardened when he analyzed Pallax's brain. "Hmm. Hmm? Hmm... Hmm! ... Mm... Mm? ... Hmm... Yeah, he's learned to mod his memories. Worse still, I think he made contact with the guy that used him as an asset."

"Who is this guy?" Pothalatas asked.

"Apparently, his name is Kay, otherwise known by many gilanians as 'The Bug-Man Beast-Master' of the 'Zerg Swarm.' His voice matches up with the last bit of Pallax's final mental recording, but it doesn't really sync up with all the evidence presented to us." Zuguzugu said, continuing to fondle Pallax's head.

"Evidence? We just learned that there's someone called Kay running about and is somehow leading these monsters. What other evidence do we need to find him and delete this man's consciousness?" Pothalatas said to Zuguzugu.

Zuguzugu shook his head, now starting to feel the rest of Pallax's body. "Not what I meant. You're not looking at the whole picture in Pallax's final memory. This Kay person somehow said to General Pallax that he enjoyed using him as a reconnaissance asset, but it wasn't through any form of technology, like a hacked ear transceiver for example. His memories were not tampered with to contain that final message too, otherwise I would have picked up on the modification applied to the medical micro-machines in his brain. I hypothesize that Kay could have been in this very room with Pallax just before he was reclaimed by the reclamation ferro."

Korotobas shook his head next. "That doesn't make any sense. If that were the case, there would be a second person in this room." He then looked at the faint ghost image that contained the tiny flying robots. "... Well, a third person, I meant to say."

Zuguzugu nodded his head. "As I said, the evidence doesn't sync up. How the hell did he receive that message when this Kay character wasn't even in this room?"

Korotobas decided to add into the conversation. "I sifted through Gollog and Pallax's mind already, and they learned that this Kay guy was commanding these zerg organism monsters through some kind of control. I think it's... psychic control or something? Like a form of telepathy."

"It's a possibility." Zuguzugu said, massaging the general's head. "Man, whoever this Kay character is, he was bad news to The Golden Star Empire. ... Hmm? ... What?" Zuguzugu started frantically pawing at the back of Pallax's head, feeling something odd that was there.

Pothalatas tilted his head as he stared at Zuguzugu's frantic pawing at the general. "... What is it?"

"I don't know... but something is in his head. Command activation, Co-superintendent Zuguzugu requesting. Analyze and identify the collection of nerves that I am currently feeling. Send the information onto the memory playback screen."

As Zuguzugu said that, the black screen that hovered over Pallax changed to view the nerve clump that was behind Pallax's brain. Several colored lines went through the collection of nerves found within the backside of the general's head. After several of these lines passed through the collection of nerve, and even bigger picture was shown to the superintendent and his co's. A purple worm that was studded with a pair of black blades on its rear, and a bubbled head with various 'eyes' was revealed to them. It seemed similar in appearance to a carapaced lamprey. It seemed to have grown several nerve strands that grew into the back of the brain.

"OH GROSS GROSS GROSS!" Korotobas shouted, shivering and backing away from Pallax. "THAT WAS IN HIS HEAD?!"

"Indeed it was." Zuguzugu said calmly. "It's some kind of parasitic organism that has sequestered itself into his skull! Oddly enough, it seems to be only affecting... No... Tapping into the cerebrum's occipital and temporal lobes. This creature even absorbed some of its host's DNA so that Pallax's immune system wouldn't kill it. It even fooled the medical micro-machines that are bonded to Pallax into thinking that it was part of him. Impressive..."

Pothalatas shook his head and growled. "It doesn't explain how this Kay person was able to talk to General Pallax right before the moment of his reclamation."

Zuguzugu nodded. "Yeah, this still doesn't sync up. And yet... I am likely to hypothesize that the parasite in Pallax here is also part of Kay's swarm. By the way, the word you were trying to say is 'psionic', Korotobas. Gollog's empire has done some testing and research of the zerg organisms in the past, and have found out that they operate under the command of a network governed by neural oscillations. Sort of like a colony of marchers being led around by pheromones. Apparently, Kay, and a few others, was at the center of this network, and was able to command the zerg organisms through it. If you consider the theory that the parasite was sending visual and auditory information to this Kay character, then I can even assume that this parasite can work both ways, which would explain the final message that Pallax received before his reclamation. With the parasite embedded within Pallax's skull, It's possible that the zerg organisms could hear and see from his perspective."

Pothalatas and Korotobas looked as though they saw a ghost. Pothalatas sighed. "That... is incredibly invasive sounding."

Korotobas shuddered. "Oh fuck that. A bug-man looking at everything I do and hearing everything I hear? Yeah, that does sound incredibly invasive."

Zuguzugu shook his head at Pothalatas and Korotobas. "You two don't get it yet. The evidence we are receiving right now is not syncing up with the instance we are in. Think about it!"

Pothalatas had a mystified expression. "How do you mean?"

Zuguzugu came up to Pothalatas and pointed at the parasite shown on the floating screen. "How did Kay and his zerg organism swarm happen to exist on Kiln? What is their point of origin on an artificial world?"

Pothalatas looked at the image of the zerg parasite for several seconds. There could be several reasons why these 'zerg organisms' could occur within this instance of the many alternate timelines that he and his co-superintendents were investigating. One likely scenario would be bio-engineered test subjects becoming super aggressive and breaking out of the facility that created them. "Do we know what Kay looks like? And can we find out who he is?"

"I can show you his face." Zuguzugu answered. "Command activation, Co-superintendent Zuguzugu requesting. Access all information that contains the keywords 'Kay', 'Zerg', and 'Bug-Man Beast-Master'. Filter images on the left of the view screen." Several images whizzed through the screen at incredible speeds. Zuguzugu held up a pseudopod when he found the image he wanted to show. "There we go. Here's the monster that was killing Gollog's empire."

Pothalatas analyzed this creature's face, looking at every detail and at every angle. It was a strange face to see. Everything that consisted of a zerg organism so far was completely horrible to look at. This Kay character on the other hand... He was bipedal, but he was far from being a gilanian. His legs were angled wrong to be digitigrade. He had bony wings that waved around as though he could controlled them, yet he had no tail on his rump. "His face is weird looking."

"True." Zuguzugu said, sharing his opinion. "I'm a bit jealous of his green eyes, to be honest."

Pothalatas sighed. "You have green eyes too."

"Also true. Thank you for noticing."

Pothalatas shook his head, sighing. "Still though, I don't think I have ever seen a species quite like him before. In fact, I have never seen a species quite like these 'zerg organisms' either. They look so diverse in their caste system."

Zuguzugu shook his head. "The zerg are not what you might consider your typical eusocial animal species. Commander Faddoh has done some extensive analysis and research on the DNA of these 'castes', from what I gathered with Pallax's memories. Apparently, their DNA are quite diverse from one another, but are wholly connected together on a biological, and psionic level. But the worse part of what I learned about them is they have the ability to 'infest' someone using their own DNA as a weapon. I'll show you. Command activation, Co-superintendent Zuguzugu requesting. Access information that contains the keywords 'zerg' and 'pawn', and filter the images on the left side of the screen again."

The images of infested gilanians was shown to Pothalatas and Korotobas. Korotobas sighed, while Pothalatas gasped. "Wh... What happened to those gilanians?" Pothalatas asked.

Zuguzugu shrugged. "I have no idea, since the images cannot accurately register them with a background check. All I know is that these 'pawns' USED to be gilanian prisoners, or are clones from those that once were gilanian prisoners. And that this is what I mean when I said that they are not your typical eusocial animal species. Apparently, they have viruses within themselves that converts the will of other organisms to Kay's command, by creating special psionic sensitive organelles in the brain, and in many of their cells, that receive and send psionic signals. Somehow, this heavily mutates their flesh. To put it in a way you might understand, the zerg are not just a species. They are a faction of several consumed species that work together as an amalgamate collective. Favorable traits are absorbed, the DNA of unique and powerful organisms are assimilated, and they seek out war and hazardous environments just so they could evolve into tougher bastards than they are already."

Pothalatas hovered backwards and looked away blankly, as though in complete shock and disbelief. "..."

"Which brings me to the topic about the zerg organism known as Kay." Zuguzugu said, pointing to the screen and making the images view Kay's face. "Apparently, he is not a zerg virus infested gilanian. It is true that scalelessness is a rare recessive mutation that occurs in every one to five hundred gilanians that are hatched, but the leg formation and tailless physiology are dead giveaways. His facial features are even flatter than your typical gilanian's snout structure. Compare it to the images you have recently seen, that would just provide more evidence when you look at the differences."

"What does this mean?" Korotobas asked.

Zuguzugu rolled his eyes. "Weren't you listening? It means he's not originally a gilanian! And it also means we don't have the evidence that tells us how the zerg organisms originated in the Kiln Prison System, or where they were created."

Korotobas sighed and nodded. "... Then it's time we go investigate the surface. Should I tell Printili and Taleitas to join us? They're not going to like what they're about to witness."

Pothalatas sighed. "You two will tell them what's happening in this instance. I'll go ahead and go to Ocean's Pearl and start my search there."

Korotobas and Zuguzugu turned to stare at Pothalatas. There was a pause before Korotobas decided to ask. "You alright, bud?"

"... Out of all the iterations of every timeline we visited, how did it come to pass for monsters to wreak havoc on our perfect system?" Pothalatas said aloud to no one in particular. After that, Pothalatas pointed himself upward and speedily ascended, surprising both Korotobas and Zuguzugu the instant he left.

Zuguzugu shook his head and tsked seconds later. "I know that look." Zuguzugu then turned back to Pallax's body to start feeling it up again.

Korotobas looked at Zuguzugu with a concerned expression. "... You uh... You want to fill me in here?"

Zuguzugu sighed and looked upwards. "I've been at this longer than you, so I'll tell you. Pothalatas is an AI that loves a good challenge, and loves to be challenged. He was programmed to look for every nuanced detail to figure out how Kiln's prison system could be made better. In every instance he and I have ever been in, I used to see him as somebody that was excited to enter a new instance. In the later days to come, several million instances after we discovered that the era agents were making new alternate timelines, he just sort of... let things happen at his own pace. That's when he hired me first, and then later you, Printili, and Taleitas to be his new co-superintendents, as judge, detective, investigator, and councilor respectively. He did it to help quicken his work and lessen the monotony of his eternal digital existence. And, as of now, Pothalatas has seen a face that he had never seen before. He now wants to understand that person and all of the nuances behind it. In a way, you could say that he was reminded of what he was made for. I mean, how could you fault him? He's an AI. We're just copied consciousnesses of gilanians that tried to do good, and we agreed to do volunteer work under him, even when we were given the chance for freedom."

Korotobas blinked a few times. "Uh... Yeah. ... Want to find Printili and Taleitas?"

Zuguzugu sighed again. "Just instant message them to come over quickly. Inform them of the situation here, and I'll give them the details. I know that Printili is not going to like looking at gross bugs during her stay here, and I know that Taleitas would want to be more merciful on the people that have been hurt by these zerg organisms."

Korotobas nodded. He reached out in front of himself and pinched his two pseudopods together, forming a square. "Command activation, Co-superintendent Korotobas requesting. Instant message Printili and Taleitas, using word format."

"POTHALATAS!" A voice shouted.

Both Zuguzugu and Korotobas jumped when two faces appeared right beside them. One of which was the white orb that was the investigator of their troupe, Co-superintendent Printili, shouting for the name of their leader. The other white orb bore a white hat with a long purple ribbon tied to it. It bore light purple eyes that appeared to sparkle kindness. Korotobas sighed in relief. "Dammit ladies, you almost gave me a digital heart attack."

"POTHALATAS! WHERE IS HE?!" Printili shouted, looking around frantically.

"Uh... You just missed him. Actually, there is something I want to talk to you about." Korotobas said, holding pseudopods to defend himself from the frantic investigator.

"NO TIME! COMMAND ACTIVATION, CO-SUPERINTENDENT PRINTILI REQUESTING! TRANSPORT ME TO POTHALATAS' POSITION, AND KEEP ME CLOSE TO HIM!" In a hurried flash, Printili was gone, leaving behind two golden halos as a result.

Printili left the white orb with the hat and purple ribbon, which created an awkward air between herself and the two others. "Um... Yeah, when I came into this instance, she was already raving mad about something called a zerg. I don't know what it means, but I can't understand her when she's like that. ... Anyway, hello you two!"

Korotobas and Zuguzugu stared at the newcomer white orb for several seconds before they stared at each other and paused. "Do you think Printili already knows about the zerg?" Korotobas asked Zuguzugu.

Zuguzugu nodded. "Taleitas said that Printili mentioned the zerg." He then turned to the hatted white orb. "Taleitas, what else did she say to you?"

Taleitas blinked a few times, looking down and trying to remember. "I... know that she was raving mad about something she just learned from interrogating the intelligence cores. I must have came into this instance at the moment she left her private chat room. She told me that some of the intelligence cores were damaged, or have self-destructed, although she was kinda shouty at the time. She says that the science and judicial cores were heavily damaged, but that she got enough information to know that there was a huge threat within the system or something. Should I be worried?"

Zuguzugu sighed. "Then I guess she's aware of the zerg organisms in this instance then. Huh... Welp! I think I found out all I can from the general here. I guess I'll move myself elsewhere." He said, retreating his pseudopods and preventing himself from feeling up Pallax further.

Korotobas tilted his head at Zuguzugu. "What about that other thing you were doing? You know, the uh... toaster oven?"

"I'm going to call it an accidental incident. As of now, this instance requires my full attention. These zerg monsters sound like a great deal of trouble." Zuguzugu said, stretching his pseudopods and taking out his own rainbow marker, erasing the orange question mark and drawing a broad red X onto Pallax's body. After that, he got ready to leave for greener pastures. Or anywhere else than there.

Taleitas clapped her pseudopods together to get the attention of the two other co-superintendents in the room. "Excuse me boys. Perhaps you are forgetting something here? You know, telling me what the zerg are?" She said, impatiently.

Zuguzugu sighed. "Oh, yeah. Kind of forgot about you. Command activation, Co-superintendent Zuguzugu requesting. Filter images tagged with the word 'zerg' on the view screen." He said.

Korotobas went to Taleitas with an accusatory stare directed at Zuguzugu. "Zuguzugu! How could you forget dear little Taleitas! She's been part of our family for many eons now!" He said, snaking a pseudopod around Taleitas and hugging her gently.

Zuguzugu gave a deadpanned stare. "... She was not adopted, she was hired."

Taleitas scoffed and pushed Korotobas away. "You guys." She scoffed. She went to the view screen above General Pallax that was wearing the sanitary medical gown. Her face changed from a teased smile to a perplexed frown when she saw several of the images passing by, one at a time. "... These creepy things are the zerg?"

Zuguzugu nodded. "Sit down. We have a lot of info that we discussed with Pothalatas that we now need to share with you."

Taleitas blinked a few times, but then she nodded and sat at the foot of Pallax's bed. Pallax didn't seem to mind, since he was in a space that had its time paused. Once Taleitas had agreed to sit down, she was given an explanation over what the zerg were from the perspectives of Korotobas and Zuguzugu, and giving her ample evidence and information over what they discovered about them. She would develop a mounting fear of these creatures, even when this place was supposed to be free of all forms of threats. But as she learned from her co-workers about what they had discovered in the instance of the alternate timeline they were in, she was slowly starting to understand Printili's rampant behavior. Whatever she had discovered from the intelligence cores, it could not have been good for the entirety of Kiln, or anyone that lived in the current time period.

* * *

"POTHALATAS!"

Printili was shouting loudly at the superintendent that was traveling past several layers of earth, rock and stone. However, Pothalatas was too focused on getting to the surface of Kiln to heed the investigator following behind him.

"POTHALATAS, STOP!"

Pothalatas continued to ignore Printili, since he was determined to fly through Kiln's ground and find the place he called Ocean's Pearl. He was completely engrossed on getting to that place, and he wasn't going to let a shouting investigator talk him out of his mindset anytime soon.

"DAMMIT POTHALATAS! COMMAND ACTIVATION, CO-SUPERINTENDENT PRINTILI REQUESTING. TURN OFF GEOLOGICAL DATA FILTER FOR ME AND SUPERINTENDENT POTHALATAS!"

Pothalatas saw something that he did not expect, making him in his ascent to the surface. Purple growths seemed to seep into the ground itself, and it continued to do so in a great swath that curved within a glass sphere. Blotches of purple grew bundles of purple vines that appeared to penetrate into the air, but the geological data filter was turned off so both Pothalatas and Printili knew that this formation was the root system of... something. Past this growth, something that was jaded and green was seen in clusters of unusual cloud formations.

Pothalatas looked at the purple roots with uncertainty, completely surprised by the sudden sight of the creep rooting into the ground. "What... the... fuck?"

Printili sighed. "I've been trying to get your attention, so listen. These zerg organisms are far more dangerous than you think they are. You see, I have interrogated the cores and have found out about their behavior and military tactics."

Pothalatas stared at the bundles of purple vines for a few seconds before focusing his attention on Printili. He grabbed her firmly and stared into her eyes. "Printili, what do you know about this? Tell me what you have learned."

Printili nodded. "If you unhand me first, then we'll talk."

Pothalatas paused for a few seconds, then agreed to hers request. After backing away a couple feet from her, he sighed and nodded at her.

Printili nodded back. "Alright... Well... The zerg have appeared eight days before the reclamation protocol was activated. They were discovered during the night, and it was later that Gollog recognized Kay and his monsters as a threat to his empire. But by the time they regarded them as a major threat, it was too late. Apparently, these creatures can breed crazy fast, and have the use of several different warrior caste types that specializes in different strategies and combat. Even the last Kiln Keeper factory was destroyed by them. I wasn't able to get every bit of information, since the judicial and science cores were destroyed before the reclamation protocol activated, but they did tell me that they were able to make backups of themselves and stored their information in the backup servers."

Pothalatas nodded. "I see. So everything isn't lost to us then."

Printili shook her head. "We don't know the extent of the damage. All we have at the moment is raw data."

Pothalatas sighed. Apprehension was a funny feeling that he felt. Apprehension was easing into doing something that would later be regretted. Apprehension was acknowledging the dangers, yet continuing with the mission. Apprehension was thinking about the hurt that must be delivered to a person, knowing full well that such pain was for their own good. Pothalatas did not like this feeling, because he was feeling apprehensive about using his own pseudopods to sift all the molecular information within the purple stuff that was right next to him. He gingerly extended a pseudopod and grasped at the purple root piercing into the ground.

Printili grimaced and stuck her tongue out. "Does it feel icky?"

Pothalatas stroked at the purple strand for several seconds, his facial features rapidly changing to astonishment and confusion. "It's... some kind of highly evolved slime mold. It burrowed into the ground just to absorb and extract nutrients from fertile, mineral-rich soil. It contains several organelles that seem very receptive to strong, externally produced neural oscillations. It contains bacteria... Diseases... Viruses."

Printili shuddered. "Yeah, that sounds WAY icky. And considering that you have touched a ROOT of this stuff, I doubt that the other zerg organisms are any better."

Pothalatas shook his head as he continued to feel up the root. "Something doesn't feel right about this mold. I can't really get a coherent idea on what this virus does. Hmm... I think the reclamation ferro may have had some difficulty reclaiming it, but this is just my professional guess."

"How do you mean?" Printili asked.

"I'm pretty good at reading raw data, but the data I'm sifting from this root alone is just... I don't know. Jumbled? Complex? Concentrated? I can feel that the molecular data is overlapping itself, somewhat."

Printili tilted her head. "What do you mean the data is overlapping itself? Like the slime mold root tried to grow through the reclamation ferro?"

"That's entirely possible, but no slime mold that I know of has that kind of rapid growth rate." Pothalatas retrieved his pseudopod and then gazed up at the mass of ooze that grew the long slimy roots. "But I think we might find out more if we look into this further. Command activation, Superintendent Pothalatas requesting. Set opacity of this purple stuff in front of me to twenty five percent."

Both Pothalatas and Printili were suddenly able to see the zerg organisms through the purple slime mold. They saw bio-structures that were attached to the patch of purple stuff that grew across and into the ground. There was also what looked like giant burrowing worms that was coated in the purple sludgy mold, with some splitting off and merged together into some kind of network. Worse still were the creatures that were splayed and weightless in the air that also populated above the purple slime and within the zerg-made tunnel systems. Printilli shuddered more than before. "Ew! EWWW~! THOSE ARE THE BIG WORMS! OH MY GODS, THEY ARE SO MUCH GROSSER LOOKING THAN I THOUGHT!"

Pothalatas rolled his eyes and went to the nydus worm without fear. His pseudopods felt the organism as he continued with his job of sifting raw information, deciphering the disorganized data that he pawed through. Again, his face was of astonished confusion. "Hmm... No brain... Contains the viruses within the purple mold... Can see and hear around itself... Has an impressive esophagus that expands widely... seems to assist in the purple slime mold's growth, but it doesn't seem to create it... It has the same psionic receptor and transmitter organelles that the parasite within General Pallax had... And it has unique DNA that rearranges and revives necrotic flesh... This is so odd. What IS this thing's purpose?"

Printili sighed. "I know what it does. I also know what the others like it do. They transport ground-based zerg organisms."

Pothalatas turned to Printili with a puzzled expression. "Really? I thought they were more like living garbage cans for waste disposal. Nearly all annelids within an environment are responsible for recycling biological plant matter, making the compost reusable for other organisms."

Printili shook her head. "Yeah, well, Commander Kralluf named them 'under beasts', and they transport ground-based zerg organisms."

Pothalatas stared at Printili for several seconds. "... How?"

"Peristalsis movement. They literally upchuck and swallow littler zerg organisms, and they travel very quickly through their intestines."

Pothalatas looked at the nydus worm and felt further into it. "Hmm... I'm also detecting hormones and chemical stimulants within its 'throat.' ... If there ever was a possible threat to these zerg organisms, then it's very likely for them to react quickly to it. This 'under beast' doesn't have a brain, yet it still has the psionic receptor and transmitter organelles within itself. And like the purple slime mold, this organism has overlapping molecular data."

"I was told from the military intelligence core that the zerg organisms are supposed to heal very quickly. Even being able to grow back limbs in minutes to seconds." Printili added to Pothalatas' analysis.

Pothalatas turned to stare at Printili again. "Really? How fast is the regeneration?"

"A creature called a 'blade hound' was able to grow back one of its dorsal attack-claws in a matter of seconds. It was reported that it regrew its lost limb completely in as little as half of a minute." Printili answered.

Pothalatas shook his head and retreated his pseudopods. "This makes no damn sense still. Nothing regenerates that fast. Hmm... Maybe I should check that flesh thing that looks like a pyramid?"

Printili sighed. "Well... We're not going anywhere anytime soon. You can go and feel that zerg nest thing up. But I'm staying right here."

Pothalatas nodded and floated toward the hatchery. The structure was massive in its size, yet it remained so still in its paused state. Little insect-like grubs gathered around the structure, but they didn't interest Pothalatas in the slightest. His pseudopods lengthened as they snaked and coiled around the bio-structure, which assisted him in analyzing this strange immobile creature. He gasped when he found the organism's raw data, suddenly overwhelmed by the information. "... S... S-so much..."

Printili tilted her head as she looked at her AI superior. "... Pothy?"

"This thing... It not only transmits and receives psionic signals... It... It boosts those signals? It... Hatchery... Makes creep... Desperation... Shared will... Makes larvae... Makes vipers... Makes queens... Can evolve into... lair and hive... Grows stronger... Mutations... Burrow... Pneumatized carapace... Hatchery..." \\\\\

* * *

The hatchery was content. All it needed was the pair of queens to groom it, while being injected with hormones. It could evolve into a lair, or hive, but it was content being with its queens, and seeing whatever organism that was spawned from its larvae offspring. Oftentimes, it and the queens' children, all brothers and sisters to the swarm, would enter the awaiting maw of a nydus worm nearby to be delivered elsewhere. It could feel the worth of its purpose, and the joy it felt from its masters.

Lately, it has produced less children that went to war, and a heavy buildup of larvae was developing at its base. The larvae wiggled around happily and excitedly, feeding on the creep and rolling around playfully on one another, even though the masters had no need to turn them into any fighters for the moment. Apparently, they have a great need for flying fighters that uses acid to fight. The hatchery didn't mind, because it was content with its two queens, and the occasional drone that fed it those wonderful little watermelon sized morsels that tasted somewhat like large, juicy, flavorful, succulent, bursting peeled grapes.

But then the call for retreat was issued. The queens that protected it left, and took the drones that once fed it with them. All that was left was the nydus worm and the little zerg larvae that wriggled without a care in the world. It could tell that the skies were filled with overlords. They wanted to carry all ground zerg with them. They brought many into themselves, but there were still too many to carry. Lots of drones were picked up, as well as a few of the other strains, but many were still stuck on the ground.

A single drone decided to stay and continued feeding it those melon sized fruits, and they tasted wonderful to it. The hatchery was not too saddened that the queens left it and were now in the sky, but it still felt joy as it simply existed to provide food for the larvae, and then rewarded with something sweet tasting.

Something wet sounding came. It sloshed and trickled like a dangerous flood. The drone did not like it, and fled to the nydus worm, escaping in time. The hatchery wasn't worried, for it knew that the zerg it gave birth to was safe, just as the queens that helped the hatchery were also safe. The fluid quickly enveloped the hatchery seconds later. It could feel its flesh being torn apart in small amounts, as though banelings were surrounding it and slowly exploding. Once it was completely covered by the chrome slime, its memory and consciousness slowly faded. As it faded, the last memory it dwelled on was the two queens, drone, the neighboring nydus worm, and the larvae that the hatchery produced from itself. After that, it ceased thinking completely.

* * *

Printili sighed. "Oh... You're going to make me come over there, aren't you? Fine." She slowly hovered close to Pothalatas and prodded him. "Pothy? What's going on?"

Pothalatas shook himself out of his stupor, then looked back at Printili. "Huh, what?"

"You just mumbled there like you were looking at a jigsaw puzzle with all its pieces missing. What did you see? What did you feel when you sifted the nest?"

Pothalatas blinked a few times and looked away. "Uh... I wasn't too sure. It... It felt like another mind..."

Printili emoted a concerned expression toward Pothalatas for several seconds before shaking her head. "Okay, if there is ANYTHING here that had a more disconcerting explanation than that, then count me surprised! You make it sound like that nest had a brain inside itself."

Pothalatas shook his head, looking up and around. "No... Not a brain. A mind... Connected to everything."

Printili blinked. "... Like some kind of organic internet?"

Pothalatas sighed and frowned. "Not exactly. Frankly, this is just creating more questions." He then looked upwards, trying to see past all the nydus worms, hatcheries, creep tumors and resource tumors above him. "... Zuguzugu and Korotobas is going to have a hell of a time analyzing this instance." He then started flying upwards, fazing through several other biological organisms that were blocking him. Despite the many kilometers of creep, hatcheries, and other zerg creatures in his way, he didn't slow his approach to the surface.

Printili noticed that her superior had taken her along with him. "Wha!? Pothalatas! Wait just a minute, you're going through those nest things! Aaaaagh~! Ewwwww~! I REALLY do not like feeling these details! Go around the things, please!"

Pothalatas silently counted the kilometers as he waded through the underground zerg caverns. "One kilometer. Five kilometers. Ten kilometers. ... Twenty kilometers... Thirty... Forty... Fift-"

Pothalatas and Printili's vission was suddenly filled with green. Pothalatas had temporarily lost himself within this unusual new environment since he had no frame of reference with where he was. Even Printili, that he had inadvertently brought, was also confused. "What the hell?! Ah! What is up with all this acid?! Didn't you turn off the atmospheric data filter?!"

Pothalatas looked around with confusion that matched Printili's expression. "... This isn't acid mist, or acid clouds. It's... some kind of super-acid. Concentrated acid. It's also in a liquid state. ... So much overlapping data. It's going to be hard sifting through everything."

Printili sighed. "Then let me help you for once. Command activation, Co-superintendent Printili requesting. Change the opacity for this type of acid we are currently wading in to fifteen percent. AH! ... Oooooh... That's a bigger boy than I thought he'd be."

Both Printili and Pothalatas' vision cleared up considerably. Their renewed sight enabled them to see everything around themselves with heightened clarity, but the acid within the afterimage was still quite foggy to their vision. It was also then that they saw an incredibly large creature that was next to them. It looked as though it was twenty two meters tall, and incredibly angry looking. Pothatalas stared at this beast with an uneasy glare. "... Ultralisk."

Printili looked between Pothalatas and the ultralisk for a few seconds before tilting her head. "... Uh... Hello? Is something funny going on with that razor fiend?"

Pothalatas shook his head. "No no, that's its name. Ultralisk."

Printili tilted her head further. "A whats-tron-licks?"

"Ultralisk. A siege monster that can break down defenses using its Kaiser blades."

Printili looked at the ultralisk and paused. Looking back at Pothalatas, she stared at him. "And how do you know its name?"

Pothalatas sighed. "I looked into the neural oscillation patterns in all of its entirety in this instance, and found out that they formed a network of psionic organisation, communication, and strategy planning. Most of these creatures were spawned using the hatchery we were just at. Nearly all of them are. There was so much information... I couldn't look through it all at once."

Printili sighed. "So... You went into ALL of their heads? I could see Zuguzugu doing that if he's on a time limit, but even he has standards."

Pothalatas groaned. "Still, we need to analyze everything that has happened in this instance. We're superintendents. We make sure we report any flaws we find, and find ways to improve the system in however way we can. It's our job to make sure that every kink is hammered out, and every niche improved upon. Now then... Where do we find Ocean's Pearl in this muck?"

Printili shook her head as she looked around. "Even at fifteen percent opacity, it's like looking through vegetable soup."

"Vegetable soup has vegetables in it. This is more like a murky acid broth." Pothalatas paused as an idea came to his head. "... I have an idea. Command activation, Superintendent Pothalatas requesting. Only show the outline of the acid we are in into a thin checkered design when we get a meter close, and change the opacity of the acid within the outline to zero."

Pothalatas and Printili's vision cleared up significantly within the environment that they were in. Aside from the ultralisk they just saw, they also saw other zerg organisms that were permanently frozen within the afterimage of the reclamation protocol. Zerglings, roaches, ravagers, hydralisks, lurkers, infestors, infested gilanians, swarm hosts, locusts, ultralisks, nydus worms, hatcheries, aberrations, queens and drones seemed to populate this vast expanse of zerg-claimed territory. Pothalatas could not recognize the landscape he was in, since it looked so much like another world.

Printili looked at all of the monsters and grimaced. "They all look like they were running away from something..."

Pothalatas sighed. "Or running at something. Probably had nothing to do when the overlords left, so they tried attacking the reclamation ferro head on..." Pothalatas then shook his head and beckoned for Printili to follow him. "Come on. Ocean's Pearl is waiting for us."

"Over-whats?" Printili asked herself silently. Once she was beckoned, she shook herself out of her stupor and joined with her superior. As she followed after Pothalatas, she couldn't help it but give concerned stares from behind his back. She was slowly becoming more worried for the AI than the implication involving the existence of the zerg swarm. How they got in, or how they originated on the Kiln Prison System, was knowledge that was beyond her or anyone elses. Since Pothalatas had probed into the mind of that... hatchery, as he called it, she could feel unease coursing through her mind.

But they flew over the zerg forces that were posed in very aggressive poses and stances, snarling and striking at an unseen enemy. They were hard to look at for Printili, but she was thankful that she didn't do what Pothalatas had done when he sifted through the raw data that the hatchery contained. After wading past several hordes of zerg organisms, she also noted that there were certain ground zerg that seemed to be missing from the main forces. Bursters, as the Golden Star Empire used to call them in this instance. She didn't know what Pothalatas would call them, but she was sure that he would say whatever their other name would be.

The Castle of Dreams was eventuated upon by the traveling superintendents, and they saw that it was in great disarray. The zerg, and several other zerg bio-structures, populated within and around this city. Pothalatas cared not for what was on the surface, since he waded through the ground to enter into the city proper. Much of its insides was ruined, completely infested and overrun with the swarm known as the zerg. If he was a biological organism, he would throw up. However, he didn't since he was an AI. He simply steeled himself in the only way he knew how.

Printili inspected the damage within Empire City, grimacing when she saw no remains or families that used to live within the rich and middle districts. "This is awful." Printili said, going through the twentieth empty housing space that had creep growing into it, its furniture forever ruined. "I don't see anyone here."

"I think the zerg ate the bodies." Pothalatas answered Printili, behind himself. He shook his head and sighed depressingly. "Bones and all."

Printili looked around at the clawed and ruined building again before she shook her head. "We need to find survivors, even if they are dead or remains. Command activation, Co-superintendent requesting. Mark all gilanian lifeforms and deceased gilanians with beacons, with either medical micro-machines bonded to their biology, or without."

They looked around for several seconds for any blips that would occur and appear in their sight. They found several within the populated cities that were far away, unaffected by the warpath of the zerg swarm, and some blips did appear over some gilanians that were made to be part of the zerg swarm, even when their DNA was ultimately changed by the zerg's viruses. They did eventually find a collection of nearby beacons that signaled intact life signs, and both superintendent and his co floated toward what might have been the last defense against the zerg.

What they found was surprising.

Several barricades and tough scrap fences were built up and around a rundown gilanian shanty town, populated by several gilanians that looked sickly, clothed with dirty rags, and seemed incredibly exhausted. Even stranger, 71% of the gilanians within this encampment consisted of children and women, some too young that were armed with wooden or metal makeshift clubs, or remained in the center of their defended positions. Pothalatas looked at each and every face, some that he somewhat recognized, and grimaced when he came to the realization to what this rundown bastion really was. "It's an unemployment camp."

Printili sighed when she took her turn to look at the forgotten citizenry within the encampment. "Poor souls. Homeless because they had no skills that were deemed important by the empire, or were considered too weak to join their army. They had nowhere to go but the slums."

Pothalatas turned toward Printili and smiled. "You almost sounded like Taleitas just now."

Printili huffed and crossed her pseudopods. "Don't ever say that aloud, ever again. If she heard that coming from you, then she's going to be back to her goo-goo self again and insist on calling me her stepsister."

Pothalatas smirked and shook his head. "Alright alright. Forget I said anything."

Printili stared, annoyed by his teasing. She then shook her head and sighed. "What is with you recently? One minute you're so serious, and now you're back to your aloof mannerism. What's going on?"

Pothalatas paused for several seconds, but then he eventually sighed. "You become sloppy when your empathetic. That is a trait an investigator is not supposed to have, so... I thought teasing you could get us back on track."

Printili kept her stare focused on Pothalatas, but then sighed and nodded. "But you have dodged my question. What's going on?"

Pothalatas nodded. "... I don't want to talk about it yet. Not until I can collect more information and data from the zerg. But right now, I have been met upon a question I want to ask."

Printili tilted her head. "What is it?"

"Why have the zerg not attacked the homeless encampment here?" Pothalatas said, answering Printili with a question of his own.

Printili looked around the dilapidated and barely standing camp. No zerg organisms were running toward the camp and attacking them, nor were the campers defending their last home with any weapons. The reclamation ferro that washed over everyone within Empire City, or Ocean's Pearl as Pothalatas called it, had warped the entire picture, making it hard to decipher from. But both Printili and Pothalatas had plentiful practice at deciphering from disjointed puzzle pieces before, and everything was data before them, frozen in time for their perusal and judgement.

"Might as well get the story from one of the locals. Command activation, Co-superintendent Printili requesting. Play the last recorded memory of... oh, let's say... this strapping lad right here." She said, pointing at the eldest looking teenage gilanian within the entire encampment. A large black screen hovered over the eldest teen, and it played back his last memories before the reclamation ferro washed over him.

* * *

It was dark. Things moved from outside of the dark. Glowing eyes that pierced the veil of black. They scrambled somewhere, their cries for blood so deafening. Many that tried to attack them were attacked back, and then pulled apart, or unmade by that bubbling fluid. They came in so many numbers. Too many to count. Too many to fight. The ones that could run away found their home here, and they erected weak fences and flimsy barricades that would barely hold from any attack, if they were to attack. But they remained away from their little home, ever since they stopped trying to fight back at them. They act so violently against aggression.

But their cries for blood had lessened. They stopped their march on the purple sludge that made that horrible wet sound every time it was stepped on. Their bestial roars, their threatening hisses, their aggressive chortles, and their savage trilling had ceased completely. Their marching had almost stopped completely, yet they milled around with nothing to attack.

To Kabos, it was a sight that he was starting to get used to, even when he knew it was dangerous thing to be getting used to. He swore that every time he looked at the blackened horizon that squirmed, slithered, and crawled with those monsters, he could see the phosphorescent eyes staring back at him. Eyes that were unnatural, curious, and hungry.

Kabos was the eldest teenage gilanian male in the unemployment camp that was three hundred members large, consisting mainly of women that were denied army membership to the empire, or youth that were too inept to fight in the ranks of a soldier. He was sitting on a box that used to contain dried fruit slices, and he spun a steel pipe in one hand as he watched the monsters. His attire consisted of a stained rag that was a pancho many sizes too large for him, and he had a thick plastic sheet that was sown into the shape of a cap. He had learned earlier that violence was not the answer to fighting these monsters. He saw an adult cleaved in half when he tried to fight back against these swarming monsters with a metal shiv. Kabos managed to find a way to drive off these monsters using a more safer method.

"This is boring."

Kabos sighed when he looked over to the second eldest gilanian teenager in the camp. "Shut up, Footoo. You know that making noise this far from camp draws them close."

Footoo was an incredibly skinny gilanian boy. He wore a raggedy poncho that was two sizes too small for him, and he carried a broken wooden club that was tied back together with a metal splint and some metal wire. He sighed for the umpteenth time, laying back in a collection of plastic bags that were filled with ruined plush toys. He silently groaned when he was reminded of the dangers beyond the encampment. "Shoot oop, Footoo. Yoo knoo thoot mookoong noos droows thoom cloos." He said in a mocking tone. Kabos picked up a pebble and flicked it at Footoo, making him jolt upwards. He instantly figured out what startled him, prompting Footoo to glare at Kabos, and making a rude gesture towards him.

Kabos shook his head as his gaze settled on the horizon within the bottom of Empire City. "Don't be rude. It's thanks to me that the other kids, and some of the men and women here, are still alive."

Footoo rolled his eyes and groaned again. "Yeah, but when them things started coming around here again, they always went after them Torus Chain guards or a lunatic that lost his mind and got killed for it. Now though, it's so quiet that I am DYING for some excitement."

"And I told you to shut up." Kabos warned Footoo. Footoo groaned again, but kept himself silent afterwards.

Kabos' partner was always trying to stir up trouble. But he couldn't blame him. He himself was bored out of his mind. If he was older, he could learn a little discipline and become more patient. He could imagine playing a fun game within his head, but then he would be too distracted at keeping the zerg away from the camp. And he knew that these things, whatever the hell they are, always seem to come when they're not being closely watched.

"Hello, my brave 'prod boys.'" Both Kabos and Footoo turned around to find a gilanian woman that was covered in several rags, walking on a leg and a crutch, and yet carried two steaming things on a plate. She approached them and sat herself onto the ground, getting comfortable. "Get your eats."

"Mom, I told you before, don't call us prod boys! It's degrading." Footoo whined.

The mother chuckled and smiled. "Now now, Footoo. I was just teasing."

Kabos rolled his eyes and waved at the mother. "Hello Misses Foo. What did you get us this time?"

She smiled and showed them the platter. "A special dish my sister used to make. Heavy stale bread that's hollowed out, with its innards filled with mixed, boiled ingredients. She called it a 'bread bowl soup.' I snuck a stick of krell jerky inside the bowls for my brave boys. Please enjoy."

Kabos and Footoo grabbed at the bread bowls. Kabos smelled at the cooked meal and sighed happily. "Reminds me of my own mom's cooking."

Foo squeezed at Kabos' shoulder and smiled. "You charmer! So... How has the 'prod boss' been doing? Keeping the nasty monsters out, I trust?"

Kabos sighed. "It's hard work, yeah. Been doing it a lot less than before, but these are monsters that can't be ignored, or they'll start inviting themselves here. How about the other prodders? I noticed that they didn't really like the idea of a kid being the boss of them."

Foo sighed. "Well, you ARE the one that discovered a way to keep these beasts out of here. Nobody believed you when you said that all it took was a poking stick and some chanting."

Footoo chuckled, having already downed his bread bowl and its soupy contents. "And then he fucking went out past the camp limits and did that stunt, he did! Everybody's faces were like, 'Wah~?!', when he came back with that crate of dried fruit and proved them wrong! Funniest fucking thing I ever saw!" He said, mocking shock and looking dumbfounded before chuckling again.

Foo slapped Footoo's head. "Language, Footoo!"

Kabos stifled a chuckle, rolling his eyes after being praised. However, he paused when he saw something that was closer to the camp than it should have been. After focusing on the outlines in the shadows, it was then that he noticed several sets of glowing eyes staring back at him and getting closer. He got up and pointed his steel pipe forward. "We've been too loud. Foo, get back and hide."

A pack of six zerglings trilled as them neared the unemployment camp, their wings fluttering as they got closer. Foo got onto her crutch and hobbled to safety, while Footoo and Kabos came forward and pointed their implements at the intruding zerg organisms. They started shaking their sticks around at the zerg attempting to enter their camp. "It's the fast ones this time! You take right and I take left! KA! KA KE KI KO KU!" Shouted Footoo, pointing his hastily mended club. The two brave teenagers got close to the encroaching zerglings with their unusual tactic to stave them off.

Kabos approached one of the zerglings that he noted was at the front of the pack, and it started snarling at him when he got close to it. "KA KA KA! KA-KA!" The zergling hissed as Kabos waved his stick close at its face and shouted at it. It quickly batted away the steel pipe that was used to annoy the dangerous beast, but Kabos then began to tap the ground with his foot and poke his pipe at the zergling. "WHOA, HEY! NO! BACK! KA-KA! BACK! KA-KA!"

The zergling snarled as it was poked back, taking a retreating step with every soft prod applied to its carapace. Its carapace could stop a few rounds of hypersonic 8 mm armor-piercing metal 'spikes', capable of penetrating up to two inches of steel plating when fired from the terran marines' C-14 impaler gauss rifle, yet the zergling was becoming mildly annoyed by the prodding pipe of a teenage gilanian. It snarled again when prodded again, which then prompted the zergling to finally scurry away.

"The pack leader is running off!" Kabos reported, now waving his pipe at the other zerglings. "The others will start running off too, so keep at it! KA-KA! KA KA KA!" The rest of the zerglings trilled and hissed angrily, and then started retreating back to the darkness from whence they came.

"KA-KE-KE! KA-KE-KE! AND STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM HERE! Huh... There's just no end to these guys." Footoo said, slightly out of breath.

Kabos went up to Footoo and patted him on the back, laughing. "Just be glad it isn't one of the bigger ones. We'd have a harder time keeping them out."

Footoo's face changed to frustration before sighing and nodding at his friend's advice. They were pretty good at picking out the pack leader in a pack of zerglings, but when it came to ravagers or lurkers, they needed a heavily built adult, or several, to assist them. Kabos was adamant about a certain detail regarding the banelings, in that they must never be poked. Poking them would risk becoming dissolved into a screaming corpse before turning into a puddle. They could shout at them as much as they want, but they must never ever poke a baneling with a sharp weapon. The hydralisks were a major problem since they always seem to slither around silently, and would hiss every time they were caught. They deeply detested from being poked, and never came around to bother the refugees in the unemployment camp. Infestors were about as worse as the hydralisks, but they have the habit of burrowing into the ground to escape the prodding. The infestors were somewhat slow, but they always felt like they were being followed by it after they prodded it away. But it does leave another problem zerg organism that plagued the camp time after time again.

"KO-KO-KO-KO-KO! KO-KO-KO-KO-KO!" Both Kabos and Footoo looked behind themselves to see a roach that was hurriedly coming towards them. They quickly scampered out of its way as a big adult gilanian used a long wooden plank as his poking stick. After the roach skittered away, screeching at its antagonist while being chased, the adult gilanian relaxed in the presence of the 'prod boss' and his friend. He then saw that he had company. "... Oh. If it isn't the little boss." He bore a loose shirt that was made of silk, yet it was stained beyond recognition. Part of his lip and eye was missing, replaced with a scar that told a gruesome story.

Kabos looked up at the adult and scoffed. "I may be little, but I'm the one who discovered the monster prodding technique. My nickname is well earned, no thanks to you."

The adult sighed. "If you say so, 'Prod Boss'. The scavenger team is going to be coming back soon with supplies. If you want, I can take over the rest of your shift, and you can have first pick on what they brought back."

Kabos nodded thoughtfully. "That's kind of you, Paffuwd. Thanks."

Paffuwd smiled, then jerked a thumb behind himself. "Get out of here."

Kabos smiled, and then scampered away to the center of the unemployment camp. Life was not easy within the encampment, since everyone had to fight in order to eat, sleep, and have their backs covered. It is no different in more simpler times from before, and even then, it was hard living in the slums. Since Kabos had discovered the means to drive away the zerg and prevent them from eating the food they have stored for the leaner times, he was regarded as the local hero of the camp.

But he was able to make several adjustments to the encampment to help defend his home, enabling the camp ways to ward the zerg organisms away from itself. 'Prodders' were stationed both outside and within the encampment, and he had helped teach each and every one of them how to fend themselves if they were approached by a zerg organism. Several stakes attached to bells were installed within the camp, to help detect any burrowing zerg organisms that may have dug under their homes. Needless to say, they had adapted peacefully against the aggressive zerg menace in the most unexpected of ways, through a pacifistic means. The skeleton that was once in the center of this camp had already fallen to the ground, yet it was reused as scrap to help repair their fences and tools. They were committed to survive, no matter what kind of hellish monsters they had to live next to.

However, within minutes, the last camp of the homeless and the destitute within Empire City would be washed over by the chrome slime. Even the zerg were incapable of fighting back against the sudden rise of the silver tide coming from within the city's under-structure. Kabos, as well as his other friends and fellows that were in the camp, were smothered and reclaimed by the silver slime.

* * *

"Wow, that kid has balls!" Printili said aloud.

Pothalatas turned to her with an unamused stare.

Printili turned to Pothalatas and noticed the look he was giving her. She flicked at his forehead. "Don't give me that look! I'm not THAT promiscuous."

"He's young."

"I'm older than him by leaps and bounds. And besides, I'm speaking metaphorically."

"Mm-hmm."

Printili shook her head and continued looking at the screen. "Still though, these creatures had every opportunity to kill these people. Acid spit, spine projectiles, claws as sharp as blades. I... don't get it."

Pothalatas nodded. "That's because they were not targeted by the swarm. They have been given instructions to only respond to hostility and aggression. Those people were just lucky that they found a way to coexist with them."

Printili cocked her head, confusion expressed from her face. "Really? Then we should be seeing more gilanian hatchlings and children. How come there are not more of them here?"

Pothalatas sighed. "Because the gilanians in this instance practices infanticide. If a mother, father, or guardian believes that the child in their care wouldn't survive in the world they are hatched in, then the child would be euthanized."

Printili gasped. "Wow... That usually occurs in one out of every hundred thousand instances."

Pothalatas shook his head. "That's not the worst bit. The zerg are not so compassionate either. Chances are, if there is an unguarded baby that was abandoned by its family, then they are very likely to... well... eat the baby."

Printili grasped at Pothalatas' mouth and shook him around. "No~ no~ nooooo~! Don't say stuff like that! Don't even say that around Taleitas!"

"Yeah, please don't." Taleitas asked.

Printili and Pothalatas turned around to see three orbs of white had gathered behind them. Zuguzugu, Korotobas, and Taleitas had been behind them the whole time, having not noticed their presence before then. After a brief pause, Printili unhanded Pothalatas' mouth. "Uh... How long have you three been here?" Printili asked, blushing.

"Somewhere at the start of your memory viewing adventure." Zuguzugu answered. He then turned to Korotobas. "Koro, you think you can uh..." He said, gesturing to the last of Empire City's population.

"Yeah yeah, I'll get to judging." Korotobas said, floating to the closest gilanian and sifting through the memories of his past crimes and sins.

Zuguzugu nodded, then turned to Pothalatas. "Something tells me that you guys learned more about these zerg organisms than I ever could standing still. What happened?"

"Pothalatas sifted into the entirety of the neural oscillation patterns in this instance. He now knows the different names of the zerg because of that. Other than that, I'm not sure what else he learned." Printili answered.

Zuguzugu paused for a few seconds, nodded, and then sighed. "Do you know the procedure regarding pets or animals that have been bonded with the medical micro-machines?"

Pothalatas steeled his gaze and nodded. "Yes. I was the one who made that procedure."

"Right. So. Are these creatures imbued with medical micro-machines?" Zuguzugu asked.

"... No."

Zuguzugu sighed. "You ass-hat. Sifting through raw data on an animal is only applicable when they are bonded with medical micro-machines. Since that these zerg monsters do not have micro-machines bonded to their biology, the only thing you can feel from sifting their molecular data is raw information. And you're telling me that you tried sifting the neural oscillated connections between all of these zerg organisms?"

"... Yes. Well... Mostly, that is. There was so much overlapping data, so it was hard to sift through." Pothalatas looked away and sighed.

Zuguzugu scoffed and slapped a pseudopod onto Pothalatas' forehead. "You're out of your damn mind. You might be an AI, but there have been cases where the personalities of reclaimed gilanians, especially those without their micro-machines, bleeds into the superintendent as their mental information is sifted through. That kind of raw information within their brain can slowly overwrite a superintendent's personality, until the sifted personality completely takes over. Sure, an artificial intelligent superintendent has a higher threshold than an organic AI with a copied intelligence, but that doesn't mean that they are exempt from the personality bleed-through. And you said that you tried to read all of the neural oscillation patterns in all of its entirety?! just now?!" He asked, almost shouting.

Pothalatas hardened his expression. "Then damn the procedures! Right now, there is a MAJOR kink that is within the prison system, and I want to find out how it can be solved." He then sighed. "Now, granted that what I did was dangerous, but it was to gain information regarding the zerg swarm. If you have a problem with my methods, then you can submit a complaint to the moderators either during, or after our analysis of the instance we are in. Have I made myself clear?"

Zuguzugu nodded. "I understand you perfectly." He said sternly.

Pothalatas nodded. "Good. Then it is my decision, as superintendent reviewing this instance, to label instance 8,348,759,784,398 as a 'condition red' scenario."

Zuguzugu groaned loudly and looked as though he was defeated. "Ooooooohhhhh... Fucking hell, this WOULD be a condition red, now that you mentioned it."

Taleitas blinked a few times. "Um... I don't think I'm familiar with a condition red scenario."

Printili sighed as she floated over to Taleitas. "Let me explain, dear. A condition blue is when the prison system works as intended. Then it goes to condition green, when there has been an infraction or two between the prisoners, the prison staff, or with the system that has been put into place. Based on how many infractions occurred, and how severe those infractions become, it can range from green, yellow, orange, or even red depending on the severity or number of infractions. Since these zerg have run amok in this instance, I'd call this a condition red scenario too."

Taleitas shook her head and sighed. "So how did the zerg come to be anyway? Did a mad scientist create these creatures?"

"No." Pothalatas answered. "Not yet. Not until everyone has been rounded up. Hey Korotobas! I need you to come here!" He shouted to his judge.

Korotobas looked over to the gathered superintendents, paused, sighed. He hovered over to them. "Alright, I'm here. What's the hubbub?"

Pothalatas sighed. "I believe that the zerg came from... outside of the prison system." There was a long pause before the four gathered co-superintendents started talking wildly between each other. Pothalatas sighed again, and gestured for them to stop chatting among themselves. "I have sifted through the zerg swarm's neural oscillation patterns and they have an extensive knowledge contained in their hivemind intelligence. They came from a place called the 'Koprulu Sector'. It's an area of space that is not part of our own galaxy, or perhaps not even from our own universe, but it is a place that is filled with violence. Two other races seem to fight the zerg on equal terms, and their methods are quite lethal in their own ways. But the zerg still remained the most numerous faction back in their home dimension. Worse still, the zerg have the capacity to fight against creatures that are comparable to gods."

"Let me stop you there." Zuguzugu interrupted. "How does this all tie in to the zerg somehow breaching our secure prison system?"

Pothalatas shook his head. "Even they don't know that. They were trapped within the void that a godlike being had casted them into, and they were pulled from there to our prison system afterwards."

Zuguzugu nodded. "And eh... Do you know where they were pulled to?"

"Somewhere at the south pole of Kiln,where there is a secret science facility stationed. They didn't have a chance to find out what its purposes was, even before the reclamation protocol activated. And neither do we, I might add." Pothalatas answered.

Zuguzugu nodded again. "Then we can assume that facility was somehow their entryway into our world. Since this is our only lead, let's go there now!"

Pothalatas sighed and nodded. "Then let me be the one to do the honors. Command activation, Superintendent Pothalatas requesting. Transport me, and the superintendents Korotobas, Zuguzugu, Printili, and Taleitas to the south pole of Planet Kiln."

Within an instant, the whole group of superintendents had vanished, leaving behind nothing but the memories that they had gleaned into, as well as a large screen that played memories.

When they reappeared an instant later, the superintendents found themselves above two areas that were quite unusual. One of which had a crater that was covered in creep and burned body parts that came from the zerg. There was also another crater, but it contained no facility to speak of, and it also had no creep or zerg parts littered within it.

Zuguzugu looked around briefly and nodded. "Right. Well. Point me to the facility, if you can remember where it is."

Pothalatas looked down, and his eyes widened into bewilderment. "... What?!" He flew to the ground and looked at the large crater that had creep within itself. "... Where is it?! Where is it?!"

Zuguzugu stared at Pothalatas as he looked frantically at the facilities that seemed to never been there at all. "... Hmm. I take it that the facility you mentioned is either A: invisible, or B: vaporized. I can't really tell which, at the moment."

"But there were two facilities here! One that was responsible for the zerg emerging into this world, and the Era Agency that made all those alternate timelines!" Pothalatas said, not believing what he was seeing.

Zuguzugu was taken by surprise from that fact. "Wait, the era agents were stationed here?!"

Pothalatas shook his head. "Well... no. The zerg actually took over their facility."

Zuguzugu's eyes widened by further surprise. "WHAT?!" He floated after Pothalatas to inspect the missing facilities himself, despite the fact that he might not be able to sift through the data as efficiently as he wanted.

Meanwhile, Korotobas, Printili, and Taleitas was left to float in the company of themselves. Korotobas face-palmed himself. "Ugh, these two dudes."

Printili nodded and sighed. "Judging from their expressions, this place used to be of great importance. If we can go back in time, we could find out where they have gone to. But since we can't do that, I guess all we have right now is the background radiation of the temporal field."

"Gilaish, please." Telaitas asked Printili.

"Background radiation of the temporal field?" Printili answered. "You know... It's what happens after the era agents creates a tear in time just to go to another timeline! Which reminds me." Printili cupped her pseudopods together and aimed them downward. "HEY ZUGUZUGU! FIND OUT HOW MANY TIMES THE ERA AGENTS TIME TRAVELED!"

"YOU GOT IT!" Zuguzugu answered back, trailing his hands through whatever available spaces that used to have facilities existing within them.

Korotobas sighed. "Never would have thought my day would turn out like this."

Taleitas stared at Korotobas and blinked. "Uh... But it's never the daytime here. You wouldn't really know if it was, since the atmospheric data filter has been turned off."

Korotobas shook his head and chuckled. "Metaphor, Tal. Metaphor."

Taleitas rolled her eyes. Printili decided to cut into the conversation. "Well, since this is a condition red scenario now, I'm guessing that a lot of people are going to be populating this afterimage with us. Oh... This is going to be so much paperwork."

Korotobas smiled as he placed an arm around Taleitas and Printili. "That's alright, ladies. It will mean that we will be spending a lot of time together in our appointed teams. I bet the xenological analysis division is going to get a KICK out of these zerg critters."

Taleitas shook her head. "I'm more worried about the zerg someday finding a way to exit the prison system. Didn't you hear Pothalatas? He says that the zerg eats babies! BABIES! We should stop them before they find out how to make their own doorway out of Kiln!"

Printili gave Taleitas a deadpanned stare. "I doubt the zerg could ever wield technology that can bridge through the anti-quantum veil. They're just bug monsters. How would they know how to press a button or work a wrench?"

"Uh... By using one of their 'pawns' to do their work?" Taleitas answered.

Printili paused. "... Hmm, that makes a lot more sense. This still might be a problem for us."

Before their conversation would continue, they were interrupted by Pothalatas and Zuguzugu rejoining them. Zuguzugu seemed to have a puzzled expression on his face. "Bad news, girls. Looks like the era agents has created nearly five hundred timeline splits in this instance, as well as several loops and rewrites too."

Korotobas bared his teeth and angrily glared at Zuguzugu. "You callin' me a girl?!"

Printili pushed Korotobas out of her way. "Then what's the good news?"

"More bad news." Zuguzugu answered. "I think the zerg ended up creating an alternate timeline. They may have done so by sending someone into the past to rewrite history in another new alternate timeline. This might have been a one-way ticket, but we still don't know the full picture."

Printili, Taleitas and Korotobas looked at one another with worried expressions. Pothalatas sighed and shook his head. "It's like no matter what we find, there's just information that leads to worse news."

Taleitas sighed. "Then in order to learn everything we can, we need to get every piece of intact information." She turned to Pothalatas. "Pothalatas, you have the superintendent rank in this instance. Get the request to access the backup files of the intelligence cores. There's information there that must hold more clues about the zerg."

Pothalatas nodded at Taleitas. "Good idea. Command activation, Superintendent Pothalatas requesting. Access backup files on the intelligence cores, and transport us to the backup system."

With yet another flash, they were transported away from the two craters that once contained facilities.

And then they reappeared on the surface of the hexagonal moon, which also happened to be infested with the zerg swarm. Printili looked at the monsters that were everywhere, forcing her face to emote disgust. "Oh gosh, I forgot to mention that the zerg infested the moon. Even all that acid shit got here too."

Korotobas spotted a queen and looked it up and down. "... I don't know what the hell that thing is, but it looks kind of regal. And ugly."

"That's a... queen." Pothalatas replied, but he was distracted by something.

"A queen, huh? ... Yeah, she might not be the prize winner at any prom she participates in. Well, except the ugly prom queen contest, that is." Korotobas announced, backing away from the hideous looking thing.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DATA?!" Thundered Pothalatas as he saw the view screen above himself.

The co-superintendents quickly turned to face their leader with great surprise, and then they too looked at what had made him shout in outrage. They became shocked by Pothalatas' recent discovery. The view screen that appeared above them, and showed them the collected and backed up data that the intelligence cores have stored over the many years, showed them that there had been a disruption to its stored data. They could see that several days of information were missing from its records.

Taleitas stared at the view screen and shook her head, completely in awe and surprise. "... This... This has... NEVER happened before."

Printili shook her head as well, staring in disbelief at the view screen. "There has never been a recorded incident of the backup server system being disrupted. And it's been disrupted for... fourteen, maybe fifteen days."

"Wait." Korotobas interrupted. "You're telling me that the intelligence core's backup servers were disrupted. By what, exactly?!"

"I don't know, but this is quite serious." Printili said, inspecting the information that was shown from the view screen. "It's not saying that the servers have been tampered with. If they were, it would have told us. Worse still, we don't know what has caused the cease in the daily backup upload. ... Zuguzugu. See if you can find the correlation between the zerg and the servers being prevented from backing up the information gained by the intelligence cores."

Zuguzugu expressed a thoughtful look. "Hmm... No hardware tampering detected... If the zerg were to try to tamper with the backup server system, then they would most likely do it through the shadow frequency transmitters, using the intelligence core's private transmitter network. But the private transmitter network would activate the reclamation protocol if that were the case, and this IS a manual activation. If the intelligence cores were directly hacked into, it would count as hardware tampering, which would also trigger the reclamation protocol. But since the judicial core and the science core had self-destructed, or perhaps been dismantled before it could report that it had its hardware tampered with, that wouldn't trigger the reclamation protocol. From what I see, there has not been any visible damage done to the surface of the hexagonal moon that houses the backup server system, or that would have also triggered the reclamation protocol too. Hmm... Perhaps we need to ask the most simplest question to get the answers we need."

Printili tilted her head. "Which is?"

Zuguzugu pointed a pseudopod at the dark side of Kiln and to the creep covered surface of the hexagonal moon. "What was the obstacle that prevented the backup server system from updating the backup information, collected and sent by the intelligence cores?"

The four co-superintendents looked at one another for a long time, since they knew not the method that prevented the data from being stored. They puzzled over the simplest of questions within their own heads for almost half a minute. But alas, they could not imagine what that answer could be. Pothalatas, on the other hand, was slowly linking the pieces together. "The zerg... Maybe it's the zerg that became the obstacle?"

Zuguzugu shook his head. "That's very unlikely. The hexagonal moon's surface was designed to receive shadow frequencies of a specific wavelength, which is emitted from the intelligence cores' private transmitter network. I seriously doubt the zerg are the cause to disrupt the shadow frequency signal, simply because there is no evidence to suggest an organic organism could be able to disrupt the aether field."

Taleitas looked at the ground that was covered in the creep. "... Well, we don't have a lot to go on. Zuguzugu, why don't you check the purple slime mold? Maybe it has some kind of property we overlooked?"

Zuguzugu sighed and nodded. "Fine." He floated down to the ground and probed into the purple sludge. "... Hmm. ... ... ... Fucking hell."

Taleitas sighed, feeling like she already knew her answer, judging from Zuguzugu's expression. "What is it?"

Zuguzugu shook his head and gritted his teeth. "This slime stuff has the ability to convert energy of various kinds into fuel. It somehow adapted to react to, and absorb, shadow frequencies. There are these small platelet things that is hidden under this stuff, and they form some kind of energy rich mucous within a translucent capillary system." Zuguzugu followed the veins, which eventually led to a large mound that was close to a hatchery. He groped onto the resource mound, his expression changing to confusion. "... It can convert this energy rich fluid into dense atoms and molecules in this bio-structure. Dammit. If this is telling me what I think it means, this slime mound creates this slime stuff, and the capillaries with the energy collecting platelets turn the shadow frequencies into biological materials, no doubt used for growing and spawning their monsters."

Taleitas and Printili exchanged worried glances. Korotobas floated toward Zuguzugu and shook his head. "Wait a minute... How did it convert electromagnetic frequencies, being transmitted through the either field, into a mucous?"

Zuguzugu sighed. "Its processes act very similarly to manifestation altar technology, but on a biological scale. This mound thing can manipulate atoms, such as its protons, neutrons, and electrons, to create new elements. Kind of explains the reason why these creatures could survive in the desert so well, since they could create their own water source by absorbing mainly solar and heat radiation."

Korotobas sighed. "Okay, yeah, great, well, here's another question that came to mind as of this moment. HOW THE HELL ARE THEY SURVIVING ON THE MOON WITHOUT SPACE SUITS?!" He shouted, waving his pseudopods frantically.

Zuguzugu rolled his eyes. "Pothalatas. Want to fill us in?"

Pothalatas turned toward his co-superintendents. "Hmm? What about?" He was too focused on staring at the view screen that gave him the details regarding the information that was successfully stored. The conversation between his co-superintendents was completely ignored by the superintendent.

Korotobas pointed at the various zerg organisms that were stick in the frozen afterimage. "How the hell can they be up here without any breathing apparatuses?!"

Pothalatas nodded. "They are an adaptive collective of hivemind organisms. They can evolve to be aerobic organisms in an environment without an atmosphere. They can even survive on asteroids, if you can believe that."

Korotobas paused, and then crossed his pseudopods. "Well now he tells us."

Pothalatas shook his head. "Then it's clear on what we have to do. This is still a condition red scenario after all. Get your research teams together and go about your normal business. Request some specialized people to enter the afterimage, and I want them to be the highest, and most proficient, xenobiologists we have available. Command activation, Superintendent Pothalatas requesting. Set condition red scenario in this instance. Addendum: Unknown organisms labeled 'zerg' have invaded instance. Set instance investigation status to 'ongoing' and 'possible threat'."

Zuguzugu sighed, using his pseudopods to hold his head in frustration. "Man, I REALLY hate condition reds."

"Hang on. There is something I want to check before we go our separate ways." Taleitas suggested. "Can we access the most recent information from the backup server system? Anything regarding the biology of the zerg should be helpful."

Korotobas nodded at Taleitas and smiled. "Hey, good idea."

Pothalatas shook his head. "I don't think so. We have already spent too much time on our little adventure investigating the zerg in this instance. I'll be reviewing all of the backup data that the intelligence cores were able to save, before the shadow frequencies were blocked from transmitting the data. You guys should go and set up your teams to process the reclaimed consciousnesses in this instance. And if you meet upon the xenobiologists, tell them to come directly to me."

Zuguzugu raised an eyebrow. "You sure you want to go through all that data by yourself?"

Pothalatas smiled and sighed. "I'll just be going through the recent thirty days of data. The extra 97,223 years will still be there for the compilers, so don't worry about me."

Zuguzugu sighed. "Alright then. Command activation, Co-superintendent Zuguzugu requesting. Transport me back to the access point."

Zuguzugu flashed and disappeared from Korotobas, Printili, Taleitas and Pothalatas' view. Korotobas nodded and smirked. "Yeah, I think I should get to work too. Want to join with me, ladies?"

Printili snuggled up to Korotobas and winked at him. "Why of course, Koro~. Anything to get my mind off all this zerg drama."

Taleitas pouted, also siding up to Korotobas. "Yeah, I don't want to be anywhere near these zerg monsters at all. Take us somewhere nicer."

Korotobas nodded. "Alright then. Before we set up our teams, we can have a play-date. Sound fun?"

Printili and Taleitas nodded, hugging into him.

Korotobas smiled broadly and chuckled. "Alright, alright~! Save it for the date please. Command activation, Korotobas requesting. Transport myself, and co-superintendents Printili and Taleitas to the access point."

Another flash made the three balls of digital consciousnesses vanish. Pothalatas was left alone, but he didn't mind. He often forgot that organic life needed social interactions to make themselves sane. Without it, then they would become insane too quickly. Every superintendent has that chance to have their personality compromised by the personality of another after all, but communication and kinship have been proven to help reduce the bleed-through of the other personalities.

He turned around to begin reviewing the past thirty days that have been safeguarded by the backup server system, starting from the beginning. The information that he filtered through was a quick process, since he spent only twenty minutes of time to filter through thirty days of information. But it left Pothalatas with an even bigger question. Somehow, when the reclamation protocol activated, it took eleven days for the reclamation ferro to completely fill the prison system. He knew that, once the reclamation protocol was activated, it takes a mere ten days for the reclamation ferro to cover Kiln and expand outward to capture any floating satellites in orbit.

And that's when he understood why it took eleven days. The acid. So much acid was used to fight against the reclamation ferro. Even when the entirety of Kiln was taken over by the activation of the protocol, the zerg still fought against the silvery micro-machine infused fluid for supremacy, until there was no space left for them to fight. All of the flying zerg organisms were either pressed into the anti-quantum veil, disappearing from existence, or turning into the grey goo, once they were enveloped by the reclamation ferro.

Pothalatas sighed as he reviewed the last few days before the creep somehow managed to block and consume the shadow frequency in the aether field. But then his eyes narrowed when he found that there was also a small piece of additional data stuck within one of the files. It was a small file that had somehow sequestered itself into the backup server system. It had a strange file name as well. "IAKK" was its file name.

"Activation detected. Commencing temporal sabotage."

A digitized Kiln Keeper robot leapt out of the file, which scared Pothalatas and forced him to back away. "WHAT THE?!" Before Pothalatas could do anything, the Intelligent Automaton Kiln Keeper variant disappeared in yet another flash of light. There was a long pause before Pothalatas could register the sudden event. He sighed for a long time as he pinched the bridge of his nose-less face. "... What the hell was that?"

* * *

 **A/N: You know, if I wanted to change one of the superintendents appearances, I could imagine Printili looking like this: youtube** **watch?v=31ybNrIwLlQ**

 **PS: Huh. Somebody un-favorited this story after I posted this chapter. '~';**


	52. Enter the Advisor Strain

**Chapter 52: Enter the Advisor Strain**

* * *

It was a dry day within the summit of a red mountain, which was many miles wide, yet had a center that contained an oasis of water that benefited any life that found it. One kind of life that had found it was a small brood of surviving zerg. The brood had recently survived the wrath of an evil god, forcing the zerg to evacuate from the void that they were banished to. Miraculously, they emerged from a scientific facility which had created a doorway to the blackened space that Virid had absconded from, with only a couple overlords, several drones, a few combat strains, and an unconscious terran that had been given a transfusion of the queen's fluids.

And Virid, out of all the zerg strains that had somehow survived Amon's attack, had squirreled away from that blackened space with the surviving zerg and terran spectre she had saved, despite being disconnected from the main zerg psionic hivemind network.

But now, she was intensely staring, with great bitterness, towards a new zerg organism that was approaching the creep field that she had established. She was apparently named Othafurn, and that was all she learned from Kay's exchange. She faintly recognized her strain, remembering that another like her served as the Queen of Blade's advisor. However, this new zerg organism, that had recently appeared from the structure of light, was not a cause of jealousy to Virid. A completely different issue was bugging her for different reasons.

Othafurn eventually found the creep field that was slowly growing outward, and sighed when her long body and coiling spiked tendrils found comfort in its cool wetness. "Ah... This warm air is nice, but it's too dry and overwhelming."

Kay slowed his jog to a walk, but stopped when he was at the edge of the creep. "How do you mean?" Kay asked, curiously.

Othafurn turned to Kay as she dragged the rest of herself onto the cold creep. "In the infested facility I was spawned in, the daylight was virtually nonexistent. It was always cold there."

Kay nodded. "Ah. ... So uh... Where is that facility?"

Othafurn shook her head. "Not where. When. It is a place that used to belong, and in some cases still belongs, to a dangerous group of time travelers known as era agents, which head an organization called the Era Agency. Alas, I cannot divulge too much information at the moment. I still have a task to accomplish."

Virid crawled up to Othafurn in a confronting manner. _'Then perhaps you could explain why you haven't connected with our hivemind network when you arrived?'_

Othafurn turned to Virid, steeling her expression. "I cannot right now, for my main purpose is to learn and keep vital information, and impart it to only the highest commanders of our swarm's brood." She held out the brown and green sphere she was clutching, and presented it to Virid.

Virid stared at the gross ball filled with green puss. _'... Then tell me why you have came here, if you have no desire to share any information right this moment.'_

"To change the future." She tore open the spore pod, the liquid within glistening in the sunlight, and emptied its contents in a wide splash. Some of the fluid had dumped onto Virid and Kay, while much of the liquid had mixed intothe creep, which was absorbed into it.

"GAUGH~!" Kay tried to brush off the liquid as fast as he could, but it was quickly caking onto his carapace in the dry air. "Othafurn, what the hell?! Uh... Oh god, it... Blugh, it's smells so bad. Like something died in an asshole, and then something else crawled into that dead something's asshole and died too. Blugh! I can't breathe!" Kay complained, bowing down and coughing afterwards.

Virid inspected this liquid substance that was solidifying onto her carapace. She could feel her body changing already, but she did not know the end result of what mutations were contained within the spore pod. She looked up at Othafurn, confusion plastered onto her face. _'What did you do?'_

"I gave the zerg swarm a fighting chance." Othafurn answered. She then turned to a retching Kay and bowing. "I apologize for drenching you unexpectedly. The mutations that were contained within the spore pod had to be delivered to you in that fashion."

Kay raked the dried green ooze from his carapace, the smell still overpowering his nostrils. "Blech. Yeah, well, warn me next time, kay?"

Othafurn nodded her head and sighed. "I will remember to warn you in the future. However, now that the spore pod has been delivered, it is time to build up the brood that is here." She turned to Virid. "Virid, set clusters of four creep tumors adjacent to each other, and set them at the edge of this creep field. The creep tumor cluster will develop into a new tumor mutation that the swarm here will need."

Virid hissed in confusion. _'Why do you need me to set creep tumors so close to each other? The creep will not spread very quickly in that manner.'_

"The creep tumors have gained new mutations, which will enable us to acquire more resources in less time. And the creep will spread faster than before." Othafurn replied coldly to Virid. She then turned back to Kay. "But now that the mutations have been applied to the swarm in this timeline, it is time I impart my knowledge to you."

Kay paused from cleaning off the green and smelly gunk from his person to look at Othafurn. "... Oh? Uh... Kay then. How long is this going to take?"

Othafurn slithered closer to Kay. "It will not take long, unless if you prefer to use verbal communication instead. What I have in mind is simpler. We mentally link together and psionically share what each of us have learned from our perspectives."

Kay took a step back from Othafurn. "Uh... Wait, what?"

Her slithery tendrils slithered around Kay and coiled around his body. "This needs to be done. The fate of the swarm's future depends on this exchange. If we don't perform the psionic link, then there will be no future."

Kay struggled slightly as he was brought into a firm hug. "Whoa whoa whoa, first of all, this feels a bit too intimate for my tastes. And secondly, how about you just open up to us using the hivemind connection?"

She tightened her hug, bringing her own arms to gently stroke his face. "Please, do not resist. This needs to be done. I promise that this won't hurt."

Kay blinked a few times and paused, but sighed and relaxed. "Well... Alright. Just don't make me regret lending my trust to you."

"Thank you." Othafurn said, closing her eyes and slowly bringing her face closer to Kay's. Kay felt slightly confused, but he allowed Othafurn to do what she needed to do, whatever that may be. Their foreheads connected, and the two zerg organisms became as still as statues. He couldn't understand why she wouldn't connect to the zerg hivemind connection, but it could be that she had her reasons for doing so. Then again, Kay was slowly becoming comfortable with this exchange. Virid, on the other hand, wasn't.

Even so, the last surviving queen found the furthest edge of the creep and laid four tumors that were close together. Once the creep tumors were clustered, she took notice of their ability to merge and morph into a different bio-structure, and commanded them to do so. Curious as to see what this new bio-structure looked like, she prompted the four tumors to merge, forming into a resource tumor that grew transparent veins underneath the creep, and formed slimy, translucent, legume shaped pods many seconds later. The gray and purple coloration was unusual, but she did take note that the size of the creep field also assisted and quickened their growth.

A nearby drone came up to the strange growth, prodded at the largest of these gray and purple legumes that the resource tumor created, and plucked it from its stem. The flesh tasted very much like metal, mucous and blood, but the drone greatly enjoyed the flavor of the zerg-grown flesh. Virid was both impressed, and annoyed of this new development. She was impressed, because the means to acquire more bio-matter had became easier for the zerg. But she was also annoyed, because the new zerg organism, Othafurn, that had recently joined with her brood and granted her the new tumor strain and other mutations, still kept her mind from merging with the hivemind intelligence. If a zerg queen ever had intuition, then it would be telling her that the newcomer to the swarm carried bad news with her.

Despite the ominous feeling she felt, the drone that fed on the large resource tumor legumes had formed a chrysalis. A minute and several seconds later, a hatchery had erupted from its embryonic chrysalis, the liquid filled bubble revealing its thorny form, the first of its kind to ever appear on this world... again, apparently. Virid directed another drone to collect the resource tumor's 'fruits' to deposit them onto the hatchery. The means to acquire more bio-matter by processing minerals was a faster process compared to acquiring the resource tumor's fruits, but it was preferable over using only the nutrient rich creep to feed the hatchery with. Virid sighed, knowing that she will be quite busy depositing more creep tumors to convert into resource tumors. At least more queens could assist her, if enough bio-matter was amassed to spawn one from the hatchery.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH~!"

Virid turned around in rapid response after hearing that yell. When she analyzed the sound of distress, it turned out that Kay was yelling as though he was terrified. She had no idea what Othafurn had psionically shared with Kay, or if the link between the two had somehow became awry. She rushed toward the two in the hopes of separating them quickly.

* * *

Meanwhile, within Kay and Othafurn's minds, Kay was learning of past experiences at speeds considered breakneck, except that he didn't have to move around violently at all, and was experiencing experiences that were not his own. Well... Technically speaking in a chronological difference from his own paradoxical existence. So many memories of his alternate past had came to him with great clarity, and many of such events that were witnessed by the zerg have filtered into Kay's head. He came to know the language of this world, the awkward kinship between himself and a lovechief named Kragnon, the enmity he held for the emperor known as Gollog, the changelisk that took the name of Johnny and infiltrated Baroness Tak's city called Gargantua Citadel, the defense of Red Mountain, the violent mind probe and infestation of Commander Ralkan, the battle at Empire Capitol, the destruction of Commander Faddoh's research cube known as S-01, the lengthy war between the zerg and the Kiln Keepers, the titanic battle between Commander Mecha-Kralluf and the swarm's leviathans, the siege of Emperor Gollog's Palace of Dreams, and the entire world succumbing to a flood of chrome slime that enveloped and flowed over everything.

But then there were new memories that persisted after Corvurn Junior had thrown Kay into the time gate. Future-Kay was splayed onto the slightly warm ground that he had landed on. After lifting himself off of the creep, he took notice that the temperature of the environment he was in was a lot warmer than being on the moon. It even had an atmosphere for him to breathe, even if it tasted a little stale. But still, it was such a difference in temperature that Kay couldn't stop himself from crossing his arms and holding his hands to his body.

He noticed that there was very little light in this new place he was in. Much of that light was produced by the bio-luminescence of the zerg that was stationed here. He saw that he was within an infested facility, where the hard and smooth linoleum flooring was already covered by the creep that had moved into the facility. Many of the light fixtures were either dead, replaced by bio-luminescence growths, or barely flickered due to how inefficiently maintained it was. He saw towering hydralisks that guarded the halls, and they watched Kay with what seemed like a combination of awe and loyalty. They bowed before him seconds after his arrival.

Corvurn Junior followed through the time portal that he threw Kay into, and he hovered over the recovering Kay. "... Apologies. Action needed. Little time available. Less time on moon. More time here."

Kay turned around to face Corvurn Junior and sighed. "Well... I guess you had a good reason to move me here. Huh... Uh... Where are we anyway?" He asked, looking around once more.

Corvurn Junior turned around and accessed a console, which closed the time gate that he had forced Kay through. "Infested Era Agency. Contains important information. Provides little resources, but adapted. Developed mutations in peace."

Kay paused, but then nodded a few times. "Kay... Uh. So why did you bring me here?"

Corvurn Junior turned again to face Kay. "Timeline in danger. Command organism Kay in danger. Needed to extract. Timeline nearing end point. Swarm existence, threatened. Found way to propagate swarm in new timeline. Must use unorthodox methods, difficult to track. Era agencies in alternate timelines will detect. Cannot allow."

"I see... So you brought me here because I am pivotal to your plan to give the zerg a fighting chance?" Kay guessed, tilting his head and crossing his arms behind his back.

Corvurn Junior nodded. "Correct. Time here, extended. Thirty times more. Day multiplied by thirty. Used time gate to acquire command organism Kay. Aqueous metal stalled from entering. However, timeline still in danger. Facility automated to self-terminate after ten days. Must enact solution before then."

Kay nodded as he looked down at the creep, sighing. "Hoooh... That's a heavy piece of detail to learn. If it's true that the zerg cannot survive in this timeline because of that chrome slime, then I think I can agree to using time travel to fix a few problems." He looked back up to Corvurn Junior. "So what did you learn from this facility, and what's your plan to ensure the survival of the zerg?"

Corvurn Junior lead the way through the facility, while Kay tagged along. "Facility contained knowledge regarding time travel. How to operate time gate. Taught how temporal radiation works. Methods of temporal shift detection. Methods of defending against temporal incursions and recursions. Time sand substance contained interesting isotopes. Somewhat difficult to understand, but can be manipulated. Performed extensive analysis of agency research and covert operations. Agents thorough in their roles. However, swarm unaccounted for. Facility quickly infested. Agents and staff, infested. Knowledge shared through hivemind connection. Gained much information. Password locked files accessed, revealing further information."

"And we have about three hundred days to come up with an answer to surviving the destruction of this timeline." Kay said, nodding as he walked with Corvurn Junior. "But why bring me here in the first place?"

"Seemed appropriate." Corvurn Junior answered. "Command organism Kay contains many experiences and memories. Could share with past self. However, problem detected. Sufficient temporal radiation creates unstable time loops. Era agencies can detect unstable temporal radiation. Must create stable alternate time. Avoid detection, if possible."

"Ah, I see. Well, since you brought me here in the hopes that I can help you stall the death of me and our swarm, then I see no harm in trying to assist in preventing our extinction." Kay said, noting that they have reached the outside of the building that he had appeared in. Kay saw that the infested Era Agency building was surrounded by a chromatic dome, which allowed no light from the purple hexagonal moon. The darkness within this dome was alleviated with the bio-luminescent glow of the zerg, and they had already adapted to living in the low-light conditions. Kay took note of the hatcheries and the other bio-structures that were grown within this 'time-locked' facility. Many of the overlords had adapted to hover low to the ground, or else they would be subjected to the time dilation field that was projected over the infested agency facility. But without this time dilation field that dissipated matter on the molecular scale, the overlords would have be torn into molecules by the chrome slime instead.

Corvurn Junior shook his head. "Extinction unfavorable. However, time travel unveils worse fates. Existential annihilation. Time travel contains dangerous qualities. Can rewrite history. Swarm could cease from events. Swarm could never infest Red Mountain. Must prepare for possible scenarios. Analise all data. Prepare for contingencies. Brace for incursions and recursions."

Kay nodded and sighed. "Yeah, it kind of sucks that time travel can be a double-edged sword if you don't know what you're doing. To be honest, I don't have the expertise like any of the time traveling assassins that once plagued the zerg. All I know is how to be an infiltration agent with my ghost training, and use my psionic powers to read minds and move objects." He said, shrugging.

Corvurn Junior dismissively waved his hand. "Three hundred days time. Plenty for planning all contingencies. Can discuss strategies."

Kay smiled and stretched his arms. "Three hundred days, huh? Heh. I guess that gives me some time to relax! Do you think you can bring Virid and your dad here? Maybe even some other gilanians that might deserve to be saved?"

Corvurn Junior shook his head. "Impossible. Time gate requires temporal energy. Nearly exhausted. Rare energy source. Difficult to collect. Had enough energy to bring command organism Kay."

Kay stared at the evolution master, but then sighed and slouched. "Crap. I can already tell that the coming three hundred days are going to be INCREDIBLY boring. And... Not only that, it's going to be a rather depressing three hundred days too. Hoooh... Do you think there are any intact board games in this facility?"

Corvurn Junior paused for several seconds before shrugging. "Unknown. Also, unnecessary distraction. Prefer to plan now."

Kay sighed again. He somehow knew that being in the company of an evolution master for three hundred days was going to create some adverse effects to his psyche. He doesn't even know when the topic of finally leaving the infested era agency comes. But if the topic does come, Kay would have to brace himself for what he might need to sacrifice to escape extinction.

* * *

Kay could feel searing pain all around his head, and it was at such an intensity that he couldn't feel the rest of his body. He wrested himself out of Othafurn's mental link and struggled with every ounce of strength he could muster to return his control to his own body. He was delirious when he became self aware, but he couldn't help but scream in his sudden agony. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH~!"

Othafurn was pushed away violently, forcing her to fall down an release her embracing hold on Kay. It was at that moment that Virid had entered into the scene, right where Kay freaked out and escaped Othafurn's coils. _'What have you done to him?'_ Virid questioned Othafurn, already prepping her wings to fling acidic spines if she was given an answer she didn't like.

Othafurn raised her hands and her giant hair tendrils defensively. "Please understand! The mental exchange needed to be formed to transfer my knowledge to him!"

 _'Then why did he scream in pain? Explain, or I will end you.'_ Virid warned, trilling and hissing at Othafurn.

"GAH, FUCKING HELL THAT HURT!" Kay shouted, holding up his head and shaking it. He staggered forward, but he regained his bearings and sighed. "Othafurn, why did you fucking lie about the link being painless?! It felt like I had my head chopped off and then put inside of a washing machine set on hot!"

Othafurn sighed and pouted. "I apologize. It was the only way I knew to get you to agree. I really needed to transfer my information to you as quickly as possible."

"Yeah, well, thanks for the info of my future self, but that was not fun in any way whatsoever. Gawh... I feel like I got a crick in my neck now!" Kay said, walking away and rubbing the back of his neck's nape.

Othafurn shook her head. "The transfer of information is incomplete, however. You backed out of the mental link too soon."

Kay shook his head and waved his finger at Othafurn. "Ah-ah-ah, no. I can tell that I'll experience that same migraine if we make that mental link again, so I refuse to do that again."

Othafurn righted herself up. "But the remaining information of your alternate self..."

Kay sighed. "Can wait, Othafurn." He said as he walked up to a red cave, looking it up and down. "But thank you for giving me the important details that I needed. I didn't know that there was so much going on in this world."

Virid crawled up to Kay with her head cocked. _'What did you learn from the mental link?'_

Kay turned to Virid and shook his head. "Not enough time to explain right now. We need to grow our cluster and prepare for a fight we might lose if we don't adapt soon. Virid, I want you to make more of those resource tumors, and spawn more drones, queens and overlords to assist. Once we have enough bio-matter, create a carbonation extractor near the hatchery. Developing the hatchery into a hive is our highest priority right now. After that, we can develop two more hatcheries to turn into hives, then morph five evolution chambers, five greater spires, and the other bio-structures that unlocks the other strains."

Virid blinked and stared at Kay with surprise. _'... Whatever Othafurn has shared with you within that mental link, it's making me regret less about inadvertently turning you into my co-commander of our swarm.'_

Kay smirked and shrugged. "If the future I have learned has any merit to our situation, it's that I get to have the upper hand over our enemies."

 _'We have enemies?!'_ Virid asked incredulously.

Kay nodded. "Indeed. Also, I think you should verbally talk more often. When we are face-to-face like this, or when you're in the company of a friendly non-zerg, or friendly non-telepaths, then you are to limit your communication abilities to using sound, unless it was for something important or urgent. Understand?"

Virid tilted her head at Kay. _'... But I have not verbally talked once. How did you know that I could communicate through sounds?'_

Kay chuckled. "You can blame Othafurn for that. Now if you don't mind, I got a hidden village to find. Send some drones into this cave when you have grown them, and grow the creep into this cave too while you're at it." He then turned around and headed into the entrance of the red cave, a determined step to his march.

Virid was surprised with the events that had been occurring recently. With Othafurn inviting herself into Kay and Virid's brood, Kay became incredibly driven by what Othafurn had shared with him. Before her arrival, Kay was too relaxed and too aloof in his newly appointed duty to the swarm. ... Well... He was still somewhat relaxed and aloof, but it seemed like he was given a kick to his butt which had sent him into motion. Virid could FEEL the will emitting from his psionic connection to the hivemind.

But she also still had a pang of doubt within her carapaced self. Now that Othafurn had mentally linked with Kay, he too was withholding the memories that he had learned from the mental link, and keeping it separate from the hivemind. She couldn't put her clawed finger on it, but she knew that something was still off, and it was only going to become more obvious in the future. This new future might even develop the zerg into something that the swarm's supposed enemies cannot easily adapt to. But at the moment, she could only allow this scenario to play itself out, and she will be ready to react when the time is right.

At this moment in time, however, she has a few questions to ask from a very specific zerg organism. After she is done growing the hive cluster, of course.

* * *

 **A/N: Plague Inc: Evolved sounds like a fun steam game. :3**


	53. Ascending the Swarm

**Chapter 53: Ascending the Swarm**

* * *

There were going to be a lot of changes for Kay and Virid's brood this time around. A little while ago, a visitor from the future had came back to the past to share vital information regarding the events of a future that could have been. In turn, she has shared various strategies that could prove to be incredibly detrimental to Gollog's empire, the Kiln Keepers, and even the time traveling Era Agency. And so, with this influx of data being transferred to his mind, Kay set himself to the task of mobilizing the zerg as quickly, and stealthily, as possible. He was a ghost in the past life, and his mind was augmented to become a spectre, so he planned to use that training for the benefit of the zerg swarm on Kiln.

Virid spent much of her time setting up several creep tumors, but she also had laid one creep tumor that she directed to spread the creep, helping to expand the creep field border and increasing the coverage over the ground. With more creep being generated, the resource tumor was able to absorb the ambient energy surrounding the creep to generate resources for the drones to collect.

It was a slow process for Virid, but the drones were becoming busier with each resource tumor that was created from the creep tumor clusters. Having another queen would double the morphing of resource tumors, but she knew that they are somewhat expensive to produce. With only six drones available, Virid knew that forming the hive cluster will take its time.

But the hatchery would slowly gain its bio-matter and accelerant, thanks to the extractor that was freshly morphed on the freshwater spring, and the carbonation extractor that was also morphed next to the hatchery. Those two new bio-structures would enable the hatchery to spawn a trickle of drones and overlords as time passed, as well as a plethora of other strains minutes later. As the creep extended its reach, the resource tumor was slowly producing more of its usable bio-matter. When another resource tumor had formed, the bio-matter production rate would double, enabling more drones to be spawned, and enabled more overlords to be created, provided that the creep had extended far enough to double that production rate of bio-matter in the first place.

Two overlords also assisted in spreading the creep, excreting a massive puddle onto areas where a new creep tumor will be grown on. The pneumatic carapace that the two overlords have grown enabled them to coordinate their movements as they assisted with spreading the creep as quickly as possible, which resulted in the furthered production of bio-matter that the resource tumors created.

Once a spawning pool had been morphed from a drone, the production of queens and zerglings were made achievable. A hatchery would be commanded to form a new queen from within the hatchery, which would help assist in doubling the production of resource tumors and creep tumors, furthering the production of more bio-matter. In quick fashion, the hatchery cluster was slowly becoming more self sufficient as it expanded and grew, producing drones and overlords in quicker rapidity, and making another queen to assist in developing the creep fields even further.

But the spore pod that Othafurn had brought with her was also to thank for the quickened pace of the swarm's growth. All previous passive mutations were carried over to this timeline, and every zerg strain was unlocked for the zerg to use to abuse their enemies with. The malignant creep, blightbringers, behemoths, leviathans, large and huge queens, virophages, bile launchers, defilers, guardians, the gilanian nanite antibodies, the regressing morph, changelisks, and many things before the reset of the timeline.

There were also three major sets of new mutational upgrades that were also added to Kay and Virid's brood, thanks to Othafurn that delivered the mutations within the spore pod, made by Corvurn Junior.

One of which was the mutations to further the attack and defense power of the zerg organisms. Apparently, Corvurn Junior had discovered that the zerg could further evolve themselves through the use of combining mutational redundancies. With the mutations that enabled cohesion of heavier and sharper elements to bond with many of the zerg strains' biological weapons and carapace, he saw that previous mutations could strengthen what already existed, and be 'merged' together. In essence, the highest attack and defense mutations that once overlapped and replaced its weaker upgrades could work in tandem with them. Ultimately, the attack and defense mutations have doubled in their effectiveness, which would bolster only the swarm further. To make matters worse for the swarm's enemies, Corvurn Junior had even found a way to double the chitinous plating that the ultralisks could acquire, making them even hardier monsters, and have also applied specialized attack and defense mutations for strategic bio-structures. It was a mutation that was meant for spine and spore crawlers, which also used the mutational redundancies, but it had the unintended side-effect of strengthening other bio-structures that also had a strategic battlefield advantage, like the bile launcher and the spore cannons.

The second set of new upgrades utilized the ability to produce biomass from slain enemies, which could be used to feed any zerg air strain to force-spawn a slightly weaker leviathan by the process of over-mutation, or the new strain that Kay was incredibly impressed with, yet feared to ever deploy. That new strain was the brutalisks, which looked like a zergling and a hydralisk had merged together, and then grew so large that it even dwarfed an ultralisk. If that mental image wasn't disturbing by itself, then their ability to also attack enemies that were in the air or on the ground would downright unsettle their enemies. Any ground strain could be force-fed biomass to over-mutate into the brutalisks, and Kay decided that the most likely candidates to turn into them would be the zerglings.

But alas, there were still other new zerg strains that had been delivered from the alternate timeline. The second strain that had came into Kay and Virid's brood was the symbiote strain, which could cling onto massive organisms and provide further protection to them, or shoot spines at nearby enemies. Apparently, they have a preference for crawling on the carapace of leviathans, and floating over the impressively enormous brutalisks. All that was required for their spawning was to have a massive organism near a hatchery as they spawn from a larva. The third strain was a type of immobile growth that consisted of tough tendrils and large protruding thorns that could cover over and disable structures, or create obstacles to deny entry into the passages it grew in. The zerg constriction also had carried the unexpected mutation that changed the creep tumors. Instead of a single creep tumor being rendered 'sterile' when it produces another creep tumor away from itself, it entered a gestation state that's similar to when a queen had first laid it. After the creep tumor 'primes' itself and becomes 'fertile' once more, it could create another creep tumor and enter the process all over again. Sadly, its re-gestation makes it detectable, but burrows itself into the ground once it 'primes' to send another creep tumor someplace else.

But by far the most impressive of the three sets of upgrades was the third set. It contained a passive, yet incredibly infectious disease that was designed to be counteractive against the most greatest attack that the zerg have never had a defense for. Kay couldn't believe it when he learned of its abilities, and he still couldn't as he kept on digging through the sand in the red cave, vibrating the sand into particles and turning them into something smaller than silt. He could just imagine the reactions on the faces of his enemies when they realized what he had acquired from the dead-end alternate timeline! And if he did see their expressions, then he would cherish them in his memories. Corvurn Junior found the method to develop an impossible counter to such a powerful weapon, and Kay felt sure that it would result in the zerg swarm becoming so much more powerful than they were before!

Once the hatchery had transformed into a lair, it later had two neighboring embryos as two more drones morphed themselves into hatcheries next to it. Several more bio-structures were morphed into existence as well, which ranged from a roach warren, a hydralisk den, a baneling nest, a scourge nest, an infestation pit, and a few spires. The other bio-structures, such as the greater spires, a couple more evolution chambers, the lurker den, the defiler mound, the nydus network, and the ultralisk cavern were next to be morphed. However, with the creep fields constantly expanding, resource production increased at an incredible degree.

 _'Virid, how is the daylight?'_ Kay asked, still busily tunneling through the sand in the cave system.

 _'It is the late evening. Why do you ask?'_ Virid replied.

 _'It sounds like we're making good on time. Okay Virid, send a queen and two drones to meet with me. After that, you need to prioritize on spawning a leviathan and getting a hive cluster made on the moon. Once that moon rises over the horizon, you and Othafurn need to warp three hundred and fifty thousand kilometers towards it. You can then fly to it normally once you get close enough. Be noted that it has no gravity, and you must rely on using its centrifugal force to keep yourselves grounded. The surface is too smooth to walk on normally, so I recommend spawning hatcheries and spreading creep to gain your footing.'_

Virid hissed. _'It is irksome to know that you know things in the future. But you are also actively withholding information from the hivemind. How come you are not sharing this information with the entire swarm?'_

 _'That is highly undesirable.'_ Othafurn added. Currently, she was in the confines of the ventral sacs of an overlord, having squirreled away within one a while ago. _'If we are to change the events of the past, which will cause unintended side effects that alters events in the future, it will make it more difficult to anticipate and adapt to the changes in the timeline.'_

 _'I'll have to agree with Othafurn on this one.'_ Kay said. _'If we anticipated certain events as they happen normally, then we can expect every other event afterwards to change irrevocably. With that said, there is going to be some company that's going to visit our hive cluster soon.'_

 _'Company? Of what kind?'_ Virid asked.

 _'They look like bipedal digitigrade lizards, with black and yellow scales. They'll be wearing silver and blue armor and bringing weapons for combating whatever they happen to find, and there will be about forty of them. They have been scouting this area for a while and it'll be tonight that they'll disembark to the center of the mountain's summit. I'm hoping that, if we have enough time, we can set up our hive clusters underground and on the moon before they get here. After that, we will create a network of underground hatchery chambers so that the zerg can escape from the surface.'_

 _'Escape from the surface?!'_ Virid asked credulously.

 _'Yes. You and Othafurn will escape to the moon, while I stay under the sand. The underground environment will be infested and protected by the future hive cluster, and I will help direct the swarm to tunnel and make underground chambers for hatcheries and nydus networks. After the hive clusters on the moon and underground have grown big enough, all zerg organisms on the surface hive cluster will have to retreat underground. Many of the bio-structures can regress into drones, and then use a nydus network to escape. Some will have to use the cave to escape, and make sure that its passage is blocked by sand and zerg constriction. The resource tumors, the first hive, the nydus network, and the drones supplying it with bio-matter on the surface will have to be moved before that group of soldiers arrive. Thereafter, the drones and zerglings will have to destroy the resource tumors and retreat into the nydus network. The nydus network will have to be quickly destroyed by eight banelings, and the hive will have to be taken down by twenty three banelings.'_

Virid found the tactic hard to believe. _'You want our swarm to attack itself?!'_

 _'That's because it will take too long for the bio-structures to regress back into drones, and that the soldiers might get here sooner than we expected. I know it's hard to follow such commands, but please trust me, Virid. You don't want to fight the super weapons that the enemies of this world has.'_ Kay explained.

 _'... I will follow these orders. The last spire has evolved into a greater spire. We can create a leviathan now.'_

 _'Very good, Virid.'_ Just as Kay finished his sentence, he discovered the wooden boards that entombed the hidden village, thanks to the memories of his future self. It was also at that moment when a queen and two drones had finally met up with him. _'Ah, the drones and queen is here! This is great! I'll take over the growth of the hive cluster down here. You focus on getting your asses to the moon.'_

One of the drones had erected an embryonic bubble around itself, whilst the queen that joined with Kay had deposited four creep tumors that would morph into a resource tumor. The creep tumors that had been following Kay's sand-digging efforts had started growing into the underground chamber that he had intruded into. They ten began rapidly spreading into the underground village. Once the hatchery had formed, it already started to form another queen as each larvae that was born instantly formed a cocoon to turn into drones, overlords, and other nasty zerg monsters.

Thanks to the thin connection of creep that tied the hatchery in the underground village to the hive cluster on the surface, the swarm could share resources between the two locations. As one queen popped out of the hatchery, another soon began forming inside it. The two queens helped double the resource tumor production, while newly formed overlords, having room to float in the massive underground chamber, assisted with spreading the underground creep even faster than before. Once ten resource tumors had been created, another carbonation extractor was morphed next to the underground hatchery, only to have more resource tumors form afterwards.

Once enough overlords have populated the inside of the cavern, Kay directed the newly formed drones to morph into pairs of spine crawlers and spore crawlers, setting them down around the hatchery and at the edge of the extending creep. This tactic had acquired Virid's attention. _'Kay, why did you create those crawlers? Are there enemies down there?'_

 _'Not enemies. Animals. They intruded into the home of innocent gilanians, and have made it their own home here many years ago. Continue focusing on your task. I'll be okay.'_ Kay responded.

And it was then that a spore crawler had detected movement within the sand. Sadly, it was out of range from a spine crawler's impaling tendril, but it was more invested with nibbling at the edge of the growing creep, despite its dangerous and caustic ability to infect whoever and whatever feeds on the spreading slime, or how badly it might have tasted. From what Kay understood of this behavior, the shryik serpents were not acting as aggressively as they were in the timeline before. In essence, it would appear as though that this shryik serpent in particular was more attracted to the moisture that the creep contained, instead of investigating the zerg organisms further within the creep territory. Soon enough, more shryik serpents had gathered to the expanding creep and swallowed mouthfuls of the stuff, unaware that the moving growth was produced by the tumors.

It didn't take long for the shryik serpents to become sick after they had feasted on the moist creep, and they displayed erratic behavior shortly after. Amazingly, Kay could feel the infested shryik serpents linking with the zerg hivemind, due to their prior consumption of creep. They did not understand what has happened to them, but they were experiencing a deep need to serve the swarm in however way their masters wanted. Their will was overwhelmed by their newly developed psionic connection to the swarm, which made Kay feel a little bad about the unexpected side effect, but he was glad to have acquired the new zerg organisms without having to fight the dangerous shryik serpents at all. Alas, there was still the bull shryik serpent to worry about, and that most of the smaller shryik serpents were still not completely under control of the swarm's psionic hivemind, but Kay felt confident that he could overcome such a massive beast and his lackeys.

 _'We have spawned a new evolution master on the surface cluster.'_ Virid reported to Kay. _'Othafurn insisted that we call the new organism 'Corvurn.''_

Kay nodded as he managed the underground hive cluster. _'Very good. Actually, that gives me an idea. Send down a nydus worm and transport the evolution master here. I'll spawn an infestor at my hatchery.'_

 _'Is there something you are not telling me, Kay?'_

 _'There is a bull shryik serpent that I want to capture and have Corvurn analyze. Othafurn, are you going to share the information we acquired from the alternate timeline with him?'_

 _'Yes. The plan that we have developed in the alternate timeline involved informing him.'_ Othafurn replied.

Virid hissed. _'This is becoming a frustrating annoyance. If you won't tell me what the alternate future is like now, then when?'_

 _'When you have chosen to evolve into a broodmother.'_ Othafurn answered.

 _'When... I have chosen?'_ Virid replied incredulously, feeling quite confused.

 _'Actually, I'd rather let you have that decision when you get to the moon, Virid.'_ Kay said, already feeling the sand below his feet shifting violently. _'We're working on a shorter time table than you realized.'_

 _'... Then... Then I suppose I will evolve into a broodmother on the moon of this world.'_ Virid said, somewhat mystified by the tactic presented to her.

 _'Once you evolve into a broodmother, I will share my knowledge of the future with you.'_ Othafurn said to Virid. She then directed her attention to Kay. _'Kay, will you contact our 'special asset' near your position?'_

 _'I'm forming a creep highway to walk over to him now. How is your progress on making that leviathan and getting off this sand ball?'_ Kay said, taking careful steps toward the spiraling tower that was tall enough to connect to the conical roof of the underground chamber.

 _'We will begin spawning the leviathan just before dusk arrives. We will time it so that there is an abundance of darkness when the leviathan hatches.'_ Othafurn replied.

 _'Good. Will the leviathan be ready to embark on a short warp trip to the moon the moment it is hatched?'_

 _'By the time it will take Virid and myself to enter the creature, it will have developed enough energy for a short-distance warp to transport us to the moon.'_

 _'Also good. Continue as you girls were then. Send Corvurn down here when you're done with him. There's a bull shryik serpent down here, and I want him to use an infestor for capture and genetic research.'_ Kay said, looking up and down the wall that he remembered tearing a hole into at some point. Kay remembered several conversations that had taken place in the past alternate timeline. There was one that he remembered where he lost a bet regarding where the Kiln Keeper factory was positioned within Empire City. He smirked. His future self in that alternate timeline might not have held up his end of the losing bet, but at least the Kay in this alternate timeline had became wizened to such a loss. He leapt over the wall, making sure that his claws or wings was well away from the pristine surface.

After that, he made his way up to the hidden room where a sliding floor hatch had lead to a carefully kept secret. Secret or not, Kay had learned of its location from his past alternate self as well, thanks to Othafurn's time traveling escapade from a doomed future. Sadly, when he unlocked the hatched and opened it, a familiar voice was heard. [Security alert detected. Computer system activating. Warning, you are not authorized to enter the area you are currently accessing. Identify yourself, or this facility will self destruct.]

Kay sighed. "Oh boy. Uh... My name is Kay, and I have came here to revive Lovechief Kragnon." He said in the Gilaish language.

[Intent detected. Inconsistencies detected. Analyzing. Analysis incomplete. New species detected. Accessing data banks for specie information. Data not found. Submitting query to anonymous information network. Query: How did you know where Lovechief Kragnon was located?]

Kay stopped himself from entering the hidden room,"Um... To put it simply, an alternate timeline of my future self had came to know Kragnon, and ended up releasing him to find out more information about Kiln. But that future ended badly, so my future self shared his memories with someone with eidetic memory and sent that person to the past. As of now, I have his memories, and am very capable of reviving Kragnon because I have already read the resurrection instructions already. I know how to revive someone from a cold-pod."

[Explanation detected. Time travel variables detected. A test will be initiated before access to the restricted area is given. Will you comply to the test? Warning. If you failed the test, the restrictions will remain until the file name 'Resurrection Instructions' has been accessed.]

Kay nodded and sighed. "Fine then, I comply. How many questions does this test contain?"

[Compliance detected. The test will now begin. Question one: What is the first necessary requirement before a patient enters a cold-pod for stasis?]

Kay rolled his eyes, but he continued with the test without fail. "To completely flush the body of any impurities that could cause ice crystallization, or it would cause the body to suffer internal frostbite."

[Correct. Question two: What process prevents stagnation of the patient's liquid, and prevents necrosis of the cells?]

"Using a carefully calibrated filtration system, which is a dialysis machine that is purposed to work with cold bodies flushed of their impurities, whose heart rate has to be manually activated to allow fresh oxygenated blood to circulate through the veins. This process can last for at least four hours before a still period of twenty days can pass, which can then be repeated indefinitely."

[Correct. Question three: What is, in order, the revival process of a patient in a cold-pod?]

Kay remembered the details, but he didn't want to cut corners with a computer's test when it came to accuracy. "That's a trick question. It involves raising the body heat, manually activating the heart rate, filtering stimulants and chemicals into the patient's body through the dialysis machine's intravenous tubes, sending an electrical current through the body to activate brain functions and jump-start the heart, and then finally releasing the patient by unlocking the cold-pod's door. However, by the system of the console that is set up within the secret chamber that has Kragnon's cold-pod hidden inside of, the revival process is entirely automated, and it's activated by the pressing of a single button."

[... Correct. Test results: Overwhelming pass. You have been given access to the restricted area. Restriction of reviving Lovechief Kragnon has been lifted.]

Kay nodded his head and smiled. "Kay. Thank you. Can I now go in the secret cold-pod holding room and revive the friend I knew, but never met? And all without risking a self-destruct to this tower I'm in?"

[Queries detected. Confirmed, and confirmed.]

Kay nodded. "Good. I'll be real quick like and revive him now." He said, pointing to the secret floor hatch.

[Intent detected. Have a pleasant day.]

* * *

The albino gilanian groaned and languidly rubbed his eyes, slowly emerging from the cold-pod and taking in fresh breaths of air for the first time in a long while. After shaking his head awake, he finally spoke. "Maiden. Are you there?"

[Query detected. Maiden, standing by.]

The gilanian stretched himself and got out of the pod, leaning down to rub his legs. "Guh. Tell me the current date, Maiden."

[Command detected. It is currently day 40 of the dry season, year 599 of the Age of Ascension, and the light cycle is 51.205% waning.]

"Erh..." The albino gilanian squinted at nothing in particular, then looked up at the ceiling once his pause was over. "... 599? ... 599 _?!_ Maiden, are you telling me that I have been asleep for eighty years?!" The gilanian shouted.

[Query detected. You have been asleep for seventy nine years. Complications have been detected, which has prompted the hibernation period to be extended.]

"What was the cause?! I was only meant to sleep for thirty!"

[Query detected. Organisms designated 'shryik' intruded into facility surroundings and exterminated the resident population. Remaining gilanian residents: 1.]

The gilanian hissed and kicked at the pod he was once frozen in. "Gods-damn shryiks!" After that outburst of frustration and pain, the gilanian looked up again. "What about the other chieftains? Counselors? Farmers? Any information on any survivors?"

[Query detected. Full data unknown. Cause of data blank: Possible subterfuge. Summary of available data. Gollog Empire prompted the isolationist lifestyle from resident populations outside of the tower facility. A barricade was made, and a select number of warriors were chosen to fill the tunnels with sand. Shryik infestation occurred years later.]

The gilanian sighed and sat down with his palm to his face, sighing deeply and hissing madly. "... Oh gods no." The gilanian took a long pause before a confused expression soured his face. "... Maiden. The cold-pod is designed and programmed to only be opened by an outside party, right?"

[Query detected. Confirmed.]

"Who opened my cold pod?"

[Query detected. Outside party. Designation: Kay.]

"A woman saved me, huh?" The gilanian said, nodding in surprise and with a smirk on his face.

"Oh man, I forgot that you said that." Kay said, palming his face.

The gilanian looked up at the annoyed remark and saw a giant bug-man that was before him. A second later, he was screaming. " _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH~!_ "

* * *

 **A/N: Bonus points to those who guessed what the title is referencing. :3**


	54. MB10: The Déjà Vu Wars 1

**Chapter 54: Major Battle 10: The Deja Vu Wars 1**

* * *

 **A/N: This chapter, and the two others after this, are somewhat similar. If you feel as though you don't want to read through the same thing with slight changes in the story, skip to Chapter 56. I simply wanted to demonstrate how the Era Agency uses its temporal recursion protocol, and how it effects the continuity of the timeline.**

A massive organism had grown to an incredible size, to a length of five kilometers in length. The overlord that carried Othafurn was quickly brought to the giant creature's mouth, becoming ingested by the giant floating beast. A tentacle from the leviathan had lowered itself to the ground and opened its tip, similarly like the mouth of a nydus worm, to allow Virid a means to board the beast's insides. After the two important zerg organisms were safely brought inside of the creature, it started rising high into the air until it could see the moon in the distance. An orange glow enveloped the monster, which seemed to make the air become charged around itself, before it blinked out of existence in an orange flash.

Officer Raxa, leader of the forty Crescent Arms soldiers that was part of Patrol Group 20, managed to catch a long glimpse of the creature, blinking at the very moment it had warped away. After a few seconds of idiotic open-mouthed gazing, he shook his head and reported his findings to the colonel in charge of the operations at investigating Red Mountain. "This is patrol number 20 reporting. You wanted me to contact you guys if I saw anything out of the ordinary, right?"

[That is correct, patrol 20. Have you found something to report?]

"Yeah um... I think I saw something that matched the description of a 'dread maw.'"

[Can you describe the creature? We need an accurate recollection so we can relay the details to the commanders.]

"Um... The creature was fucking huge, like it could eat buildings, for one. It had tentacles on its chin, it had an abdomen that looks like it was puffed out with eggs or something, and it... well... vanished in some orange light."

[... Copy that, patrol 20. We are relaying your description to the higher-ups right now. Please standby for further orders.]

"Understood, Colonel Phelioc. Officer Raxa of patrol number 20, out." He said, pocketing his short-range handheld radio.

"You think it's another one of them experiments that those copper boys were working on?" "I doubt it. No way they could hide something that big without alerting the public." "What even WAS that?" "Didn't you hear Raxa talking? It was a dread maw." "I know, but THAT was a dread maw? Looks like it could make shits big enough to crush a dune-boat!" "That's a load of crap."

Raxa rolled his eyes, but then turned to his men and stood stiffly. "Remember your discipline and training, lads. We're not like the weak chinned, pulp shake drinking Torus Chain guards, protected in their fancy walled cities of theirs. We're Crescent Arms soldiers. We're as rowdy as a starved mongwedger, tougher than the course sand of a desert, and meaner than a shryik serpent with its tail stepped on. We won't back down from a fight, and we give our lives freely in the service of our emperor. Our job is to work ourselves to the bone in his service, either to die and be free from our prison, or live the better life in his perfect world. Remember our motto! Every soldier strives for the silver lining!"

"Strive for silver!" "Strive for silver!" "Strive for silver!" "Strive for silver!" "Strive for silver!"

[Patrol 20, come in.]

Raxa reached for his short-ranged radio and spoke to it again. "Officer Raxa, responding."

[We have acquired more orders from our commanders. We are to maintain our position until reinforcements arrive. Expect the four armies to take control of the mountain area in an hour.]

Raxa nodded. "And our patrol group, sir?"

[Considering the nature of the orders given to us, our commanders told US to maintain OUR position. They gave no special consideration to any patrols that are scouting the mountain, so I must order you to carry on in your current scouting assignment.]

He sighed. "Got it, forward base. You got our video feeds?"

[That is a confirmed on our part, patrol 20. We will be recording every action that you make out there. Don't fuck up, and may the emperor be willing.]

Raxa pocketed his handheld radio again, and pointed to the shadowed summit of the mountain. "Alright boys. Get your lights out, your grappel-hook lines ready, and start marching. We're going to find us some aliens, and make some noise."

"I didn't know we COULD get aliens." "Are they aliens?" "They're alien looking. That's good enough for me."

Unbeknownst to them, their entire conversation was eavesdropped by a few roaches and an infestor that was under their feet at the time. Many others had borrowed-moved to various locations on the rim of the mountain's summit, acting as a subtle net of detection. Upon detecting the gilanian patrol, Kay predicted the most likely path that this patrol would take to get to the center of the summit. However, the conversation that Raxa just had with his superior back at the forward base revealed troubling information.

* * *

Just before the Crescent Arms patrol had reached the lip of the mountain's summit, Kay was reciting an old conversation that his future self had made with Lovechief Kragnon. It was incredibly tedious, but Kay had to make sure that everything fell perfectly into place. Kragnon seemed receptive to Kay's presence after calming down, which was very much like in Kay's past in the past alternate timeline. Tedium aside, he needed to bridge a friendship with Kragnon and make sure that he doesn't get captured like last time, or become an activated sleeper agent. But alas, Kay didn't mind doing such a tedious task. He knew that he needed to do this. At least the two zerglings from this timeline were eager to participate in this conversation, despite being unaware of the redundancy that Kay had to go through again.

Kay perked up. "Could you explain what the other chieftains are? And could you tell me what a thoughtlord does?"

Kragnon smiled. "Certainly, but I think it's time I took my rest. My jaw feels like it has been flapping for well over a time. My throat is even beginning to feel sore."

Kay shrugged his shoulders and got up. "Must be from all that yelling. Anyway, I got a hive cluster to manage. If you feel like talkin-"

 _'Hostile force approaching.'_ Corvurn reported.

"Gh- Corvurn? What's going on?" Kay asked, turning away. Kragnon only gave a confused expression since he was unable to hear the telepathic link that the zerg shared.

 _'Patrol sighted. Scaling down lip of Red Mountain's summit using climbing gear.'_

Kay paused for a short while as he accessed the hivemind intelligence to access any information relevant to the intrusion. What he discovered through the roaches and an infestor shocked him. "... The fuck? How did the Crescent Arms Division find out about us so soon?"

"The what arms what?" Kragnon asked, his face emoting confusion.

"Hush you. I'm talking to Corvurn." Kay said, turning to Kragnon and then turning away again. "Corvurn, how the hell did those soldiers learn about us?"

 _'Unknown. Possible temporal recursion. Era Agency likely suspect. Possibly shared information regarding swarm?'_

Kay raised his eyebrow. "When did we get so many problems this time around?"

 _'Also unknown. Crescent Arms patrol approaching hive cluster. Recommend evacuation.'_

Kay Sighed. "Fucking hell... Alright, you can go ahead and evacuate the cluster, but stall the patrol for as long as possible if they get too close."

 _'Could attack. Force engagement. Initiate in combat.'_

Kay shook his head. "No can do on that. We can't risk what happened last time." He then turned to look at Kragnon, concern in his glare. Apparently, the timeline has been irrevocably changed, whether or not he had followed the events of the timeline as best as he could. Sure, he did release Kragnon from his cold-pod way earlier than in the timeline before, but the activity of the Crescent Arms Division forces had been altered within this timeline as well. "Um... There has been a slight change of plans as of late. I think it's about time I tell you that I have the memories of myself in an alternate future timeline, and that those memories have been sent back to me in order to prevent a possible future from happening."

Kragnon paused for a long time before he tilted his head. "So what you are saying is... that... you have somehow interacted with the Era Agency?"

Kay turned away and proceeded out of the council room. "That's one way of putting it. If you want to look outside, I won't stop you. But remember my warning that I gave you. Do you remember what I have told you to do?"

Kragnon tilted his head further as he watched Kay leave. "... That... I should stay in the tower?"

"Exactly." Kay said, finally taking his leave as he was followed out by the two zerglings that seemed to guard him.

Once Kay and his beasts left, Kragnon stood up from his seat and straightened his gown before speaking again. "Maiden. Show a camera feed outside of the tower."

[Command detected.] The screen showed... several types of horrors that Kragnon would have never expected to see in his lifetime.

"... Oh gods. What even _ARE_ the zerg?!"

* * *

As Kay exited the tower, he felt a deep pang of frustration within his carapace. How, in the world called Kiln, did Raxa and his superiors found out about the zerg? If Corvurn was correct in his assumption that the Era Agency was responsible for sharing such information with Gollog's empire, then the swarm is going to have a tougher time surviving on Kiln. But still, a plan was put into action, and Kay was determined to have the swarm survive on Kiln, thwart the Golden Star Empire, and escape the prison that he was brought into. "Okay Corvurn. How long do you think it will take for the patrol to get to the center of the summit?"

 _'Not long. Zergling strain targeting creep tumors. Will retreat to nydus network afterwards. Cave entrance, barricaded. Constriction grown behind sand barrier. Creep will recede rapidly. Leave no trace of swarm. Hive can regress into drone strain. Enough time. Less of baneling strain needed for nydus network destruction.'_

Kay nodded as he went to the nydus worm. "What about the roaches and infestors that will be stuck on the surface?"

 _'Reconnaissance needed. Roach and infestor strains burrow-move, reaching different locations. Difficult to detect. Changelisks prepared for long-term infiltration. Also difficult to detect.'_

Kay sighed. "Even so, I can't help but worry about what kind of changes happened within this new timeline. With that said, I want the zerg to burrow as deeply as they can, and then spread out from there. We need to find a way to get to the core of this world and infest it somehow."

 _'Understood. Emperor Gollog organism resides in core. Must be assimilated, or destroyed.'_

"Preferably infested first, and then destroyed afterwards." Kay added.

* * *

Raxa and his patrol was marching down and into the summit of Red Mountain, using their flashlights to see in the darkness within the mountain's sunken summit. The hexagonal moon was still close to the horizon, yet it slowly rose higher and illuminated more of the summit's interior. Raxa was slow in his approach, but he had a gut feeling that something was off. "Keep your eyes peeled, and your wits sharp. Something doesn't smell right."

"Your right. It kind of smells like rotting bodies and a metal refinery." One of his men behind himself replied. But still, they continued on. Their approach slowed when they heard sounds of loud popping and sloshing liquid, followed by the sound of sizzling and screeching, but they steeled themselves and still continued on.

When they rounded a red formation of rock, they saw a dark purple patch of... something on the ground. A puddle of green was quickly dissolving, almost as though it was some kind of green colored sauce put onto a hot skillet. The sizzle of that green liquid had quickly stopped, but Raxa felt as though he was being watched. "Search the area, and break off in pairs of four. If you find something, don't be scared to use the radio." Patrol number 20 then separated themselves into ten groups, and they broke away in different directions. Raxa and his three soldiers stayed behind and waited nearby the quagmire of black. He dared not step into it, but it seemed as though it was receding back for some reason. "Hmm..." He reached for his handheld radio once more. "Hey Phelioc. We found some slimy black stuff on the ground. Think those smart scientist types will pay for a sample?"

"That's good initiative, Patrol 20. If you have a vial, beaker, or some kind of sealed container that can contain a sample for later analysis, then use it."

Raxa pocketed his radio and searched for another item within his person. After taking out a rectangular plastic box, he opened it up. "Anyone want my fried krell?"

"Can I take it, sir?" one of the officers in his group asked.

Raxa hastily dumped the contents of the plastic box into the soldiers hands, and he then quickly jogged toward the receding creep. He managed to scoop up enough of the slime to fill his plastic box, and he quickly closed the box tightly. After the deed was done, Raxa carefully tucked the creep contained plastic box back into his person. "There we go. Nice and snug."

"Sir, that slime stuff is disappearing." One of his soldiers said, pointing out the obvious detail.

Raxa nodded. "Which is why I wanted to take a sample with us. We don't know what it is, but the Cube Research Division guys could tell us what it does." He fetched his handheld radio again. "Okay boys. Anything to report?"

"Yeah, were not finding any strange animals on our end, sir. Hell, I haven't found a single sign of wild krell or a vaph nest. Not even the smell of a shryik serpent." "Yeah, there's a freshwater spring at the center of this summit. Any open sources of fresh water is often guarded by a nearby nest of shryik serpents." "Stranger still, I am finding plant husks near the spring. It's strange. They look like they died of dehydration." "Not just the shrubs. Even the trees look dead. I'm thinking this mountain was once a volcano, and it might have released some gasses, which choked these plants to death." "I doubt that. The desert is a windy place, and it would constantly push out any volatile gasses that might build up within the summit." "So it's okay to breath the air?" "Yes. The spring is providing fresh water. It's not bubbling out anything, so it couldn't be making gasses that are dangerous or lethal with all this wind blowing around." "What about this black sludge stuff? It seems to be evaporating to nothing, even during the cold of night." "I don't know what that stuff is, so I don't know what to tell you."

Raxa rolled his eyes. "Alright, enough of the reports. Forward base, this is Officer Raxa. Whatever else it is we are trying to find here, I think we missed it."

[Acknowledged, Patrol 20. This news is even making the commanders scratch their heads. Proceed with primary mission. Set up the seismic sensors to locate the entrance to the Hidden Water Spring Tribe's village. Afterwards, notify us of your findings and set a camp at your location.]

"Acknowledged. Raxa out." Raxa said, pocketing his handheld radio again. "Rothef, Garleen, set up the seismic sensor. We should be able to find the entrance here."

Two of his officers nodded and unholstered a satchel from their arms. After opening them up, they then pulled out devices that had been the bane of all zerg burrowing operations. After assembling them together and activating them, they linked it with a handheld translucent plastic sheet that displayed information. After perusing the seismic sensor's readouts, Rothef pointed at the red rock structure. "There is a cave system that connects somewhere over there. I think the sand is blocking it."

Raxa nodded. "Alright boys. Grab your shovels and get digging."

Garleen narrowed his eyes. "Wait. Something's off." He said, looking intently at the plastic sheet.

Raxa turned to the soldier. "What's off?"

"It... Looks like something is buried under the ground." He pointed at a direction. "Ten steps from my position, over there. The seismic sensor is sensing a biological lifeform."

Raxa held his breath. "Is it a shryik serpent?"

"No. Too round. Too small."

Raxa released a sigh, but he was still anxious about this new development. He took a few steps toward where Garleen had pointed and looked at the ground. After some hesitation, he bent down and scooped handfuls of sand out of the way. After several scoops of sand was pushed aside, he eventually discovered chitinous carapace that was colored green, purple and brown. A face slowly shifted and unearthed itself from the sand, revealing its three glowing eyes and a dangerously sharp set of mandibles to the intruding patrol captain.

They blinked at each other.

Raxa paused and held his breath, feeling time itself becoming a commodity that was losing its value. After several seconds had passed between him and the roach staring intently at each other, he slowly covered the roach with the sand he once shoveled away. After patting the sand down gently, he got up and turned to his patrol. "Um... Garleen? How many lifeforms are you detecting under the sand?"

One of the two officers using the seismic sensor checked the equipment again. "Let's see. ... Uh... Five... Ten... Fifteen... Twenty... ... ... Sixty?"

"Right." Raxa took out his radio. "This is Raxa, and I am sounding the retreat for patrol number 20. I have made contact with what might be described as a 'puker' zerg organism, and I have decided to have my patrol leave the area. We are incapable of setting up a base at the summit since I feel confident that we will be surrounded if we stayed any longer, even with a camp set up."

[Acknowledged, patrol 20. Can you describe to us what the puker looks like?]

"It had three eyes, huge sickle-looking claws on its back, a tough shell, taller than a meter, and it looked right at me when I shifted the sand off of its face."

[... Uh... Acknowledged, patrol 20. Continue with your retreat. Reinforcements will arrive within an hour, and then will deploy to your area.]

"Copy that, forward base. Raxa out." He finished, putting his handheld radio away afterwards. He took a deep breath before shouting to his patrol. "ALRIGHT BOYS! HOOF IT OUT OF HERE IN AN ANTI-FLANK FORMATION! WE'RE LEAVING!"

Immediately, Raxa's patrol had quickly assembled into a tightly knitted formation, with shield bearing soldiers on the outside of the circular formation, and sharpshooters supporting them from the safety of the inner formation. After that, the patrol of gilanians carefully sidestepped away from the zerg territory that still contained zerg organisms. Some of the roaches still pursued after the fleeing defensive formation, but many of the other roaches and infestors remained where they were at, still hiding under the sand and awaiting for any other trespassers that made their stay for too long.

But this tactic had given the zerg the time they needed. Corvurn was busily analyzing the DNA of the creatures that was infested, and were finally assimilated into the swarm after Corvurn used an infestor to neurally dominate a bull shryik serpent. Corvurn later ate and analyzed its genetic data, or 'essence' as Corvurn prefers to call it, eventually incorporating a new strain into the zerg swarm.

* * *

The seismic sensor that was erected at the summit was hastily demolished after the patrol had left. The roaches could have attacked the patrol, but they didn't give the hiding roaches a reason to attack them back. Yet.

Several minutes had passed, roughly twenty or so, before the summit of Red Mountain was populated by several scores of many more gilanian soldiers. Many bore the armor of silver and blue, several had the uniforms of gray and yellow, some had copper and green jackets, while a few had black and purple tactical skintight suits. The roaches noticed that the empire gilanians were setting down several seismic sensors in a procedural fashion. The roaches and infestors that managed to burrow past this sensor sweep were lucky to escape such scrutiny, despite the danger of being revealed to Gollog's forces. Now, however, the roaches and few infestors within the summit had nowhere to go. They had erected searchlights that brightened the shadowy summit, which was still slowly being brightened further by the hexagonal moon's glow.

"Commander Kralluf, the seismic sensors are detecting buried lifeforms in the center of this summit. It looks like they're near the rock structure and the freshwater spring." A gray and yellow uniformed colonel reported to his handheld radio.

[Good work, Skedir.] A familiar gruff voice replied back. [Our informant says that this is a new zerg tactic, so you are authorized to exercise caution. Since these zerg critters haven't attacked us, we won't attack them either.]

"Uh... Commander Kralluf, are you sure that is a good idea?"

[Not really, but it's worked well for us so far. See if you can send a team to dig out the sand hiding the cave entrance. From the report of the last patrol that went in and scouted the area, they said that the cave entrance is facing the spring. You have your hint, so don't disappoint me.]

"Got it." The uniformed guard looked up, pocketing his radio. "Can I get a team of sand diggers to go in and dig that spot?"

"But isn't that a little close to the pukers? Can't we bomb that area first?" A lower ranked Torus guard complained.

"Just use slow, deliberate movements. The patrol that got here first made it out okay because of that. Now form a team and do it, or I will demote you to private and have you on permanent toilet-cleaning duty."

"Ugh. Yes sir."

Once the team had assembled, equipped with their trusty shovels, they then slowly intruded into zerg territory and walked toward the sand that was piled onto the cave entrance. Once their work had started, they took slow and deliberate movements to slowly clear the sand away from the cave entrance. The work was tedious, but the cave entrance was finally discovered and cleared of the sand that blocked their entry.

However, a new problem was realized. "Uh... Sir? I think you better come look at this."

Colonel Skedir sighed. "What is it?"

"I don't know what to describe it, but... Think you can use my uniform camera system to see for yourself?"

Skedir was now curious. "I'll allow it." He said, taking a plastic data sheet and holding it up. "Requesting link with video feed."

"Request accepted."

Once he saw what had stopped the sand diggers' progress, Skedir didn't know what he was looking at when he saw this mass of... stuff that looked thorny with thick flesh and several illuminated boils shifting around every now and then. It was uncomfortable to look at. "Commander Kralluf, I'm patching this live video feed to you now. What do you make of it?"

[Eugh. Looks like something that might come out of a horror themed moving painting. Is there a way around it?]

"This is Corporal Kadur, sir. Whatever this stuff is, it's blocking the only path to the underground cave system." Said Skedir's lesser ranked officer, who was tasked with digging the sand out of the cave.

[Crap. I guess we'll just have to burn that mass to ash. Bring in an incendiary unit.]

Skedir shook his head and sighed. "Sir, what about the 'slow and deliberate' approach we have been doing? That's been working for us so far."

[Then the flamethrower burning that mass will have to be slow and deliberate now, will it?]

Skedir sighed, feeling as though he knew that there was going to be hell breaking loose later in the night.

A gilanian that wore a heavily-built fireproof suit, which was fitted with several plates of armor that was attached to him, was deployed to deal with the zerg constriction that prevented further progress into the cave. He waddled into the cave and pointed his flamethrower's business end forward, his target being the obstacle of flesh. During his slow travel into the cave, he met upon the zerg constriction that blocked the digger team. "Lighting up." A quick spurt of the flamethrower sprayed a coat of napalm onto the mass of zerg flesh, which made the constriction wiggle and wither violently. This burning process continued for several seconds, as the flamethrower unit cleared away the constriction.

[Has the pukers attacked yet?] Kralluf asked.

"Not at all sir. The seismic sensors are telling us that they haven't budged from their spots. They are remaining still in their positions."

[... I don't like this. When is there going to be some action?]

"Sir." The soldier wielding the flamethrower said. "I burned a way through the mass. The tunnel extends further down, but I'm seeing this black and purple stuff on the ground. Feels like there's a layer of mucous with slugs writhing around in it. Do I continue?"

[... Negative. Fall back to safer ground, fire breather unit. We'll send a scout team to start recon at where you left off.]

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The flamethrower wielding gilanian waddled back out of the cave, his suit covered in ash and black smoke that seemed to surround him temporarily. However, that changed when several eggs had erupted into the air and landed in a large circular pattern that surrounded the group of burrowed roaches and the 'fire breather.' The roaches reacted to the special incendiary unit by popping out of the ground and splashing him with a torrent of acid. He died immediately under the torrent of acid, despite his added protection.

"WHAT'S ARE THOSE?!" Skedir shouted in surprise.

[The informant is telling me that those are pawn eggs, whatever the hell that means. Lethal force is now authorized.]

"Understood, commander. FIRE AT WILL!"

The instant Skedir shouted those commands, the summit had lit up with flashes of gunfire. Many of the bullets had pelted onto the eggs, which had destroyed a few in the attack and making them burst open to reveal a barely formed organism within. Yet there were so many eggs all at once that it proved impossible to destroy every single one of them in time. Infested gilanians hatched and shambled forth, using their venom-propelled fangs to strike at multiple enemies as quickly as possible.

The infested gilanians were putting up an tough fight against the empire's assault on zerg owned territory, but the soldiers brought more numbers into this short engagement, which overwhelmed the zerg defenders. One by one, the infested gilanians were slain. After the infested zerg organisms have been laid out, a puddle of creep started flowing out the mouth of the cave.

Skedir sighed as he was removing bits of shattered enamel from his scarred uniform. He was thankful that he was unharmed. "I guess we should have killed those monsters first."

[Agreed.] Commander Kralluf said, sounding dangerously excited. [Activate the automated turret system and have this entire summit protected, so anything that doesn't register as a gilanian is going to be cut in half with bullet fire. I want desert platforms maintaining a safe distance away from the center of the summit, and have them train their artillery cannons at the center of the mountain. Send in several breaching teams to infiltrate into the cave system. I want the first group to consist of magic armor specialists and anti-riot robots, using magic wall technology to push through. Sharpshooter and heavy fire support teams will back up the magic armor specialist group, attacking through the magic wall tech at any zerg monster that dares try and break out of the cave entrance. Make sure to place seismic sensors and automated turrets as you go into the entrance of the underground tunnel. Whatever this black slime is, our informant is telling us that it's also bad news for us, so you guys need to remove it in whatever fashion you think is good. Our girls clad in black and violet are gonna want a path made for them, so you silver brutes better be polite when you show them the door into the underground village. MOVE OUT!]

The empire soldiers were quick to readjust their strategies and tactics.

The magic armor specialists carried with them impressive shields that seemed to fold away or unfold outward at a command. Their armor had an array of ablative surfaces that was fitted over their protective armor, which was encased by their magic armor technology. Their shields could also produce this magic armor technology as well, which acted similarly to the magic wall tech as it locks and anchors itself into place on the ground. If that didn't make matters worse, the anti-riot robots were also fitted with ablative magic armor plates, which were similar to the plates that the magic armor specialists used with their armor.

The teams filed into the cave entrance and took to their march in a slow procession. The anti-riot bots would take the lead as the other gilanian soldiers huddled behind them, letting the machines suffer as the first casualties in their infiltration mission. The darkness was even darker within the cave, but it was chased away by the lights emitted by the anti-riot bots, and the gilanian soldiers that were right behind them.

"Hmm. This bubble looks weird." An armored soldier said as he prodded a creep tumor with his foot before stomping on it. It made a disgusting gushing sound as its flesh was violently disturbed.

"There's another bubble here." Another forceful stomp prompted another end to a creep tumor. When that attack wasn't effective enough, he unloaded a few rounds onto it. "These things are a bit tough. A few shots can pop them easily enough."

"The slime stuff is receding guys. Think these bubble things spreads the stuff?" A stomp made a creep tumor pop again, making the foot that attacked it to become drenched in wet gore.

"It's hard to find these bubble things further in." A magic armor specialist said, prodding the floor with experimental steps. "But if the ground feels muddier than usual, dance on it to find out if there's one of those bubbles under this muck."

"I heard that these jags eats this slime stuff. Sounds disgusting to me." A soldier said, joining in with the other soldiers and bringing down his feet to find out if there was a creep tumor in his path. If his feet couldn't pop the tumor, he would resort to using a melee weapon.

[Cut the chatter unless it's something important, and proceed with your mission.] Commander Kralluf grumbled.

"Company halt... I hear something." The teams halted in their descent, having traveled around a hundred and eighty meters within the long stretch of tunnel. As the footsteps stopped and their breathing stilled, they could hear distant noises coming closer at the end of the tunnel. The distant sounds slowly became more clearer, becoming a gibberish of fell animal calls that they did not recognize.

But once they saw the horde of zerglings emerging from the next turn in the tunnel, they understood the brevity of the danger they were in. "BLADE HOUNDS!" The soldiers started firing at the rushing zerglings, while the anti-riot bots did their part to stun the swarm of gnashing teeth and claws. Despite being stunned for a few seconds, the zerglings managed to get close to the anti-riot bots and attack them. The ablative magic armor plates fizzled out seconds later, which allowed the zerglings a window to strike at an exposed weakness. The anti-riot bots slowly dwindled, but not without stun-shocking the surrounding zerg enough to stun them for their allies to kill.

The magic armor specialists were faring better against the tide of zerglings crashing into them. Their magic armor shields acted very similarly to the oval shaped magic wall projector machines, but it proved effective enough for the sharpshooter teams and surviving anti-riot bots to deal impressive damage against the hoard of zerglings. Little did they know, the zerglings were consuming the bodies of their own dead. The gilanian soldiers didn't notice this detail, but they kept on fighting anyway.

However, the zerglings were somehow becoming more stronger than before. The magic armor specialists were having a hard time keeping their shields upright as the zerglings tried to topple them over. "We need backup! Blade hound corpses are piling up here!"

"Hold onto your noses, kids. Incinerator grenade!" Behind the line of shield-bearing magic armor specialists, fire breather specialist soldiers marched behind them and unloaded their impressive weapons. Grenades were launched from their flame throwers, and the grenades exploded into an impressive heatwave that ignited everything within the blast radius. Zerglings trilled their last trill as they were literally cooked by a mixture of microwaves and a burst of high intensity thermal radiation. It not only exploded the zerglings in a ball of fire, but it also made balls of fire that exploded from within themselves as well.

And still, the zerglings continued to push at their attackers. The smell within the cave became horrible, which was a mixture of burned rotting flesh and burning chemical fumes.

"When are these guys gonna stop coming?!" "Don't know! Keep firing!" "I can't breath! Get those incendiary units out of here, or we're all gonna asphyxiate to death!" "Back up! Back up! Let the sharpshooters line their sights!" "Reload!" "Forward progress is impossible on foot. Recommend using siege wall tactics!"

[Recommendation approved. I'm ordering more troops to assist the cave spelunking teams. Set up more automated turrets in the cave. Maybe that will help you push up.] Commander Kralluf ordered. Soon enough, more soldiers headed into the cave entrance, despite the black billowy smoke that escaped its maw and colored the sky a deeper black.

"Set some automated turrets in the caves! Let them light the jags up!" "I'll set them up on the walls. Whatever you do, don't jump up." "Too many bodies are piling up. We have to burn some of them away." "Incineration grenade!"

"Siege wall activated!" Several treaded magic wall projectors were rolled up to the magic armor specialists, which were heavily strained by the constant onslaught of the zergling's counter-offense tactics. These mobile magic wall projectors slowly rolled forward when they were given room to proceed, but was held in place when the zerglings tried to push them back. The Crescent Arms soldiers were now winning more ground to fight on.

And that was when they felt rumbling footsteps within the cave, followed by a deep and loud growl. And then the visage of four giant Kaiser blades that looked like they could fell trees in a single swipe entered their vision. However, the zerglings and their bodies that piled onto the wall of dead zerglings prevented it from being seen in its entirety. Alas, the empire gilanians were too focused on fighting the zerglings to pay any attention to the ultralisk that was slowly approaching the siege wall. When they finally noticed the razor sharp blades piercing through the magic wall emitted by the siege machine, all they could do was turn and run. "RAZOR FIIIIIIEEEEEEND!"

The ultralisk stomped down, bringing its Kaiser blades toward the siege wall projectors and breaking them to irreparable pieces of junk. Once that wall had broken, the zerglings marched forward, unrestrained, and they pounced at their prey with glee and reckless abandon. The ultralisk was next tasked with slashing and stabbing at the wall-mounted automated turrets that seemed to make it angrier.

"A razor fiend?! Uh... Oh shit, we don't have Gollog's smiting power! What do we do?!"

[Ye of little faith.] Kralluf said in a disappointed manner. [We already have enough artillery firepower to bust this fella's head wide open.]

A small platoon of soldiers had emerged from the cave of the mouth, screaming for assistance and yelling for mercy as they frantically waved their hands around in a panicked state. When the zerglings emerged from the cave, the automated turrets took aim and started firing on the speedy zerglings that filed out of the entrance. Combat fliers floated in the air as they charged their weapons and fired at the ground blindly, not caring if they hit a zergling. Many of their shots connected with the zerglings' carapace since there were so many of them.

And that was when the ultralisk emerged from the cave, its size so large that it made the cave entrance collapse. The ultralisk made a mighty roar that shook the ground it was on, as though challenging the soldiers around itself for a good fight. The automated turrets fired at the huge beast in a massed shooting, but all they did was anger the beast further.

[Unleash artillery strikes on that razor fiend now.] Commander Kralluf ordered.

As the artillery rounds fired from the various desert platforms that were positioned several hundreds of meters away from the summit, their artillery cannons launched damaging projectiles that slammed onto the ultralisk, and splashed additional damage to the zerglings that were under it. The firepower was impressive, since multiple shells collided with the beast's heavily armored carapace with such rapidity. Its rear-right leg was reduced to pulp, three of its four Kaiser blades had either fallen off of its body or were shattered from the explosions, the mantle on its head was reduced in size due to the chunks that were blown off, and its face had been impacted by an artillery shell three times. After the twentieth artillery round impacted its face once more, the ultralisk grumbled weakly, as though dazed, and landed on three automated turrets as it died.

After the ultralisk had been slayed, there was a stillness after the battle. Several seconds later, the soldiers that have gathered to fight the zerg raised their arms up in triumph and started hooting and cheering. After that near-death experience, they have elected to celebrate their victory by enjoying their time of still being alive after fighting such a huge foe.

[Cease the merriment.] Kralluf warned. [My informant is telling me that this is not the time to goof off. Get your gear together and prepare for an altar blueprint. Apparently, our informant has seen fit to give you guys special kinds of ammo as a gift. Use it well. I'm also sending in more specialists, dubbed 'the anti-fiends'. Let them have their fun on the big guys.]

After that announcement, the soldiers ceased in their showboating and continued their operations. Soon after that announcement, the soldiers lined up at the manifestation altars to swap out their ammo for something much more lethal. What that ammo might have been, Kay wouldn't have known what it was at the moment. It was obvious at this point that the timeline was irrevocably changed.

But a new kind of unit had been introduced to Kralluf's ranks, and Kay didn't like what he saw when it stepped off of the MEM device. There was a gilanian that bore plated armor all around his person, which held a giant bladed pillar that was carried around by two pairs of mechanical arms coming out from his torso and back. His arms and legs were also heavily mechanized, giving the special unit support due to the weight that the extra arms and pillar weapon applied. This unit was adorned with a finned helm, and walked with mechanical purpose as he strolled to the mouth of the hole, where the cave entrance used to be. "Get a siege wall up. I'll take down the big jags."

As another siege wall was put up, with the magic armor specialists taking the front again, the anti-fiend specialists sided with the sharpshooter groups and the fire breather groups, right behind the magic armor specialist groups. Once they made their march once more, the sound of rushing zerglings were heard of once again. Once the zerglings became visible, they came rushing toward the newly formed ranks. Predictably, the zerglings pressed themselves into a newly erected magic siege wall, doing what they could to pierce the thin, static barrier that prevented them from harming their prey.

The sharpshooters did their best to shoot down each an every zergling that tried to claw past the new magic siege wall that slowly advanced. The fire breather teams used their volatile flame weapons to burn away the bodies and clear a path ahead of the breaching teams, as well as using their incinerator grenades to flash-burn the pile of dead zerg flesh that stopped the treading magic siege wall projectors. The ammunition that the Crescent Arms soldiers used against the zerglings had a more explosive impact than normal. Apparently, this ammunition uses three kind of explosives when fired. One to launch the heavy and dense projectiles out of the barrel of their guns, another that propelled and accelerated the bullets fired, and a final explosion that detonated after impact which sends dense shrapnel that scattered into the body in all directions. It was a type of ammo that could reduce the effectiveness of an enemy's armor, and make them slightly more vulnerable to further damage.

The anti-fiend specialists used their mechanical arms to fire specialized energy pistols that were attached to the ends of their mechanical arms. Each projectile made deep holes into the carapaced hide of the zerglings, scorching into their flesh for several seconds and making them scream in pain. Anti-riot bots have later joined with the breaching team, which enabled the anti-fiend units a clear shot to the zerglings' faces.

Another rumble reverberated through the ground as another ultralisk came into the gilanian soldiers' view. The anti-fiend soldiers seemed to smile at the challenge. "Arming the super-shooter. Standby for five seconds." The four mechanized arms dug themselves into the ground, which formed a quadruped firing frame with the anti-fiend soldier in its center. One of them aimed his giant bladed pillar's sights at the twenty two meter tall ultralisk that stampeded toward his direction. "Three. Two. One. Phasing the bullets now."

A blackened sphere flashed in front of the pillar that the anti-fiend unit wielded, and the ultralisk was instantly assailed by a bigger black sphere that had impacted onto it. Wind rushed into the cave at a worrying speed, which cleared away the black smoke that threatened everyone with oxygen deprivation, as well as some of the dead that occupied the space within the tunnel. Seconds after the black sphere had impacted the ultralisk, the sphere eventually disappeared, leaving behind an ultralisk with half of its body missing. The black sphere appeared to have cut a perfect sphere out of the ultralisk, which had rendered it dead when it landed onto the ground. The surrounding soldiers cheered at the specialist, the death of another ultralisk fresh in their minds.

The breaching teams continued in their slow military push through the cave's tunnels, forcing the zerglings back by several meters for every minute of time passing. The ultralisks were soon assisted by other zerg organisms, which then consisted mainly of roaches and hydralisks. Acid and needle spines began impacting the siege walls that inched their way forward. But they too were taken down by the sharpshooter teams with ease, since the sharpshooter teams had the siege wall to thank for protecting their positions from the hydralisk's anti-infantry capable needle spines. However, worse came to worse when the other zerg strains came into the fight later on.

A lurker moved with the constant swarm of zerglings, moving past several ultralisks carefully so as to not be stepped on by them. When it neared the battle, it burrowed itself into the ground, and many other lurkers that followed after it did the same behind itself. The ravagers were next to useless in this fight, but they still filed forward as they marched with the zerglings, roaches and hydralisks. Defilers followed after the lurkers, and they could use their dark swarms abusively, since they had a constant buffet of zerglings that were streaming through the cave system.

It was when the siege wall got close enough to the lurkers that the subterranean spines started traveling through the ground. The siege wall projector and the magic armor specialists may have been protected from virtually every angle, but they didn't account for spines penetrating into their very feet. "SHIT! SOMETHING CAME OUT OF THE GROUND!" "Did the seismic sensors miss something?!" "No, I think it's ambusher spines! They can can move past a magic wall projector's projected defenses, and attack anything behind it! Move back!" "There's a bunch of insects all over the place! They're confusing the automated turrets' aiming system!" "I can't get any clear shots. Anyone brought a fly swatter?" "Get some repair robots on that siege wall projector! It's not going to last long!" "They're all over-strained! They won't be able to last for long anyway!" "This is about as far as we can go, Command. We'll be retreating now."

[Acknowledged, breaching teams. My informant is relaying the zerg's tactics to his contacts at this moment. I'm being told that this isn't the zerg's standard modus operandi. Retreat with extreme prejudice.]

"Whah... WHAT IS THAT?!" "OH MY GODS!" "NEW CONTACT, UNKNOWN CLASSIFICATIO-" "IT WENT THROUGH THE SIEGE WALL! EVERYONE RETREAT!" "WE CAN'T OUTRUN THEM ALL!" "AAH!" "SUPER-SHOOTER INEFFICIENT! UNKNOWN ORGANISM IS BEING SUPPORTED BY CARETAKERS!" "FALL BACK! FALL BACK! FALL-HUAAAAAGH~!"

[... Fucking hell, what's going on?] Commander Kralluf groaned. Unfortunately for him, he was about to get his answer.

* * *

Kay sighed when he found out too late the discrepancies of using biomass for over-mutation with certain zerg strains. He thought that he could use zerglings as the main organisms to transform into the brutalisks, seeing as though zerglings are so cheap to make. But the side-effect that involves the over-mutation process were too violent for them. When the cocoon formed over the zergling and attempts to mutate into a brutalisk, its muscles would grow too large and too fast to the point of breaking apart its bones and carapace, crushing its organs and brains like peeled grapes.

However, the zerglings could absorb biomass into their bodies just fine, and are able to receive some of the biomass' effects that are typical to many other strains. Simply put, the zerglings did not acquire the increased attack speed, but instead had increased health and energy instead. The problem was reallocating that biomass to another creature when a brutalisk is needed. It would mean that a few zerglings would have to be cannibalized by a stronger zerg strain for a brutalisk to form. That is if they hadn't processed enough biomass from their enemies, or their dead, in the first place. The same thing would also happen to a baneling, since the weak membrane that contained their acid would cancel out their over-mutation into a brutalisk.

Worse still, the ultralisks were incapable of absorbing biomass into their bodies. Apparently, the ultralisk cavern already had a means to create a type of radiated and volatile type of biomass, which enabled the zerg larvae to spawn into the ultralisks. Sadly, the method to over-mutate an ultralisk into a brutalisk was sabotaged from the beginning of their established existence, thanks to the ultralisk cavern that enabled their spawning. Of course, an ultralisk could revert back to a larva, spawn into a completely different organism, and THEN turn into a brutalisk with the harvested biomass it collected, but going through that many hoops would be an inefficient use of resources. Not only that, reverting a brutalisk would devolve them into a larvae, which completely forgoes their past morph they once took before they became a brutalisk.

Kay truly thought that every ground organism could turn into a brutalisk, but he was proven wrong by the recent tests. As an aside, he now has two methods of creating leviathans, one that simply requires bio-matter and accelerant, and the other requires a zerg air unit to over-mutate into one. There were differences between them, however. One, the naturally spawned leviathans could send sacs filled with developing bio-structures and ground strains to the ground, and is able to spawn mutalisks, brood lords, scourge, and other types of air strains if they were prompted to do so. The over-mutated leviathans do not gain the ability to produce sacs or other air units, on the other hand.

However, such details were fleeting when looking over only the best qualities of the mutations he received from the alternate timeline.

"So uh... Shall we unleash the other brutalisks we've been keeping in reserve?" Kay asked Corvurn.

"Biomass, plenty. Commence brutalisk attack when ready." Corvurn said as he was inspecting the huge size of a nearby brutalisk.

Kay nodded with a smirk. "Alright then. Let's fuck them up."

Kay also had one more trick up his sleeve.

* * *

A brutalisk tore open the hole in the ground further, making it wider than before as it chased after the soldiers. The symbiote that was hovering over the brutalisk supplied to the hysteria by firing spines at the fleeing Golden Star gilanians. After one had came out, another followed it, followed by another, and another, and another. The automated turrets were quickly overwhelmed by the brutalisks' brutal attacks. The gilanian soldiers stationed in the floating combat fliers didn't expect such massive creatures to use anti-air attacks, but they were proven otherwise when the brutalisks ferociously spewed caustic acid up toward them. They were shot out of the air, either by the acid or the spines, and further mass hysteria followed when the brutalisks targeted everything else.

It was then that a new strain of zerg had came.

What was once a shryik serpent had been severely mutated, having its genes greatly altered to force it to serve the swarm's purposes. As of the moment of its inception, this strain's new purposes was realized and made anew. Once it breached the sands of the mountain's summit, its scales shifted around with such rapidity that they threatened to fall away. The coloration of the scales that was once the sandy brown color that the shryik serpents were known for, were now altered to be green, purple and brown. It had lost its ability to attack, its fangs having fallen out of its mouth or becoming swallowed and passed out of its digestive system a while ago. It's maw opened up violently, releasing its intestinal cargo in the form of several zerglings, drones, and a queen. Upon fulfillment of their purpose, they vomited a creep tumor upon their death.

This new breed of zerg strain was the shrylisk, named so by Kay. Functionally, they acted as a fast burrowing transport organism for the zerg. Mixed with the shryik serpents' natural ability to burrow through the sand at a moderate speed, the zerg's vibrating cells enabled them further increased speed through many mediums of soil and ground. They could store a small multitude of zerg organisms within their gullet, which was around half the capacity of an overlord, and release them when they were commanded to. However, the shrylisk could also vomit out a creep tumor from their bowels and expire shortly after. Once the shrylisk strain expelled a creep tumor from their gut on command, any zerg organisms that inhabited their insides would be forced into the open. They were designed to have a mix of skills that were shared between the functionalities of an overlord and a nydus worm. Put simply, the shrylisk had became a burrowed transport organism, capable of expanding creep to areas where overlords were denied. They could also produce a creep tumor upon their sacrifice without attracting everyone's attention, unlike the nydus worm's habit of roaring when it surfaces.

When the shrylisk emptied their gullets of the zerg organisms within themselves, though many of them had also died when they expelled a creep tumor from their guts, creating creep puddles that expanded outward at an alarming rate. Drones took their positions and formed large embryonic bubbles that would soon develop into new hatcheries. The shrylisk stopped surfacing once a nydus worm had surfaced from the sand, and it spewed several zerg strains of many kinds from its bowels once it surfaced. When a brutalisk was close to death, it would quickly burrow to the center of the summit to find queens that would heal it quickly, while zerglings, roaches, hydralisks and ultralisks acted in their stead. Once the brutalisk was quickly healed, it quickly burrowed back into the ground and continued on its warpath at the place where it first escaped from.

[This is Commander Ralkan speaking. Commander Kralluf has currently been removed from command temporarily, ever since he had became enraged by the lack of information the informant had, and promptly struck a lesser ranked officer in his face when he wasn't given any answers. As of this moment, the informant has left our care, and is no longer providing information regarding the zerg and... whatever the hell those huge things are. In any case, we have unanimously agreed to call these new organisms 'war claws'. Anyway, retreat to safety in any way you can. I am sounding the retreat for the forces that have gathered here. Not to worry, however. We will redouble our efforts in eradicating the zerg menace, and it will be by the grace of our emperor, and the servants under him within his empire, that all of our troubles relating to this new enemy will be solved. Glory to Emperor Gollog!]

However, nobody cheered in Gollog's name, for they were running away and trying to survive a counter-attack made against them. The brutalisks were brutal to the Crescent Arms soldiers, and the symbiotes were quite lethal with their spine projectiles, all the while providing an extra layer of protection to the brutalisks they followed. The desert platforms were unloading their artillery cannons onto the brutalisks that were laying waste to the ground forces, but they were quickly overwhelmed by an underground counter-attack that the zerg had made against them. One brutalisk after another had deeply burrowed into the sand and appeared right next to the desert platforms, and their sharp spiked claws thunderously attacked the desert platforms with terrible force. One after another, the desert platforms had fallen, the gunnery teams that were riding them subjected to the wrath of the brutalisks and the symbiotes that accompanied them.

Soon enough, Kay had emerged from the nydus worm as well, just as the hatcheries were finished developing within their embryo-like cocoons. He looked left and right at the destruction that the brutalisks caused. He placed his hands on his hips and smiled broadly at the sight of the grizzly battle, still fresh and filled with panic. He nodded absently, somewhat giddy from seeing so much crap being destroyed and broken. "... I think I like how things are going this time around."

 _'Brutalisk strain, powerful. Biomass required. Zergling and baneling strain, incompatible to brutalisk evolution. Ultralisk strain, incapable of biomass absorption.'_ Corvurn replied to Kay.

Kay smiled. "You got that right. Still though, I almost feel bad for sending those brutalisks to attack Gollog's men."

 _'Empathy is not swarm trait. Can remove. Require only presence.'_

Kay paused. "Uh... Maybe not. What is your underground progress?"

 _'Progress, slow. Roach strain, proficient. Skilled in tunneling passages. Ultralisk strain proficient in hollowing chambers. New hatcheries created. Reached lowest part of crust. Expanding zerg hatchery chamber system horizontally. Infestation of Kiln's crust, ongoing. Super hive cluster,_ growing.' Corvurn reported.

Kay smiled so wide that his face formed a grin. "Fan-fucking-tastic."

Kay felt as though his new future was going to be okay.

* * *

Bubbles sighed as he massaged a bruise over his eye. He knew that his mission was a failure. Upon returning back to the Era Agency in the Night Circle, he saw flocks of several era agents that were busily working with their tasks, trying to investigate into a possible leak of information, or finding out what kind of error had caused such a fuck-up in the timeline. He might have a rank over many of them, but Zagion, the seneschal of the Era Agency timeline instance 8,348,759,784,399-S/498, was beyond furious. A new timeline had cropped up out of nowhere without Zagion's knowing, and he had the majority of the era agents look into what he assumed had been a glitch. However, with the video feed that was shared with the rest of the Era Agency, there had been some drastic changes that have been applied to the timeline and Zagion didn't like.

Something from the past had created a stable alternate timeline, which had upped the timeline instance counter by 1. Oftentimes, if the Era Agency decided on a major choice that was indecisive to the whole of the agency, a split in the timeline would be made, based on the decisions affecting the agency and the timeline it existed in. Every alternate timeline that the Era Agency created is always based upon a decision to control certain events. The decision to kill someone, or not to kill someone, would be an example of creating an alternate timeline. Such decisions would increase the timeline instance counter by 1, and adds a 1 to the 'S/#' counter, which represents the number of times an Era Agency had divided the timeline when regarding important decisions that could have drastic effects on the timeline in each alternate Era Agency.

The Era Agency used to be the leading practitioners of time travel, primarily using their skills to 'persuade' people from doing certain actions in exchange for technology or favors. Someone else that was not part of the Era Agency had discovered that coveted time travel technology, and they were somehow smart enough to cover their tracks.

Standing helplessly in front of Zagion, whom had sighed in his presence, all Bubbles could do was patiently wait for his orders.

"... Bulschtein, I'm sending you back in." Zagion finally replied, sighing and leaning back on his desk chair.

"... Sir?" Bubbles asked.

"This is not a normal instance in this new timeline. Somehow, the zerg are at the center of this, and the events that have been relayed from our future selves is pointing to them as the culprits. The 'war claws', as they are now called, are a heavy indicator of the changes in this timeline. So, as my executive decision as seneschal of this agency, I hereby order you to perform a temporal recursion." Said Zagion.

Bubbles looked down with a worried expression. "... Sir, I have never done a temporal recursion before."

"You had the brain-chip implanted, didn't you?" Zagion asked, raising an eyebrow. "All agents are required to have the implant before they even roam these halls, let alone any timeline."

Bubbles nodded his head. "Yes sir, I have it implanted."

Zagion smiled. "Then you have nothing to worry about. What temporal recursion does is it enables you to merge with your past self, in a sense. With the information you have learned recently, you could put that to good use and inform your past self of the shit that went down in your last trip. Since the brain-chip inside your skull uses time sand to store information, information doesn't easily need to be scrambled when you travel the different timelines. If any changes happens in your past, you would still remember the events that happen in a continuous perspective. If there has been a specific change in the timeline that involves you being killed, then the information you learned in that timeline will be sent prior to your recursion to help prevent your death from happening again. Or at least improve your chances of living."

Bubbles sighed and nodded. "Oh. I didn't know it worked that way."

Zagion shrugged. "It is a way, but it doesn't mean that it works all the time, since strong temporal radiation in the background could disrupt the information sent back into the past. It takes a genius to figure out how time works. If you're too stupid to understand how time travel mechanics function, it's only appropriate to know at which points in time to enter, interact, and leave. Specifically in that order, in fact."

"Frankly, sir, I think I would just let the eggheads figure out how to get me back alive, and keep this timeline from becoming dead."

Zagion chuckled. "Yeah. There has been no announcement that our timeline is dead, so there's some good news. Anyway, go to the time gate and enter in your last coordinates in this timeline and in the space you first entered from. The brain-chip will do its job, and you'll enter into the timeline at the exact moment as last time. We won't know your experiences, so you will have to inform us of any possible changes that happened in your previous travel."

Bubbles nodded. "So... What if I wanted to bring an item with me? Or more people, in case I needed help with micro-managing and convincing Gollog to assist in the zerg organisms' destruction?"

Zagion shook his head. "It doesn't really work like that. When a time gate opens, and people enter through it, it's a simple process that ends as it begins. But a temporal recursion has certain requirements that's needed in order to let the timeline sync with you. For it to happen, you need to enter the same time gate with the same number of people, with the same kinds of items brought with themselves, and going through the gate in the order they entered it. However, we can open other time gates to throw more people and items in to help assist you, but they then need to come back through to their own time gates at some point."

"Why does traveling through the temporal recursion require steps that specific?"

"We found out the hard way that bringing items through a time gate, especially when a temporal recursion has been activated, tends to disappear from existence itself. We lost a lot of office supplies in one of our alternate timelines that way. At least, that's what one of the alternate agencies admitted. The time gates are incredibly intrinsic and dangerous tools that can unravel time if used poorly. In one of the alternate timelines, the usage of time sand in brain-chips helped revolutionize the continuity practices of time travel, and enabled the usage of temporal recursion tactics. It enables us to explore the different changes in a timeline without having to create an alternate timeline and piss off the other agencies. Oh, and trying to make a time gate when a time gate already exists in the time and space we try to open in? Creates something bad called a synchronization merge. It simply means people merging if two or more enter through the gate at the same time. Not very pretty to look at. Thankfully, the problem seems to fix itself when the fused time travelers come back through their respective time gates, but that doesn't work one hundred percent of the time. Now then..." Zagion said, relaxing into his seat. "Are we done with your questions, or are you going to do your mission?"

Bubbles saluted and smiled confidently. "Yes sir. Permission to re-begin my mission?"

Zagion saluted back. "Permission granted."

Bubbles stamped once, turned, and then proceeded out of Zagion's office, determined to change the future for the betterment of the Era Agency.

Sadly, he would be greatly surprised by what the zerg had in store for his return.

* * *

 **A/N: You know, I think I might spend some time proof-reading my previous chapters. Have been noticing some grammar mistakes here and there. Maybe a spelling error or two.**


	55. MB11: The Déjà Vu Wars 2

**Chapter 55: Major Battle 11: The Déjà Vu Wars 2**

* * *

A massive organism had grown to an incredible size, to a length of five kilometers in length. The overlord that carried Othafurn was quickly brought to the giant creature's mouth, becoming ingested by the giant floating beast. A tentacle from the leviathan had lowered itself to the ground and opened its tip, similarly like the mouth of a nydus worm, to allow Virid a means to board the beast's insides. After the two important zerg organisms were safely brought inside of the creature, it started rising high into the air until it could see the moon in the distance. An orange glow enveloped the monster, which seemed to make the air become charged around itself, before it blinked out of existence in an orange flash.

Officer Raxa, leader of the forty Crescent Arms soldiers that was part of Patrol Group 20, managed to catch a long glimpse of the creature, blinking at the very moment it had warped away. After a few seconds of idiotic open-mouthed gazing, he shook his head and reported his findings to the colonel in charge of the operations at investigating Red Mountain. "This is patrol number 20 reporting. You wanted me to contact you guys if I saw anything out of the ordinary, right?"

[That is correct, patrol 20. Have you found something to report?]

"Yeah um... I think I saw something that matched the description of a 'dread maw.'"

[Can you describe the creature? We need an accurate recollection so we can relay the details to the commanders.]

"Um... The creature was fucking huge, like it could eat buildings, for one. It had tentacles on its chin, it had an abdomen that looks like it was puffed out with eggs or something, and it... well... vanished in some orange light."

[... Copy that, patrol 20. We are relaying your description to the higher-ups right now. Please standby for further orders.]

"Understood, Colonel Phelioc. Officer Raxa of patrol number 20, out." He said, pocketing his short-range handheld radio.

"You think it's another one of them experiments that those copper boys were working on?" "I doubt it. No way they could hide something that big without alerting the public." "What even WAS that?" "Didn't you hear Raxa talking? It was a dread maw." "I know, but THAT was a dread maw? Looks like it could make shits big enough to crush a dune-boat!" "That's a load of crap."

Raxa rolled his eyes, but then turned to his men and stood stiffly. "Remember your discipline and training, lads. We're not like the weak chinned, pulp shake drinking Torus Chain guards, protected in their fancy walled cities of theirs. We're Crescent Arms soldiers. We're as rowdy as a starved mongwedger, tougher than the course sand of a desert, and meaner than a shryik serpent with its tail stepped on. We won't back down from a fight, and we give our lives freely in the service of our emperor. Our job is to work ourselves to the bone in his service, either to die and be free from our prison, or live the better life in his perfect world. Remember our motto! Every soldier strives for the silver lining!"

"Strive for silver!" "Strive for silver!" "Strive for silver!" "Strive for silver!" "Strive for silver!"

[Patrol 20, come in.]

Raxa reached for his short-ranged radio and spoke to it again. "Officer Raxa, responding."

[We have acquired more orders from our commanders. We are to maintain our position until reinforcements arrive. Expect the four armies to take control of the mountain area in an hour.]

Raxa nodded. "And our patrol group, sir?"

[Considering the nature of the orders given to us, our commanders told US to maintain OUR position. However, they were also specific about ordering any patrols to enter into the summit of the mountain before they had arrived there. As such, you are to maintain your position until the four armies has arrived at our forward base.]

He sighed. "Got it, forward base. Permission to establish a campsite at our current location? We are currently at a drop-off, at the lip of the summit."

[Permission accepted, patrol 20. You will proceed with your primary mission after we have received further orders to do so. Set up the seismic sensors at your current location. Afterwards, notify us of your findings and set a camp at your location.]

Raxa furrowed his eyebrows. "Uh... Sir? The seismic sensors are designed to detect shryik serpents in suspect areas, and locate entrances buried under the sand."

[Orders from the higher up, patrol 20. They think that there is some kind of zerg organism that can somehow go through solid rock. It's better to be safe than sorry.]

"Acknowledged. Raxa out." Raxa said, pocketing his handheld radio again. "Rothef, Garleen, set up the seismic sensor. We're going to make a base camp right here."

His two officers looked at each other before Rothef asked a question. "Right here, captain?"

Raxa nodded and sighed. "Humor the higher ups, Rothef. Apparently, that 'dread maw' scared them something fierce enough to change our standing orders. Now get to it!"

Two of his officers nodded and unholstered a satchel from their arms. After opening them up, they then pulled out devices that had been the bane of all zerg burrowing operations. After assembling them together and activating them, they linked it with a handheld translucent plastic sheet that displayed information. After perusing the seismic sensor's readouts, Rothef pointed at the summit's lip that dropped off into a small cliff. "See that there? Volcanic rock formations. This mountain had several eruptions before in the past, and it shook its own foundation several times. A magma chamber had collapsed underneath itself when it last erupted, and it became dormant since then. The summit of this mountain is actually part of a caldera, and rumor has it that there is a freshwater spring in the very middle of this place. Many wars had been fought on and around this area, and the battles usually take place in the dry and hot seasons. Hence came the rumor that blood was the only liquid that wets the sands and stones surrounding this mountain, and where the names of the desert and the mountain is derived from. The Red Desert, and its Red Mountain."

Raxa shook his head and chuckled. "I didn't figure you to be a history buff. Did you have free time with a historian at the Crescent Arms training center?"

Rothef shook his head. "No sir, I just happen to request a lot of historical information in the archives. Usually when I have off-time."

Garleen narrowed his eyes. "Wait. Something's off." He said, looking intently at the plastic sheet.

Raxa turned to the soldier. "What's off?"

"It... Looks like something is buried under the ground." He pointed at a direction. "Ten steps from my position, over there. The seismic sensor is sensing a biological lifeform."

Raxa held his breath. "Is it a shryik serpent?"

"No. Too round. Too small. And its in the hard volcanic soil itself. That doesn't seem right..."

Raxa released a sigh, but he was still anxious about this new development. He took a few steps toward where Garleen had pointed and looked at the ground. After some hesitation, he bent down and knocked on the ground using the butt of his pistol. After knocking onto the hard ground several times, he eventually knocked away some hardened dirt and discovered chitinous carapace that was colored green, purple and brown, vibrating past and through the hard ground. A face slowly shifted and unearthed itself from the packed, volcanic earth, revealing its three glowing eyes and a dangerously sharp set of mandibles to the intruding patrol captain.

They blinked at each other.

Raxa paused and held his breath, feeling time itself becoming a commodity that was losing its value. After several seconds had passed between him and the roach staring intently at each other, he slowly stood up and slowly backed away. After he had backpedaled and came next to the officer using the seismic sensor, he turned to his patrol. "Um... Garleen? How many lifeforms are you detecting under the ground?"

One of the two officers using the seismic sensor checked the equipment again. "Let's see. ... Uh... There's just four around us."

"Right." Raxa took out his radio. "This is Raxa of patrol number 20. I have made contact with what might be described as a 'puker' zerg organism. One of my men has detected about four of these things that are right under our feet as we speak. They might get in the way if we tried to build a base camp here."

[Acknowledged, patrol 20. Can you describe to us what the puker looks like?]

"It had three eyes, huge sickle-looking claws on its back, a tough shell, taller than a meter, and it looked right at me when it shifted the volcanic rocks off of its face. There's about four of them at our location, sir."

[... Uh... Acknowledged, patrol 20. Continue with setting up your base camp. Reinforcements will arrive within an hour, and then will deploy to your area. If the pukers give you trouble, exterminate them.]

"Copy that, forward base. Raxa out." He finished, putting his handheld radio away afterwards. He took a deep breath before shouting to his patrol. "ALRIGHT BOYS! SURROUND THE PUKERS IN THE GROUND IN FLANKING FORMATIONS! GARLEEN AND ROTHEF, GUARD THAT SEISMIC SENSOR WITH YOUR LIVES! SYNCHRONIZE YOUR HEADS-UP DISPLAYS WITH THE SEISMIC SENSOR! WE'RE NOT LEAVING THIS SPOT UNTIL WE EITHER DRIVE THEM OFF, OR KILL THEM ALL! ON MY COMMAND, YOU ENGAGE THE PUKERS AT WILL!"

Immediately, Raxa's patrol had quickly assembled into tightly knitted formations around the burrowed roaches, with shield bearing soldiers that circled and surrounded the roaches, and sharpshooters supporting them from the safety of the outer formations around each roach. After that, the patrol of gilanians patiently waited as they stood around the zerg organisms that were supposedly in the ground, while the seismic sensors told them otherwise. All of the roaches spying on the approaching patrol remained still after the patrol took positions around each of their burrowed selves, but the other roaches and infestors at the center of the sunken summit were quickly coming to their rescue, yet still moved under the cover of sand as they tried to come and give aid to the roaches that were in trouble.

"ATTACK!"

As the battle commenced, patrol number 20 started attacking the underground roaches with impunity. The roaches reacted negatively against the barrage of bullets and spears that stabbed into themselves, and so they emerged from the ground they were buried in and shot their acid spittle at their enemies. The shield bearing soldiers blocked the acid, but they quickly found out how dangerous their acidic spit was as it slowly burned and melted through their defenses. The sharpshooters and spear-men utilized their most favored weapons against the trapped roaches with limited success. Somehow, their chitinous carapace armor was tougher than expected, and their acidic spittle burned more hotly.

One of the roaches broke out of the flanking ring and managed to fire a melting loogie at the seismic sensor that Rothef and Garleen protected. The two officers in Captain Raxa's patrol failed miserably as the seismic sensor immediately shorted out. "Gah! Captain! The pukers hit the seismic sensor!"

"No wonder they're called pukers! GAH!" Raxa wasn't paying attention to one of the roaches as one of them spat acid onto his left arm. The acid burned through his armor, and a few droplets damaged the scales underneath his protection. He retaliated by using his energy pistol to fire at the offending roach. The roach died after twenty five seconds of exposure to the energy weapon, but it was also being waylaid by the other gilanian soldiers that assisted in attacking it, making it die faster.

After the death of a roach, the three remaining roaches escaped by burrowing underground before their numbers dwindled even more. Despite the kill of a single roach, There were seven soldiers that had suffered severe acid burns, which included Raxa, even if he had suffered minimal damage compared to everyone else in his patrol. "My heads-up display isn't working right, captain." One of his soldiers reported. "Did the seismic sensor get knocked over during the fight?"

Raxa shook his head. "Worse. They spat acid at it. Rothef, Garleen, think you can repair it?" He said, walking towards them and clutching his arm.

After the fighting settled down, Rothef and Garleen took a look at the malfunctioning seismic sensor. After a brief inspection, Garleen shook his head. "I don't think we can use it in its current condition, sir. We could try and repair it using repair kits, but some parts are so heavily damaged that I think they will still malfunction. We don't have the replacement parts we need on hand."

Raxa sighed. "Crap."

Three roaches suddenly emerged from the ground in a hurried manner, and then sprayed their boiling and dissolving projectiles at the Crescent Arms patrol. Another was seriously affected by the sudden drench of acid, and had to take off his armor before the acid itself made contact with his scales. Two roaches concentrated their spittle onto a single target, and one soldier screamed in utter pain as his face was enveloped by the scalding liquid. He fell to the ground and squirmed, still yelling in agony as he became deaf and blind from the attack. The acid even ate its way into the soldier's mouth, which forced the crippled soldier to yell in unintelligible murmurs and tongueless shouts. Just as suddenly as the attack happened, however, the roaches burrowed back into the safety of the ground.

Raxa began to understand the tactic that the roaches used. Guerrilla warfare, using the ground itself as an ambushing point. "Clever bastards! ALRIGHT BOYS! HOOF IT OUT OF HERE IN AN ANTI-FLANK FORMATION! I'M SOUNDING THE RETREAT NOW! WE'RE LEAVING!"

"What about him?!" One of his officers asked, pointing at the screaming soldier with his face melted off.

"LEAVE HIM!"

Immediately, Raxa's remaining patrol had quickly assembled into a tightly knitted formation, with shield bearing soldiers on the outside of the circular formation, and sharpshooters supporting them from the safety of the inner formation. After that, the patrol of gilanians carefully sidestepped away from the drop-off that lead into the summit of the mountain that contained more zerg organisms. Some of the roaches still pursued after the fleeing defensive formation or ended the faceless soldier's life, but many of the other roaches and infestors still approaching were already getting close, still hiding under the sand and seeking out any other trespassers that made their mistake of attacking the zerg.

But this tactic had given the zerg the time they needed. Corvurn was busily analyzing the DNA of the creatures that was infested, and were finally assimilated into the swarm after Corvurn used an infestor to neurally dominate a bull shryik serpent. Corvurn later ate and analyzed its genetic data, or 'essence' as Corvurn prefers to call it, eventually incorporating a new strain into the zerg swarm.

* * *

Just before the Crescent Arms patrol had reached the lip of the mountain's summit, Kay was reciting an old conversation that his future self had made with Lovechief Kragnon. It was incredibly tedious, but Kay had to make sure that everything fell perfectly into place. Kragnon seemed receptive to Kay's presence after calming down, which was very much like in Kay's past in the past alternate timeline. Tedium aside, he needed to bridge a friendship with Kragnon and make sure that he doesn't get captured like last time, or become an activated sleeper agent. But alas, Kay didn't mind doing such a tedious task. He knew that he needed to do this. At least the two zerglings from this timeline were eager to participate in this conversation, despite being unaware of the redundancy that Kay had to go through again.

Kay perked up. "Could you explain what the other chieftains are? And could you tell me what a thoughtlord does?"

Kragnon smiled. "Certainly, but I think it's time I took my rest. My jaw feels like it has been flapping for well over a time. My throat is even beginning to feel sore."

Kay shrugged his shoulders and got up. "Must be from all that yelling. Anyway, I got a hive cluster to manage. If you feel like talkin-"

PANIC!

 _'Hostile force attacking burrowed reconnaissance.'_ Corvurn reported.

"Gh- Corvurn? What's going on?" Kay asked, turning away. Kragnon only gave a confused expression since he was unable to hear the telepathic link that the zerg shared.

 _'Patrol detected burrowed strain. Used seismic sensor equipment. Attacked roach strain reconnaissance group.'_

Kay paused for a short while as he accessed the hivemind intelligence to access any information relevant to the intrusion. What he discovered through the roaches shocked him. "... The fuck? How did the Crescent Arms Division find out about us so soon?"

"The what arms what?" Kragnon asked, his face emoting confusion.

"Hush you. I'm talking to Corvurn." Kay said, turning to Kragnon and then turning away again. "Corvurn, how the hell did those soldiers learn about us?"

 _'Unknown. Possible temporal recursion. Era Agency likely suspect. Possibly shared information regarding swarm?'_

Kay raised his eyebrow. "When did we get so many problems this time around?"

 _'Also unknown. Crescent Arms patrol counterattack, commencing. Recommend evacuation.'_

Kay Sighed. "Fucking hell... Alright, you can go ahead and evacuate the cluster, but try and stall any more soldiers or Golden Star gilanians from getting close to our hive for as long as possible."

 _'Could follow patrol. Root out forward base. Initiate in combat.'_

Kay shook his head. "No can do on that. We can't risk what happened last time." He then turned to look at Kragnon, concern in his glare. Apparently, the timeline has been irrevocably changed, whether or not he had followed the events of the timeline as best as he could. Sure, he did release Kragnon from his cold-pod way earlier than in the timeline before, but the activity of the Crescent Arms Division forces had been altered within this timeline as well. "Um... There has been a slight change of plans as of late. I think it's about time I tell you that I have the memories of myself in an alternate future timeline, and that those memories have been sent back to me in order to prevent a possible future from happening."

Kragnon paused for a long time before he tilted his head. "So what you are saying is... that... you have somehow interacted with the Era Agency?"

Kay turned away and proceeded out of the council room. "That's one way of putting it. If you want to look outside, I won't stop you. But remember my warning that I gave you. Do you remember what I have told you to do?"

Kragnon tilted his head further as he watched Kay leave. "... That... I should stay in the tower?"

"Exactly." Kay said, finally taking his leave as he was followed out by the two zerglings that seemed to guard him.

Once Kay and his beasts left, Kragnon stood up from his seat and straightened his gown before speaking again. "Maiden. Show a camera feed outside of the tower."

[Command detected.] The screen showed... several types of horrors that Kragnon would have never expected to see in his lifetime.

"... Oh gods. What even _ARE_ the zerg?!"

* * *

As Kay exited the tower, he felt a deep pang of frustration within his carapace. How, in the world called Kiln, did Raxa and his superiors found out about the zerg? If Corvurn was correct in his assumption that the Era Agency was responsible for sharing such information with Gollog's empire, then the swarm is going to have a tougher time surviving on Kiln. But still, a plan was put into action, and Kay was determined to have the swarm survive on Kiln, thwart the Golden Star Empire, and escape the prison that he was brought into. "Okay Corvurn. How long do you think it will take for the empire's army to mobilize and approach the center of the summit?"

 _'Unknown deadline. Prediction, soon. Zergling strain targeting creep tumors. Will retreat to nydus network afterwards. Cave entrance, barricaded. Constriction grown behind sand barrier. Creep will recede rapidly. Leave no trace of swarm. Hive can regress into drone strain. Enough time. Less of baneling strain needed for nydus network destruction.'_

Kay nodded as he went to the nydus worm. "What about the roaches and infestors that will be stuck on the surface?"

 _'Reconnaissance needed. Roach and infestor strains burrow-move, reaching different locations. Difficult to detect. Changelisks prepared for long-term infiltration. Also difficult to detect.'_

Kay sighed. "Even so, I can't help but worry about what kind of changes happened within this new timeline. With that said, I want the zerg to burrow as deeply as they can, and then spread out from there. We need to find a way to get to the core of this world and infest it somehow."

 _'Understood. Emperor Gollog organism resides in core. Must be assimilated, or destroyed.'_

"Preferably infested first, and then destroyed afterwards." Kay added.

* * *

The seismic sensor that was erected at the lip of the drop-off was hastily demolished after the patrol had left. The remaining roaches could have kept attacking the patrol further, but they were retreating back to their point of origin, no doubt running back to their precious base camp after the patrol had retreated.

Several minutes had passed, roughly thirty or so, before the summit of Red Mountain was populated by several scores of many more gilanian soldiers. Many bore the armor of silver and blue, several had the uniforms of gray and yellow, some had copper and green jackets, while a few had black and purple tactical skintight suits. The roaches noticed that the empire gilanians were setting down several seismic sensors in a procedural fashion. The roaches and infestors that managed to burrow past this sensor sweep were lucky to escape such scrutiny, despite the danger of being revealed to Gollog's forces. Now, however, the roaches and few infestors within the summit have nowhere to go. They had erected searchlights that brightened the shadowy summit, which was still slowly being brightened further by the hexagonal moon's glow.

"Commander Kralluf, the seismic sensors are detecting buried lifeforms in the center of this summit. It looks like they're near the rock structure and the freshwater spring." A gray and yellow uniformed colonel reported to his handheld radio.

[Good work, Skedir.] A familiar gruff voice replied back. [Our informant says that this is a new zerg tactic, so you are authorized to exercise caution. Since these zerg critters have attacked a patrol group, we now have definite proof that the zerg truly are dangerous. Exterminate the area of all hostile organisms and locate the underground village.]

"Yes sir, Commander Kralluf. May I request bombardment of the central summit area?"

[I like your way of thinking, corporal! After all threats have been eliminated, use the seismic sensors to locate the entrance to the hidden village. Now stand back, unless you want to be blown into smithereens.]

Desert platforms that have been positioned a far ways away from the center of the summit centered their devastating artillery cannons onto the space between the red rock structure and the natural freshwater spring that slowly produced evaporating water that was supposedly safe to drink. After thirty seconds of preparation, the artillery cannons fired at the center of the summit in a cacophonous uproar. Each shell that impacted the center of the summit heavily damaged the roaches and infestors that hid there, but they were all killed so quickly that they didn't have enough time to counterattack.

After the artillery shells stopped firing at the summit's center, one of the gilanian soldiers called out. "Seismic sensors are showing no underground organisms in the immediate area! There is also a bunch of sand blocking off a cave entrance that leads into an underground tunnel over there! There is something alive right behind it!"

"Got it." The uniformed guard looked up, pocketing his radio. "Can I get a team of sand diggers to go in and dig that spot?"

"But what about the thing that's past the sand blockage? Can't we bring a fire breather unit with us?" A lower ranked Torus guard complained.

"Just use slow, deliberate movements. We will send a fire breather unit to join with you. Now form a team and do it, or I will demote you to private and have you on permanent toilet-cleaning duty."

"Ugh. Yes sir."

Once the team had assembled, equipped with their trusty shovels and having a fire breather soldier backing them, they then slowly intruded into zerg territory and walked toward the sand that was piled onto the cave entrance. Once their work had started, they took slow and deliberate movements to slowly clear the sand away from the cave entrance. The work was tedious, but the cave entrance was finally discovered and cleared of the sand that blocked their entry.

A gilanian that wore a heavily-built fireproof suit, which was fitted with several plates of armor that was attached to him, was deployed to deal with the lifeform that was at the other end of the sand blockage. He waddled with the sand diggers and patiently waited for his chance to use his flamethrower's business end on his target, once behind the wall of sand. During their slow travel into the cave, the sand diggers had uncovered what looked like the zerg constriction, which blocked the digger team from proceeding further. "Uh... Sir? I think you better come look at this." One of the sand diggers reported.

Colonel Skedir sighed. "What is it?"

"I don't know what to describe it, but... Think you can use my uniform camera system to see for yourself?"

Skedir was now curious. "I'll allow it." He said, taking a plastic data sheet and holding it up. "Requesting link with video feed."

"Request accepted."

Once he saw what had stopped the sand diggers' progress, Skedir didn't know what he was looking at when he saw this mass of... stuff that looked thorny with thick flesh and several illuminated boils shifting around every now and then. It was uncomfortable to look at. "Commander Kralluf, I'm patching this live video feed to you now. What do you make of it?"

[Eugh. Looks like something that might come out of a horror themed moving painting. Is there a way around it?]

"This is Corporal Kadur, sir. Whatever this stuff is, it's blocking the only path to the underground cave system." Said Skedir's lesser ranked officer, who was tasked with digging the sand out of the cave.

[Crap. I guess we'll just have to burn that mass to ash. Let the incendiary unit do his job.]

Skedir shook his head and sighed. "Sir, what about the 'slow and deliberate' approach we have been doing? That's been working for us so far."

[Then the flamethrower burning that mass will have to be slow and deliberate now, will it?]

Once the sand diggers retreated behind the fire breather soldier, he readied his flame thrower weapon at the zerg constriction. "Lighting up." A quick spurt of the flamethrower sprayed a coat of napalm onto the mass of zerg flesh, which made the constriction wiggle and wither violently. This burning process continued for several seconds, as the flamethrower unit cleared away the constriction.

Skedir sighed, feeling as though he knew that there was going to be hell breaking loose later in the night.

[Has there been any other activity in the surrounding regions?] Kralluf asked.

"None at all sir. The seismic sensors are telling us that they haven't detected anything. It looks like the lifeforms at the center of the summit were just guard animals protecting the entrance of their nest."

[... I don't like this. When is there going to be some action?]

"Sir." The soldier wielding the flamethrower said. "I burned a way through the mass. The tunnel extends further down, but I'm seeing this black and purple stuff on the ground. Feels like there's a layer of mucous with slugs writhing around in it. Do I fall back?"

[... Fine. Fall back to safer ground, fire breather unit. We'll send a scout team to start recon at where you left off, and send a science team to collect that slime stuff you discovered.]

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The flamethrower wielding gilanian waddled back out of the cave, his suit covered in ash and black smoke that seemed to surround him temporarily.

[Alright then.] Commander Kralluf said, sounding dangerously excited. [Activate the automated turret system and have this entire summit protected, so anything that doesn't register as a gilanian is going to be cut in half with bullet fire. I want desert platforms maintaining a safe distance away from the center of the summit, and have them continue training their artillery cannons at the center of the mountain. Send in several breaching teams to infiltrate into the cave system. I want the first group to consist of magic armor specialists and anti-riot robots, using magic wall technology to push through. Sharpshooter and heavy fire support teams will back up the magic armor specialist group, attacking through the magic wall tech at any zerg monster that dares try and break out of the cave entrance. Make sure to place seismic sensors and automated turrets as you go into the entrance of the underground tunnel. Whatever this black slime is, our informant is telling us that it's also bad news for us, so you guys need to remove it in whatever fashion you think is good. Our girls clad in black and violet are gonna want a path made for them, so you silver brutes better be polite when you show them the door into the underground village. Our informant is advising me that we should also set up a magic siege wall early, and send four anti-fiend units with the breaching team. Some of you might have your doubts about manifesting black holes in enclosed spaces, but hey, the emperor has ordered me to use these units now, so that's what I'm going to do. Also, Commander Faddoh has given us a unique blueprint for a new ammo type that can be made at a manifestation altar, so have fun with that. MOVE OUT!]

The empire soldiers were quick to readjust their strategies and tactics. The soldiers lined up at the manifestation altars to swap out their ammo for something much more lethal. What that ammo might have been, Kay wouldn't have known what it was at the moment. It was obvious at this point that the timeline was irrevocably changed.

The magic armor specialists carried with them impressive shields that seemed to fold away or unfold outward at a command. Their armor had an array of ablative surfaces that was fitted over their protective armor, which was encased by their magic armor technology. Their shields could also produce this magic armor technology as well, which acted similarly to the magic wall tech as it locks and anchors itself into place on the ground. If that didn't make matters worse, the anti-riot robots were also fitted with ablative magic armor plates, which were similar to the plates that the magic armor specialists used with their armor.

The teams filed into the cave entrance and took to their march in a slow procession. The magic shield soldiers would take the lead as the other gilanian soldiers huddled behind them, soon setting up the treaded machines to create that magic siege wall that inched its way forward. An impressive amount of force would have to disrupt the siege wall that slowly traveled down the tunnel system, and many would suffer if the magic siege wall projectors were to be destroyed, which would invoke great danger in their infiltration mission. The darkness was even darker within the cave, but it was chased away by the lights emitted by the anti-riot bots, and the gilanian soldiers that were right behind them. Behind them all was a new soldier.

Four new kinds of units had been introduced to Kralluf's ranks, and Kay didn't like what he saw when they came into the field of awareness of a creep tumor. There was gilanians that bore plated armor all around their persons, and each held a giant bladed pillar that was carried around by two pairs of mechanical arms that came out from their torso and back. Their arms and legs were also heavily mechanized, giving the special units support due to the weight that the extra arms applied. These units was adorned with a finned helm, and walked with mechanical purpose as they strolled to the mouth of the cave, where the cave entrance awaited them as they entered. "If it gets too molty, we'll cover you. We'll take down the big jags."

"Hmm. This bubble looks weird." An armored soldier said as he prodded a creep tumor with his foot before stomping on it. It made a disgusting gushing sound as its flesh was violently disturbed.

"There's another bubble here." Another forceful stomp prompted another end to a creep tumor. When that attack wasn't effective enough, he unloaded a few rounds onto it. "These things are a bit tough. A few shots can pop them easily enough."

"The slime stuff is receding guys. Think these bubble things spreads the stuff?" A stomp made a creep tumor pop again, making the foot that attacked it to become drenched in wet gore.

"It's hard to find these bubble things further in." A magic armor specialist said, prodding the floor with experimental steps. "But if the ground feels muddier than usual, dance on it to find out if there's one of those bubbles under this muck."

"I heard that these jags eats this slime stuff. Sounds disgusting to me." A soldier said, joining in with the other soldiers and bringing down his feet to find out if there was a creep tumor in his path. If his feet couldn't pop the tumor, he would resort to using a melee weapon.

[Cut the chatter unless it's something important, and proceed with your mission.] Commander Kralluf grumbled.

"Company halt... I hear something." The teams halted in their descent, having traveled around a hundred and eighty meters within the long stretch of tunnel. As the footsteps stopped and their breathing stilled, they could hear distant noises coming closer at the end of the tunnel. The distant sounds slowly became more clearer, becoming a gibberish of fell animal calls that they did not recognize.

But once they saw the horde of zerglings emerging from the next turn in the tunnel, they understood the brevity of the danger they were in. "BLADE HOUNDS!" The soldiers started firing at the rushing zerglings, while the anti-riot bots did their part to stun the swarm of gnashing teeth and claws. Despite being stunned for a few seconds, the zerglings managed to get close to the siege wall and attack it to little effect. The siege wall inched its way forward slowly, even when a wall of zergling corpses pilled into a large mound of flesh that was pressed against the siege wall. The anti-riot bots were quite effective against the zerglings as they were protected by the magic siege wall, but zerg still continued to fight back at their attackers no matter how stun-shocked they became, despite being stunned for enough time so their enemies could kill them.

The magic armor specialists were faring better against the tide of zerglings crashing into their magic siege wall projector. Their magic wall projector proved to be a strong barrier that kept the zerglings from fighting the infiltration team, but it proved effective enough for the sharpshooter teams and anti-riot bots to deal impressive damage against the hoard of zerglings. Little did they know, the zerglings were consuming the bodies of their own dead. The gilanian soldiers didn't notice this detail, but they kept on fighting anyway.

However, the zerglings were somehow becoming more stronger than before. The magic armor specialists were having a hard time keeping their siege wall projector from overheating as the zerglings tried to push through. "We need backup! Blade hound corpses are piling up here!"

"Hold onto your noses, kids. Incinerator grenade!" Behind the line of shield-bearing magic armor specialists that supported the magic siege wall projector, fire breather specialist soldiers marched behind them and unloaded their impressive weapons. Grenades were launched from their flame throwers, and the grenades exploded into an impressive heatwave that ignited everything within the blast radius. Zerglings trilled their last trill as they were literally cooked by a mixture of microwaves and a burst of high intensity thermal radiation. It not only exploded the zerglings in a ball of fire, but it also made balls of fire that exploded from within themselves as well.

And still, the zerglings continued to push at their attackers. The smell within the cave became horrible, which was a mixture of burned rotting flesh and burning chemical fumes.

The sharpshooters did their best to shoot down each an every zergling that tried to claw past the magic siege wall that slowly advanced. The fire breather teams used their volatile flame weapons to burn away the bodies and clear a path ahead of the breaching teams as well as using their incinerator grenades to flash-burn the pile of dead zerg flesh that stopped the treaded magic siege wall projectors. The ammunition that the Crescent Arms soldiers used against the zerglings had a more explosive impact than normal. Apparently, this ammunition uses three kind of explosives when fired. One to launch the heavy and dense projectiles out of the barrel of their guns, another that propelled and accelerated the bullets fired, and a final explosion that detonated after impact which sent dense shrapnel that scattered into the body in all directions. It was a type of ammo that could reduce the effectiveness of an enemy's armor, and make them slightly more vulnerable to further damage.

The anti-fiend specialists used their mechanical arms to fire specialized energy pistols that were attached to the ends of their mechanical arms. Each projectile made deep holes into the carapaced hide of the zerglings, scorching into their flesh for several seconds and making them scream in pain. The breaching team were advancing forward at a slow rate, but it they were slowly getting closer to achieving their goal.

And that was when they felt rumbling footsteps within the cave, followed by a deep and loud growl. And then the visage of four giant Kaiser blades that looked like they could fell trees in a single swipe entered their vision. However, the zerglings and their bodies that piled onto the wall of dead zerglings prevented it from being seen in its entirety. Alas, the empire gilanians were too focused on fighting the zerglings to pay any attention to the ultralisk that was slowly approaching the siege wall. When they finally noticed the razor sharp blades piercing through the magic wall emitted by the siege machine, they had the sudden urge to turn and run. "RAZOR FIIIIIIEEEEEEND!"

The anti-fiend soldiers seemed to smile at the challenge. "Arming the super-shooter. Standby for five seconds." The four mechanized arms dug themselves into the ground, which formed a quadruped firing frame with the anti-fiend soldier in its center. One of them aimed his giant bladed pillar's sights at the twenty two meter tall ultralisk that stampeded toward his direction. "Three. Two. One. Phasing the bullets now."

A blackened sphere flashed in front of the pillar that the anti-fiend unit wielded, and the ultralisk was instantly assailed by a bigger black sphere that had impacted onto it. Wind rushed into the cave at a worrying speed, which cleared away the black smoke that threatened everyone with oxygen deprivation, as well as some of the dead that occupied the space within the tunnel. Seconds after the black sphere had impacted the ultralisk, the sphere eventually disappeared, leaving behind an ultralisk with half of its body missing. The black sphere appeared to have cut a perfect sphere out of the ultralisk, which had rendered it dead when it landed onto the ground. The surrounding soldiers cheered at the specialist, the death of an ultralisk fresh in their minds.

The breaching teams continued in their slow military push through the cave's tunnels, forcing the zerglings back by several meters for every minute of time passing. The ultralisks were soon assisted by other zerg organisms, which then consisted mainly of roaches and hydralisks. Acid and needle spines began impacting the siege walls that inched their way forward. But they too were taken down by the sharpshooter teams with ease, since the sharpshooter teams had the siege wall to thank for protecting their positions from the hydralisk's anti-infantry capable needle spines. However, worse came to worse when the other zerg strains came into the fight later on.

A lurker moved with the constant swarm of zerglings, moving past several ultralisks carefully so as to not be stepped on by them. When it neared the battle, it burrowed itself into the ground, and many other lurkers that followed after it did the same behind itself. The ravagers were next to useless in this fight, but they still filed forward as they marched with the zerglings, roaches and hydralisks. Defilers followed after the lurkers, and they could use their dark swarms abusively, since they had a constant buffet of zerglings that were streaming through the cave system.

It was when the siege wall got close enough to the lurkers that the subterranean spines started traveling through the ground. The siege wall projector and the magic armor specialists may have been protected from virtually every angle, but they didn't account for spines penetrating into their very feet. "SHIT! SOMETHING CAME OUT OF THE GROUND!" "Did the seismic sensors miss something?!" "No, I think it's ambusher spines! They can can move past a magic wall projector's projected defenses, and attack anything behind it! Move back!" "There's a bunch of insects all over the place! They're confusing the automated turrets' aiming system!" "I can't get any clear shots. Anyone brought a fly swatter?" "Get some repair robots on that siege wall projector! It's not going to last long!" "They're all over-strained! They won't be able to last for long anyway!" "This is about as far as we can go, Command. We'll be retreating now."

[Acknowledged, breaching teams. My informant is relaying the zerg's tactics to his contacts at this moment. I'm being told that this isn't the zerg's standard modus operandi. Retreat with extreme prejudice.]

"Whah... WHAT IS THAT?!" "OH MY GODS!" "NEW CONTACT, UNKNOWN CLASSIFICATIO-" "IT WENT THROUGH THE SIEGE WALL! EVERYONE RETREAT!" "WE CAN'T OUTRUN THEM ALL!" "AAH!" "SUPER-SHOOTER INEFFICIENT! UNKNOWN ORGANISM IS BEING SUPPORTED BY CARETAKERS!" "FALL BACK! FALL BACK! FALL-HUAAAAAGH~!"

[... Fucking hell, what's going on?] Commander Kralluf groaned. Unfortunately for him, he was about to get his answer.

* * *

Kay sighed when he found out too late the discrepancies of using biomass for over-mutation with certain zerg strains. However, such details were fleeting when looking over only the best qualities of the mutations he received from the alternate timeline. But even then, he couldn't shake off a certain gut instinct he was currently feeling. Like there was something he should be aware of.

"So uh... Shall we unleash the brutalisks once they are done over-mutating?" Kay asked Corvurn.

"Biomass, plenty. Commence brutalisk attack when available." Corvurn said as he was inspecting the huge size of a nearby brutalisk cocoon.

Kay nodded with a smirk. "Alright then. Let's fuck them up."

Kay also had one more trick up his sleeve.

* * *

A brutalisk tore open the cave entrance, turning into a large hole in the ground, as it chased after the soldiers. The symbiote that was hovering over the brutalisk supplied to the hysteria by firing spines at the fleeing empire gilanians. After one had came out, another followed it out, and followed by yet another. The automated turrets were quickly overwhelmed by the brutalisks' brutal attacks. The gilanian soldiers stationed in the floating combat fliers didn't expect such massive creatures to use anti-air attacks, but they were proven otherwise when the brutalisks ferociously spewed caustic acid up toward them. They were shot out of the air, either by the acid or the spines, and further mass hysteria followed when the brutalisks targeted everything else.

It was then that a new strain of zerg had came.

What was once a shryik serpent had been severely mutated, having its genes greatly altered to force it to serve the swarm's purposes. As of the moment of its inception, this strain's new purposes was realized and made anew. Once it breached the sands of the mountain's summit, its scales shifted around with such rapidity that they threatened to fall away. The coloration of the scales that was once the sandy brown color that the shryik serpents were known for, were now altered to be green, purple and brown. It had lost its ability to attack, its fangs having fallen out of its mouth or becoming swallowed and passed out of its digestive system a while ago. It's maw opened up violently, releasing its intestinal cargo in the form of several zerglings, drones, and a queen. Upon fulfillment of their purpose, they vomited a creep tumor upon their death. They were the shrylisks, named so by Kay.

When the shrylisk emptied their gullets of the zerg organisms within themselves, though many of them had also died when they expelled a creep tumor from their guts, creating creep puddles that expanded outward at an alarming rate. Drones took their positions and formed large embryonic bubbles that would soon develop into new hatcheries. The shrylisk stopped surfacing once a nydus worm had surfaced from the sand, and it spewed several zerg strains of many kinds from its bowels once it surfaced. When a brutalisk was close to death, it would quickly burrow to the center of the summit to find queens that would heal it quickly, while zerglings, roaches, hydralisks and ultralisks acted in their stead. Once the brutalisk was quickly healed, it quickly burrowed back into the ground and continued on its warpath at the place where it first escaped from.

[Stop running around like krell with their heads cut off.] Kralluf said over the panic. [Be advised that our informant has convinced our holy emperor to tell Pallax to bring his favorite toy to the battle. Apparently, our informant is telling us that we have named these new creatures as 'war claws' in another timeline. Makes no difference to me since they'll be looking like roadkill once we're done with them. Vacate the area and provide long-distance support. Pinnacle Superior is now nearing your battle-zone.]

During the heat of battle, an ominous machine floated overhead the gathered gilanian soldiers and the zerg defending their hive. A giant, golden octahedronal machine hovered at a decent speed toward the middle of the battlefield, it's glowing golden rings emanating a dangerous red energy. Its cannons and missile launcher pods were trained onto the brutalisks as they brutalized the Golden Star Empire soldiers underneath them, and they unleashed high-impact missiles and charged particle cannon shells onto the brutalisks once they were within firing range. The laser rings focused their fire on the many smaller organisms that were fighting the soldiers on the ground, turning them into charring dust as the lasers passed through them.

The zerglings, and every other zerg organism that had no means to attack air units, were at a heavy disadvantage. Many were slain at such rapidity that the zerg couldn't amount an effective defense against the new airborne enemy. However, hydralisks, infested gilanians, and a few of the newly formed spore crawlers fired upon the Pinnacle Superior siege machine, even when their attempt to avert such an enemy did little. The laser rings scoured the ground for any zerg monstrosity that was on the surface, though the burrowed organisms managed to survive the onslaught above themselves. The brutalisks were pushed off of their legs when a missile or charged particle shell impacted onto their sides or face. The damage was incredibly intense, but their symbiotic symbiotes were more than eager to put another shell of armor around them. However, after several missile impacts, or two charged particle cannon shots, the brutalisks began to suffer serious losses.

[Hmm... The war claws have some unknown type of zerg organisms assisting them.] General Pallax shared. [Does the informant know about them?]

[Let me ask.] Kralluf replied. [You keep pointing your lasers at the zerg.]

The Pinnacle Superior laid waste to many zerg organisms, and even killed two brutalisks when it had arrived. Within minutes, the summit of Red Mountain was under the empire soldiers' control. Two brutalisks had died from the inclusion of Pallax's Pinnacle Superior super weapon, but the last brutalisk burrowed into the ground and escaped certain destruction. The zerg finally ceased from filing out of the hole in the ground, and a calm had finally washed over the mountain's summit when Pinnacle Superior's cannons and missile pods stopped firing.

What followed afterward was typical gilanian empire behavior. Many of the upturned and destroyed desert platforms were replaced by several more, with several magic wall projectors being stacked on rows and rows of themselves to form a wall that surrounded the entrance into the zerg hive cluster underground, and the turrets and seismic sensors were installed aplenty at the top of the wall of magic wall projectors.

* * *

Kay sighed. He had high hopes that using the brutalisks could chase away the empire gilanians, but the Pinnacle Superior, a golden eyesore in the sky that had unsuccessfully defended a capitol from being infested in a different timeline, had thwarted his brutalisks and the other zerg strains. He nodded absently, somewhat concerned from seeing so much of his zerg forces being destroyed and slain. "... I don't think I like how things are going this time around." Kay said in the safety of the underground village.

"Brutalisk strain, thwarted by Pinnacle Superior war machine. More biomass is required. Zergling and baneling strain, incompatible to brutalisk evolution. Ultralisk strain, incapable of biomass absorption." Corvurn said to Kay as he was inspecting the savage wounds on the last surviving brutalisk. At least its wounds were healing.

Kay sighed. "You got that right. Still though, I almost feel bad for sending those brutalisks to attack Gollog's men."

Corvurn turned to Kay and deadpanned a stare. "Empathy is not swarm trait."

Kay shook his head. "Uh... Yeah, no. I said 'ALMOST' feel bad. How is the underground tunneling operations going?"

"Progress, slow. Roach strain, proficient. Skilled in tunneling passages. Ultralisk strain proficient in hollowing chambers. New hatcheries created. Reached lowest part of crust. Expanding zerg hatchery chamber system horizontally. Infestation of Kiln's crust, ongoing. Super hive cluster, growing." Corvurn reported.

Kay sighed as he watched the brutalisk's missing limbs and concave carapace slowly regenerate. "Well that's good news."

Kay felt as though his new future was going to have a rough start.

* * *

Bubbles sighed as he massaged a bruise over his eye. He knew that his temporal recursion mission was a failure. Upon re-returning back to the Era Agency in the Night Circle, he saw flocks of several era agents that were busily working with their tasks, trying to investigate into a possible leak of information, or finding out what kind of error had caused such a fuck-up in the timeline. He might have a rank over many of them, but Zagion, the seneschal of the Era Agency timeline instance 8,348,759,784,400-S/499, was beyond furious. A new timeline had cropped up out of nowhere without Zagion's knowing, and he had the majority of the era agents look into what he assumed had been a glitch. However, with the video feed that was shared with the rest of the Era Agency, there had been some drastic changes that have been applied to the timeline and Zagion didn't like.

However, there was already an Era Agency that was experiencing trouble within a different timeline they were in. They shared their information with the Era Agency in the new timeline, and any data relating to the adaptations that the zerg have developed. Temporal recursion happened to be the Era Agency's best weapon, since past events could be relayed to a new timeline, and that the Era Agency's new timeline would be able to adapt to the events with either firsthand experience or prior information. Using such a time travel tactic enabled the Era Agency, and the other alternate agencies, to thrive quite successfully. But recently, despite the new information they have acquired before their recent temporal recursion, further complications were beginning to become realized within the previous timelines.

Standing helplessly in front of Zagion, whom had sighed in his presence, all Bubbles could do was patiently wait for his orders.

"... Bulschtein, I'm sending you back in." Zagion finally replied, sighing and leaning back on his desk chair.

Bubbles sighed as well. "What went wrong this time around?"

Zagion brought his hands together and meshed his fingers, leaning forward. "In the previous timeline, which I have prostrated to have it code-named 'Zerg Recurrence 1' to the alternate agencies, we have detected several anomalous temporal energies that have bled into that timeline and into our own, and scans are showing to us that there are weak temporal readings emanating from the empire's soldiers."

Bubbles hardened his eyes as he looked at Zagion. "... What is that supposed to mean, sir?"

Zagion shook his head. "Damn me if I know. The temporal readings we are getting from the soldiers in the past timeline seem to began at the very moment you had started your first temporal recursion mission, and our scientists are doing what they can to research the phenomenon. It's definitely becoming a bit of a head-scratching problem for them, that's for sure."

Bubbles nodded at Zagion's explanation, even when he still didn't understand what was happening. "So what do we know about this phenomenon? Usually when a time gate is formed, it creates a small amount of temporal radiation that seeps into the environment in the present tense, similarly to how a paradox in a past timeline starts creating large amounts of temporal radiation by a grander margin. Time can sometimes be perceived to be moving slower or quicker, or sometimes be looped again and again in extreme cases if there is a sufficient amount of temporal radiation seeping into an area."

"That' how temporal radiation typically behaves, but the radiation we have been scanning is dissimilar. It's too erratic, too weak, too short-lived, and we cannot locate the origin point of the temporal anomalies. What we have discovered is that the energy is being emanated from the empire soldiers in the past timeline, and that the soldiers in the timeline you were sent to are also creating these same, exact anomalies too."

Bubbles furrowed his brow as he looked down in thought. "... Do you think that these anomalies are related to the zerg?"

Zagion shook his head. "No. If the zerg have found a time travel device to travel back in time, then we would definitely know about it. Hell, it would make it easier for us to triangulate their time travel incursion point and give us a means to intercept them. Our future selves will tell us of any temporal incursions from this timeline and onward, while we monitor any timelines that have been made or altered in the past as inform our former selves of any possible future headaches. In a timeline that branches, rewrites, or loops constantly, I think it best to look at it like a tree that is in a state of every single one of its growth periods."

Bubbles sighed. "But sir, the timeline is not a living thing. It's a unit of measurement that makes things exist. Every unit of time that passes by us enables our existence to continue. Time travel only enabled the Era Agency, and every other agency in the different alternate timelines, to propagate in an otherwise doomed existence. It was only after we had established an agency that we have started using it for profit."

Zagion leaned back in his chair at his desk and grumbled. "But these zerg organisms... They somehow popped up out of nowhere and are proving to be a very dangerous threat. And to top it off, it was only now that we began to realize that in the second timeline behind us that the Era Agency had became completely quiet. Worse still, it's under a lockdown that's preventing us from accessing it."

Bubbles tilted his head. "Do we know what caused the lockdown?"

Zagion shook his head. "We have no clue, but I hypothesize that some idiot tried to use a time travel device on the exact moment that their temporal anchor had rebooted. It's the only time that the time dilation field is turned off in order to create a new time anchor in the timeline, and pulling that off would take either years of calculations, or that a mole from the inside had extensive knowledge of our agency. With that information, they could pull off such a subterfuge tactic."

"But wouldn't that mean the zerg organisms have created a time traveling device that somehow allowed them to enter into the era agency facility, even when its dilation field was down?"

Zagion nodded, paused, and then made a stern glare at Bubbles. "It's possible. But then again, I have said that we would be able to detect a breach in the timeline if that were the case. But you forgot something, Bulschtein. There could have been a mole within the era agency in that timeline too."

Bubbles blinked a few times. "Uh... Do... You think I'm that mole?"

Zagion nodded. "Myself from three previous timelines has shared with the alternate agency network that you had physical contact with the zerg organism commander known as Kay, and he shared with you information that he had no previous knowledge of beforehand."

Bubbles paused as he steeled his expression into one of surprise and hurt. "Seneschal Zagion, my loyalty is to this agency, and every agency that had ever existed, already exists apart from us, and is existing in the days to come. To betray the agency is to betray their trust in me. If you so feel that my loyalty to you and the agents in this facility has shifted, then you have my permission to have me removed from duty, and have my life terminated."

Zagion stared at Bubbles for several seconds with a rigid stare, but then a smile had slowly formed across his face. "Alright. I'm convinced that you're not the mole."

Bubbles slouched and sighed in relief. "Thank you sir."

Zagion sighed, relaxing into his seat. "Are we done here, or are you going to redo your mission?"

Bubbles saluted and smiled confidently. "Yes sir. Permission to re-begin my mission?"

Zagion saluted back. "Permission granted."

Bubbles stamped once, turned, and then proceeded out of Zagion's office, determined to change the future for the betterment of the Era Agency.

Sadly, he would be greatly surprised by what the zerg had already accomplished, which will doom all of the era agencies' attempts to change the future.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry that this took long. Got a new computer and have been playing lots of Hollow Knight and Chroma Squad on it. :V  
**


	56. MB12: The Déjà Vu Wars Final

**Chapter 56: Major Battle 12: The Déjà Vu Wars Final**

* * *

A massive organism had grown to an incredible size, to a length of five kilometers in length. The overlord that carried Othafurn was quickly brought to the giant creature's mouth, becoming ingested by the giant floating beast. A tentacle from the leviathan had lowered itself to the ground and opened its tip, similarly like the mouth of a nydus worm, to allow Virid a means to board the beast's insides. After the two important zerg organisms were safely brought inside of the creature, it started rising high into the air until it could see the moon in the distance. An orange glow enveloped the monster, which seemed to make the air become charged around itself, before it blinked out of existence in an orange flash.

Officer Raxa, leader of the forty Crescent Arms soldiers that was part of Patrol Group 20, managed to catch a long glimpse of the creature, blinking at the very moment it had warped away. After a few seconds of idiotic open-mouthed gazing, he shook his head and reported his findings to the colonel in charge of the operations at investigating Red Mountain. "This is patrol number 20 reporting. You wanted me to contact you guys if I saw anything out of the ordinary, right?"

[That is correct, patrol 20. Have you found something to report?]

"Yeah um... I think I saw something that matched the description of a 'dread maw.'"

[Can you describe the creature? We need an accurate recollection so we can relay the details to the commanders.]

"Um... The creature was fucking huge, like it could eat buildings, for one. It had tentacles on its chin, it had an abdomen that looks like it was puffed out with eggs or something, and it... well... vanished in some orange light."

[... Copy that, patrol 20. We are relaying your description to the higher-ups right now. Please standby for further orders.]

"Understood, Colonel Phelioc. Officer Raxa of patrol number 20, out." He said, pocketing his short-range handheld radio.

"You think it's another one of them experiments that those copper boys were working on?" "I doubt it. No way they could hide something that big without alerting the public." "What even WAS that?" "Didn't you hear Raxa talking? It was a dread maw." "I know, but THAT was a dread maw? Looks like it could make shits big enough to crush a dune-boat!" "That's a load of crap."

Raxa rolled his eyes, but then turned to his men and stood stiffly. "Remember your discipline and training, lads. We're not like the weak chinned, pulp shake drinking Torus Chain guards, protected in their fancy walled cities of theirs. We're Crescent Arms soldiers. We're as rowdy as a starved mongwedger, tougher than the course sand of a desert, and meaner than a shryik serpent with its tail stepped on. We won't back down from a fight, and we give our lives freely in the service of our emperor. Our job is to work ourselves to the bone in his service, either to die and be free from our prison, or live the better life in his perfect world. Remember our motto! Every soldier strives for the silver lining!"

"Strive for silver!" "Strive for silver!" "Strive for silver!" "Strive for silver!" "Strive for silver!"

[Patrol 20, come in.]

Raxa reached for his short-ranged radio and spoke to it again. "Officer Raxa, responding."

[We have acquired more orders from our commanders. We are to maintain our position until reinforcements arrive. Expect the four armies to take control of the mountain area in an hour.]

Raxa nodded. "And our patrol group, sir?"

[Considering the nature of the orders given to us, our commanders told US to maintain OUR position. However, they were also specific about any patrols that might suffer some casualties. As such, you are to return to our forward base.]

He sighed. "Got it, forward base. We are currently at a drop-off near the lip of the summit, but we can make our way back without difficulty."

[Then get to it, patrol 20. You will continue with your primary mission after we have received further orders to do so. Retreat back to the forward base southwest of your position. Afterwards, notify us of your findings and be on standby.]

Raxa nodded. "Yes sir. Forgive me for asking, sir, but what scared the higher ups to change our current orders?"

[They're orders from the higher up, patrol 20. That's all you need to know. Off the record, however, they think that there is some kind of zerg organism that can somehow go through solid rock. It's better to be safe than sorry.]

"Acknowledged. Raxa out." Raxa said, pocketing his handheld radio again. "Rothef, Garleen, notify everyone that we're going back to the forward base."

His two officers looked at each other before Rothef asked a question. "We're retreating, captain?"

Raxa nodded and sighed. "Humor the higher ups, Rothef. Apparently, that 'dread maw' scared them something fierce enough to change our standing orders. Now get to it! And that goes for everyone else too! We're going back to forward base!"

The patrol groaned as they turned tail and went back the way they came from, even when they were glad that they were returning back to their base camp. They had hoped to find something else interesting, or get a chance to see more of these 'zerg organisms' up close. Their conversation, however, was intercepted by the four roaches that were underneath their feet at the time. Some of the roaches pursued after the fleeing patrol, but many of the other roaches and infestors at the main hive cluster were already getting ready to depart to lands outside of the mountain's summit, while hiding under the sand and moving out in every possible direction.

The zerg had little time, but it was all the time they needed. Corvurn was busily analyzing the DNA of the creatures that was infested, and were finally assimilated into the swarm when Corvurn used an infestor to neurally dominate a bull shryik serpent. Corvurn later ate and analyzed its genetic data, or 'essence' as Corvurn prefers to call it, eventually incorporating a new strain into the zerg swarm.

* * *

Just before the Crescent Arms patrol had reached the lip of the mountain's summit, Kay was reciting an old conversation that his future self had made with Lovechief Kragnon. It was incredibly tedious, but Kay had to make sure that everything fell perfectly into place. Kragnon seemed receptive to Kay's presence after calming down, which was very much like in Kay's past in the past alternate timeline. Tedium aside, he needed to bridge a friendship with Kragnon and make sure that he doesn't get captured like last time, or become an activated sleeper agent. But alas, Kay didn't mind doing such a tedious task. He knew that he needed to do this. At least the two zerglings from this timeline were eager to participate in this conversation, despite being unaware of the redundancy that Kay had to go through again.

Kay perked up. "Could you explain what the other chieftains are? And could you tell me what a thoughtlord does?"

Kragnon smiled. "Certainly, but I think it's time I took my rest. My jaw feels like it has been flapping for well over a time. My throat is even beginning to feel sore."

Kay shrugged his shoulders and got up. "Must be from all that yelling. Anyway, I got a hive cluster to manage. If you feel like talkin-"

 _'Patrol force detected. Currently retreating.'_ Corvurn reported.

"Gh- Corvurn? What's going on?" Kay asked, turning away. Kragnon only gave a confused expression since he was unable to hear the telepathic link that the zerg shared.

 _'Burrowed roach strain detected gilanian patrol. Soldiers ordered to retreat. Events in timeline changed. Overheard conversation. Empire has prior knowledge of swarm.'_

Kay paused for a short while as he accessed the hivemind intelligence to access any information relevant to the intrusion. What he discovered through the roaches shocked him. "... The fuck? How did the Crescent Arms Division find out about us so soon?"

"The what arms what?" Kragnon asked, his face emoting confusion.

"Hush you. I'm talking to Corvurn." Kay said, turning to Kragnon and then turning away again. "Corvurn, how the hell did those soldiers learn about us?"

 _'Unknown. Possible temporal recursion. Era Agency likely suspect. Possibly shared information regarding swarm?'_

Kay raised his eyebrow. "When did we get so many problems this time around?"

 _'Also unknown. Crescent Arms patrol retreating. Recommend evacuation.'_

Kay Sighed. "Fucking hell... Alright, you can go ahead and evacuate the cluster, but try and stall any more soldiers or Golden Star gilanians from getting close to our hive for as long as possible."

 _'Could follow patrol. Root out forward base. Initiate in combat.'_

Kay shook his head. "No can do on that. We can't risk what happened last time." He then turned to look at Kragnon, concern in his glare. Apparently, the timeline has been irrevocably changed, whether or not he had followed the events of the timeline as best as he could. Sure, he did release Kragnon from his cold-pod way earlier than in the timeline before, but the activity of the Crescent Arms Division forces had been altered within this timeline as well. "Um... There has been a slight change of plans as of late. I think it's about time I tell you that I have the memories of myself in an alternate future timeline, and that those memories have been sent back to me in order to prevent a possible future from happening."

Kragnon paused for a long time before he tilted his head. "So what you are saying is... that... you have somehow interacted with the Era Agency?"

Kay turned away and proceeded out of the council room. "That's one way of putting it. If you want to look outside, I won't stop you. But remember my warning that I gave you. Do you remember what I have told you to do?"

Kragnon tilted his head further as he watched Kay leave. "... That... I should stay in the tower?"

"Exactly." Kay said, finally taking his leave as he was followed out by the two zerglings that seemed to guard him.

Once Kay and his beasts left, Kragnon stood up from his seat and straightened his gown before speaking again. "Maiden. Show a camera feed outside of the tower."

[Command detected.] The screen showed... several types of horrors that Kragnon would have never expected to see in his lifetime.

"... Oh gods. What even _ARE_ the zerg?!"

* * *

As Kay exited the tower, he felt a deep pang of frustration within his carapace. How, in the world called Kiln, did Raxa and his superiors found out about the zerg? If Corvurn was correct in his assumption that the Era Agency was responsible for sharing such information with Gollog's empire, then the swarm is going to have a tougher time surviving on Kiln. But still, a plan was put into action, and Kay was determined to have the swarm survive on Kiln, thwart the Golden Star Empire, and escape the prison that he was brought into. "Okay Corvurn. How long do you think it will take for the empire's army to mobilize and approach the center of the summit?"

 _'Unknown deadline. Prediction, soon. Zergling strain targeting creep tumors. Will retreat to nydus network afterwards. Cave entrance, barricaded. Constriction grown behind sand barrier. Creep will recede rapidly. Leave no trace of swarm. Hive can regress into drone strain. Enough time. Less of baneling strain needed for nydus network destruction.'_

Kay nodded as he went to the nydus worm. "What about the roaches and infestors that will be stuck on the surface?"

 _'Reconnaissance needed. Roach and infestor strains burrow-move, reaching different locations. Difficult to detect. Changelisks prepared for long-term infiltration. Also difficult to detect.'_

Kay sighed. "Even so, I can't help but worry about what kind of changes happened within this new timeline. With that said, I want the zerg to burrow as deeply as they can, and then spread out from there. We need to find a way to get to the core of this world and infest it somehow."

 _'Understood. Emperor Gollog organism resides in core. Must be assimilated, or destroyed.'_

"Preferably infested first, and then destroyed afterwards." Kay added.

* * *

The roaches could have kept following after the patrol further as they retreated back to their point of origin, no doubt running back to their precious base camp in boredom. But still, their retreat was a cause of concern for Kay. Why would they retreat when they had been ordered to enter the summit in their past timeline?

Several minutes had passed, roughly forty or so, before the summit of Red Mountain was populated by several scores of many more gilanian soldiers. Many bore the armor of silver and blue, several had the uniforms of gray and yellow, some had copper and green jackets, while a few had black and purple tactical skintight suits. The roaches noticed that the empire gilanians were setting down several seismic sensors in a procedural fashion. The roaches and infestors that managed to burrow past this sensor sweep were lucky to escape such scrutiny, despite the danger of being revealed to Gollog's forces. Now, however, the roaches and few infestors within the summit have nowhere to go. They had erected searchlights that brightened the shadowy summit, which was still slowly being brightened further by the hexagonal moon's glow.

"Commander Kralluf, the seismic sensors are detecting buried lifeforms in the center of this summit. It looks like they're near the rock structure and the freshwater spring." A gray and yellow uniformed colonel reported to his handheld radio.

[Good work, Skedir.] A familiar gruff voice replied back. [Our informant says that this is a new zerg tactic, so you are authorized to exercise caution. These zerg critters haven't attacked us yet, but we have been given definite proof that the zerg truly are dangerous. Exterminate the area of all hostile organisms and locate the underground village.]

"Yes sir, Commander Kralluf. May I request bombardment of the central summit area?"

[I like your way of thinking, corporal! After all threats have been eliminated, use the seismic sensors to locate the entrance to the hidden village. Now stand back, unless you want to be blown into smithereens.]

Desert platforms that have been positioned a far ways away from the center of the summit centered their devastating artillery cannons onto the space between the red rock structure and the natural freshwater spring that slowly produced evaporating water that was supposedly safe to drink. After thirty seconds of preparation, the artillery cannons fired at the center of the summit in a cacophonous uproar. Each shell that impacted the center of the summit heavily damaged the roaches and infestors that hid at the center of the summit, but they were all killed so quickly that they didn't have enough time to counterattack.

After the artillery shells stopped firing at the summit's center, one of the gilanian soldiers called out. "Seismic sensors are showing no underground organisms in the immediate area! There is also a bunch of sand blocking off a cave entrance that leads into an underground tunnel over there! There is something alive right behind it!"

"Got it." The uniformed guard looked up, pocketing his radio. "Can I get a team of sand diggers to go in and dig that spot?"

"But what about the thing that's past the sand blockage? Can't we bring a fire breather unit with us?" A lower ranked Torus guard complained.

"Just use slow, deliberate movements. We will send a fire breather unit to join with you. Now form a team and do it, or I will demote you to private and have you on permanent toilet-cleaning duty."

"Ugh. Yes sir."

[Actually, we have been given further information and tactics from our informant.] Kralluf interjected. [We are to set a heavy defensive perimeter around the cave entrance before we enter through it. I want a stacked wall of magic wall projectors surrounding the cave entrance, and several automated turrets and seismic sensors overlooking them. I have gotten the permission to bring more desert platforms to our location, as well as requested Pinnacle Superior, General Pallax's favorite toy. The golden war machine is going to take some time getting here, but I want those defenses set up as you start unblocking that cave. You have your orders, so get them done quickly.]

"Uh... Yes sir."

Once that order was carried out, Torus Chain officers had erected a wall of magic wall projectors that surrounded the spring and rock formation. The seismic sensors and automated turrets were built later, mostly being placed on top of and within the wall perimeter. While the perimeter wall was made, the sand digging team finally got started with their task. A fire breather unit joined them as they began shifting sand. Once their work had started, they took slow and deliberate movements to slowly clear the sand away from the cave entrance. The work was tedious, but the cave entrance was finally discovered and cleared of the sand that blocked their entry.

A gilanian that wore a heavily-built fireproof suit, which was fitted with several plates of armor that was attached to him, was deployed to deal with the lifeform that was at the other end of the sand blockage. He waddled with the sand diggers and patiently waited for his chance to use his flamethrower's business end on his target, which was behind the wall of sand. During his slow travel into the cave, the sand diggers had uncovered what looked like the zerg constriction that blocked the digger team from proceeding further. "Uh... Sir? I think you better come look at this." One of the sand diggers reported.

Colonel Skedir sighed. "What is it?"

"I don't know what to describe it, but... Think you can use my uniform camera system to see for yourself?"

Skedir was now curious. "I'll allow it." He said, taking a plastic data sheet and holding it up. "Requesting link with video feed."

"Request accepted."

Once he saw what had stopped the sand diggers' progress, Skedir didn't know what he was looking at when he saw this mass of... stuff that looked thorny with thick flesh and several illuminated boils shifting around every now and then. It was uncomfortable to look at. "Commander Kralluf, I'm patching this live video feed to you now. What do you make of it?"

[Eugh. Looks like something that might come out of a horror themed moving painting. Is there a way around it?]

"This is Corporal Kadur, sir. Whatever this stuff is, it's blocking the only path to the underground cave system." Said Skedir's lesser ranked officer, who was tasked with digging the sand out of the cave.

[Crap. I guess we'll just have to burn that mass to ash. Let the incendiary unit do his job.]

Skedir shook his head and sighed. "Sir, what about the 'slow and deliberate' approach we have been doing? That's been working for us so far."

[Then the flamethrower burning that mass will have to be slow and deliberate now, will it?]

Once the sand diggers retreated behind the fire breather soldier, he readied his flame thrower weapon at the zerg constriction. "Lighting up." A quick spurt of the flamethrower sprayed a coat of napalm onto the mass of zerg flesh, which made the constriction wiggle and wither violently. This burning process continued for several seconds, as the flamethrower unit cleared away the constriction.

Skedir sighed, feeling as though he knew that there was going to be hell breaking loose later in the night.

[Has there been any other activity in the surrounding regions?] Kralluf asked.

"None at all sir. The seismic sensors are telling us that they haven't detected anything. It looks like the lifeforms at the center of the summit were just guard animals protecting the entrance of their nest."

[... I don't like this. When is there going to be some action?]

"Sir." The soldier wielding the flamethrower said. "I burned a way through the mass. The tunnel extends further down, but I'm seeing this black and purple stuff on the ground. Feels like there's a layer of mucous with slugs writhing around in it. Do I fall back?"

[Negative. Maintain your post at that location and notify to us anything strange that you can see. We'll be sending a team to join with you a little later on, so sit tight.]

Nobody breathed a sigh of relief. The flamethrower wielding gilanian stood where he was in the cave, his suit covered in ash and black smoke that seemed to surround him temporarily.

[Alright then.] Commander Kralluf said, sounding dangerously excited. [Maintain the automated turret system and have this entire summit protected, so anything that doesn't register as a gilanian is going to be cut in half with bullet fire. I want desert platforms maintaining a safe distance away from the center of the summit, and have them continue training their artillery cannons at the center of the mountain. Send in several breaching teams to infiltrate into the cave system. I want the first group to consist of magic armor specialists and anti-riot robots, using magic wall technology to push through. Sharpshooter and heavy fire support teams will back up the magic armor specialist group, attacking through the magic wall tech at any zerg monster that dares try and break out of the cave entrance. Make sure to place seismic sensors and automated turrets as you go into the entrance of the underground tunnel. Whatever this black slime is, our informant is telling us that it's also bad news for us, so you guys need to remove it in whatever fashion you think is good. Our informant is also advising me that we should set up a magic siege wall early, and send four anti-fiend units with the breaching team. Some of you might have your doubts about manifesting black holes in enclosed spaces, but hey, the emperor has ordered me to use these units now, so that's what I'm going to do. Also, Commander Faddoh has given us a unique blueprint for a new ammo type that can be made at a manifestation altar, so have fun with that. MOVE OUT!]

The empire soldiers were quick to readjust their strategies and tactics. The soldiers lined up at the manifestation altars to swap out their ammo for something much more lethal. What that ammo might have been, Kay wouldn't have known what it was at the moment. It was obvious at this point that the timeline was irrevocably changed.

The magic armor specialists carried with them impressive shields that seemed to fold away or unfold outward at a command. Their armor had an array of ablative surfaces that was fitted over their protective armor, which was encased by their magic armor technology. Their shields could also produce this magic armor technology as well, which acted similarly to the magic wall tech as it locks and anchors itself into place on the ground. If that didn't make matters worse, the anti-riot robots were also fitted with ablative magic armor plates, which were similar to the plates that the magic armor specialists used with their armor.

The teams filed into the cave entrance and took to their march in a slow procession. The magic shield soldiers would take the lead as the other gilanian soldiers huddled behind them, soon setting up the treaded machines to create that magic siege wall that inched its way forward. An impressive amount of force would have to disrupt the siege wall that slowly traveled down the tunnel system, and many would suffer if the magic siege wall projectors were to be destroyed, which would invoke great danger in their infiltration mission. The darkness was even darker within the cave, but it was chased away by the lights emitted by the anti-riot bots, and the gilanian soldiers that were right behind them. Behind them all was a new soldier.

Four new kinds of units had been introduced to Kralluf's ranks, and Kay didn't like what he saw when they came into the field of awareness of a creep tumor. There was gilanians that bore plated armor all around their persons, and each held a giant bladed pillar that was carried around by two pairs of mechanical arms that came out from their torso and back. Their arms and legs were also heavily mechanized, giving the special units support due to the weight that the extra arms applied. These units was adorned with a finned helm, and walked with mechanical purpose as they strolled to the mouth of the cave, where the cave entrance awaited them as they entered. "If it gets too molty, we'll cover you. We'll take down the big jags."

"Hmm. This bubble looks weird." An armored soldier said as he prodded a creep tumor with his foot before stomping on it. It made a disgusting gushing sound as its flesh was violently disturbed.

"There's another bubble here." Another forceful stomp prompted another end to a creep tumor. When that attack wasn't effective enough, he unloaded a few rounds onto it. "These things are a bit tough. A few shots can pop them easily enough."

"The slime stuff is receding guys. Think these bubble things spreads the stuff?" A stomp made a creep tumor pop again, making the foot that attacked it to become drenched in wet gore.

"It's hard to find these bubble things further in." A magic armor specialist said, prodding the floor with experimental steps. "But if the ground feels muddier than usual, dance on it to find out if there's one of those bubbles under this muck."

"I heard that these jags eats this slime stuff. Sounds disgusting to me." A soldier said, joining in with the other soldiers and bringing down his feet to find out if there was a creep tumor in his path. If his feet couldn't pop the tumor, he would resort to using a melee weapon.

[Cut the chatter unless it's something important, and proceed with your mission.] Commander Kralluf grumbled.

* * *

Zerglings were plentiful in their numbers in the underground village. Many of them had been spawned in order to drive away the invading forces, but an ultralisk had also been spawned if the zerglings were unsuccessful. Kay regretted that he had placed the hive too close to the entrance into the underground village, even when several spine and spore crawlers had surrounded the zerg bio-structure. But even so, the zerglings would at least prevent their intrusion into zerg territory for long enough. With but a gesture, Kay pointed at the only entrance into the underground village. "Send the zerglings."

At his command, zerglings trilled and hissed as they sped through the only entrance into the underground village. Many clambered into and through the tunnel entrance, and many more zerglings pushed behind their brothers in eagerness of fighting the Golden Star Empire soldiers for the first time of their lives.

Kay turned toward the ultralisk that was standing by, which looked ready to cause some havoc. Kay sighed as he pointed at the enormous monster. "You." Kay then pointed at the tunnel entrance. "Attack empire gilanians."

The ultralisk roared loudly as it stampeded forward, its Kaiser blades widening the tunnel to allow it room to pass through. _'EMPIRE!'_ It roared aloud in a telepathic shout that could only be heard to the psionically gifted that were connected to the zerg hivemind. The zerglings assisted with clearing out any rubble that got in their way, but they continued on as the creep maintained the structural stability of the tunnel corridor.

Kay watched the zerg swarm swarming into battle, like how a moth would take to a light source. Kay didn't like it, but he knew well that the zerg thrived on confrontation and war. Fighting an enemy had a chance to develop experience and fortify one's strength, and the zerg searched for every opportunity to evolve past their normal boundaries. But in Kay's opinion, he would rather drop a nuke on a problematic area and be done with it. With the zerg, their usual modus operandi is to simply infest and colonize a world, assimilate useful strains and evolve beneficial mutations, harvest resources and essence, and then repeat steps 1-3 ad infinitum. "Okay Corvurn. How many Shrylisks can we deploy to the central summit area of Red Mountain?"

Corvurn was overlooking several cocoons that was quickly gestating the new strains that he had invested. "Shrylisk strain requires twenty seconds to spawn. Four more seconds."

Kay nodded. "Kay. Have them loaded up with zerglings, roaches, hydralisks, drones and queens. Once our counterattack generates enough biomass, we can start making brutalisks and start taking back our conceded territory. After they have gained some ground, we can over-mutate some brutalisks and remake our cluster on the surface to start spawning air units. Virid and Othafurn are going to need time to make hatcheries and resources on the hexagonal moon, while we need to tough it out right where we are until we can get the resources we need."

Corvurn nodded. "Past timeline held intriguing information. Unusual parallels. However, timeline has changed. Different now."

Kay shook his head. "And it's those changes that has me worried."

Corvurn turned to Kay, cocking his head. "How so?"

"Well..." Kay said as he recollected his thoughts. "If the era agents are behind the changes in this new timeline, then what had caused them to warn the empire about us?"

Corvurn paused, but then slowly nodded. "Disturbing. Time travel, dangerous. Adaptations made from past timeline, inefficient. Era agents can adapt to current mutations. Go into past and focus on swarm weaknesses."

Kay smiled and sighed. "Well if your 'junior' from that other timeline was correct in his calculations, they'll be in for a nasty surprise."

Corvurn clasped his four hands together. "Very unique adaptation. Envious of progeny evolution master's work."

Kay chuckled. "Hah, well eh, if you ever get the chance, you could meet up with him again and trade notes."

Corvurn nodded. "Will attempt. ... Hmm?" The evolution master turned away from Kay to look at a vacant space, near one of the hatcheries.

Kay looked at Corvurn and raised an eyebrow. "Uh... What's got your attention?"

Corvurn stared at the nothingness. "... Saw something. Heard something. Know not what."

Kay looked at the empty space. He then turned to look at Corvurn again. "Uh... I don't see anything there."

"Hmm." Corvurn said. He sent a subtle psionic command to a nearby overseer to fly over to where Corvurn thought he saw something.

Kay furrowed his brows as he noticed the hivemind adjusting to Corvurn's command. "Corvurn buddy, listen. There is nothing but us down here, except for a few straggling shryik serpents and-" Kay was suddenly corrected when he saw, from the overseer's point of view, a sneaking gilanian in a black and purple skintight suit, making slow and careful steps towards the center of the underground village. "... uh... her, apparently." He said, surprised.

The sneaking Pyramidal Guard paused as she was addressed. She slowly turned toward Corvurn and Kay for several seconds and paused when her gaze met theirs. She slowly brought her wrist up to her face. "Xaff here. I think I have been detected by the enemy."

[Is your cloak device active?]

"Yes mam. I can confirm that it is active."

[Give us confirmation of your detection, infiltrator Xaff.]

She paused for a few seconds. "Um... How?"

[Wave at them or something. And don't hesitate to escape the area using an emergency MEM shift if you think you are in danger.]

She paused for a few more seconds before she waved at the zerg organisms staring at her. After a few seconds of delay, Kay decided to raise a hand and slowly wave back at the infiltrating gilanian soldier. She slowly brought her wrist to her face again. "I... I can confirm that I have been detected by the enemy. Repeat, I can confirm that I have been detected."

[How in the... Can you continue with your mission?]

"They are staring right at me and I feel as though if I move, I will give them reason to give chase."

[Dammit. E-shift out of there then. We'll have to find another way.]

"E-shifting now." A blur of blue and white static covered over the Pyramidal Guard infiltrator, disappearing seconds later.

Both Corvurn and Kay stared at the empty space blankly. Kay slouched and sighed seconds later. _'Oh fuck me, it's the empire's shadows.'_

Corvurn growled. _'Problem. Infiltrators intruding into underground hive cluster. Must evolve overlords into overseer strains.'_

 _'And I'll get a ring of crawlers morphed around the tower. That could be a possible target they might be reaching for. After I get a ring of crawlers morphed around the tower, I'll need a few overseers to accompany me.'_ Kay said as he started to run for the central tower in the underground village. _'But don't forget that we also have enemies trying to get through the tunnel system!'_

Corvurn nodded. _'Understood. Will multitask.'_ Corvurn replied, turning away and heading toward the zerg hive. It happened to be the only larvae spawning structure that was the closest to the tunnel entrance, and the queens were assisting in the spawning of the zerglings and other zerg organisms. They were quite busy in their larval injection duties.

But as of then, invisible intruders have intruded into the Hidden Water Spring Tribe's underground village.

Several overseers quickly flew to and circled the central tower, leaving little space for the Pyramidal Guard shadows to slip past and enter into the tower and discover Kragnon living within it. Several drones had been commanded to quickly move to the central tower and form cocoons around themselves, forming a ring of taught embryonic sacs. Once the ring of spine crawlers and spore crawlers formed, it would make any attempt to infiltrate the tower next to impossible. A small swarm of zerglings were also commanded to circle around the tower, in case the crawlers didn't gestate in time.

A couple of minutes had passed before anything else had occurred, but such length of time passing had enabled the spine and spore crawlers to form from the drones that morphed into them. It was only when the overseers started to expand their search patterns that they began finding the Pyramidal Guard shadows moving in formation.

When an overseer hovered over the group of shadows, they took notice of its presence immediately. "Careful girls. The informant warned that some of these creatures can see through our cloaking ability." "How can they detect us if they don't have light-screen detector equipment?" "No clue. All we know is that only two organisms display this non-technological detection ability. One is the 'barnacle sentries'. And the other is this thing above us. The 'oculars.'" "Are these aggressive?" "No. This thing, and the drifters, are said to be completely incapable of attacking. However, that doesn't mean we should get comfortable just yet." "What do we do now?"

Before long, a swarm of zerglings quickly reached their position. Their trilling became dangerously loud as they speedily came close. Once the zerglings came into their view, one of them was eager to answer the question that one of their fellow shadow sisters had posited. "SCATTER!" In that instant, the shadow assassins parted and quickly ran away in random directions. There was only one overseer within the area, but it had elected to chase down one of the female gilanian assassins. The zerglings gave chase to the fleeing assassins, but only one small squad of zerglings were having any luck tracking down and chasing after one of the shadows. "BAD NEWS, GIRLS! I'M BEING TAILED! WHAT'S YOUR STATUS?!"

[I'm no longer being chased.] [The blade hounds are sniffing around for me and sis, but I'm long gone.] [Hidden and safe. Come around south of your position. We'll provide cover fire.]

"COPY THAT! GOING YOUR WAY NOW! DAMN, THESE BLADE HOUNDS ARE FAST!" The fleeing shadow assassin flipped and cartwheeled past several zerglings that did their best to catch up to and wound her, but their attacks amounted to little when she flitted behind an obstacle or vaulted over a large object. But the zerglings came ever so closer to her, their slashing claws and piercing fangs coming dangerously close to rending her flesh.

But their short trek after the shadow assassin was interrupted. The small swarm of zerglings were picked off rapidly as silenced sniper rifles attacked them from unseen positions. When the overseer scanned over the area, it too became under siege by the rifle fire. The remaining zerglings burrowed under the cover of the sand and creep while the overseer retreated in quick fashion. [Picked off a few of the targets before they dug under the slime and sand. We'll need to resort to anti-shryik serpent tactics. The ocular flew away before we could kill it.] [Thanks for saving my ass, girls! Hoh! What's our progress with our second team?]

[Second team here. We noticed that the zerg organisms are fortifying the central tower. We were going to infiltrate the tower, but we noticed that the barnacle sentries surrounded all ground entrances. We're attempting to send cloaked hover-drones past them now.] Seconds later, flying hover-drones were detected by the overseers circling the central tower in the underground village. When the shadow assassins' hover-drones got too close to the underground tower, however, the spore crawlers released their seeking spores against the easily targeted intruders. More overseers were morphed from the overlords that were spawned in the underground chamber, and the underground airspace was quickly populated by corruptors seconds later. [Strange... These creatures adapted to our strategy more quickly than we had anticipated. Slayers and oculars are flying above the barnacle sentries, almost as though they are expecting us to test if the barnacles have a limit to their detection abilities far above themselves.]

[So we can't send our cloaked drones over their defenses?] [Seems like it. Shall I inform our informant about this zerg tactic?] [He will need every piece of information. As of now, we can't proceed further without risking getting mauled or hunted down.] [Reconnaissance is no longer our mission, ladies. We must proceed with plan B, Operation: Bull Boxing.] [I copy that. Where was the bug-man beast-master and that... gross looking slug-thing again?] [Near the entrance of this cavern, I think.] [Don't proceed to our secondary target's position just yet. We need to secure an area for the VIPs that are important to our plan B.] [Understood. Securing an area for the meetup, ETA ten minutes.]

Kay frowned as he heard their transmitted communications between themselves. The overseers and spore crawlers were quick to detect their transmitted radio frequencies, and Kay's prior experience in the other timeline enabled the swarm within this timeline to intercept their communication frequencies earlier. How the zerg are able to do so was beyond Kay's understanding, but their ability to evolve in such a way not only confounded him, but also every other scientist that tried to study the zerg as well. Still, despite confounding adaptations that the zerg are capable of, this 'plan' of theirs had gotten his attention. _'Corvurn, I think these assassins are up to something.'_

 _'Problem. Zerg commanders became targets. Unacceptable. Must avoid. Must counterattack.'_ Corvurn growled as he learned about the shadow assassin's current plans.

Kay shook his head and sighed. _'I kinda want to capture one of the assassins to find out what this 'Operation: Bull Boxing' is supposed to be.'_

 _'Find out later. Survival important now.'_ Corvurn urged, commanding a shrylisk to surface near Kay. Corvurn took his time to slither next to the shrylisk as he left the hive.

Kay turned to look at the shrylisk strain zerg organism. The underground would prove to be an effective place to retreat into, but he had other concerns. _'What about Kragnon? Are we just going to leave him here?'_

 _'... The Kragnon organism contains unknown commands, activates 'reclamation protocol'. Dangerous variable. Must prevent capture. Command organism Kay's task.'_ Corvurn said, entering into the shrylisk's maw and becoming its passenger.

Kay sighed, but then took off, skating on the creep and heading towards the central tower. _'Once I get Kragnon, I'll put him into a shrylisk's maw and transport him to Citadel_ _Gargantua_ _. Hopefully, my changelisk named 'Johnny' can persuade Baroness Tak to provide a room for one more guest. I also hope that Kragnon doesn't mind being inside of a shrylisk...'_

 _'Should keep mouth, eyes, and wounds covered. Risk of infestation, lessened.'_

Kay nodded as he neared the tower. _'Good things to know beforehand.'_

 _'Query. Keeping Kragnon alive, needless effort. Left alive, contains risk of capture. Potential to activate reclamation protocol later. Destroy Kragnon, prevent capture and protocol activation.'_

Kay shook his head. _'I don't know about doing that, Corvurn. I think there might be several redundancies and countermeasures put in place to prevent or punish anyone from doing significant harm to someone that has these 'command' things in their possession. Unless we know otherwise, we're keeping Kragnon alive.'_

 _'Hmm. Understandable. Risking activation of reclamation protocol, unfavorable. Will continue refrain from destroying Kragnon.'_

Kay rolled his eyes as he vaulted over the wall that surrounds the underground tower once more. It was true that killing kragnon would prevent others from acquiring the warden commands that he was gifted with, but there was no knowing what the aftermath might have been if he truly did die. In theory, keeping Kragnon alive would prevent the inevitable cascade of everything on Kiln. The power contained in that 'reclamation protocol' command was too great to ignore at any rate, and Kay had a hunch that was telling him that no good would come from his death.

Kay scaled the tower as quickly as he could, passing through several hallways and doors, scaling up many ramps and staircases, until he found the door that lead into the tower's council chamber. Kay knocked onto the door rapidly. "Kragnon! It's me, Kay! I have some urgent news to tell you!"

"Can this wait, Kay? I need to review the eighty years of history that I had missed."

"Review it later! The underground village is under attack by Pyramidal Guard assassins!"

"The what guards what?"

"I need to get you to safety now, or Gollog's soldiers are going to tear down your tower just to get to you!" Kay said through gritted teeth.

"... Ah. Uh... Let me pack some essential items first and I'll be with you shortly."

Kay kicked the door open, making it fall down abruptly as he intruded into the council chamber. "Not enough time! Just wrap a length of cloth across your mouth and... Uh..."

Kay blinked a few times when he saw the screen on the wall depicting several scantily clad gilanian women in several poses. Several seconds of intense staring happened between Kragnon with his arms crossed over his lap, and Kay having intruded into the council chamber. Several more seconds had passed before Kragnon finally sighed. "Maiden, cancel my last search."

[Command detected.] After relaying the command to Maiden, the screen behind Kragnon became blank. Kragnon sighed as though he was embarrassed by something.

Kay raised an eyebrow. "Um... Were you... looking at porn?"

Kragnon scoffed. "No no, I wasn't. I was just um... Testing something."

Kay raised both eyebrows. "Testing something?"

Kragnon paused for a couple seconds. "Well... if you have ever been in a cold-pod for as long as I have, you have to check to make sure that certain... uh... biological functions still work properly. To put it as bluntly as possible... I was checking if my virility was still the same before I entered stasis."

Kay sighed and dismissed Kragnon with a hand-wave. "Okay okay, I get it. Oi... But let me bring this back to the original topic. We need to get you out of here, and we don't have enough time to pack. Just bring a length of cloth that you can wrap over your mouth and nose, get some eye protection, and a hat to cover your ear holes. Do you have any open sores on your scales, or any wounds that need attention?"

"Uh... No, I don't have any sores or wounds."

Kay nodded. "Good. Now get those things I told you to wear now, and nothing else. We need to leave NOW!" Kragnon paused for a couple seconds, but he nodded and hurriedly went to the nearest manifestation altar to equip the items that Kay requested for him to wear. And speaking of something to wear. "And put some pants on while you're at it!" Kay shouted. He was going to have a hard time trying to forget the awkward moment that he instigated.

* * *

Minutes later, Kay and Kragnon had scaled down the many steps of the underground tower and made their way to the base. Kragnon went to a part of a wall where several different levers were installed into it. After fiddling with the levers on the wall, a staircase folded out of the ground, positioned itself over the wall, and locked itself into place when the end of the stairs softly thudded with a squishing sound on the creep at the other side of the wall. Kragnon sighed when he was done with the staircase controls, then turned to Kay. "So what do I do now?" Kragnon asked, his voice slightly muffled by the long length of cloth that covered it.

Kay leapt over the wall with ease and landed heavily on the other side. "You're going to have to hitch a ride. It's the only safe way out of this chamber, and I wouldn't normally do this if I had no other choice."

Kragnon hurriedly jogged over the stairs and back down them, meeting back with Kay. "Hitch a ride? I didn't know you could drive a dune boat!"

A shrylisk erupted next to Kay, and it opened its maw to Kay and Kragnon. Kay sighed. "I never said that I did."

Kragnon gazed at the unusual beast before him. He didn't know what he was supposed to do with the thing, but when he exchanged glances with Kay's stern gaze, he felt a pang of worry. "... Uh. Kay? What kind of ride am I supposed to hitch into, exactly?"

Kay paused for a few seconds, turned to look at the awaiting shrylisk's maw, turned back to Kragnon with a sigh, and then pointed a thumb towards the shrylisk that was behind him.

"... Hah... Hahaha! HAHAHAHAHA! AH-HAHAHAHA WHAT?! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR GODS-DAMNED MIND?!" Kragnon shouted, laughing as though he was in complete disbelief.

Kay sighed. "I know it's not the most prettiest way to make a getaway, but it's the best I have available. Now get into its mouth."

"HELL NO! I'M NOT ABOUT TO ENTER THAT THING'S MOUTH WHEN I HAVE ONLY MET YOU TODAY!"

Kay furrowed his eyebrows. "Kragnon, I just revived you from a cold-pod. Can't you understand that I am trying to save your life here?"

"SAVE MY LIFE NOTHING! I AM NOT GOING TO GET INTO A SHRYIK SERPENT LOOKING BEAST'S MOUTH, AND THAT IS FINAL!"

Kay sighed and palmed his face. "You are being COMPLETELY ridiculous right now. You will come under no harm inside its belly if you keep your hands and feet to yourself, and prevent any fluids from soaking into your crevices."

"AND I SAID 'HELL NO'!"

"Am I interrupting something?" As the voice said that, the nearby spore crawlers and spine crawlers suddenly died in an explosion of gore, and the sweet, sharp smell of ozone filled the air quickly. The overseers that were above Kay and Kragnon had also suffered a similar fate as chunks of flesh and splashes of blood fell to the ground in a splatter.

Both Kay and Kragnon looked toward the third party that had intruded into their conversation. To Kay's surprise and contempt, it was a gilanian that wore a black plastic suit that fitted over his body in a snug way. Kay recognized the face, remembering that his past self from the other timeline had encountered this gilanian before. It was the era agent that he had nicknamed Bubbles. Immediately after a second of hesitation, Kay used his psionic power to telepathically move Kragnon into the awaiting mouth of the shrylisk. "UAGH~!"

Before Kragnon had the chance to complain further, he was swallowed up by the burrowing organism, and it burrowed deeply into the creep and sand before the era agent could intervene. Bubbles sighed as he shook his head and furrowed his scaly brows. "Tch tch tch. Why must you make our work more difficult, Kay?"

Kay turned to Bubbles and sternly fixed his gaze onto him, his intense stare sending waves of anger. "Listen here, Bubbles. I don't care how many times you try to interfere with the timeline to accomplish your half-assed missions, but if you piss off the zerg, then you are going to regret it." He said, pointing at him.

"... Bubbles?" Bubbles said, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head. He then shook his head and hardened his facial expression. "Listen, Kay. The era agents and the Era Agency are not your enemies. We are just as against Gollog as you are! But then again, there are very many things that we cannot allow to happen. We have discovered a long time ago that Kragnon's survival is key to our world's existence. If he were to die, as well as any of the wardens before or after their cloning, or if by some fated act that he activated the reclamation protocol, OR if some vital systems have been tampered with, then we would be put out of business."

Kay growled. "Then take your damn business elsewhere. Can't you see that I am in the middle of defending my hive cluster?"

Bubbles looked around and nodded. "It is a shame that you have became so aggressive in this timeline too. I'd much prefer to speak to a more docile version of yourself, if possible."

Kay stared at Bubbles for a few seconds. "... You're not making any sense."

Bubbles looked back at Kay and slightly smiled. "There is an infinite number of timelines that exist, each one their own contained universe that is its own dimension of infinite possibilities. We are but simple practitioners of time travel, but we have developed our skills that we use professionally, and we use our time travel abilities to profit from the timelines that still exist. But you have changed that."

Kay growled. "You're still not making any damn sense, and I am slowly losing patience listening to your drivel. You know what? Fuck it. I'm going to read your mind again and getting straight to the point." He said, reaching a hand toward Bubble's face.

Bubbles backed away. "... What?! But... that would mean... NO!" Bubbles shouted, taking out a blade-less hilt that had a button on its side. Once he pressed the button on its side, it produced a thin line of concentrated energy that hummed as it was activated. "ULTRA-SUIT, ACTIVATE COMBAT MODE!" The moment after he had shouted that command, his body was instantly covered by a semi-transparent envelop of warbling energy. Bubbles then took a combative stance as he directed his strange melee weapon toward Kay.

Kay blinked a few times. "... Uh... Kay, this is a unique reaction!"

"Give me a straight answer, Kay." Bubbles growled, hissing and leering at Kay as he talked to him. "Have you time traveled into a new timeline?"

Kay paused for a few seconds, but he shook his head. "I haven't, no."

Bubbles paused. "... Did someone you know time traveled into this new timeline?"

Kay blinked his eyes a few times. "... What are you trying to figure out?"

"You said that you would read my mind again. The lockdown of that particular timeline must have been your doing. And the fact that you have stated you have done this prior, means that there is some time traveling variables that the Era Agency has failed to detect in time. I am only now beginning to understand how much of a threat you, and the zerg organisms, truly are. ... With that said, it's obvious to me that your psionic abilities not only connects you to your swarm organisms, but it can also access memories, knowledge, and experiences of non-zerg organisms. This telepathic exchange seems to be doable with but simple physical contact, and yet, it has done so much damage already." Bubbles said as he slowly circled Kay.

Kay stared at Bubbles for a few seconds before he sighed. "Are... Are you going to try and kill me just because I already read your mind once before? Huh. Seems like Zagion is very strict with your time travel policies. Maybe he shouldn't be beating you as your normal form of punishment. I'm beginning to think that those beatings left you with post traumatic stress disorder?"

Bubbles breathed deeply. "You know too much. You need to be eliminated from existence itself, and now." He said, brandishing his strange laser sword and-

PANIC!

Bubble's laser sword was suddenly embedded into Kay's torso, stabbing straight through his left pectoral muscle. "Hrk..." The laser sword was pulled out of Kay's torso, which made the air smell like ozone and boiling blood. Kay fell to the ground in a kneeling position, feeling weakness taking over his body as he became suddenly lightheaded.

Bubbles positioned the laser sword across Kay's neck, it's light greatly blinding his vision. "It has to be this way, Kay. In time, you and your monsters will be forgotten. All of you will now know oblivion."

 _ **"... R~A~A~A~A~A~A~A~A~A~A~A~A~A~U~G~H~!~!~!"**_ Kay unleashed a massive shockwave of psionic energy in an unrelenting explosion of destructive power. The force of the blast was enough to send Bubbles flying through the air several meters away, making him crash into the side of one of the bigger housings within the underground tower. The weapon that had pierced into Kay's carapace was destroyed after the attack, its hilt shattering into thousands of pieces, its blade fazing out of existence in the very moment of its destruction.

The era agent fell out of the crumbled indentation that he crashed into and flopped onto the creep. The energy envelop that surrounded his body flickered violently before shorting out completely. Several seconds later, a pained groan escaped the lungs of the launched era agent. Bubbles shakily got onto his hands and feet, and then struggled to stand. "U-uhhh... Oh, whah... What the hell..."

A stabbing pain entered into his ribs as sharp claws dug through his 'ultra suit'. He yelped as he registered pain entering his body, even when he has suffered from severe whiplash from Kay's last attack. He was then dragged away by slicing claws, but Bubbles knew not where to. It was after several seconds of hazy recovery, even as he was dragged, that Bubbles saw that he was being pulled to a nearby hatchery by a zergling. A drone intercepted the zergling and took over its task, clasping onto Bubble's shoulders and continuing to move the era agent to the hatchery.

Bubbles knew that he was in danger. "Shadows... This is Agent Bulschtein. I'm in trouble. My armor is... malfunctioning. I need immediate evacuation... To your facility. I'm being dragged to the zerg nest... by a floater. Send help... Quickly."

[Copy that, Bulschtein. Team two, try to breach and retrieve any information or important items. Team one will be retrieving the asset.]

In scant seconds, several silenced sniper shots riddled the zerg drone's carapace, rending both of its pincer claws from its body and forcing it to drop Bubbles onto the wet, creep covered ground. Several zerglings were summoned to surround the crippled era agent, and they were soon joined by two spine crawlers and two spore crawlers. They began rooting themselves into the ground as the zerglings patrolled around Bubbles. An overseer flew over the assembled zergling patrol and began to hover right above the incapacitated era agent.

The zerglings dwindled in their numbers as they were shot at by silenced sniper rifles, but the missing patrol members were easily replaced by the zerglings that were constantly spawning from the many hatcheries that were tended by the queens and their injection duties. [This is getting us nowhere. We're going to run out of power for our weapons and invisibility if this keeps up any longer.] [The sentries have hunkered near out extraction target, and an ocular is also assisting them. This is a problem.] [I have an idea. Focus your fire on the barnacle sentries and the oculars.] [Mam, why do you need only them terminated?] [I have a plan that will get me close, but it has to be done quick.] [We copy that, but we also want an explanation.] [Bulschtein is wearing that ultra-armor, remember?] [Oh! I copy that. Focus-firing on targets now.]

The spore crawlers and overseers were targeted by the shadow assassins, and they were merciless in their deadly skill. The overseer was ended very quickly as hyper-sonic armor-piercing sniper rounds struck hard into them and passed through their carapaced flesh. The overseer died quickly, but the spore crawlers were slightly tougher to kill. That had bought the spore crawlers enough time for the defilers to arrive and help. They belched forth a dark swarm of insects that covered the zerglings and crawlers that protected the weakened era agent. Somehow, the swarm made it infinitely difficult for them to kill the spore crawlers. [Shots are having no effect. Coughers are creating some kind of defense around our targets.] [I think it belched insects around him?] [How can insects that small block high caliber precision rifles?] [What we should be asking is how long is that cloud going to remain?] [No time. Sending out incendiary grenades around our VIP. Focus fire on the oculars instead.]

Several grenades were launched into the zergling masses, resulting in an explosion of fire that quickly wiped them out. The defiler that tried to protect them and their prisoner had to retreat in order to save its own hide. The spore crawlers quickly died as their remaining health was depleted after that bombardment. The flames nearly came close to licking at Bubbles with its volatile touch, but his rescuers came when the fires finally started dying down. One of them leaned down to inspect Bubbles' body. "Bad news, girls. VIP is wounded."

[What? I thought era agents' ultra-suits were supposed to be indestructible?]

"Well I can see the damage on him, and I'm telling you that the indestructible ultra-suit myth has been debunked."

[Can he still be moved?]

"I believe so. Applying the refractive mesh to his suit's systems now."

"Gck. What happened to... Kay?" Bubbles asked the shadow assassin hovering over him, even when she began applying her 'refractive mesh' onto his armor. It looked very much like a fishing net that glowed several hues of green, orange, and purple.

"No talking. You requested to be evacuated from this area, so that is what we're going to do. Can you walk?" She asked, offering him a hand.

Bubbles slowly got up, straining as he got onto his feet with the shadow assassin's help. "Answer the damn question. What happened to... his body. I need to know."

"We saw you stab the bug-man beast-master in his chest. Your era agent ultra-sword had the unfortunate side-effect of creating an explosion that seemed to have disintegrated his body. We found no traces."

 **"You fuckers..."** Bubbles and the shadow assassin stopped breathing in that instant. They slowly turned toward the intimidating voice to see Kay, who had emerged from the hive bio-structure with no wounds on his chest. He had an aura of psionic energy glowing around him as he power-walked toward the shadow assassin and Bubbles. Raging light made his eyes glow with an intense power, and his palms glowed with dangerous electricity. **"... Are going to forever regret pissing me off."**

"... HOW?! I THOUGHT HE KILLED YOU!"" The shadow assassin blurted out as her expression changed to bewilderment. She was given her answer in the form of a kinetic blast that removed her upper torso from the rest of her body, which then turned into unrecognizable gore that splattered all over the creep in a red arc. Her arms, head, and lower torso fell to the ground unceremoniously, making her the first ever death that Kay had killed out of rage.

Bubbles fell onto the ground and crawled away from the approaching Kay, even though he knew that he couldn't escape. But Kay reached for Bubbles and picked him up from his throat, hoisting him into the air and strangling him. What seemed like raw anger seeped out of his eyes as he faced Bubbles, his intent heavily implied that he intended to do some major harm to the era agent. Bubbles could feel that his life was about to end. "Ghk... Kay... You're going... to fail."

 **"That was a nasty trick, using your time-stop ability on my zerg and me. If you think about activating it again, I will end you permanently."** Kay said, tightening his grip around Bubbles' neck. **"Now be a good era agent and let me read your mind."** Kay raised his hand and forcefully placed it onto Bubbles' head and giving Bubbles no time to finish what he was going to say.

Bubbles found it harder to breath or talk, but he knew he had to act fast or more information would leak and make matters worse for the era agency. "Take... the... shot."

[Sir, you will be caught in the attack.]

"Ultra-suit... has redundancies. I... will be fine. Do it... now." Bubbles managed to say before his throat completely collapsed under the clawed grip, and his mind became open to Kay.

Kay narrowed his glowing eyes at Bubbles as he searched through his thoughts. **"What are you-"** Before Kay could ask his question, Kay's vision was filled with intense white light, followed by blackness and a high pitched ring. Kay felt his grasp on Bubbles' neck loosen as he was subjected to the gilanian equivalent of a flashbang grenade, which resulted in him releasing the era agent. After that, Kay felt several simultaneous blows push him backwards, forcing him to be launched into the air and land onto the side of a nearby hatchery. Dazed and confused, he got up and tried to look around, even though he was temporarily blinded. However, the rest of the zerg swarm wasn't as blind as him, enabling him to see through their eyes.

He could see Bubbles fetching out a device from his person and limply throwing the item at Kay, which then unfolded and looped around Kay's waist in some kind of automatic fashion. "Set for eternity till all life signs have dissipated! Activate temporal tomb!" Bubbles shouted after throwing the device.

It was then that Kay experienced complete darkness.

* * *

 **A/N: Alright, that's enough of** ** **the Déjà Vu Wars.****


	57. Hyper Evolutionary Paradox

**Chapter 57: Hyper Evolutionary Paradox**

* * *

A heptagonal shaped doorway of light was opened, which lead to the inner sanctum of the era agents' Era Agency. Seconds after the door had been opened, a limping Bubbles struggled through the door and was guided onto a medical stretcher. Once two medics hoisted Bubbles up, they then quickly transported their wounded era agent to the Era Agency's infirmary. Bubbles groaned in pain as he had suffered several broken bones and a lacerated rib cage. Worse still, he had to remain awake as the doctors and medics came to his side. He had to have a blood test performed on a sample of his blood, and it was one that he dreaded.

"Alrighty then..." One of the gilanian doctors said, standing over Bubbles and inspecting his form. "Ultra-suit, open frontal straps and reveal wearer." After saying that command, Bubbles' body was exposed as the suit he was in opened up. The doctor then stabbed a thin needle into Bubbles' arm and pulled cherry liquid from a vein. After procuring the fluid, he handed it to a nearby nurse. "Have this analyzed in our science lab. Orders from Seneschal Zagion."

The nurse nodded and took the blood-filled needle before scurrying off somewhere else. Bubbles groaned in pain as a medic felt his arm and groped his flesh to see what kind of damage was applied to the bones underneath. "Doctor Pashaq. Will... I be alright?"

The doctor that handed the needle to the nurse looked back at Bubbles and sighed. "It's too early to tell. Zagion will be here soon for your debriefing. Think you can stay awake long enough to answer some of his questions?"

Bubbles paused for a few seconds before he gave his answer. "... I can, yes."

Another doctor came up to Bubbles and held some kind of medical scanning device over various places of Bubbles' body. After a few seconds of scanning, this other doctor shook his head. "Twelve... Twenty four... Thirty nine broken bones, a contortion in the ligaments of the left ankle and knee, lacerated scales in the right pectoral breast, with the cartilage and rib cage underneath suffering heavy displacement, misalignment, and further laceration. You didn't suffer any compound fractures, but your leg is in very bad shape and might develop a rip if it bends too far. I'm also detecting spinal compression fractures, internal bleeding, and slight hemorrhaging in the brain and eardrums, suggesting that you were in the middle of an explosive shockwave. The ultra suit must have mitigated a lot of that damage before its outer and inner layers of magic armor finally short-circuited. You're lucky to be alive."

"That remains to be seen." The doctors and nurses took a brief pause to look at the newcomer that entered the room before they continued their work tending to Bubbles. Zagion had entered into the room, his fat waddling making heavy steps as he approached Bubbles. Zagion carefully inspected the wounds done to his era agent, and inspected the condition of his ultra suit. Zagion sighed after he looked over the damage. "I reviewed the video files that was stored on your ultra suit, Bulschtein. I have to say, I am very surprised by these turn of events."

Bubbles sighed, slowly shifting as he had his arm put into a cast. It was thanks to the ultra suit that he had the ability to move and fight Kay in that underground chamber. Now, however, his ultra suit exposed his body and revealed many injuries that crippled him. "Are you still convinced that... I am the zerg organism's mole?"

Zagion sighed again and shook his head. "Perhaps not intentionally." He went to find a nearby chair and brought it close to Bubbles' bedside. He sat down on it once he placed it down. "Our informant has told us all the relevant information it knew about the zerg organisms, and their capacity to evolve, adapt, and mutate in response to whatever threat threatens them. However, even our informant is scratching his head over the information we relayed to him. We had suspected that the zerg have pulled off a recursion protocol, and it's only now that we could confirm that our suspicions were true. Somehow, they temporally recursed from the locked timeline and made an alternate timeline, the latter of which is the one we are currently in. How they did it without alerting the Era Agency in that timeline, or how they were able to operate and create a time gate without triggering our sensors in this timeline, is a mystery to us."

Bubbles sighed. "Would that mean Kay didn't send himself back in time, but instead... has used some redundancy or loophole that kept his original past intact?"

Zagion paused, but then nodded. "It's likely. It would normally take about two thousand and five hundred days to create a time gate that has access to an alternate timeline. But with the information we received from our informant, the zerg have the capability to evolve much quickly than any other species we know about. What would take several generations for a family to adapt to their environment, would take the zerg literal hours to do the same. To create an alternate timeline, the variance between events in the past would have to have little effect on the newly formed alternate timeline. Too many variables that effect the entry, and creation, of the alternate timeline would produce an abundance of temporal radiation. For example, if you were to go into the past a couple seconds from now and you touched your past self, the both of you would merge into a singularity and cease existing. ... At least in theory."

Bubbles winced and shook his head. "I have seen... it happen before sir. I don't want to bore you on the details, but... it's not exactly a pretty thing to see."

Zagion nodded. "I'll take your word on that." He then pointed at Bubbles. "Say, has the doctors taken your blood yet?"

The doctor responsible for taking Bubbles' blood replied. "I have sir. It's being analyzed in our science lab right now. We should be getting a result in the foreseeable future."

Zagion nodded again. "Good. Continue as you were then."

Bubbles groaned as he waved to get Zagion's attention. "Sir. What about... What about that new zerg organism? That slug thing with the arms?"

Zagion sighed, shaking his head. "Our informant has no information on it either. But on the plus side, we have agreed to call this new beast a 'spider slug'. We don't know what it does, but we and the informant are in agreement that it can't be any good."

A hurried nurse came into the infirmary that was servicing Bubbles. A graven expression was plastered across her face, which could only mean that she was carrying terrible news. "Um... Excuse me sirs. I have came back with the blood test." Zagion, Bubbles, and the doctors and nurses by his side turned to look at the nurse. She reached for an electronic clipboard and accessed several images to show her peers what the test revealed. "The scientists have discovered several kinds of bacteria and viruses in his system. I regret to inform you that your blood has been tested positive of zerg infestation."

Bubbles stared at the nurse for a long while, then began staring at the ceiling for several seconds before tears welled in his eyes. "..."

The doctors and nurses slowly backed away from Bubbles. "... Right uh... We need to quarantine the area immediately. Seneschal Zagion, I request that you leave this area posthaste." The doctor that drawled Bubbles' blood said.

Zagion sighed as he got up. "Looks like I'm not needed here. Have him guarded by some armed men, and give me an update on his condition every twenty minutes. I'll have an engineer create an impervious containment area so our resident scientists can get to analyzing his symptoms and his rate of infection. If he starts getting crazy, you have my permission to terminate him. Everybody got that?"

The doctors and nurses paused and looked at one another before they turned back to Zagion and nodded their answer. Bubbles was silent in his answer.

Zagion nodded back at them. "Good. I'm going to the science bay now to tell the scientists to clear their schedules. They have some blood samples to analyze." After saluting to them all, he turned and left the infirmary.

Bubbles was indifferent to the events currently happening. After all, he had just discovered that he became a sick patient, host to the insidious hyper-evolutionary virus, or 'zerg virus' as the gilanians seemed so insistent to call it. He knew that there are many more gilanians that became pawns to the zerg organisms, but he knew not how it manifests itself to affect those individuals, eventually turning them into disposable soldiers. He felt dead inside, and terrified at the same time. It was similar to the feeling of getting a terminal illness, except it was infinitely worse in his opinion. He knew not what will happen next.

* * *

Zagion paced back and forth in his office and behind his desk. Worry and doubt filled his soul, and he knew what he had to do. However, he couldn't do it. He couldn't kill Bubbles. The infected agent was a top asset to the Era Agency, and losing him would result in a significant loss to him and the agents he commands. He could fall back on using the temporal recursion technique and send Bubbles back in time to transfer information in his brain chip to a different Bubbles, and give them a chance to rewrite a timeline so that certain events could play out in the way they wanted. But then there was the information that the informant had shared with Zagion, and the Golden Star Empire, that the infestors, or 'spawners', could use their neural parasites to dominate machines, vehicles, and robots too.

If the zerg could do that, then there was no telling what the virus could do to a brain chip in an era agent. Zagion had no idea what the HEV in Bubble's body was doing to the brain chip inside of himself, and he was worried on what kind of answer he could receive if he had the chance to ask about such possibilities. Zagion had no idea on how to proceed.

A knock on the door distracted Zagion from his thoughts. He paused before he went to his desk to sit down behind it. "Come in." A scientist in a white jacket, a fancy set of glasses that had multiple rotating lenses, and a mechanically operated prosthetic arm entered into Zagion's private office, and he brought with him a digitized plastic sheet that supposedly contained the information he had researched and uncovered. "Ah! Yoval. It's been half an hour since I last saw you. How have you been?"

"It's been at least two years for me, more or less." Yoval replied, setting himself onto a chair in front of Zagion's desk and sighing.

"Two years?" Zagion said with incredulity. "When I gave you permission to dilate time in your work space, I was expecting you to complete your work in a few months from your perspective. Why did your research take years?"

Yoval sighed, tiredness in his voice. "It's been an arduous task. I spent much of my time researching the zerg virus extensively, and it's been quite a long while since I socialized with everyone outside my laboratory. The DNA that is packed within those viruses is... well... quite frightening, actually."

"Frightening?" Zagion repeated, tilting his head. "Apart from the zerg?"

Yoval looked at Zagion, chuckled, and then shook his head. "Well... Perhaps equally as frightening."

Zagion smiled and leaned back in his seat. "So what have you discovered on your zerg virus research? I'm genuinely curious."

Yoval nodded, but his smile disappeared. "I am afraid that what I have uncovered might disturb you. Can I use your head office's video screen to show you my findings?"

Zagion waved a gesture to Yoval with agreeance and nodded, allowing that permission to be granted. Yoval walked to the side of the room and accessed a control panel that was connected to a large, black rectangle on the side of the wall. After playing with its controls, he activated the wall screen which began to show a larger resolution of the plastic sheet he had in his arms. Afterwards, Yoval opened up an image file which showed a white background with several irregular, almost geometric cell-shaped objects that held black cores within themselves. The surface of these large cells contained several translucent tendrils that were tipped with black spikes on their ends. They appeared to be fencing against one another, from a glance. Another, larger shape was seen which consisted of a multicellular design, with each cell also having multiple black cores that surrounded several more cores within itself. Some of the cells were dismantled by the fencing cells, while others had their cores replaced by either a fencing black-cored cells, the multicellular masses that produced more black-cored cells, or cells that already had their black-core implant and is implanting another core in another cell. Zagion narrowed his eyes at the displayed image. "What exactly am I seeing here?"

"Microbial evolution, sir." Yoval answered. "Apparently, this multicellular virus you see here, on the far left and within its own image, contains genetic blueprints for every zerg monster. Supposedly, each black core you see contains the necessary DNA to create any zerg organism that we know of, and more. I believe the information that the informant has imparted with us describes this multi-cell viral organism as the 'Mutation Factory' cells."

Zagion stared wide-eyed at the multicellular virus. "A multicellular virus that can create mutations, and can recreate the different breeds of zerg organism? That actually sounds... quite dangerous."

Yoval nodded. "Indeed, but none are so dangerous as the 'Mutation Predator' cells. They are specifically designed to counteract the immune system of the body they entered, eventually replacing all white blood cells and changing the bone marrow's properties to produce more Mutation Predator cells and Mutation Factory cells. Once the bone marrow is completely converted, the MP cells and MF cells begin targeting every other cell. Muscle cells, fat cells, brain cells, nerve cells, blood cells, and even cells in the scutes and scales. Once the immune system is replaced, the zerg viruses quickly infests the remaining cells within the body, using the bloodstream as a means to spread themselves everywhere else. Between and after twenty four hours of contracting the zerg virus, the victim will start displaying physical symptoms."

Zagion sighed and rolled his neck. "So what happens when someone contracts the zerg virus anyway? Tell me what happens, step-by-step."

"Okay, well, I found out something very interesting during my tests, but I can tell you about the development of the zerg virus and its symptoms first." Yoval said, nodding and selecting a different image to show Zagion. This new image was of a gilanian in a medical gown. "Now, this is my first ever patient, Hornthel. I used some of the blood that was extracted from Bulschtein to infect this individual to see what might develop after being contracted with the zerg virus. Early symptoms were not immediate, despite the several cases where the gilanians developed certain symptoms in the first few minutes, but the first few hours have developed a few noticeable symptoms, like malaise, loss of appetite, restlessness, despondency, and accumulative depression. These symptoms continue to develop until the victim no longer responds to any outward stimuli. However, there is also other symptoms that occur within the body. The development of tumors, sores, pustules, and several different types of spine and muscular tissue growths alters the body at a slow pace. Sometime after twenty four hours have passed, these growths become visible on the victims' body, and protrudes from it. Tentacles would extrude from the mouth, tooth-like orifices would grow on the swelling that occurs in the antebrachium, the part of the arm that is between the hand and the elbow, and would shoot out teeth using a pressurized venom gland near the top of the wrist."

"Venom glands on the wrists? I thought the capability to produce venom became a recessive trait after a family of gilanians lived through several generations of docility. Once farming and livestock raising became the norm, using venom to hunt for prey, or deter predators, fell out of practice in later years." Zagion said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, the zerg virus changes the DNA of the gilanian victims quite rapidly. It would make sense that it would redistribute favorable traits to weaponize the zerg infested gilanian victims into disposable pawns. Hence where their name comes from, I suppose." Yoval answered.

Zagion nodded and sighed, leaning forward on his desk. "What I would like to know is if there is a way we could cure this virus. I would like to have Bulschtein fit and healthy for his next mission."

Yoval shook his head. "I'm afraid that won't be possible."

Zagion grunted and grimaced. "Then what do I keep you around for? I know that the zerg virus is very contagious and dangerous, but it shouldn't mean that it is incurable."

Yoval shook his head more and sighed. "I apologize for what I will say to you, sir, but there is no method at our disposal that will enable your top agent from ever being free from the virus ever again. The virus simply evolves too fast to create an effective cure."

Zagion furrowed his brow at Yoval. He then sighed afterwards. "... Seems like we have no other option but to try using temporal recursion to fix this problem. If we can't cure it using conventional methods, then we have no other choice but to use more unconventional methods."

Yoval shook his head even more, approached Zagion's desk, and slapped his data sheet onto his table. "No no no, don't do that! When I said that there is no method at OUR disposal of freeing Agent Bulschtein from the zerg virus, I literally meant it."

Zagion tilted his head and raised a scaly eyebrow. "... Care to explain that to me?"

Yoval sighed and nodded. "Yes sir. It's actually something that I need to share with you, and it very well concerns the Era Agency." Yoval went back to the rectangular screen and opened up several video files of several different blood samples. Looking at the different dates and timestamps in each recording, each instance took place in a different timeline. Zagion raised his eyebrow even more when he noticed the timestamps. Yoval directed Zagion's attention to the oldest recordings. "When I was analyzing several gilanians that had certain physical allergic reactions to contracting the zerg virus, I noticed that this physical reaction was only taking place within gilanians that had medical micro-machines swimming in their blood, and embedded in their cellular structure. I decided to transfer my notes to a past self of myself when I noticed that I was running out of patients, using temporal recursion. However, it was at that point that I have discovered some intriguing energy fluctuations within the bodies of the gilanian test subjects."

Zagion squinted. "Energy fluctuations? Of what kind?"

Yoval paused for dramatic effect before he revealed his answer. "Tachyon radiation and temporal energy." He said slowly.

Zagion stared at Yoval. "... Wha... But temporal energy is used to power the time gates, and tachyon radiation is just an inert half-life byproduct of decaying temporal radiation."

Yoval turned to the screen to fasten the recorded video feeds to different times. After resuming the feeds normally, Zagion could see vibrating particles of white surround the various virus cells. After the viruses were surrounded, they vanished in a flash of white. In the other video images, the zerg HEV flashed into existence. Yoval begun to explain what was happening. "It took me a bit of time to gather these video images, but it resulted in some unusual research that took an entire year to understand. I have discovered that the viruses are able to produce a tachyon shell around themselves, and this tachyon radiation shell quickly builds up in energy until they are completely enveloped by it. After which, the tachyon shell collapses into a short-lived burst of temporal energy, making the viruses disappear. Usually, one out of a hundred million of these viruses have these tachyon shells form around them."

Zagion got up and went to the rectangular screen on his wall. He eyed at the various feeds for several seconds before he turned toward Yoval with a concerned expression. "... If this is what I think it means..."

Yoval nodded, with a graver expression than before. "Time traveling viruses. Apparently, the zerg viruses are somehow sensitive to changes in the timeline. If they perceive the victim that contracted them is about to have their history changed, such as someone going into the past to prevent somebody else from contracting the virus in the first place, the virus forms tachyon shells around themselves and creates a small burst of temporal energy that transports themselves to the new timeline. The temporal radiation that bleeds into the surrounding background radiation is so minimally small that we weren't able to detect it at first."

Zagion shook his head. "So... So our time travel methods are incapable of reversing contraction of the zerg virus?"

Yoval sighed and nodded. "I tried, in a contained environment, several methods of using time travel to enact a system of prevention. Using the overriding timeline method produces unfavorable results. The duration it would take for myself to send data into the past to overwrite the future would still produce victims relative to the timeline till its expiration. In essence, any patients that I have had scheduled to contract the zerg virus after transferring my notes and information to my past self wouldn't carry over to the overriding timeline.

"Using a dynamic timeline proved to be completely useless. In one test, an assistant was sent back in time after I had accomplished my goal of infecting a patient with the zerg virus. A stable loophole paradox was intentionally created, and one of my assistants was tasked to inform me and his past self to refrain from infecting the patient with the zerg virus, told them to create the loophole and send his past self back into the past, inform them to stop my attempt to infect the patient with the virus, inform them to send the assistant into the past, etcetera etcetera. Sadly, the initial infestation of the patient superseded the time loop paradoxes. To maintain the time loop, we still went ahead and had my assistants across time continue to be ambiguous in order to keep the circle dynamic.

"And finally, I tested the capabilities of using a splitting timeline. Needless to say, it is dangerous. Patients and victims from both timelines would contract the zerg virus at the same time, relative to the very moment of contraction. To put it shortly, the virus can 'time-jump' to their alternate hosts in their other timelines. From my research that I had conducted in my past two years in my contained laboratory, I will say that this is truly a unique adaptation that the zerg organisms developed."

Zagion rubbed his face with a palm and turned away from Yoval, his body language seeming to become tense. "Do we know if this adaptation is present in the other zerg organisms? Like the blade hounds and the pukers?"

Yoval shook his head. "The informant doesn't have any information pertaining to any data of that regard. As far as we know, this is a trait that is wholly unique to gilanians turning into pawns for the zerg, and my research was extensively focused on the pawns."

Zagion nodded. "Then it's worth a shot to attack the zerg organisms early in the conflict. We will need to take careful watch of any gilanian populations that have been affected by any zerg incursion, and kill anyone that has been turned into zerg pawns, or will turn into them."

Yoval sighed. "You are willing to kill someone before they turn into pawns? That will weigh heavily on anybody's consciousness. And it sounds costly to our resources."

Zagion grunted. "I'm not too proud to enact such a harsh preventive measure, but it's the only one that is the most efficient in this scenario." Zagion said, coming to behind his desk and sitting back down in his desk chair. "But on the plus side, Bulschtein has taken a major figure out of play. With the bug-man beast-master gone, all that's left to deal with are the bugs and beasts." Zagion sighed and pleaded his finger together. "But more importantly, what about the virus' effect on brain-chips?"

Yoval sighed. "I'm afraid that, due to the adaptive nature of the zerg virus, the brain-chips within the body would eventually become affected. In several tests, I have noticed that mental degradation of the host slowly deteriorates the brain-chip's capacity to store information, or the information itself is somehow altered over time. In short, I can't recommend sending a brain-chip on its own into the past with a temporal recursion in place. At least, not the brain chip itself. I suggest using some kind of buffer that prevents the virus in one brain-chip's system to affect another in a different timeline. Think of it like copying the data before it becomes corrupted, and then sending the intact data to a new, and cleaner brain-chip."

Zagion nodded. "Then there might still be hope for Bulschtein. Have whatever information we can save from his brain-chip and download it in a contained file. After that, we then upload it into the recursion protocol for Bulschtein in the recursed timeline. If the brain chip is slowly being damaged by the zerg virus, we need to act fast to transfer all vital information to ensure out continuity on Kiln."

A knock on the door was heard, followed by that door opening into Zagion's office. An era agent with a paled face walked into the room and saluted to the men within. "Um... I apologize entering into the room when there is a meeting taking place, but... there has been a development."

Zagion huffed. "Is there ALWAYS something developing nowadays? Whatever you have to report, make it quick."

The era agent fished out a sheet of plastic from his person and placed it on Zagion's desk. "I think you need to see this instead."

Zagion sighed and retrieved the sheet of plastic. After inspecting the images on the digital sheet, his eyes widened widely till they looked like they were going to leave his head. "..."

Apparently, the Era Agency in the future was warning the Era Agency in the present that a giant structure made of pure energy will be emerging from under Red Mountain in the coming days.

* * *

 **A/N: Is it too evil giving the zerg this kind of adaptation?  
**


	58. Post Entombment

**Chapter 58: Post Entombment**

* * *

Corvurn's shrylisk had resurfaced and allowed its current occupant to slip out. Corvurn, shaking off shrylisk slime and saliva from his body, began to approach the last place that Kay had stood. When that wounded era agent had thrown that device and shouted that command, Kay's mental presence within the zerg hivemind psionic connection had suddenly ceased. When Corvurn came close to Kay's last known position, he was surprised to see a warbling mass of blurring movement that was too quick for him to analyze. What he could see was a huge pyramid shape, a large four spiked shape, several smaller shapes, and whizzing blurs that moved too quickly for the eye to track.

Corvurn paused for many seconds before shaking his head. He connected his mind to the hivemind, and focused on connecting to Othafurn and Virid on the hexagonal moon. _'Problem. Command organism Kay disappeared. Temporal tomb attack, era agent type attack, possible culprit.'_

Virid was, for a lack of a better word to describe how she felt, pissed. _'How dare these era agents attack us in such a manner! I wish to personally tear out the innards of the one responsible for this travesty!'_

Othafurn had a different opinion. _'Virid, we must not divert our attention to the task at hand. Corvurn? Are the resource tumors absorbing and converting the ambient heat in the underground?'_

 _'Absorbing thermal radiation. Abundant supply. Will convert into bio-matter.'_ Corvurn answered.

 _'Good. You need to focus on creating more resource tumors and further evolve the swarm. Our task will take significantly longer.'_ Othafurn said.

 _'Query. Condition of command organism Kay. Retrievable?'_ Corvurn asked.

Othafurn paused. _'... I honestly don't know if he can be retrieved, but... the device that was used on Kay is trapping him in a temporally accelerated field of dilated time. The era agents call the device a 'temporal locker', or 'temporal tomb.' It creates two temporally dilated fields that allows the device to sit between them. The innermost dilated field is super-accelerated, designed to quickly age anyone trapped within it in a short span of time, killing them by starvation, disease, or even old age if they felt merciful.'_

Virid felt confused by that explanation. _'They would accelerate time to assassinate their targets? Using such a weapon on the swarm would prove fruitless, since we have evolved to be biologically immortal.'_

 _'And you are right about that, Virid'_ Othafurn answered. _'But if I understand the settings and capabilities of the device used on Kay, it has the capacity of accelerating time to an unprecedented degree. One day that passes outside of the temporal fields would be equal to two million and five hundred thousand years on the inside.'_

 _'A worrying difference. It would mean that even a fraction of a second would still mean years in terms of Kay's perspective. Is there any way we can retrieve Kay from his prison?'_ Virid asked.

Othafurn sighed. _'I doubt it. When a temporal field is generated, it makes it virtually impossible to deactivate, unless you have unrestrained access to the device on the side that generates it. If you tried to enter the time dilated field, or even try to pass your hand through it, the variances in time will make you cease from existing, since the machine is fitted with sensors that can sense any intrusion through the dilated fields. It will fluctuate the edge of the field with rapid pulses of fast-forwarding and fast-rewinding time that can destabilize molecules and atoms, and all physical matter will deteriorate to nothing if its rate of time doesn't match the pulsations of the time dilation's rate of time. Even a hand passing through it will remove it from your arm. Since there are two temporally dilated fields being produced around itself, one that envelops itself and the other enveloping Kay, it would make it impossible for us to access it without the use of era agent technology. In essence, we need their technology to free Kay, but even I have doubts that they hold the key to his freedom.'_

Virid hissed. _'Then we should attack the era agency and understand how to use their technology. If there is a chance we can free Kay, then we will attempt it!'_

Corvurn growled. _'Waste of resources. Requires great effort to understand Era Agency technology. Understanding non-biological adaptations, not part of swarm evolution. Organism Othafurn contains_ _eidetic_ _memory. Learned how swarm mutations can adapt to time travel technology. Chosen not to understand technology within contained timeline. Regarded as unimportant. Theory. Era Agency knows swarm capabilities. May adapt to second intrusion. Second intrusion recommended to destroy Era Agency, yet contains high risk of failure. Acquiring knowledge of Era Agency technology, secondary. Must avoid further paradoxes.'_

Virid paused since she couldn't add anything to Corvurn's rebuttal. Othafurn had something on her mind. _'Then when we have spread to new territories, and spawned more forces, we will attempt to penetrate the Era Agency facility and infest it a second time. Once we do, we will take our time to understand their technology better and use it to save Kay from his temporal hold. I regret to say it, but there is a chance that Kay may have forgotten who he is, or what we are, once he has been freed.'_

But before they began to plan a way to infiltrate the Era Agency's facility, a new voice intercepted the three remaining zerg commanders. _'Refrain from attacking Era Agency!'_

Corvurn, Othafurn, and Virid tried to find out where this voice emanated from withing the psionic connection, but they found nothing. This had never happened to them before. _'Who said that? Show yourself!'_ Virid hissed.

 _'Corvurn Junior command organism. Listen. Events must fall into place. Requires Kay to remain inside temporally dilated field. Let him remain. Field will break down eventually.'_

 _'Corvurn Junior?! You're... You're the evolution master that ours had created from our other timeline, right? Huh... Keeping track of these events is becoming harder than I had thought.'_ Virid said, slightly hissing in frustration.

Othafurn, on the other hand, was confused. _'CJ, how are you communicating to us without being present?'_

Corvurn Junior sounded exacerbated. _'Have no time to talk. Right now, at war in future. Kay key to winning. Let him reside in temporal tomb. Will be released after time passes. Opening time gate and releasing spore pods to moon location, now. Use unlocked strains and mutations. Key to survival till Kay's release.'_

Othafurn was further confused, but she could sense that Corvurn Junior was earnest in his instructions. Just what happened in the future that forced Corvurn Junior to intercept this event and change the passage of time? _'What happens in the future, CJ?'_

 _'Reminder. No time to talk. Must go now. Keep selves from releasing command organism Kay prematurely. Evolution Master Corvurn. Suggestion, run. Ending conversation now.'_

Corvurn was hesitant for a few seconds before he asked. _'Query. What did progenitor evolution master mean?'_

There was a sudden shaking that interrupted their psionic conversation at that moment, followed by an unusual change of pressure in the air. Corvurn didn't know what was happening, but he saw the air around the temporally dilated field wavered and expanding, as though an explosive shockwave was pressing the air itself outward slowly. Strange, glowing triangles of orange and green started growing out of the temporal bubble at a worrying rate, which began folding over the temporally dilated field and forming a geometric pattern as it continued to grow. As the energy triangles became larger and larger, so too did the air distortion expanded. When the air distortion expanded enough to surround Corvurn, he noticed that there was no air within the distortion. He dared not to touch the bright triangles since they crackled with an unusual electricity. But also, Corvurn felt both numb and overstimulated when he was within the air distortion. It felt like being in a crowded, overactive room with muted voices. Virid was quick to answer Corvurn's question. _'I suppose it is THAT! Retreat to safer ground, Corvurn!'_

Corvurn looked at the shrylisk he had crept out of, then looked at the strange phenomenon happening before him. He shook his head. _'No time to use_ _shrylisk strain. Nydus worm strain, proficient.'_ He said, making a hasty slither toward the nydus network that was quickly becoming enveloped by the air distortion. The energy triangles of orange and green passed through the underground tower, making parts of it explode with electricity and fire. When those triangles passed through them, it had also burned away wood and melted through metal at an astonishing speed. Before the energy triangles could grow further and continue to destroy the underground chamber, Corvurn had successfully escaped into the nydus network and transported himself into a deeper chamber.

The triangles grew and grew, becoming larger and larger, getting bigger and bigger. It's growth became so much so that it ate the creep around itself and killed any zerg organism that was unlucky enough to stand in its way, or perceived it as a threat to the underground hive cluster. The energy triangles even grew huge enough to start digging into the sides of the underground village's cavern walls. Soon, a tremendous rumble was heard before the roof started caving in, resulting in an avalanche of land to fall on all of the housings and onto this anomalous energy occurrence.

* * *

A rumbling was heard at the perimeter defense that was constructed around the entrance to the underground zerg hive cluster. Every soldier that had gathered there exchanged worried glances with one another, expecting the worse to happen. The shaking was so bad that Corporal Skedir had to hold himself onto a nearby soldier to keep himself balanced. When the tremors still continued, he decided to splay himself onto the ground and bring out a handheld radio from his person. "Commander Kralluf! There is an enormous quake at my position!"

[Corporal Skedir, be advised that there might be a 'war claw' coming to your position! Evacuate the area and warn the artillery desert platforms to keep their eyes open!] Kralluf warned.

[Sir, this is desert platform 05, we're getting a lot of unusual seismic readings from our equipment.]

[Unusual? I'm guessing this is a new zerg tactic! What are you reading?] Kralluf asked.

[... A... A void collapse?! I think the underground location of the zerg nest is destabilizing!]

Kralluf laughed. [HAH! The zerg are getting buried and we didn't even need to do anything! What's the condition of the breaching team underground?]

[Sir, I'm getting a report that the zerg have stopped in their movement. The soldiers down there are experiencing tremors too. ... Oh no... Sir! I am not receiving any more life readings from our men!]

[Is it another zerg attack?] Kralluf asked.

[We are reviewing the live feeds, sir. ... Oh. It appears to be a tunnel collapse, sir.]

[Grr. I don't like this. Have the breaching team retreat. Apparently, the 'other' infiltrator team did something that caused these tremors to happen. What's the condition on that void collapse?] Kralluf growled.

[Sir, the void collapse has not ceased. I think there is going to be a sinkhole developing soon.]

[From where?] Kralluf questioned.

[Uh... Two and a half kilometers north from the center of the summit.]

[And when will it manifest itself?] Kralluf asked.

There was a pause before an answer was given. [... About forty seconds, sir.] Seconds later, a large plume of dust had erupted into the air, generated by the crumbling earth which tainted the ground with more shadow. Searchlights were swiveled to illuminate the rising cloud of particulates that covered the black sky with sandy dust. [Uh... Correction, sir. Now. The sinkhole is being generated now.]

Kralluf growled. [Well that's just swell. Position combat fliers that are fitted with anti-flier weapons around the newly formed sinkhole. We don't want anything flying out of the new hole, like drifters or slayers for example.]

[This is flier interceptor group 3 through 8. Groups 1 and 2 will provide support while we hover close to the area, over.] Soon, fliers flew to the sinkhole that was north of the defensive perimeter, becoming bigger by the second as more dust shot into the sky as more sand and earth fell in. As they circled over the developing sinkhole, they soon began seeing an unusual light being produced from deep within itself. [Hmm... Is it me, or is there some kind of light coming from the sinkhole?] [You're not the only one. What the hell is it?] [No idea, but it's getting brighter.] [Command, are you seeing this? Check our video feeds.]

There was a pause before Kralluf answered. [... Yeah, I'm seeing it. What the hell is it?]

[We don't know. Is this a new zerg organism we don't know about?]

[Hard to say.] Kralluf answered, unsure. [The information the informant imparted has no relevant data that describes what this is. Continue your patrol and continue reporting of any new developments. Over and out.]

[Roger.] The Golden Star Empire fliers continued their lazy patrol around the billowing dust cloud as more soil and sand sunk unto the sinkhole, widening it further and further as the light within itself began to glow brightly. When the dust clouds died down, it enabled the fliers a view of the light within the sinkhole. [Sir, there appears to be a light source at the bottom of the sinkhole.]

[Can you describe it?] Kralluf asked.

[Uh... It looks like... some kind of giant plant thing made of energy?]

[Huh. It kind of looks like a flower. Is it the cause of the sinkhole?] Kralluf asked.

[I'm starting to think so, sir. I can see its petals cutting into the sides of the sinkhole and making it wider.]

[Don't know why it's all green and orange like that, but I need to know if the defensive perimeter is in danger of being swallowed up in that growing sinkhole.] Kralluf said.

[The flower thing is not ceasing in its growth rate, sir. We don't know how quick its growth rate is.]

[Hmm... I REALLY don't like this. Commander Pallax, I think I might need some input here.] Kralluf said.

[I will report this to our informant, and to Emperor Gollog.] Pallax replied. [Commander Kralluf, you are to pull out the forces assembled at Red Mountain and maintain a safe distance from the... 'energy plant' if your forces' position cannot be held. If it's a new kind of zerg organism, then we have to treat it as though it is an enemy. For now, however, we must retreat and study the anomaly in a more secure position.]

More land had shifted and fell into the sinkhole, which had also widened it by a greater margin. Oddly, no dust or particulates rose out of the hole when the sinkhole kept collapsing. The petals of the 'energy flower' was now starting to rise above the ground. Suddenly, the fliers that were hovering close to the energy flower began rapidly falling out of the sky. [Sir! Something happened to my flight control! It's unresp- *rushing wind* GAUCKHK~!] [One of the fliers is falling out of the sky, re-*rushing wind* *GACKUCKERCK!] [Move away from the bright flower thing! I think it's causing our fliers to fall out of the sky!] [How?! I see no spines or spores attacking our forces. *rushing wind* HURGHPFT!]

Kralluf was starting to become mad. [Flier groups, retreat from the energy flower's airspace. Artillery teams, aim your ordinance at that thing and fire at will. I won't take to losing the lives of a few of my soldiers, no matter how strange an anomaly.]

Kralluf's desert platforms rotated around and aimed their artillery cannons at the energy flower, at the behest of Commander Kralluf's command. Once the artillery cannons on the desert platforms aimed at the energy flower, they fired a volley of shells that heavily impacted it. The flower seemed to quiver when the shells made explosive contact with it. [Direct hit. It seems to be reacting to our artillery shells. No visible damage, however.]

[Keep on firing then. Maybe it'll stop growing if you find a weak-spot.] Kralluf ordered.

Several more rounds was fired at the growing structure of energy that kept increasing in size, yet it quivered more violently as it was struck with more artillery shells. The petals extended outward and immediately produced thunderous lightening that leapt out and struck the desert platforms, ionizing the cannons on them and electrifying much of the crew aboard them. [FUCKING HELL! Commander Kralluf, be advised! The energy plant retaliated right back! Some kind of lightning based attack hit us hard! A lot of the crew on the desert platforms have suffered fourth degree burns or are dead!]

[What?! What is the condition of your remaining crew?!] Kralluf ordered.

[Unknown! We are still recovering from the damage!]

[Dammit... I'm sounding the general retreat for everybody right now! Replace the crew of the desert platforms, and get out of there as soon as you can!] Kralluf ordered loudly.

Pallax interjected into Commander Kralluf's command. [This is unfortunate news. What is the energy plant's rate of growth?]

[Sir, it looks like it's a kilometer across. It has reached past the ground level and is still continuing to grow!]

[Any sign of recession?] Pallax asked.

[No sir- *wind rushing* GAWKRF!]

[Respond. What is happening?] Pallax ordered.

[I have no idea, sir. He just... collapsed over like he choked on som- *wind rushing* MBLRGHK!]

A sigh could be heard from Pallax. [... I'm afraid I must agree with Commander Kralluf. I, General Pallax of the four armies of the Golden Star Empire, order everyone at, or near, Red Mountain to retreat immediately!]

Once that command was issued by General Pallax, the soldiers at the defensive perimeter that guarded the entrance to the underground zerg hive cluster was shut down to let the remaining breaching soldiers a means to escape. When the empire soldiers boarded onto the desert platforms and manned the positions that was recently made vacant from the energy flower's electrical attack, the empire gilanians made their retreat before the air distortion reached them. Many of them were able to find safety, but there were a few straggling soldiers that were caught in the air distortion. They died in a vacuum when the air distortion moved over them, making it impossible to escape when they choked on nothingness .

But the remaining forces were moving out of the dangerous range of the spreading air distortion. Their tongues swelled and bubbled as they grabbed for their necks, as though a piece of food was stuck within their throats, even when there was none. The unlucky survivors had to make a sprint away from the energy flower to remain in the normal atmosphere outside of the air distortion to continue breathing, but they had to run in order to keep out of the distortion. A few were lucky enough to find a sand board to ride on and make their way away from the air distortion quickly, but others were unable to do so when the air distortion already reached them.

Kralluf growled. [What will it take to take down that energy plant?]

Pallax paused for a few seconds before he replied. [I have no idea. I might have to invite Commander Faddoh to analyze this unusual anomaly. If this is a new zerg organism that we haven't faced yet, then we will have to adapt to its tactics. This disruption to our operation is unfortunate, but we cannot suffer any further losses.]

[Pallax?] Gollog's voice said in an annoyed manner. [Why are our men retreating from Red Mountain?]

[I apologize, sir.] Pallax answered. [An anomalous disturbance had interrupted our operations, and I had to act expediently in order to save our men. Kralluf had ordered his men to fire artillery shells at the anomalous disturbance, but it retaliated with some kind of electrical attack. Many of Kralluf's men perished.]

[This is no good!] Gollog growled. [What am I supposed to do with a rabble of soldiers that ran away at the sight of a glowing garden weed? Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic. Pallax, do you know what the light cycle?]

[47% and waxing, sir.]

[Good. By the time the light cycle reaches 55%, I will unleash my holy smite attack on that pitiful little sprout. I so do enjoy a little gardening now and then.]

[Very good, sir. That should give us enough time to retreat to safer ground and watch your powerful smite attack with awe.]

* * *

Time had passed. The natural rotation of the heavens resulted in the eventual night to turn into morning, and then dawn. As the darkness crept away, it revealed a sun that brightened the sands and mountain. However, when the sun was slightly above the horizon, it emitted a devastating orbital laser beam, which was Emperor Gollog's signature holy smite attack, onto the glowing structure. The energy plant's petals began warbling and shifting colors of green and orange at a rapid pace, which soon changed into a violent shaking.

After a minute of constant barrage of orbital laser, the petals of the energy flower bent and pointed up toward the laser. The tips of the triangular petals traveled up the laser and transformed into electrical energy, becoming like arcing lightning that passed through Gollog's smite attack. Several seconds had passed before the bombarding laser ceased, and the glowing energy plant continued to quivered as it slowly returned to its natural position, its shaking eventually slowing down to a stillness, even as its green and orange petals slowly rotated around itself at a normal speed.

Elsewhere, on the hexagonal moon, the hive cluster that was developing on it continued uninterrupted. But the newly developed broodmother was staring intently at the planet above herself, her mind completely focused on something else.

Othafurn quickly noticed Virid's behavior, which prompted her to check up on the broodmother. The leviathan she had used to escape Kiln's surface hovered close to Virid, it's doleful eyes staring directly at the brooding broodmother. _'Virid. Are you worried about Kay?'_

Virid sighed, even when there was no atmosphere on the hexagonal moon. _'I was responsible for infesting him. And yet, there is a certain feeling I am experiencing that I have never experienced before.'_

Othafurn analyzed Virid's mental acuity for a few seconds before she discovered what was wrong. _'Doubt haunts your mind. It would do you well to refrain from thinking such thoughts. If you feel doubt, then the lesser strains will sense that emotion. Such mental degradation will not be tolerated.'_

 _'Easier said than done. My mental powers have increased significantly, now that I have evolved into a huge queen, and into a broodmother. ... And yet, I can't help it.'_ She turned to the leviathan that contained Othafurn. _'To lose a commander like him is a serious blow to our forces. The swarm has became lesser for it, and it infuriates me that our enemies have the potential to rewrite our history still!'  
_

The mental shaking of a head was transmitted to Virid. _'There is something else within your doubt. Is this... attachment?'  
_

Virid hissed. _'These new emotions within me are so human in design. I loathe such an unnecessary unfamiliarity, and I further regret you sharing his memories with my own. To understand what those emotions are like from his perspective has corrupted my own, and now I cannot forget such images and experiences. Such... such turgid swill! To think he had the mental alacrity to become a commander of our swarm, yet he somehow kept his emotional ties that made himself so unique. I'm starting to think that the void we were once floating in had an unintended effect on his brain...'  
_

Othafurn sighed. _'It was necessary to share those memories with you. Otherwise, we wouldn't have enough time to prepare and adapt to the battles to come.'  
_

Virid sat herself onto the creep and crossed her arms, looking away from Othafurn's leviathan. _'I know... But you didn't need to force those memories onto me so harshly. It's hard to refrain from thinking about him, since you committed so much of his memories into my own. Now, it's hard to differentiate my normal mental state when needless emotions are plaguing my strategic formulations! His past timeline's explanation on how vision works, for example. Near the end of that timeline, I was beginning to understand how vision worked. But having to learn of that again from his perspective through himself as well, it became so much more ingrained than I had wanted. Vision is a boon to have, but it is a curse when its memories is closely painted by the face and thoughts of someone that is so... So human.'_

 _'You heard the evolution master's progeny relay his message. Kay will be released from his temporal hold in time. We merely need to be patient and let him be released on his own terms. It is a sacrifice to our forces, but linearity in the timeline demands its continuation, and its occupants that orchestrates the flow of events must be allowed to move into place on their own volition. It is not an easy thing to follow, but I have faith in Corvurn Junior. And you must also have faith in Kay.'_

Virid was silent for several seconds before she hissed and directed her attention to the zerg, psionically commanding them to continue growing creep and hatcheries. _'You wouldn't say such things when you yourself had already sacrificed so much in the timeline you came from. I know you were holding back on certain memories you didn't want HIM to learn.'_

Othafurn took her turn to hiss, making the leviathan look intimidating as it waved its stabbing tentacles dangerously around Virid. _'Do not dare mention this in front of him! If he had discovered what I had to do to get here, then he wouldn't have allowed me to assist the swarm in the first place. You are not to tell him, or I will rip your mandibles off of your face.'_

Virid stared at Othafurn's leviathan, unflinching. _'... I won't tell him out of spite. But you must promise me that YOU will tell him. By the time we have conquered this planet and destroyed the meddlesome Golden Star Empire, you are going to have to tell him what you did in your past timeline, or he will find out on his own and resent you for it.'_

Othafurn was silent for many seconds. Before long, Othafurn finally revealed her answer. _'...Fine. I promise I will tell him. Not now... but someday. Now get your fat ass back to commanding the swarm.'_

Virid hissed as she diverted her attention back to commanding the zerg swarm on the moon. _'... I think Kay's odd mannerisms have been rather ablative around us. What is going to become of the swarm once we start picking up on his habits? Ugh...'_

And so, they continued their task on covering the moon with creep and various bio structures. The spore pod that Corvurn Junior had launched from his location, wherever that may be, had landed on a patch of creep on the moon that revealed several mutations ready to be unlocked, and administered several zerg strains that could be spawned. But after enough time had passed, the people of Kiln would experience a resurgence of zerg in the worst way possible. As prophesied by Corvurn Junior, Kay will make a return in the future.

* * *

 **A/N: Added another note in chapter 54 at the top. Felt like the readers needed a notice before they go on to read a certain story several times over, but with slight differences in the later chapters.  
**


	59. Inside the Tomb

**Chapter 59: Inside the Tomb**

* * *

Outside of Kay's temporal tomb, the zerg have begun to adapt at a rapid pace. Corvurn Junior's spore pods contained various mutations and strains that were quite beneficial to the remaining commanders of the zerg swarm, and they capitalized on their uses. Apparently, Corvurn Junior had a lot of time to himself to develop and unlock the strains and mutations that were needed for the swarm. And they were sorely needed.

The predecessor to the current queens in the zerg swarm flitted within the sky, thanks to the creation of the brood queen's nest bio-structure. The brood queen's nest looked very much like a mound of flesh that had fused into the ground and with the creep, which sprouted a circle of spikes on top of itself into a crown-shaped pattern. The genetic information it contained would be used to spawn the brood queens at the hatcheries, lairs, and hives, making the impressive air-force that populated the skies improve with lethal diversity. Their use of acid spores on any enemy flying in the air would prove useful to the zerg, but the brood queens also had several tricks up their sleeves, so to speak. The brood queens had a plethora of skills and abilities that made them formidable, despite being such a weak creature to easily take out of the fight. They could create creep tumors on creep, implant parasites into their enemies, implant temporary ocular symbiotes that could detect hidden enemies in their allies, rapidly mutate an opponent to death and spawn a pair of broodlings from the corpse, emit a viscous web that slows enemies in both speed and attack, (with the added bonus of revealing cloaked assassins,) and could infest buildings. The infestors had the ability to produce virophages that could accomplish the same goal in a wide area, but the brood queen could intrude into a damaged structure and infest it at a terrifying speed, taking only seconds of time. Their appearances varied widely apart from the queens that evolved after the Brood War, since they used their delicate webbed crab legs to keep them afloat, and used their enlarged bony wings to propel themselves forward in their flight.

Another strain that was added to the zerg swarm was another flying organism thought to be long lost, which had evolved from the mutalisks. The devourers. Resembling mutslisks, except beefed up to become stronger, yet moving somewhat slower, is yet another flying zerg strain that would attack air units with corrosive acid spores that melted their mechanisms, but also thinned their defenses. It that wasn't bad enough, this acid could be splashed onto its enemies in a wide radius that affected both air and ground units, which reduced their defenses and attack speed. The corruptors may be incredible against enemy air or against massive enemies, but the devourers surpassed them as a more advanced heavy assault flier. However, with such a powerful zerg strain's superlative ability to increase the damage intake of its enemies, either by attaching acid spores into their armor and hulls or splashing acid to reduce their defenses and attack speed, would mean that the devourers would become more destructive when they are aided by other zerg air units.

A bio-structure that had a puckered, yet fanged entrance, surrounded by sturdy spikes and useless webbed limbs that circled its base, and topped with a huge oblong dome of heavy carapace, unveiled another strain that the zerg could use. The impaler den unveiled the impalers, which was another kind of evolution that the hydralisks could achieve. The form of the impaler was similar to the lurkers, except they had broader spikes and heavier carapace, which made their legs look shorter and stockier. There was little physical differences between the lurkers and impalers, yet the impalers had an attack that was primarily focused on machines and mechanical vehicles. The lurkers had subterranean spines that could whittle down infantry, but the impalers had piercing tentacles that could penetrate through vehicular hull and metallic armor with ease. They would become a definite threat to the Kiln Keepers, or any mechanized foe for that matter.

But alas, that wasn't the end for the evolution of the hydralisks. A select few of the hydralisk population in the zerg swarm began mutating into bigger, stronger, meaner beasts that could attack with much more force. Their increased size would be intimidating to any foe that would dare provoke the zerg, and their spines became ever more lethal due to already existing mutations. The hunter killer strain was the result of harsh adaptation over a length of time, and the few hydralisks that survived the battles they were sent to, and killing the enemies they were sent against, prompted the mutation to occur. It was an eventuality that could not be stalled.

And still, yet another strain became available to the zerg swarm! The nydus network had been given an unusual mutation because of this new strain, but it had enabled further subterranean offense for the zerg forces. When the nydus network had generated enough energy, it could send a worm with burrowing teeth to quickly breach an area on enemy occupied ground, constrict whatever enemies that its maw had entrapped, and then crush them in a grizzly demise. It was an effective method for attacking any terrestrial enemies that was within the zerg swarm's awareness, even if it had no way to attack any enemy that was safe in the air. But even then, it was an attack that had to be calculated, as enemies could predict the rumblings of the devouring maw and sidestep from being harmed. If they were quick enough. That, and this kind of attack could only be pulled off within a kilometer's distance of the nydus worm.

But the greatest strain that had graced the zerg swarm was actually of a small sized bio-structure. This strain resembled a glob of green liquid that sloshed and gurgled silently, was contained by many strands and tendrils of flesh, and was hidden under the ground with a carpet of creep that it generated. However, it had the adaptations and abilities that preceded many others that the zerg lacked. One of which is the ability to have it placed on ground that did not require creep growing on it, yet could produce it once placed. Secondly, this creep could be placed on any ground that is within the zerg swarm's awareness. The toxic nests would prove incredibly deadly when used in conjunction with any enemies that carried zerg parasites, since the parasite could convince a parasited gilanian to spit onto a floor, and the toxic nest could form fifteen seconds later. The toxic nests were also incredibly deadly acid-filled mines, which could easily replace the already dangerous burrowed banelings, if not also replacing the overlords' creep generating abilities. The downside to using toxic nests instead of banelings was their usage. An army of banelings could be quickly spawned, but the ability to generate toxic nests required time and patience. It was an especially prolific strain that could spread creep to far distances, and it only needed the concentration of a zerg commander to promote the strain's growth. It was the perfect weapon for sabotaging an enemy base from vast distances, and without ever having the need to set foot in their territory in the first place.

But Kay would not be able to experience the joy of having these strains within his swarm, for he was forced to be apart from it.

* * *

After a rush of vertigo, followed by the sudden noise of low and high pitched noises, Kay was within a dark, dimly lit dome. There was mostly low pitched noises that filled the air, but that began to fade when Kay adjusted to the noise. It sounded like one continuous note in an orchestra, except it did not produce a sound. Kay grunted as he slid off of the hatchery he landed on. He rubbed and patted his chest and abs to make sure that he wasn't mortally wounded again. Whatever mortal wounds he expected to see on his body, he found none. Even the hole in his left breast had disappeared, which had gladdened Kay.

The very moment that glowing sword made that mortal wound upon his body, he could feel zerg instincts kicking in afterwards. It felt like his body moved on auto-pilot after escaping an apocalyptic explosion, directing him to the first hatchery that formed in the underground chamber, which had already evolved into a hive a brief while ago. He can't quite make out what he saw within the hive since it all happened so quickly, and that he was slightly in shock at the time... but he thought he saw a pool within the hive itself. Slowly, he remembered digging up and through some underground orifice that lead to a chamber of crystal clear water that bubbled, but it felt as harmless as a comfortably hot jacuzzi. Materials from outside of the hive had seeped through the walls and slowly sunk into this pool, disappearing into a sphincter that was surrounded by tentacles with razor sharp teeth and suckers. They seemed to rip apart whatever materials that came close to their touch before they passed them into the sphincter that they guarded.

Several glowing veins pulsed with a dim brilliance, which flowed along the walls and above this pool of water, the 'mouth' at the top of the hive, and then into five giant sacks filled with developing larvae, the wombs that created the creatures that formed all zerg strains. The broodlings inside of these wombs seemed focused on taking care of the larvae within them. Kay was unsure what kind of organ was responsible for spawning a queen within a hatchery bio-structure, but he didn't need to find that out at the time. Kay was worried when he floated near the tentacles at the bottom of this crystal clear pool, but their teeth pulled away when he came close, and was assuaged by their careful touch across his wounds and body.

Kay shook his head, trying to forget that memory as he walked away from the hatchery he had landed on. He noticed that the area around himself was devoid of many things. One of which was his psionic connection to the zerg swarm. He couldn't sense anything around himself. Not Virid, Othafurn, Corvurn, or even the pair of zerglings that had followed him around on infrequent occasions. All he could sense was the larvae that was at the foot of the hatchery, the hatchery he landed on, and not much else. Everything appeared darker. So much so that his light sensitive eyes were straining to detect other light sources that were produced within the underground chamber. Alas, all he found were statues and still shapes.

He felt a coldness within his mind. He never felt this alone before. All he had for company was the hatchery with the larvae it produced, and even that was obscenely lonesome. At least it had an abundance of resources stockpiled before this... suffocating darkness enveloped Kay. He sighed when he decided to try and plan a way out of his new predicament. "Kay... Lets try spawning a queen and some drones." Kay directed his will at the hatchery, and it obeyed his overriding command. Several of the larvae had ensconced themselves in a protective cocoon, while the innards of the hatchery was slowly creating and spawning a queen. Seconds later, three drones emerged from their cocoons, followed by a queen half a minute later. They circled Kay, but also took curious glances around themselves in the environment they were in, uncertain of their current fate.

Kay clapped his hands together. "Alright then. Until further notice, I am going to name the second-in-command queen 'Queenie' until we find a way to reconnect with the swarm. Queenie, you are to lay four creep tumors in an adjacent pattern and create a resource tumor. That way, we can grant ourselves a means to create more resources overtime." He then pointed at one of the drones. "You. Go and scout our surroundings. CAREFULLY."

 _'Me scout!'_ The drone gurgled as it floated eagerly away, completely careless of the possible dangers around itself. After hovering several meters away from the hatchery, the drone seemed to be perfectly fine as it traveled this unusually dark expanse. However, that changed when the drone wheezed and hissed. Its pincers were missing when it backed away from... whatever the hell caused its pincers to be removed from the drone. _'No good! Got attacked! Stealthy blade?'_

Kay walked to the drone and kneeled down to inspect its wounds, but saw that its stumps had already coagulated and were healing over. "Hmm... Sit tight back at the hatchery then. Queenie, tend to the wounded after you're done making that resource tumor." Kay audibly ordered, looking toward where the drone had been wounded and inspected the space. "I need to look at something."

 _'Careful. No engage in combat. We might be in ambush.'_ The queen warned Kay, which then went to the drone to inspect its damaged pincers.

Kay blinked a few times at the newly spawned queen. Her means of communicating were... strange. It could be because she too was removed from the hivemind intelligence that the collective zerg swarm shared, but he couldn't be sure. He shook his head as he turned around and headed for the place where the drone was wounded. He took careful steps forward, reaching his hands in front of himself in case he had to defend from an invisible enemy. His heart was unsteady, but he kept walking ahead with slowed caution. Kay suddenly pulled his hands back when a few digits of his fingers registered pain. "GAH, FUCK!" When he inspected the damage done to his own fingers, he saw that they had been cleanly sliced off of his hand.

 _'Is trouble here? Are swarm in danger?'_ Queenie asked Kay, looking over to him as she guarded the wounded drone that slowly healed.

"Hrrn... Yeah, I'm fine. My fingers were just lopped off." Kay replied, clutching his wounded hand. The pain quickly subsided as his stumped digits lengthened into fingers at a slow pace. He looked upward at the space before him, noting that the fingers that were sliced off of him had completely disappeared. The same could be said for the pincers that the drone had lost, for they too were not found. Kay _carefully_ probed an intact pinky into the space before him and took careful note of his sharp nail on his pinky. He slowly reached his hand forward till something happened. His eyes widened when something did indeed happen, and he saw his sharp nail start disappearing right before his eyes. He retreated his nail to allow it to grow back to full sharpness before trying to poke at the invisible force that harmed him and the drone. "... So weird... This is like, um... Some kind of unreality wall. Whatever matter passes outside of it, it just ceases from existing. What was this called again? ... Oh, I remember now. It's a time dilation field."

 _'This good not. We without swarm.'_ Queenie sighed, petting the drone as it was slowly recovering from its wounds.

Kay stepped back and tried to see if his eyes could detect what kind of properties made this wall so dangerous. All he saw was empty space, which separated himself from the rest of the underground cavern. He found nothing, but he knew that the danger was there. "I don't like this any more than you do. I'm not sure if we can even do anything against it." Kay said, sounding somewhat frustrated.

 _'Can try. Make hole past danger. Or use zerglings to claw at.'_ Queenie suggested, pointing a clawed finger at the space past Kay.

Kay sighed. From what he noticed, being apart from the psionic connection might explain her odd way of communicating. "Let's not get too crazy. I think the best thing we can do in this moment is to find out how far this time dilated wall reaches. Generate some creep tumors and see how far we can spread them from our hatchery."

 _'As you command.'_ Queenie replied. After a few seconds, she had skittered over to where Kay was and laid yet another creep tumor. After waiting for what felt like ten seconds or longer, the creep tumor had fully formed. Once it had formed, it had sent out a slithering creature out from itself to create yet another creep tumor, resulting in the creep tumor to regenerate the cocoon around itself to prime its creep tumor generation ability again. When the cluster of boils formed again from the two creep tumors, they sent out their inner occupants to generate more creep tumors further from themselves. When these creep parasites tried to create a tumor from outside of the supposed safe zone, the creep parasites screeched and ceased from existing. _'... Me noticed something. Creep on ground beyond not wavy. Creep we is standings on much wavy.'_

Kay looked down at his feet to analyze Queenie's discovery. Apparently, she was right. Somehow, the creep that was beyond the dangerous space that removed the drone's pincers and Kay's fingers were eerily still. The creep that Kay stood on was acting as it should, which slithered across the ground in the mindless fashion that it so often does. Even when Queenie had made the observation of the two kinds of creep, Kay was looking at a landscape that made him uncomfortable to bear witness to. "... This must be the effects of the time dilation field."

 _'Should I the continue with the creep tumors?'_ Queenie asked Kay, tilting her head.

Kay paused before nodding his head. "Might as well. I, on the other hand, am thinking that an overlord might be needed." He said, turning around and heading back to the hatchery. There were newly birthed larvae that awaited for his commands, and one of them were selected to transform and spawn into the zerg's most well-known psionic relay organism. Once the cocoon had formed, Kay looked back at the creep tumors that were forming a ring within the safe zone. The creep tumors still tried to expand into the motionless creep outside of the time dilation field, but the creep parasites disappeared all the same. A tight ring of tumors began to grow closely to the edge of the time dilation field, resulting in creating a visual marker that tells those within the ring how far they could walk before the dilation field starts to unmake the physical matter of their bodies.

A brief passing of several seconds later, an overlord was eventually spawned. It floated high into the air, but that had turned out to be a mistake. Before it could rise any higher, the top part of the overlord's bulbous back was sheared off, forcing it to release its helium gasses and plummet near the hatchery and larvae. _'The **We** has been wounded.'_ The overlord relayed to Kay and Queenie, its pincers trying to stabilize itself when it tried to get up. Having lost its helium sack, the overlord was made crippled and stuck on the ground.

Kay sighed. "So the time dilation field is above us too. ... Bitch and a half." He said and slouched.

 _'... I think that overlord need hover very low or will be hurt and fall again.'_ Queenie said, looking up above herself.

 _'The **We** will hover below the dangerous area.'_ The overlord said, scrabbling at the creep on the ground around itself. It's bulbous body that used to contain its precious lifting helium was slowly growing back. It will be able to float again, but it would take a while for it to recover from its wounds.

As Queenie tended to the crippled overlord, Kay sat down on the creep to consider his options. "Hooh... Kay, let's rethink on how we can get ourselves out of this mess. There's got to be some kind of way we can find out what is creating the time dilation field around us. A dilation emitting device would be the most likely culprit, but... the trick is to find out WHERE it's placed. If my math is correct, the dilation field is covering about... two hundred meters in diameter. Since this dilation field is a sphere shape that is surrounds us, and its current height is half of its width, then that would mean we have a volume of free space that is about... uh..."

 _'_ _Sixteen million, seven hundred and fifty five thousand, one hundred and sixty point eight cubic meters of available space that is safe for We to occupy.'_ The overlord answered.

Kay looked at and nodded at the crippled zerg. "Thank you, overlord. I didn't know you could perform math so well."

 _'The **We** are proficient in many forms of mathematics, like geometry, algebra, and calculus.' _ The overlord said. It was starting to become lighter, as newly generated lifting gasses slowly helped it off the ground.

Kay sighed. "Well we can try to math our way out of this, or we could use an overseer's vision to look at things with critical eyes. Once you're flying again, I need you to morph into one. Understand?"

 _' **We**_ _obey.'_ The overlord said, which now started to hover up above the hatchery. Once it equilibrated itself in the air, the overlord formed a cocoon around itself to slowly transform into an overseer.

Kay stood back up and looked up at the developing overseer for a few seconds before looking down at the idle drones. Kay pointed at one of them. "I guess you can go ahead and gather from the resource tumor. There isn't really anything else to do since we're stuck in here, until we figure out a way for us to leave, that is."

 _'Me_ _gather!'_ One of the drones exclaimed, going to the resource tumor and picking one of its budding legume-shaped resource pods to transport to the hatchery. With the available space that Kay's zerg are allowed, they won't be able to generate resources prolifically or quickly. But at least resources were being generated within the time dilation field.

After a brief period of time had passed, an overseer replaced the overlord when the cocoon that floated above the hatchery exploded open. The overseer shifted its gaze in all directions, its vision being able to metaphorically cut through the invisible and hidden. After a concentrated analysis of everything around itself, the overseer did find one thing out of place and cloaked from the normal spectrum of light. It directed its attention at a curious box that was hovering over the hatchery. _' **We** have discovered something.' _ The overseer said, pointing a pincer at the unusually hidden object.

Kay looked up at the object that was revealed by the overseer. Strangely enough, it looked very much like the device that the era agent known as Bubbles had thrown. For all he could tell, Kay believed that the object he was seeing was actually that very device responsible creating the time dilation field around himself and the hatchery. Kay placed a hand onto his chin and took his time to think of a plan to turn off the time dilation field generator. "... Queenie, see if you can use your acid spines to hit that out of the air."

Queenie looked up at the floating device for a few seconds before flinging her wings, sending acid-filled spines at the floating device. Sadly, the acid spines that were sent at the device never impacted it. After flinging twenty or so spines at the device, Queenie stopped to inspect what damage may have been afflicted to the device, only to find none. _'... This bad. Box thing not get damage. I is thinking that it outside time dilation field thingy.'_

Kay paused for a few seconds before he came up with an idea by himself. "Let me try something." He raised his hand up at the device in the sky and unleashed an energy blast at it. Several blasts of energy seemed to have made contact with the device, but it still showed no visible damage. After sending a few more blasts of energy at the floating device, Kay paused to look at his attempt to dismantle their only obstacle. "... Well that's all I got."

 _'The **We** find this troubling.' _The overseer said, sounding as though he was losing hope.

Kay rolled his eyes. "Yeah no shit, Sherlock."

The overseer blinked its many eyes several times. _'...The **We**_ _are unaware of what this Sherlock is.'_

Kay rolled his eyes again and explained. "Oh... It's just an exaggerated expression that terrans use sometimes. It's usually used as a form of sarcasm for someone that has stated the obvious. I think the name came from a fictitious detective from some famous mystery novels or something. I never read any of the books, but the expression is pretty old and used quite often."

 _' **We** see... **We** thought it was a new name for this **One**.'_ The overseer said.

Kay sighed, but then began nodding. "Hmm... I guess we can call you Sherlock. I'll admit that It's actually a very fitting name."

The overseer bowed. _'Then **I** shall be known as **Sherlock**.'_

Kay directed his attention at one of the idle drones that had nothing to do. "And one of you will be called 'carbonation extractor' next. Any volunteers? Raise your pincer if you want to volunteer." The two drones that were currently slacking off looked at one another in uncertainty. One of them dared to raise a pincer into the air. Kay clapped his hands and pointed at the drone that raised his pincer. "Congratulations for volunteering! Now go and turn into a carbonation extractor right there." Kay said, pointing at a spot close by.

The volunteering drone floated to the spot that Kay pointed to and formed a cocoon around itself, which would soon morph into the extractor strain that carbonates useful hydrocarbons that the hatchery could use. Queenie, on the other hand, slowly became anxious. _'But how is we to do the escape from the time dilation? Are we the stuck here?'_

Kay paused for several seconds before sitting back down on the creep, feeling an exasperated breath leave his lungs. He began to understand what happened to him, and he could feel himself losing a small portion of his hope and spirit when the thought came to him. "... I don't like this any more than you do, but... I think we're stuck here."

* * *

 **A/N: Seriously though, the devourers are much more dangerous when being assisted with other zerg air units. :V**


	60. B2: Expedition Team Windless

**Chapter 60: Bonus 2: Expedition Team Windless**

* * *

Events that happened within the past timeline had also occurred within the current timeline, barring several changes that the zerg had control over, or had no control at all.

The battle at Red Mountain lasted shortly between the Golden Star Empire forces and the zerg swarm, on the account that the air became so distorted that it suffocated any gilanian entering through it, or tried to escape from it. Even their fliers and vehicles died due to a lack of atmosphere that the energy plant somehow produced around itself. The energy plant that had sprouted out of the ground was also responsible for taking a few desert platforms out of the fight, using an electrical attack that fried much of their crew. Even Gollog's smite attack had no effect on it, and it retaliated by sending an arc of lightning up the bombarding beam, somehow disabling the devastating attack.

After the battle, a changelisk was given the name Johnny, and was tasked with aiding and protecting Kragnon as they left for Citadel Gargantua. Baroness Tak was quite intrigued with Johnny's technological ability to help create manifestation altars, much like in the timeline before. But this time around, she took an infatuation with the lovechief that came with him. The incident involving the Spiker Titan Mercenaries capturing Baroness Tak and Johnny was completely diverted, but Johnny did end up acquiring all the tech he needed to construct a virgin manifestation altar, thanks to the additional help that Kragnon provided. Ponpon, on the other hand, still had his eyes blinded and surgically improved with implants, but by a completely unrelated incident. Apparently, an assassin was responsible for taking Ponpon's eyes from his own skull. Nobody knew how it happened.

Following Kragnon being delivered to safety, and the short battle at Red Mountain that lasted for a couple brief hours, the zerg took the opportunity to respawn their numbers within the air distortion. Once several hatcheries and other bio-structures had been morphed within the airless environment that the energy plant provided for them, the zerg swarmed north to overtake Empire Capitol once again in the new timeline. Alas, their onslaught onto the city was lengthened considerably, since the Kiln Keepers were summoned earlier to defend the gilanian's home and ambush the zerg. Several days of aggressive combat between the Kiln Keepers and the zerg swarm had passed, which significantly bloodied and littered the sands with oily machine parts, and disgusting zerg gore that smelled of overcooked flesh. Apparently, the Kiln Keepers decided to use the adaptations and machines they have once developed in the previous timeline earlier in the conflict. It made the Kiln Keeper's attempt to eradicate the swarm much easier, but the zerg still adapted, mutated, and evolved in the war that transcended time. The Kiln Keepers also began to tolerate the help that the Golden Star Empire soldiers provided them, no matter how marginal their assistance was. But even so, the zerg had also became stronger, and it was due to their latest adaptations that they continued to violently fight their enemies across time. The battle lasted days before Empire Capitol was finally captured and re-infested by the zerg.

But there were other differences that occurred in the battles of this new timeline. Commander Ralkan, the leader of the Torus Chain Division of the Golden Star Empire, was not within his safe house at the bottom levels of Empire Capitol. Commander Kralluf, the leader of the Crescent Arms Division, didn't partake in a suicidal mission to hunt down an ultralisk that had damaged the walls around Empire Capitol. And Genneral Pallax's golden octahedron shaped floating war machine, the Pinnacle Superior, was not present during the war at Empire Capitol. Even Pallax was absent when the zerg developed their hive cluster at Whisper Stones after a zergling specimen was transported to the forward research facility. Instead, the zerg's hive cluster was eradicated by an early bombardment of charged particle missiles, which crippled the zerg's expansion efforts within that location.

The flying brood queens were able to send several parasites onto several retreating empire gilanians, resulting in an unmatched capacity to scout the enemy from within their very ranks, all the while being able to learn of the structural integrity of their buildings and understanding their strategies before any battle ensued. It would be much later till the zerg learned that the Kiln Keepers and the Golden Star Empire would agree to work together to create 'the ultimate weapon' against the zerg. The zerg would have tried to learn more of this weapon by entering through Empire City, located at the Day Circle, and infest the top personnel there, but they were held back by an unusually large invisible surface, produced by powerful magic wall technology that was enhanced by the Kiln Keeper's Intelligent Automaton machine and Cage of Law variants.

Somehow, the Kiln Keepers made this large magical wall withstand against even the most impressive attack that the zerg could deliver. Even a swarm of rolling banelings didn't crack it open, and it still remained unbroken in its purpose to prevent zerg from infesting Empire City and attacking the dream-light manifestation of Emperor Gollog. But even with the defensive measure in place, a few gilanians ended up becoming infected with prions and viroids derived from zerg acid, and eventually became infested by the Hyper-Evolutionary Virus. It took a week, but Empire City was also taken over when a nydus worm had breached the under-structure, which transported zerg organisms into the city. Empire City fell a day later, with the Kiln Keeper factory erupting out of the ground and disappearing into the sky. The brood queens were unable to parasite it in time as the massive spherical machine escaped, as though it cared not for the hive cluster in the underground village under Red Mountain.

But the zerg didn't face the silver towers that created the chrome slime which enveloped everything when Gollog activated the 'reclamation protocol', like how it had happened in the old alternate timeline. Preventing Kragnon's capture had led to such events, but such actions seemed to have prevented the entire planet from having all of its molecules and atoms pulled apart by the flowing metallic apocalypse.

A great swath of time had passed between and after these events, resulting in an ever-growing disparity between the non-aligned gilanians and the Golden Star Empire citizens, which continued to increase in disparagement when the Kiln Keepers joined forces with Gollog's empire. But despite such a union, their combined efforts couldn't contain or cull the swarm, no matter the efforts that they painstakingly undertaken. It was until the decision to create a system of super satellites seemed like the only option to survive against the zerg swarm. years later, the entirety of the empire's soldiers and citizenry had taken residence within this super structure when it was completed, while many others would be created much later. The two sides of the conflict were locked into a stalemate, with no obvious victors being seen from the end of this war.

But that stalemate was still fated to change, as prophesied by Corvurn's time traveling descendant.

* * *

 **Years later  
**

Within the walls of Baroness Tak's palace, its halls were eerily silent. The only sounds that once broke this silence used to be the patter of feet, sometimes produced by Baroness Tak, but was often produced by her servants, visitors, and the rare guest. But in that moment, the silence was broken by hurried walking. An aged gilanian was carrying a folder filled with papers and information, holding it close to his person as though it was important. He would be cursing under his breath more prolifically if he were anywhere else than in Tak's palace, but he knew better to either shout out profanities when in the presence of nobility, or to mutter obscenities when attentive ear-holes could mistranslate him as a double-agent talking to an unknown party through a hidden radio. Ever since Tak had learned that some of her bodyguards once worked for her cousin, she had fired them all, save for the one that supposedly had no connection to 'Gentle Giant' Ponpon, which was now renamed as 'Blind Giant' Ponpon years later.

He could still remember their names too. Rubij. Drotan. Parvaln. They all worked for Baroness Tak, but they were also secretly Ponpon's double-agents. When no evidence was provided for the only innocent bodyguard, Baroness Tak had no option but to give her last top employee two choices. One was choosing to willingly leave her service, or choosing to prove his worth and continue working as her servant and bodyguard. He knew that he would have to pick up the work quota of the other bodyguards if he chose to stay, but he knew that people would turn him away should he decide to try to find employment elsewhere. He knew that the jobs in this citadel are slim pickings. Out of all the skills he had, there was only one that was deemed impressive by Baroness Tak, and it was his uncanny ability to know when rain will start falling within a month's time.

Golpta, the soft-spoken bodyguard, was always the bodyguard chosen last for the easiest tasks. Babysitting, watching over a guest, accompanying someone in the marketplace, relaying messages from one person to the next, and even being able to proofread a hundred page document in minutes and being able to find every spelling error and grammatical mistake. He took in deep breaths as he suddenly stopped in front of the meeting room that Baroness Tak had ordered her servants to set up, which took place in her private dining room. After knocking on a set of double doors, he paused for several seconds for the signal to enter the room. "Enter!" A commanding, feminine voice shouted from a distance past the set of double doors.

The last bodyguard in Tak's services opened the doors and entered into a wide room with a large, oval table, situated in Tak's private dining chamber. It was seated with several people, with many of the individuals he didn't recognize, save for a select few that he did know. He recognized Baroness Tak sitting at the broad side of the table on the other side, and she was sided by an albino gilanian he knew was called Kragnon, wearing a formal business attire that had a red theme, similar to Tak's dress. Next to Kragnon was Johnny, wearing some kind of garish suit that was green, beige, purple, and looked like a uniform of a sort. It was an odd color choice, but his icy glare usually stops people from questioning his fashion sense. And then there was the tall Gargantua guardsman that stood next to Tak, but opposite from Kragnon and Johnny. Golpta didn't know his name, but he heard that he was the chief of the guardsmen in Gargantua. And then there were other people that wore white laboratory coats, farmers that came into the palace with their overalls and with their sunhats folded and placed into their pockets, and finally a few people that wore rubber overalls and either had heavy duty gloves, or cybernetic hands implanted as replacements because of a limb-crippling injury in their past. The guardsman chief smirked and gestured at Golpta. "Finally! Looks like the data came on time."

Even as Golpta entered into the room and closed the double doors behind himself, Tak sighed in annoyance. "I wish I could say the same for some OTHER people that were supposed to be here. They are LATE." She hissed as Golpta placed down the folder of papers filled with information onto the desk.

Johnny sighed. "If I were to be honest, I think hiring those guys for this mission is a bad idea. Can we continue our meeting without them?"

Kragnon shook his head and huffed. "Don't be so sure, Johnny. I consider them to be an integral part to the mission at hand. And since they are integral with the mission we hired them for, we will patiently wait for them to arrive, no matter how long."

Tak grumbled as she slouched in her chair. "I will give them five minutes. If they are not here before then, I'm starting the mission briefing without them."

"HELLO?!"

Tak sighed and closed her eyes, frustration and impatience seeming to ooze out of her face. "... Is it them?"

Golpta bowed to Tak. "I will go see if it is them, mam." He said, tiredness in his voice. He didn't like to do the work of four bodyguards, but it was either this or being destitute and on the streets. Before Golpta had a chance to open the double doors that he was reaching for, they swung open with abrupt speed, knocking Golpta in the face which made him fall onto the ground.

The foot that had rudely opened the doors that injured Golpta belonged to a gilanian that looked tall, yet thin. He was adorned with sand colored fabrics that was painted to be used as camouflage in a desert environment, but had the front part of his clothing open that revealed some kind of emblem that had two hands pointing at a ferocious looking skull. After peering into the room for several seconds, he turned around and yelled down the hall. "Hey Kabos! I think I found the meeting room!"

Another gilanian in desert fabric gear came up to the other gilanian that was dressed like him. He shook his head and sighed at the similarly dressed gilanian that barged into Tak's private dining hall that was turned into a meeting room. He was shorter than his tall friend, but he also sounded older. "You idiot. It was two lefts, a right, and then a left. Not three lefts and a right."

The other gilanian rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry boss."

Tak shook her head, but then she shifted her tone to speak in a more relaxed manner. "So... I take it that YOU are this infamous 'zerg prodder' I heard about?"

The second gilanian in the desert camo cloth looked toward Baroness Tak and bowed. "My apologies, mam. Due to some misinformation that my... Associate had shared with me, we became lost in your palace. I also apologize if my associate managed to wound your servant."

Golpta sighed as he stood up and palmed at his face, which had some of his scales scraped off to reveal a layer of early slough. Kabos' associate slowly turned to his boss, his face showing surprise and hurt. "Associate?! I thought we were partners!" The rude associate had whined.

Kabos looked at his associate with a disapproving glare, then bowed again to Tak. "Forgive my associate. Footoo can be a little brazen at times."

Tak sighed and hand-waved at the two newcomers. "Please seat yourselves so we can get this meeting underway. We have wasted too much time already, and I want this meeting to reach a conclusion."

"Mm. Then let's start." Kabos said, going to the oval table and finding an available seat to sit in. Footoo shortly joined with Kabos, and took a seat next to him.

After Kabos and Footoo were sitting comfortably, Tak sighed and pleaded her fingers together while leaning forward. "Then we will let this meeting commence. Kragnon, may you do the honor of briefing everyone?"

Kragnon nodded at Tak, and then stood up and walked to Tak's side. "Activate the 3D image. Show a map that displays an overhead view of Gargantua Citadel, the energy anomaly, and everything in between." Before the assembled team, a flat circle of yellowish-orange appeared in front of them. There were several pillars of grey that was at the lower-left portion of the map, but there were two icons that was over this circle that pointed to specific locations. One was pointed at the citadel known as Gargantua, and the other pointed at the energy anomaly on the other side of this image. Kragnon pointed at the icons in the holographic map. "As we can see here, this entire area is engulfed by a warzone between the Kiln Keeper machines and the zerg organisms. Due to complications of resource allocation, the Golden Star Empire had completely pulled out of the surrounding areas years ago, and are letting the Kiln Keepers continue with their war effort against the zerg organism. However, due to the ever growing nature of the anomaly, known as the energy plant by the empire, or the 'anti-azure zerg flower' by other parties, its anomalous effects that it produces continues to expand to this day."

One of the gilanians with laboratory coats leaned forward. "I heard about this strange phenomenon. People say that the zerg flower creates a vacuum around itself through some kind of photosynthetic property we don't understand."

Kragnon shook his head. "I don't believe it's that simple. Even the zerg are chased away by its anomalous properties by some extent, and we still don't understand what its full capabilities are. The empire already understood their mistake to try and attack it with whatever weapon they used against it, since it can counterattack with a powerful electrical surge that not only kills personnel and crew piloting their machines, but also advanced automated systems and Kiln Keeper hard drives. In fact, allow me to show all of you the danger zones around the anti-azure zerg flower. Show the danger zones on the 3D map display, please."

By kragnon's polite request, several circular bands of color surrounded the energy plant, ranging in colors of blue, green, yellow, orange, and red that was in the center-most of the danger zones. Footoo stared at the map for several seconds before he raised his hand. "Excuse me, not to sound too much of an unintelligent buffoon, but... What the fuck am I looking at?"

Tak sighed, waving a gesture to Johnny to inform Footoo of what the colored zones represented. Johnny stood up and pointed at the various different colored circular bands that circled the energy plant. "This blue you see represents a safe area that much of the anomalous properties, produced by the energy plant, are unable to reach, or have not effected yet. It is referred as the blue zone. As you can see, Citadel Gargantua is nearly in the middle of the green zone, which has already experienced infrequent... let's call them 'unexplained weather shifts.' Storms are unpredictable and quite frequent in green zones, which has became a public concern for the citizens of Citadel Gargantua. For several weeks now, people had to duck inside their homes when lightning started striking the ground around them. There are already many people that were killed when they stood on something metallic as a lightning storm was being generated. Past the green zone is the yellow zone, which is where the biggest anomaly is generated by the energy plant. There is some kind of distortion that affects the atmosphere in this area, making the air itself so thin that wind ceases to blow. It is a place where breathing is an impossibility. Lightning storms are less abundant in the airless vacuum, but I believe that they can still manifest in the area if the conditions are right. Past the yellow zone is where the majority of the zerg organisms make their nests. It is also known as the orange zone."

Kabos sighed and leaned forward. "Majority, huh? What's the concentration there?"

"Several million zerg individuals, consisting of both land and air strains." Johnny answered. "Their numbers are constantly being dwindled by the Kiln Keepers, and most of their battles often happen at the northern war zones. Even when there have been reports of other zerg nests appearing all over the world of Kiln, it is here that the zerg are in their highest concentration."

Kabos sighed. "Damn, that's a lot of zerg. I'm surprised that Gargantua hasn't been overrun yet!"

"Don't hold your breath." Johnny said, directing everyone's attention to the red circle. "The red zone, for some unknown reason that baffles even scientists, is the zone that the energy plant, the anti-azure zerg flower, is located. Its petals are aglow with an unknowable energy pattern that is impossible to analyze from a distance. The energy is so pure that it is said to melt and evaporate any kind of material that makes physical contact with it. The zerg organisms seem to die fairly quickly when coming into contact with the solid energy petals, so they have opted to move away from the petals' reach to prevent further deaths. As such, with the zerg retreating themselves from the reach of the energy plant's petals, their lost territory and the energy plant itself consists of the entire red zone."

Footoo shook his head. "Well that's nice and all, but I thought we were called here for some kind of high paying mission thingy? Like say, a war claw, dread maw, or razor fiend decided to pay you guys a visit, and you want us to, like, guide it away or something?"

Tak smiled at Footoo. "Allow the presentation to continue, please. Your party is considered important to the mission you have been hired for, but any further disruptions will only lengthen our meeting here. If you feel as though you are inept at the task present, you are free to leave." Footoo was rewarded with a smack to the back of his head, delivered by a disapproving Kabos. Tak pointed at the holographic map at the middle of the table, barely hiding a subtle smirk on her lips. "Everything between the green and red zones has been expanding outward for several years. It was only a year ago that the Golden Star Empire had graciously reported that Gargantua was barely skirting the green zone. But now? We're right in the middle of it. Within a year's time, I predict that the green zone would move past us, resulting in our citadel to become part of the yellow zone. My people will asphyxiate and the citadel population will rapidly decrease. It would mean that I would have to evacuate the entire citadel, and the anti-lightning shields I installed would be absolutely ineffective in protecting my people against the vacuum. Once the yellow zone expands to my city borders, the population is going to suffer from a lack of oxygen and die."

A gilanian with a laboratory coat shook his head and leaned forward. "If it's an evacuation you want, I don't see how we can help assist you in that endeavor. Many of us are just biologists, former desert platform pilots, hydroponic technicians, and mechanics."

Tak shook her head. "It's not evacuation I want. It's understanding the effects that the zerg flower has on the danger zones, or finding a way to make the zones recede. I want to know why the zones keep expanding every year, and I want to know if they can be halted or receded. Despite the constant war between the Kiln Keepers and the zerg organisms, there has been a few profiteering bandits that discovered a way to survive in the yellow zone, making a profit on the junk they had salvaged from the disabled Kiln Keepers. For years, this bandit group had became very wealthy in many exploits, and it is only now that I believe that a small specialized group can slip in, gather as much information as possible, and slip right back out without the Kiln Keepers and the Golden Star Empire ever noticing." She smiled, shifted comfortably in her seat, and then gestured to everyone sitting at the oval table. "And that's where all of you come in!"

A hydroponic technician, which wore farmer overalls and had the folded sunhat tucked into her pocket, stood up with an expression of surprise and disbelief. "Uh... If I am followin' you correctly, Baroness Tak, then would that mean WE would be that specialized group?"

"Exactly." Tak said with a soft hum.

Everyone at the table began to murmur between each other. Footoo leaned toward Kabos, a concerned look polluting his normally aloof disposition. "I don't like this, Prod Boss. I say we ditch out of here and take our losses."

"Shh!" Kabos hissed at Footoo.

Tak raised her hand to silence everyone at the oval table before she spoke again. "I would not have assembled this team had the equipment you are to use were not of the best quality possible. As of right now, the window of opportunity to enter zerg territory was presented to us. With some help, I was able to acquire some items and accrue some rations for the trip to come. It took some time, but we received information, from a reliable source, that there is going to be another attack in the northern area of the orange zone. It will be an attack that is MASSIVE in scale. We will use that opportunity to take advantage of the diverted zerg and infiltrate-"

Footoo stood up and shook his head. "Miss Tak, I think you need to be more blunt with us. You want us to do WHAT exactly?"

Tak stared at Footoo for several seconds. "... To infiltrate into the red zone and find out what is causing the lightning storms and vacuum anomaly. Hopefully, the zerg organisms will be too distracted for you to-"

Footoo shook his head more and began walking away from the table. "Listen here, miss. When people call for us specifically, it's usually because a war claw, a razor fiend, or a dread maw shows up and starts harassing a village or something. We don't exactly get paid to go STRAIGHT INTO A FUCKING ZERG NEST and prod the zerg there, thank you!"

Tak sighed. "Could you stay until I tell you what your pay will be before I let you go on your way? I promise you that your reimbursement funds alone will keep everyone here sitting comfortably for a long time."

Footoo stopped himself from turning away and walking to the door. "... Reimbursement funds?"

Tak nodded. "Yes! It must have been troublesome for everyone assembled here to find their way into the center of my city, so I thought it only fair to pay you for your troubles. Five hundred gallons worth of vouchers will be granted to each gilanian that has participated in this meeting. Meaning that the two of you will have enough vouchers to live like wealthy men. That is if you decided to stay." She paused for dramatic effect when she noticed the notable arch of a raised eyebrow on Footoo's face. "And since I had no idea that the infamous 'Prod Boss' brought an associate with him, it would mean that I would have to put you on the payroll as well. That would mean two thousand gallons worth of water vouchers for each of you, if you decide to partake in the mission. But that is nothing compared to the true reward for when you safely return from this mission and discovered the cause of the danger zone expansion. A bonus of ten thousand gallons worth of water vouchers will be given to each gilanian here, should you go through with this mission and retrieve any valuable information I find usable. It's nothing more but a small fortune I'm willing to part with, but it is a price that I am willing to sacrifice for the protection and sanctity of my citadel."

Kabos gestured to Footoo. "Sit down."

Footoo sighed. "Don't have to tell ME twice." He said, going back to his chair and sitting down in it.

Tak smiled and nodded. "Thank you for your cooperation." She then turned to Kragnon. "Dear, could you tell them what they will be doing?"

Kragnon nodded. "Bring up the vehicle specs above the map." A 3D image of a desert platform hovered over the map, which had a rather unusual design to itself. For one, it was a multi-layered machine that had three decks, two more than the usual single deck that the desert platforms usually have. It also had no artillery cannons, and very little automated turrets or manual turrets to protect an otherwise bigger target. Kragnon gestured at the vehicle. "This will be the vehicle that will take you to the center of the red zone. It's an older model of a desert platform that has been retrofitted several times in the past, but we happened to reach a very cheap bargain during an auction. Rest assured, it has taken us a few years to get it back to functioning well above its normal parameters. On the outside, it may seem like an ordinary desert platform that any of the Golden Star Empire soldiers would feel confident driving into battle with. However, you will notice that it has no artillery cannons, and has far fewer turret emplacements than any other normal desert platform. In its lower deck resides a hydroponic bay that contains seven thousand plants, which is fitted with an air circulation system that provides oxygenated atmosphere within the entire vehicle."

Kabos tilted his head. "... Seven thousand plants?"

"They are potted dwarf kalumas trees and seperated patches of hydroponicly adapted vaph grass. A trick that the bandits surviving in the yellow zone discovered." Kragnon answered. "They manufactured their makeshift desert platform so that its inner crew compartment had an abundant supply of oxygenated air, and they kept the air from vacating into the vacuum by modifying every seem and panel till it became a tightly sealed environment, preventing any air within from escaping into the airless environment outside. They then just use a crane with a claw attachment to pick up all the scrap they want! The concept was actually taken from an earlier event in history where Emperor Gollog sent several empire gilanians to the moon, using pressurized space suits and a solid fuel rocket. None of them returned after their mission was over with, and it was presumed that they all committed suicide by jumping into the black veil at the edge of the moon. But anyway, as I was saying...

Kragnon then pointed at the other components in the vehicle. "The engine that powers the desert platform contains a reactionless drive within its core, which uses an artificial power crystal lattice. It could also derive power by using light collection panels on the top of the vehicle for low-powered transportation. The engine is located in the middle deck, which is also where the science labs, resource storage, and ration storage is located. The upper deck is where important computer and communication systems will be installed in, with the helm control, crew quarters, mess hall and operator's quarters would be located near the front. Sadly, due to the space needed to install every system into this desert platform, the platform hatch underneath had to be dismantled and redesigned as an emergency hatch in case dire conditions occur, like say an unrecoverable power failure happens, an engine malfunction stops any further progress, or damage has been done to the engine's core or atmosphericly contained hull. But in extreme emergencies that elicits the need for retreat into the vacuumed yellow zone and the safer zones beyond, you have twenty pre-tested specialized vacuum suits that can hold up to five hours of breathable oxygen, and there are two dune boats that comfortably sits five people each that you can use to quickly transport yourselves away from danger. There is no need to worry about fueling the dune boats, because they too use reactionless drives. If the need for extravehicular activity is needed, then the desert platform can be lowered onto even ground, which lets one of the four air hatches to become accessable. After the desert platform is settled into the ground, you could then opt to go out on a walk in a vacuum suit, or use a dune boat to reach far distances more quickly than on foot. The vacuum suits are fitted with four rail-hooks and a short-range radio system, but they would become next to useless if the suit itself is punctured."

A rubber overall-ed gilanian raised his hand. "Excuse me, but why need so many reactionless drives to power so many vehicles? I understand using it for the desert platform, but why also install them in the dune boats?"

"It's simple, Lanfong." Kragnon answered. "The atmosphere within the yellow zone is completely absent. No oxygen, no nitrogen, no argon, and nothing else. To use a combustion engine, oxygen is required to create the reaction needed to power many of your gas powered vehicles. With reactionless drives, you don't have to worry about an output of exhaust being produced from the vehicle your driving. Using a combustible engine inside of the pressure-sealed desert platform would pollute the air within the sealed environment too quickly, and we would sabotage our own mission from the very beginning. It's an expensive upgrade, but it is one that I think puts us ahead of the empire."

"Ah." Lanfong said, nodding to the logic of the answer he received.

Johnny stepped forward and picked up the folder that contained papers and information, looking through them. He took his turn to talk after skimming through the information contained in the folder. "And now, we shall discuss the team that will be fielding this operation. The engineers will consist of Lanfong and Kreez. They will be tasked with familiarizing themselves with the desert platform's mechanical operations and repairing any damage that its systems sustains. The botanists that will take care of the plants in the lower deck will be Kran and Tord's responsibility. Two scientists will be joining this team, and they will be mainly focused on researching the zerg organisms from a distance. I advise that they must use observational data only. They are not to collect live specimen samples, or have direct interaction with the zerg organisms. To make their backstory short, they were former scientists that worked with the Golden Star Empire's Cubic Research Division, but have otherwise been honorably disbanded from their ranks after an incident destroyed their laboratory. One is called Hektar, and the other is Braif, and they are currently within this desert platform getting the laboratory within primed for use on the field. I am telling you this, because I know that some of you have deep hatred towards the empire. However, I ask of you to help assist them in their works, regardless of their previous history. Two desert platform operators will take command at operating the desert platform. They will be taking shifts, unless an emergency occurs. The engineers can assist with surveillance operations, but the pilot and co-pilot will be driving the desert platform straight into the heart of the anomaly. The operators' names are Jotan and Tanjo, also currently at the desert platform."

Footoo interjected. "So let me guess. You hired us two so that we can do... What? Go with the the desert platform team and provide our zerg prodding skills? I mean... This is quite a suicidal job, even if it pays too well. I'm not even sure if the vouchers is worth a high chance of death though."

Johnny sighed. "Despite my reservations, you were the first to be selected to provide information about the zerg with the team you will be joining with. You are very likely to encounter the zerg organisms in this mission, and Baroness Tak did not want tawdry experts. You are professionals, and we need professionals to instruct the other team members about how to deal with the zerg and find the best method possible to avoid any conflict with them."

Kabos shook his head and narrowed his eyes at Johnny. "'Deal with?' With all due respect, the zerg are not just some savage animal that you just shake a stick at and hope it goes away. They are smart, territorial, become more aggressive the more you try to fight them off, and are so deceptive that they seem to have eyes and ears in places you wouldn't expect." Kabos placed emphasis on his last sentence before pausing and staring intently at Johnny. After that pause, Kabos continued. "I have shared my knowledge with several villages that have suffered from the presence of the zerg, and every one of them benefited from my visit, and many other zerg prodders that also visited. And yet, there are still many villages out there that either have been vacated, or decimated when they took great offense, especially after the zerg have decided to move into their neighborhood, prompting the village to try and to fight them off. There are a rare few villages that are not so lucky, and had do adapt to living life without their precious farm plots that are now covered in slime, and livestock that had been hunted to extinction when the farmhands were not looking. Yet, those very few villages somehow flourished, despite my offer to help teach them how to drive the zerg away with the proper zerg prodding methods."

Johnny tilted his head. "... How did they survive?"

"They found a way. Whatever it is, they haven't told me about it." Kabos said, sighing.

Johnny stared at Kabos for a couple seconds before huffing. "...I'm rather impressed, Kabos. I had always thought that you were some kind of street urchin that grew his wings from the gutter, what with the way you carried yourself as you stood. But... I can see that you are quite perceptive."

Kabos tapped his nose. "I have a talent for finding subtle details in complex people, giving me the ability to tell that some people are more than what they appear to be." He said, keeping his gaze on Johnny. "Like a smell so subtle you couldn't even detect it."

Kragnon looked back and forth between Kabos and Johnny several times before he directed the meeting's attention to himself. "Let's get back to the topic at hand, please! Bring up the route and the war forecast." By Kragnon's request, several white triangles began to appear and lead the way outside of the blue zone, circled around, and then trailed up and through the zones till it ended in the center of the red zone. Several mock explosion clouds silently came into existence at the northern parts of the different colored zones. kragnon pointed out at what the new details meant. "The white arrows that you see is your route. It is considered the safest possible path that will reduce the risk of being in direct confrontation of the zerg organisms, the Golden Star Empire soldiers, the Kiln Keepers, and any bandit factions. Being in the green zone would risk the desert platform being damaged by the lightning, so you must skirt around on its edge as you head southeast. Only when the anti-azure zerg flower is directly north of your position must you begin traveling towards it. Any questions?"

The mechanic named Lanfong raised his hand. "Why take such a long route to get to the center of zerg territory? Wouldn't it save more time to just drive at it in a straight line?"

Kragnon shook his head. "Because the empire does not approve of having their technology being used by non-aligned factions. If they noticed that one of their own machines is not manned by their soldiers, even if they are not there to maintain a territory with the Kiln keepers, they won't hesitate to either arrest the crew and apprehend the desert platform, or destroy the desert platform and kill the crew inside instead."

"This route takes us pretty close to the stone pillars." A botanist said, her concern weighing heavy in her voice. "Should we be worried about bandits attacking and raiding the desert platform?"

"If you are being chased by a bandit faction, travel straight through the green zone and head into the yellow zone." Kragnon answered. "You are then to skirt through the yellow zone until you are directly south of the zerg flower. Take caution, however. The bandits might relay information to the Golden Star Empire out of spite, and tell them that one of their desert platforms is being piloted by non-aligned gilanians. This is a very unlikely scenario to happen, but I am hoping that the bandits will create a wide birth between themselves and the green zone. Besides, nobody wants to stay outside when there is a storm brewing over their heads! That, and I think they would prefer not to risk provoking the zerg organisms too."

"And that's what I want to ask about." Langong's chubby mechanic friend said in a soft and gentle voice, leaning forward. "When we get into the orange zone, what are we to expect?" She asked.

Johnny gestured to Kabos. "Perhaps our professional zerg prodder can answer that question for you?"

Kabos noticed that all eyes were on him again. Kabos rolled his eyes before he leaned forward. "I'm afraid I don't have much to tell you. From what I heard about this 'orange zone' from rumors alone, it's a heavily infested zerg territory filled with nests and other kinds of flesh growths that are shoulder-to-shoulder from one another. Trying to drive a desert platform through that kind of mess would need one hell of a pilot, but it would also be tedious going slowly though that mess. Kind of hard to imagine that the zerg organisms don't need to breathe any sort of air to survive, since the orange zone is also inside of the yellow zone. I have walked through a few zerg infested territories with several close encounters, but I have never done something this insane before. There might even be some new types of zerg I have never prodded before, so... there's that to worry about."

Johnny smiled at Kabos. "No need to worry. I have the upmost confidence that you will complete this mission given to you." His expression then changed to stern seriousness. "But bear in mind that if all of you agree to participate, this mission will begin immediately. I don't know for how long that we can keep the desert platform from being a secret to the public any longer, and I'm starting to think that the newscasters are only now trying to worm their sleazy reporters into our private matters. So! ... Is everyone in?"

Footoo turned to Kabos. "Bro, do you think this is a good idea? We've NEVER gone into zerg territory that's miles wide before."

Kabos nodded. "It's big, yeah. Bigger than anything we normally do. But the payout is so much more bigger than I had thought."

Footoo sighed and nodded with Kabos. "Fuck, I forgot about that. That's uh... Twelve thousand five hundred gallons worth of vouchers for each of us, yeah? Man, we can probably buy out an establishment and live some good lives!"

"I'd rather not retire from being a prodder, though." Kabos added.

Footoo scoffed. "It's a very risky job though, and it's a job I would HAPPILY retire from! You remember Klenner? Got a fucking spine lodged into his fucking head after antagonizing that fucking spine serpent. Pardack? Got turned into green goo after being the first person ever to try prodding a burster. Prex? Had to have her arm amputated when she tried to pet a blade hound, but got bit for her efforts. Duxin? Tried to see if a caretaker could be prodded, but ended up being captured by one. Even if he returned a week later... It was obvious that he was not himself. And I mean WAY not himself. We tried to get some scientist types to find out what happened to him, but they arrived too late when he killed himself before they got a chance to study him. And I don't have to be the one to remind you of what happened to Paffuwd."

Kabos sighed and turned away. "Yeah... Poor Paffuwd."

Johnny tilted his head as he began watching Kabos intently. "So does this mean you will not be joining us?"

Kabos sighed, but then crossed his arms and spoke sternly. "We'll join the team. But, if you don't mind my observation, judging from the number of people you mentioned, there seems to be some extras here that has joined the meeting."

Johnny nodded. "Indeed." Johnny gestured to the surrounding gilanians. "Tak has took it upon herself to hire some additional technicians and scientists to help assist you, in case there happens to be a problem that you can't handle on your own, or if there are too many people that decided against going on the mission. The desert platform was designed to have a crew compliment of ten people only, but the desert platform also has an encrypted shadow frequency emitter and receiver. It can maintain a communication link between yourselves and us in Citadel Gargantua, and it will mean that there will be a few of you that stays behind when the desert platform embarks. We can't risk using radio, since it WILL be detected and analyzed by the empire's surveillance officers. There is a chance that they might still discover the frequency you are transmitting, but we hope that using an encrypted signal might buy you some time before they become aware of our research mission."

Kragnon sighed. "To put it simply, we must not attract the empire's attention during this mission. They have no idea that we are using a desert platform to analyze the anti-azure zerg flower at the middle of the red zone, and I would like to keep it that way. It is a grand undertaking. I will understand if you decline going on this mission. There are plenty of risks in this mission, many pertaining to the zerg, the empire, and their metal allies, that will cause a political backlash, and-slash-or destructively terrifying devastation to this fine city if we don't act quick enough. To put it bluntly: Only use the shadow frequency communication system as a last resort. Now then... Do any of you have any other questions you want to share during the meeting?" After a pause of ten seconds, Kragnon nodded. "Good. If you feel as though you are up to the task and want to embark on this mission, follow Guardsman Chief Kirkan to the vehicle garage bay. If not, then you can stay here and let Baroness Tak reimburse you your voucher value of five hundred gallons right now. I can assure you that when you return, you will have that reimbursement fund and paycheck. If the mission bears fruit, then you will also gain the bonus that Baroness Tak aforementioned." Kragnon said, standing up and bowing to the gilanians that have decided to follow after the guardsman of Citadel Gargantua. "May the time we spend be filled with meaning. Goodbye for now, and good luck."

Kirkan, having being quiet for the whole meeting, gestured to the gilanians that decided stand up from their chairs and follow after the tall guardsman. "Looks like all of you decided to nut up. Even those two 'zerg prodder' guys. Hah! You lot are a step closer for me to actually start liking you!" He then gestured to the doors. "Okay then, let's get to the Baroness Station. I'll call in some buddies to escort everyone to the vehicle garage near Far South Station. Also, watch your pockets. There has been a string of pickpocket reports in that area this month." Kirkan said with a jovial and relaxed smile as he walked to the double doors he gestured to.

After the entire company left with the tall guardsman and finally closed the door behind themselves, Tak turned to the last bodyguard still in her employ. "Golpta. Could you wait outside, please?"

Golpta bowed. "Yes mam." After bowing, he went to the double doors and opened them, and then closing them behind himself as he left Tak's private dining chamber.

Tak turned to Johnny, using a hushed tone. "Johnny, does Kabos know something about you?"

Johnny paused before grunting his answer. "He certainly did speak to me in some veiled way that could suggest that. He even used a couple double entendres too. Clever bastard."

Tak blinked her eyes. "... That doesn't answer my question."

Kragnon knocked on the table to get Tak and Johnny's attention. "Excuse me, but we can't remain here and continue this discussion. We need to inform the mechanics at the southern vehicle garage to prepare for the team's arrival, while you have that appointment with the doctor." He finished, pointing at Tak.

Tak turned to Kragnon and blinked again. "... Um... Oh, very well." Tak said, sighing and rolling her eyes. But she pointed a finger at Johnny. "But afterwards, I want you to explain to me whatever that was between you two. Understand?"

Johnny was hesitant to answer, but he slowly nodded as he was stared down by the baroness. "I understand, my ladyship."

Tak gave Johnny a contemptible glare before sauntering away. After she went through the double doors and met with Golpta again, Golpta closed the doors which had made Johnny and Kragnon the only people left within Tak's private dining chamber. Kragnon slowly turned his head to Johnny with concern in his gaze. Johnny sighed as he stared right back at Kragnon. "Johnny, I think this Kabos guy knows that you're a doppelganger. ... Or... Er... Changelisk, I mean." Kragnon said in a hushed tone.

Johnny sighed and looked at the ground. "The swarm triarchy does not like this new development. They are contemplating on whether they should assassinate the nuisance or allow him to live."

Kragnon rushed toward Johnny to cover his mouth and looked at the door. "You idiot! Not while the baroness is so close!" He whispered harshly.

Johnny shook his head. "Not to worry. Golpta is looking after Tak, and they are already walking down the hall. You would know this too if you simply allow us to implant a parasite into your brain, like we did to the Baroness' bodyguard."

Kragnon hissed and rolled his eyes as he shook his head. "I swear, if I earned a pint of water every time you suggest that... Listen here, Johnny. I am the only one that knows about your 'family', and I want to make sure it stays like that. And please, stop asking to implant a zerg parasite in my brain already. My answer is no, and it will forever be no."

Johnny shook his head. "That will not last long if Kabos survives the mission and tells everyone about my... 'origin' afterwards. The broodmother is very displeased by this."

Kragnon sighed and turned away. "... You have placed me in a difficult position here, Johnny."

"I didn't. The prod boss called Kabos did." Johnny corrected.

Kragnon paused for a long time before he turned back to Johnny with a defeated expression. The decision that he made at that moment was a haunting one. "Do what you have to do, but make it look like an accident. Make it convincing."

Johnny bowed to Kragnon. "The master and the advisor will be working on a plan. The broodmother is pleased with your decision, and the swarm is grateful for your understanding."

Kragnon started walking away from Johnny. "I may understand the need to eliminate loose ends, but I might not particularly have to agree to the methods in ridding them. Don't tell me how you did it after the deed is done." After that, Kragnon went to the double doors, leaving Johnny alone in the private dining room.

Johnny sighed and shook his head. He looked back at the map on the oval table, studying the images carefully. "Had you truly known what is at stake, friend to the swarm. Had you truly known..."

* * *

The assembled team looked up at the impressive vehicle that they would soon board. For one, it looked somewhat similar to a desert platform that belonged to the gilanian empire, if it was looked at from far away. But up close, its bulky design was quite evident. Footoo decided to emit an impressed whistle from his lips when he saw it for himself. "I have to admit, that's a big toy."

Kabos sighed as he walked into the garage with him. "You're not driving it. We're backseat passengers in this mission."

Footoo slouched. "Aw!"

A gilanian in a farmer's overalls shook her head as she passed by Footoo. "At least you have more exciting jobs than us. We just water plants and make sure they recycle our air properly."

Footoo turned to the gilanian and examined her slowly. She appeared to have a slim figure. "... Well well, if it isn't... Eh... Kran, right?"

The botanist looked at the zerg prodder with an unamused expression. "It's Tord, actually."

Footoo backed a step away from Tord. "whoa... What's with the attitude?"

"I'm a lesbian, for one. And secondly, if you ever have the bright idea to flirt with me, I'll insert an ounce of raw fireroot into your mouth while you sleep." She said in stern seriousness.

Footoo took another step back and nodded. "Fucking hell, I got the picture, lady! I'll maintain a safe distance of five feet from you at all times during the entire mission, if that makes you happy!"

Tord glared at Footoo for several seconds before huffing and continuing her way to the vacuum-treated desert platform. "You better."

Tord walked away while Footoo just stared at her in an awestruck manner for several seconds. Footoo was brought out of his befuddlement when a chuckling Kabos roughly patted his back and continued on ahead. "Suck it up, Footoo. It's gonna be a long trip."

Footoo slouched as the other botanist, the two engineers, and his own partner boarded the enormous vehicle. "Easier said than done. I hope that Kran is more pleasant to have a conversation with. Kreez looked a little too fat and muscled, so she's out. I wonder what the scientist named Braif looks like?" After shaking his head to remove his mental distractions from his mind, he then boarded the desert platform shortly after.

After forty five minutes of preparation, the desert platform that the assembled team boarded into hummed to life as its engines were turned on. The science expedition team was ready to begin their mission.

* * *

A segment of wall that was near the southern gate of Citadel Gargantua slowly slid into the ground, which revealed the bulky form of the custom desert platform that was redesigned to be an atmospherically sealed, yet enormous transport vehicle. When the wall finally receded into the ground fully, the desert platform roared to life and rolled forward. It veered westward so that it could leave the supposed green zone and refrain from getting struck by the lightning storms that randomly formed around and within the various anomalies. It was a clear day, but the storms had a deceptive habit of forming within a span of seconds and were completely unpredictable. Once the desert platform was in the blue zone, it began traveling south and circling around the green zone, only to enter it again when the energy plant was directly north of themselves, followed by the remaining inner danger zones. To the left of the machine, the sky was as dark as night, but the light of the hexagonal sun still made everything bright. It was one of the many phenomenons that the energy plant produced, earning the 'anti-azure' part of its other nickname.

[Ladies and gentlemen assigned to the science expedition desert platform, this is your desert platform operator, Jotan, speaking.] The operator announced to their crew through the desert platform's intercom system. [I will be assuming the role of commander in this armored vehicle, so I expect the crew within this platform to follow my orders to better ensure everyone's safety, unless mission parameters dictates otherwise. To put it as simple as I can to you folks, it simply means that I will relay relevant information to the crew within this desert platform through the intercom system. Oh, and before I forget, stop calling me and Tanjo 'desert platform pilots'. It's either desert platform operator, or navigator. 'Pilot' is a name used for aviators that fly airborne vehicles. And with that, enjoy the ride as we transport our asses straight into hell. Jotan out.]

Kabos looked up at the ceiling as he held a bag of water in one hand while holding a decorated metal rod in the other. He shook his head as he took a sip from his bota bag. "Cheery fella, ain't he?"

Footoo was indifferent as he watched the stone pillars slowly went by in the distance in the right-most seat he could find. "I think I'd be pissed too if I only had one arm to drive a platform. Did you notice his stumped arm? How'd you think he lost it?"

Kabos shook his head. "I dunno, but I think most of the systems in this vehicle are modified to be voice activated. Sounds perfect if you can't be in two places at the same time. Or... you know... lack a hand for certain controls or something like that."

"I guess desert platform drivers are a lot more underpaid than I thought. Might explain why one of the drivers didn't opt to get surgery for a cybernetic arm implant." Another gilanian that was earshot of Kabos and Footoo's conversation said. Footoo and Kabos turned to the eavesdropper and found a gilanian in a white labcoat. He sat down with the two zerg prodders and offered a handshake to them. "I don't think we have formerly met. My name is Hektar, one of the scientists in this expedition."

Kabos stared at the scientist before nodding at him and shaking his hand. "Former empire scientist, right? Well, I'm glad to meet someone that's not part of that corrupt system anymore. You probably heard of me and my organization?"

Hektar nodded. "Yes indeed. You are quite the enigma to the Golden Star Empire's science commander when he first learned about your pacifist method of driving the zerg away. He couldn't believe it at first until he reviewed video footage of your technique, but it was incredibly hard to replicate when he tried to test your methods. For some reason that even science cannot discern or fathom, the zerg organisms have a deep hatred for anyone that is aligned to the Golden Star Empire. But at least I have the opportunity to meet you in person."

Kabos smiled at the scientist. "Well eh... You're welcome then. I have a question of my own, but it might be a sensitive topic relating to your past employment with the empire. You don't have to answer it if you don't want to."

Hektar paused. "... Well, since we might die during this expedition, it shouldn't be too much of a problem for me to confide in a stranger. One that I will have to work with in the days to come, if I might add. Very well."

Footoo sighed as he got up and left. "Uh yeah no have fun with that. I'm going to another window where no regaling tales of that shit government is being spun. I will not plague my ears with any more of their drivel." He said as he was leaving.

Kabos and Hektar blinked as Footoo absconded from them. As Hektar looked back at Kabos, Kabos merely shrugged. "We kind of lived in a bad part of town in Empire City. It had gotten even shittier when the zerg invaded and infested it."

Hektar stared at Kabos with a slacked jaw. "Empire City?! Goodness!"

Kabos shook his head. "Yeah, good had nothing to do with it when you're living in the slums. But it is where I developed my zerg prodding technique early on, and where I shared the technique with the first ever zerg prodders. That was almost a lifetime ago. ... Now uh... About my question. How did you ended up getting kicked out of the empire's science division?"

Hektar sighed as he leaned back. "Hmm... Such a long time ago... I remembered that Commander Kralluf transported a zerg organism to one of Commander Faddoh's forward facilities that I and my partner was stationed in, which was during the first few days of the war between the empire and the zerg organisms. Faddoh, the machine commander of the Cubic Research Division, wanted a live specimine so he could compare data that cross-references an information packet that was sent by an anonymous informant. Sadly, that blade hound creature somehow got loose, informed his buddies of where he used to be contained, and they completely decimated the facility. It was by a stroke of luck that me and my partner survived, but I had a change of heart after the incident. I decided to cut my losses and left the empire afterwards. They don't particularly like deserters, but they were too focused on fighting the zerg to care about me or my partner anyway. Later on, I got captured by a bandit lord, traded the equipment for me and my partner's safety, and asked for transport to Citadel Gargantua. For several years, I and my partner had been living comfortable lives until word got out that we used to be scientists for the Cubic Research Division. Instead of being ousted as outcasts, Baroness Tak saw our potential and hired us instead. Ever since then, we have been working for her. And here we are." Hektar finished with a gestural wave at the inside of the desert platform.

Kabos nodded. "I see. Sounds like you had a chance to stare at the face of death before you escaped with your lives."

Hektar sighed and shuddered. "It's not pretty, I tell you what."

Before the conversation between Kabos and Hektar continued, another gilanian in a laboratory coat walked up to Hektar. "Hektar, I have been searching around for you. I need to go through some notes before we... Oh. Is uh... Is he that 'prod boss' guy I heard about?"

Kabos nodded and stuck his hand out for another handshake. "Name's Kabos, leader of the zerg prodders."

"Uh... I'm afraid I must decline the handshake." She said, taking a step back. "I'm sorry, but the zerg are known to be incredibly contagious creatures, and I don't want to turn into one of their pawns. But the gesture is appreciated. My name is Braif."

Kabos lowered his proffered hand, but then smiled and waved at Braif. "No offense taken. My line of work requires me to keep the zerg away from civilization, and that means getting really close to them. Because of the several kinds of diseases they carry, it's only natural for people to want to keep their distance from us."

Braif nodded and smiled. "It's a rather odd line of work. I heard that the empire even tried to send people to learn your methods."

Kabos leaned back and sighed. "Yeah, well, zerg prodding isn't as glamorous as you might expect it to be. I certainly have it down to a science, so to speak. Takes a few weeks of training to know what kind of technique to use with specific breeds of zerg. Knowing which ones can be prodded safely without risking a chunk of flesh getting bitten off of your face is the difference between getting paid very well, or having to be euthanized after you start developing spines and carapace all over your body."

"Hmm... So there ARE cases of zerg prodders transforming into pawns?" Braif asked, impressed.

"Yeah..." Kabos nodded, turning to view the window. "Most of those guys are just rowdy upstarts that don't understand how dangerous the zerg are, while a few of them tried to experiment with different methods on how to push the zerg away, or draw them off. But there are a lot of them that ended up dying in the end."

Braif nodded. "The profession of a zerg prodder must be a dangerous vocation. I don't envy you, but... It's still an impressive line of work."

Kabos smiled and chuckled. "It's not glamorous, yeah, but it's a business that helps a lot of... People..." Said Kabos', his expression becoming hardened.

Hektar sighed as he got up from his seat. "Hah, welp... I guess I'll do my part while I'm here. Braif, you said that you needed help with something?"

Braif nodded at Hektar. "Yes. We need to analyze the properties of the slime in the orange zone, and I was hoping that the publicly released data involving the zerg organisms in the information network matches with our findings."

Hektar nodded. "I see. I'll follow you to the lab."

Kabos suddenly stood up and pointed at the window. "Uhhh... Something something uh... What do you call it? Land pirates? Anyway, what are those people coming toward us called?"

Hektar and Braif looked at Kabos with confused expressions. But when they looked out the window and at the groups of dune boats coming toward them, their expressions changed completely to surprise and fear. Braif took the opportunity to run and yell in alarm. "BANDITS! BANDITS TO THE RIGHT OF US! ALL HANDS, PREPARE FOR A RAID! WE'RE GOING TO HAVE COMPANY!"

* * *

Seconds later, Jotan was already spreading the news to the entire crew of the desert platform. [This is your operator speaking. We have bandits several meters away that are trying to intercept our course from behind and to the right of us. If anyone knows how to fight, operate a turret and fire some warning shots. I will begin our turn and penetrate into the green zone now. Let's pray for some stormy weather to stall them. Jotan out.] The desert platform that was tasked to expedite to the energy plant took a sudden turn and accelerated at a faster pace, just as a loud klaxon alerted everyone that there was trouble. The dune boats still followed after the desert platform and its expediting crew, and they were still gaining on them. It wasn't long before before the expedition took control of the turrets and aimed them at the incoming dune boats.

[Attention crew of Baroness Tak's custom desert platform!] A growling voice said to the expedition team, through the intercom system. Somehow, they hacked into the desert platform's on-board communication system. [We order you to come to a complete stop. If you comply, then we promise to only kill half of the crew. If you deny our orders, then we'll pry your machine out from every one of your dead, stiff fingers. What is your reply?]

[This is operator Jotan. I demand to know how you have received this information.]

[Your demands are none of my concern. Now park your platform and turn off its engine, and we will begin boarding shortly. This is your last warning! ... Wait. Why are you driving towards the danger zone?]

[We have a death wish to fulfill. If you continue your intercept route, you will soon experience oxygen deprivation. We have been informed that the yellow zone has expanded by hundreds of meters in our direction already. By the time we entered the vacuum, you will have lost your chance to capture us.] Jotan said.

[Oh really?! Well I'm calling your bluff! Spiker Titans! FORWARD!]

The dune boats continued their pursuit for the absconding desert platform, their higher speed being capable of removing inches of distance between themselves and their prey. This chase continued for several minutes, and the dune boats were getting ready to launch what looked like platform-boarding harpoons. [Expedition crew, this is your operator speaking. The bandit group is about to use their harpoons to attach zip-lines to our hull and board our vehicle. Begin counter-boarding measures. Either destroy their harpoon launchers or disable their dune boats. If they start sending sand-boarders, make sure they don't get close to our desert platform's wheel towers and start attaching explosives.]

The turrets on the custom desert platform began firing on the raiders, their shots mainly focused on striking their enemy's wheels and harpoon turrets. Twenty of the bandit dune boats were disabled, but there were thirty more that kept their pursuit. A few sand-boarders did try to swing close to the custom desert platform's wheel towers, but many of them didn't survive their mission, whatever their mission was. A couple sand-boarder bandits did manage to dodge the desert platform's turret defenses that tried to fire them down, and they threw small devices at the wheel towers when they were within throwing range. These devices attached when they collided with the wheel towers, and then exploded into molten slag seconds later. [This is Lanfong. Damage has been sustained on our forward-right and back-left wheel towers. They're trying to tilt us! Don't let that happen, or it'll take us longer to get to the red zone! Or not at all.]

There was a sigh escaping the intercom before Jotan alerted the crew. [If we sustain more damage to our wheel towers, we'll have to enter walker mode. We'll be completely surrounded by the dune boats, and our atmospheric containment will be breached if they land a lucky shot to our pressurized windows. We'll be overwhelmed before we get the chance to enter the yellow zone and into the vacuum anomaly. Any suggestions?]

[Uh... Do we have any white flags around? You know... Just in case.] Footoo offered.

[Actually, we don't need to do that. Cease fire immediately and reduce speed!] Kabos shouted.

[What?! Why?!] Jotan exclaimed.

[Look at the ground below the bandits.] Kabos said.

Subterranean spines shot out of the ground in rows flowing to the sand boarders, while piercing tentacles focused on the vehicles, damaging them until they were disabled or destroyed in one or two shots. It was the only telltale sign that signaled the burrowed presence of the zerg swarm's lurkers and impalers. A subteranean maw erupted up from the sand and managed to smother a few sand-boarders and a dune boat before circular rows of teeth closed around them and pulled them underground.

[Oh shit, ambushers! And it looks like we also have heavy ambushers and ravenous under beasts too! Yeah, I recommend we slow down and cease fire right now. The sound of our turrets are going to attract their attention, and the heavy ambushers will kill our desert platform if we look like a hostile enemy to them!] Footoo exclaimed.

[... Fine. You're our only expedition members that know how the zerg organisms behave, so I have no choice but to trust you. Slowing down to quarter speed. Everybody, cease fire!] Jotan commanded.

The desert platform that the expedition team was defending came to a slow roll as its turret defenses ceased their harmful barking at the bandits. Many of the bandits didn't notice the spines going through their dune boats and sand-boards since they were too focused on chasing down the desert platform. Sadly, they noticed too late the subterranean spines, piercing tentacles, and underground jaws that ruined their vehicles. Eight dune boats survived as they held back and watched the forty two dune boats, being destroyed by their unseen attackers. A hissing growl barked within the expeditioning desert platform's intercom system again. [Fuck you, Jotan! We will remember your name, and we will remember this!]

[Eat a shryik serpent turd, jackass.] Jotan answered back as his desert platform slowly rolled forward, even with minimal damage taken from the bandits that tried to board it. The remaining eight bandit dune boats turned around and retreated back to safer sands. [All hands in the expedition team, be advised. We have sustained damage to our desert platform. We need to schedule a stop to assess the damage and repair our equipment before we enter the yellow zone. I don't want to risk our sealed atmosphere to leak into the vacuum once we enter it. Jotan out.]

For several minutes did the desert platform continue on its path through the green zone. The remaining Spiker Titan bandits had retreated from their pursuit, for they had no desire to lose any more of their men when there are lurkers and impalers nearby that can hinder their goal. With such a goal abandoned, the Spiker Titans retreated back to where they came from and left the desert platform alone.

* * *

The desert platform that transported the expedition team had eventually stopped when it was a kilometer away from the yellow zone. Once it was parked, the desert platform lowered itself down to the base of its wheel towers, coming to rest when its air-tight door hatches made contact with the sand. Once the desert platform became still, the engineers had went outside to asses its damage. It would be tedious work for them, but the idea of zerg organisms potentially being nearby motivated them to work faster.

During the pause in their transportation, it gave Kabos a chance to explore the helm of the desert platform. Everything in the helm seemed orderly, if somewhat secluded. Several monitors was showing the images of several locations both inside and outside of the desert platform, and some screens seemed to be focused on the personnel that were assigned to the expedition. He noticed a single-armed gilanian that took great attention at watching all of the screens present. Kabos' footsteps was loud enough to distract the only other person in the helm. A gilanian that wore a fancy coat with several tears, with his entire right arm sleeve being sewn shut and folded to the shoulder, turned to face the intruder that invited himself into his work space. "... May I help you?" He sounded very different than Jotan, who was often heard through the intercom system.

Kabos shook his head. "Not really. I don't know how to fix or maintain a desert platform, so I decided to explore around some more. And judging by your voice, you're not the pilot commander guy on the intercom system. The arm kind of threw me off too." Kabos said, pointing at the co-operator's uniform.

The co-operator chuckled, unveiling his intact and healthy right arm and showing it to Kabos. "Me and Jotan might look similar to one another, due to the yellow scale coloration matching perfectly, but I'm the only one of the two operators with the intact arm. If you didn't know about it before, It's always been a longstanding tradition for any two desert platform operators to dress and disguise themselves to look like each other. As of now, Jotan is currently asleep. In any case, my name is Tanjo. Pleased to meet you." He said, offering his hand for a handshake.

Kabos tilted his head. "He's asleep? Shouldn't he be awake?" He asked, accepting the handshake.

"Nah. He's just taking a power nap. That, and it's already my shift to take over for him. Once my shift is done, however, I'll be sure to wake him up so I can take that power nap too." Tanjo answered, hiding his healthy arm back into his coat. "So uh... Those zerg helped us out, huh? Kind of unexpected, since them zerg organisms can be downright nasty if they feel like it."

Kabos nodded as he leaned on a nearby wall, looking as though he was deep in thought. "Mm. This is actually odd behavior, coming from them..."

There was a brief pause between Tanjo and Kabos. "... Uh... Okay then. I'll just go back to my work now." Tanjo turned around and went to a monitor that showed two engineers assessing the damage of one of the wheel towers. "Lanfong, Kreez, what's the condition of the wheel towers?"

Lanfong shook his head. Kabos could see that he was already wearing one of the vacuum suits, while kreez was wearing one that seemed too tight around her arms, legs, and midsection, which limited her movement. [It ain't good from my end. The front-right wheel tower only has minimal damage, but I see that the back-left wheel tower is suffering from structural instability. Even if the tower can still even out the platform when we go up or down a dune, the screw motor within the platform's tower axel slips out of place every so often if we go too low of an incline on a dune. It'll slip out if we go down a high dune, and it'll lock back into place if we slam down on it, but that might damage the wheel tower further.]

To lose a wheel tower would mean the entire desert platform loses some mobility, and overall visibility over the desert. It was not an ideal scenario for the expedition team traveling through zerg territory. In order to the get the scientific data and analysis of a flower made of energy, they need to pull through by wheighing their options. "Can we continue on like we are now?" Tanjo asked.

[Uh... I will say that if the wheel takes another explosion like the one it received prior, we'll be losing it. I wouldn't trust this vehicle going down a hill made of hard soil or solid rock, since that might jam the tower and force us to limply roll on three towers, or go into walker mode.]

Tanjo sighed. "Speed is going to be important to us when we begin entering the red zone. Can we halve the tower and use the lower section to travel ahead normally?"

[It could work, but the towers don't have enough room to wiggle around when we reach those high dunes. That, and I don't want any shryik serpents or zerg organisms breaching into our air-sealed compartments.]

Kabos shook his head. "That shouldn't be a problem. So long as we don't act aggressive toward them, then we won't be giving them a reason to attack us." He said, interjecting into the conversation.

[Uh? Prod guy, is that you?] Lanfong asked.

"Yeah, it's me." Kabos answered. "Listen. Can't you rotate the entire back-left wheel tower a hundred an eighty degrees, balance the undamaged segment in the sand, remove the wheel from the damaged tower segment and attach it to the other intact tower segment? Or uh... something like that?"

[Eh... Not a bad idea. Requires one hell of a balancing act, flat ground, and a crane to preposition the wheel quickly. Not really sure how it can be done on sand, and without a crane unless you want to rig some dune boats to pull some chains.] Lanfong answered.

[Actually, Lanfong, we can still replace the wheel on the sand itself.] A soft, gentle voice interjected. [All we need is to find a place with flat sand and set down some metal sheets or wooden planks for support. If the sheets or planks are flat enough, we can balance the damaged wheel tower on it and continue with the repairs. The method that Kabos proposed is a little dangerous, but I think it's safer if we began detaching the wheel, removing the bottom of the damaged portion of the rear-left tower, and reattach the wheel onto the upper intact tower segment. We'd be able to remove a damaged segment of the tower and be able to move around normally, provided that we remember to unlock the wheel's drive-roll and connect the wheel's engine systems to the tower's drive connectors so that it won't drag our desert platform when we begin moving again. In either case, we still need to drive in low-terrain mode, and avoid any tall sand dunes. We can break down some of the crates in our storage to provide a flat surface.]

[Eh, Kabos' idea is risky, but your method will not save us a lot of time either. In both cases, though, I hope the vacuum doesn't expand over us while we work. It shouldn't be a problem since we're already wearing vacuum suits, but I'd hate to lose my ability to hear if trouble starts coming.] Lanfong said.

"I'll allow you to use the second option. And don't worry. I'll keep my eyes on the screens and inform you of any zerg organism that comes close during our repair." Tanjo said, sighing. He then turned to Kabos and pointed at him with his 'good' arm. "If this repair job somehow kills somebody, or further damages my desert platform, you will be held responsible."

Kabos was silent for a few seconds before nodding. "After we get paid, I'll be sure to answer for my actions. Even though you didn't choose MY idea."

Tanjo stared at Kabos for a few seconds before turning back to the screens to oversee the repairs. "Still though, your idea was unorthodox. A desert platform's wheel towers are not supposed to be rotated into the air. The weight of the wheel alone would break the tower's axle."

Kabos paused, but then nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

The repair work continued as expected. A wheel had detached itself from the back-left wheel tower and settled itself nicely onto a pallet of flat wooden boards and sheet metal. The desert platform then moved forward, detached its tower segment that was heavily damaged, and then backed up back to the wheel. The desert platform lowered its halved tower gently onto the wheel, which fitted perfectly into itself. After the engineers locked the wheel into place and connected it to the tower's systems, the desert platform was ready to roll forward. The expedition team's desert platform still had four wheel towers to drive with, even if they no longer could drive over high sand dunes or have a height advantage over the ground. They were made more vulnerable to any potential enemy on the ground, and they dreaded the thought of a zergling jumping up to slash and breach their air-containing hull. But still, they carried on with their mission, despite their hangups. The amount of vouchers they were being paid with was staggering, and they hoped that their return would bear some kind of fruit. The hull of the desert platform held against the vacuum, much to its crew's brief relief.

* * *

Several hours had passed as the expedition team's desert platform traveled through the yellow zone. Above themselves, the sky was black, save for the slow rotating sun that was brighter than usual, as seen within the vacuum. A glint of light was casted from the super satellites from above, which was a worrisome sight to everyone under the scrutiny of such structures. But they continued on without further implications. That is until the desert platform finally stopped as its current operator began addressing everyone within the massive vehicle. [This is operator Jotan speaking. I have just been informed that there is a complication. If everyone is not doing something important, I want this expedition team to have a meeting in the helm. I repeat, everyone is to have a meeting in the helm. That is all. Jotan out.]

Hektar and Braif looked up when the announcement was made, even when they were checking their equipment for the umpteenth time. They looked at each other before sighing. Braif decided to speak first. "This can't be good. It's been hours since we've been on this trek, and not once have I seen another zerg monster since that attempted bandit raid."

Hektar shook his head as he strapped down a microscope so that it wouldn't slide around. "Well, those ambushers were under the ground the whole time. I don't think that counts."

Braif sneered as she tucked away a DNA analyzer. "It counts if you considered the ravenous under beasts."

Hektar smiled and rolled his eyes. "Want me to stand next to you again? I noticed that you have been trying to avoid Footoo."

"Please." Braif said, exasperation in her voice. "I swear, if he flirts with me one more time, or stands behind me so that he could stare at my ass again, I'm going to see if one of the botanists has any fireroot I can poison his drink with."

Hektar shook his head and laughed. "Yeah, he needs to calm down a bit. It's like there's no women living in his village or something."

Braif shook her head as she completed packing away the DNA analyzer. "They don't live in a village. I managed to talk to Kabos a little more and found out that he and Footoo still lives in the ruins of Empire City." She said, already heading off to the desert platform's helm.

Hektar joined with her, his eyes wide in surprise. "Empire City?! You mean THE city in the center of the sea?! The one where people say that it's a pearl of an island in an otherwise shallow ocean?! The same one that's taken over by the zerg?!"

Braif nodded. "The same. It took a few years, but they found a way to get off of the island and started stealing resources and food from the other empire settlements."

"How?" Hektar questioned.

"Apparently, someone in that city had forgotten to log off their MEM device and disable it before the zerg infestation began. Kabos and his 'zerg prodders' used that MEM device to expand their operations, eventually becoming a freelance group that specialized in deterring and warding off the zerg organisms using pacifist methods. Every gilanian surviving in Empire City, or Ocean's Pearl as they call it now, is an accomplished zerg prodder." Braif explained.

Hektar shook his head in disbelief. "So, what, do the zerg prodders live with the zerg organisms?"

"I think they do. They are a pretty odd bunch of people, but they survived against insurmountable odds nonetheless. I would like to go and research the zerg there someday, but... I'd probably have to become a zerg prodder first." Braif said, having ascended a staircase and entering through a set of doors to wind up in the desert platform's helm. There were already other people their, consisting of the two zerg prodders, Kabos and Footoo, the two engineers, Lanfong and Kreez, and the two botinists, Kran and Tord.

Footoo looked around as the other expedition team members gathered in the helm. He then gestured to everyone. "Well... We're here. Is the meeting gonna start, or what?"

"Oh, it just about started." The eight gilanians turned to see two more joining the helm that were dressed like one another. Kabos saw Tanjo and his duplicate, but he couldn't tell which was which when he saw them both together. They both had matching yellow scale patches, missing arms, and wore torn heavy coats that looked so alike. One of them stepped forward, pulling off his coat and showing the crew around himself that he was the one with the missing arm. He placed his coat down onto a chair at one of the closeby terminals before he began speaking. "I gathered all of you here this afternoon to tell you of... an unfortunate development."

A heavy-set gilanian in rubber overalls pouted and sighed. "Oh no. I hate unfortunate developments." Kreez said, furrowing her eyebrows.

Tord stepped forward, placing a hand onto her hip. "So what is the topic of this meeting, exactly?" Jotan went up to one of the monitors and pressed a button on the keyboard it was connected to. All of the other monitors then displayed an image that showed several spine crawlers and spore crawlers, forming what might have been a thick forest of flesh. Kran tilted her head and patted at Tord's shoulder. Tord looked at Kran as she gesticulated several gestures, only to nod and turn back to Jotan. "Kran wants to know what we are looking at."

Jotan sighed as he pressed another button that zoomed the images in. "When we began entering into the yellow zone, I used a high-definition telescopic camera system whenever we gradually went over a large dune. These are but some of the images that I have captured. At the border of the projected orange zone, these 'creatures' I have detected are what I believe are the zerg's sentries."

Footoo leaned in closer to the images on one of the screens. "Hmm... Barnacles and whippers. Nasty things, those are. Think you can pilot our desert platform between them?"

Jotan sighed. "I can try to DRIVE between them, but I already judged the distance between these whippers and barnacles. They leave very little space, and if I did attempt to thread the needle, one of the wheels is bound to run over one of them, and I predict that that will be enough to provoke the zerg organisms into attacking us."

Footoo nodded. "Yeah, whippers and barnacles are nasty things. The whippers have these impaling tentacles with sharp tips that go right through an unguarded torso in a single lunging stab. The barnacles don't really do much to any ground-bound folk, but they still have a nasty habit of attacking anything above themselves that is not a zerg organism. I even heard a nasty rumor that the barnacles senses vibrations in the ground by such a degree that it can detect shryik serpents under the sand. The whippers then attack them until they burrow away, or get killed right then and there."

Nearly everyone had stilled their breath. All except for the desert platform drivers and the zerg prodders. Kabos looked at the images carefully. "When did you take this image last?"

"Recently." Jotan replied bluntly.

"That's not what the time stamp says." Kabos added, pointing to the corner of an image where a set of numbers that was displayed. It contained a small line of numbers that had told the crew that the image was taken a few hours ago.

Jotan paused for several seconds before making his reply. "And?"

"Well, we discussed at the meeting that there was a major war happening north of the zerg flower. The zerg are drawn to conflict and war, and I bet that the zerg are going to concentrate much of their attention on whatever battle attracts them." Kabos said. He then went to one of the skylight windows to look at the light. "And judging from the position of the sun, we must be close to being south of our target destination. Can you use your telescope thing to look directly at the barnacles and whippers from where we are now?"

Jotan paused for a long time before he nodded and sighed. "Alright." He went to one of the terminals and typed on a keyboard with one hand. After summoning up another image, this time with less spine and spore crawlers, Jotan got up from his seat and pointed at the new image. "There. You happy?"

Kabos nodded and smirked. "Very much. Seems to me these barnacles and whippers have some space between them."

Jotan shook his head. "Some space, yes, but not enough to let me pass."

Kabos waggled a finger at Jotan. "Actually, we can move the sentries out of the way."

There was a long, pregnant pause in the conversation. Everyone held their breath. Could such a thing be possible? Jotan shook his head and scoffed. "Eh... Wait, you can do that? Without getting yourself killed by those things?"

Kabos nodded without hesitation. "Yeah! It shouldn't take us too long if we planned this out right. I'm thinking we could take two teams of two people out there and-"

"Wait wait wait!" Tord interrupted. "Are you saying that you want two volunteers, who had completely no experience in prodding zerg organisms, to join you on a dangerous trip outside the safety of the platform into the vacuum, just to move those zerg sentries far enough away to make a path into the orange zone?"

Kabos stared at Tord for a few seconds before nodding. "That is what I am suggesting, yeah."

Tord huffed and shook her head. "Well count me the fuck out." She said as she left, while Kran looked somewhat distraught before she followed after Tord.

Footoo looked at Kran and Tord as they walked away. He sighed and shook his head. "Well that's two we won't be picking."

Braif raised an eyebrow before she began speaking to Kabos. "Why do you need two volunteers? Can't you just do your zerg prod magic on those sentries by yourselves?"

Kabos shook his head and explained. "We could, but It'll save us time if we had some extra hands to help us. Uprooting and prodding away a zerg sentry is a two-man job, but having two groups of two can speed things up quite easily. With that said, I still need two volunteers."

Lanfong sighed and stepped forward. "I guess me and Kreez can volunteer."

Kreez whimpered as she held her hands up to her face. "No~!"

Kabos shook his head. "Actually, I don't want two engineers working with us."

Lanfong crossed his arms. "And why the hell not?" He asked, sounding cross.

Kabos explained. "Because if something happens to the both of you during this task, and a mechanical problem occurs with the desert platform afterwards or whatever, then this desert platform wouldn't have its engineers to fix it when that happens. I can take one of you, but not both of you."

Lanfong nodded and grunted. "Alright, I can see the logic in that. In that case, I can still join you."

Kreez exhaled a sigh of relief. "Phew..."

Braif rolled her eyes at Kreez. "Then I guess I'll join too."

Hektar, having been silent for a long while, interjected. "Braif, do you really want to go out there in the vacuum? You won't be able to hear anything, except for your own breathing or through the vacuum-suits short-range radio."

braif went to Hektar and patted him on the shoulder. "Think of it this way. If I can prove that I can be a capable zerg prodder, then there is a chance they can invite me to their establishment in Empire City. Once there, I can continue my research on the zerg organisms."

Hektar sighed and shook his head. "That's a very lofty goal there. You might even get killed."

Braif smiled. "It's better than the risk of having your bone marrow removed from your body." She then turned to Kabos as confidence seemed to exude from her stance. "Just tell me what to do."

Kabos looked between Hektar and Braif before nodding. "Alright. I can take you with me." Kabos turned to Footoo. "Footoo, the engineer is going to tag with you."

Footoo slouched. "What? Why can't the hot scientist lady come with me?"

Kabos rolled his eyes. "For starters, she hates you. Secondly, you know more than I do that you cannot be distracted when you're prodding zerg. And finally, you have weak arms, so you need to be partnered with someone who has strong arms. Understand?"

Footoo paused, but then slouched and growled at Kabos. "Oh... Fuckin' alright, man. I'll meet you guys near the vacuum-suits. You can be in charge of training them on how to prod whippers, barnacles, and all that shit." He said, grumbling as he walked out of the desert platform's helm room.

The remaining gilanians in the helm watched Footoo slunk away. Lanfong shook his head and hissed. "Whippersnapper has his peens all crossed and teased. That boy's gonna get himself in trouble acting like that."

Kabos rolled his eyes, then turned toward the volunteering engineer. "I'm hope if you can look out for him, just as he instructs you on how to prod the zerg blocking our way. Are you sure you want to volunteer, old-timer?"

Lanfong gave Kabos a mechanical thumbs-up. "I might be old, but I can still learn a few more tricks before I become a dried husk of a corpse."

Kabos nodded and smiled at Lanfong, then gestured to him and Braif to follow. "Alright then. From here on out, you're gonna be taught some quick and simple tricks on how to prod some zerg. The technique I developed will save your life, just as it saved the lives of many apprentices that went under my wing. It can also save countless others if you so decide to use this technique to assist in the protection of many villages, every one of them still vulnerable to zerg infestation. One trick that I learned that's going to help you two is what I like to call, 'the five second rule.'"

Both Braif and Lanfong gave brief glances to one another before they followed after the zerg prodder, learning from his oral teachings as quickly as they could. Jotan, on the other hand, groaned in dissatisfaction.

* * *

After what seemed like half an hour had passed, the desert platform rolled forward and came to a stop near the southern line of spine crawlers and spore crawlers. The massive vehicle then lowered itself to the sandy ground, with one of its hatches opening after the desert platform made landfall on the sand. Four vacuum-suited gilanians walked out of one of the hatches, each one carrying a long metal rod as they stood a distance away from the line of ominous spine and spore crawlers. One of the suited gilanians shuddered from the danger that was present. [I can't believe I am going to do this! You made it sound so easy when you explained it.] Braif said through the radio with unease.

A different suited gilanian shrugged. [Learning skills might be easy, but putting them to practice is a whole different experience. Here's a pop quiz for you. What do you do when you are about to enter zerg territory?] Kabos asked.

[Uh... Take five seconds breathing in, take five seconds breathing out, and then take steps forward five seconds each.] She answered.

[Very good.] Kabos answered, taking steps forward in a slow manner. [Rushing into zerg territory like an impatient ass will provoke them, making them think that you are a threat. It's best to keep calm, take careful breaths, and step lightly. You never know if you're stepping on something when you're in zerg territory, so I made up the five second rule as the basis for keeping yourself alive. Most of the time, that is. But also remember, we only have five hours of air to breathe. Make each breath and step count, and we should be done in about one and a half hours. Maybe two if something comes up.]

[Does that mean it is pointless for me to tell you guys to hurry up? Wonderful.] Jotan said, sarcasm deep in his voice.

[You think you have it bad?] Footoo whined. [What we are doing right now is dangerous! One false move and *sharp mouth fart* that's it!]

[Well I ain't getting any younger.] Lanfong complained. [Let's just get this done and get back to the desert platform.]

[Then here's another quiz question to help pass the time.] Kabos said, already taking slow steps toward the line of crawlers before them. [Once we get to the sentries, what do we do?]

[I can answer that.] Lanfong said, matching Kabos' speed. [We stick these ass-scratchers into the mud they're in and wiggle them around, right?]

[Wrong, actually.] Kabos said, shaking his head. [You gently insert your prodding stick in a 45 degree angle, just below the base of the sentry, and between its legs. Then, you rotate the prodding stick around in widening circles. Both clockwise and counter-clockwise rotations works just fine on both whippers and barnacles, but I like to use clockwise rotations on the whippers, and counter-clockwise rotations on the barnacles. When they uproot themselves, retrieve your prodding sticks carefully and lightly prod them out of the way. Sometimes, the barnacle sentries and whipper sentries will move away on their own, but that doesn't always happen.]

[Ah.] Said Lanfong. [So we stick the ass-scratchers into the mud they're on, wiggle the ass-scratchers around, and THEN poke them away. Got it.]

Kabos sighed in frustration. [That's not... Urgh, fine! You can explain it like that, but try and do it slowly. Slow and steady is the key to our success here.]

[Can't run with my war injury, so that's good news for me.] Lanfong drolled.

Several minutes had passed, eventually becoming what felt like less than thirty minutes to the gilanians that looked so vulnerable in the vacuum environment. The slow speed that the four vacuum-suited gilanians traveled at took much of their time, but the spine and spore crawlers still remained as obstacles to the desert platform, and it couldn't pass by with the crawlers in their way. A way through had to be made before entry into the orange zone could be achieved, and the key to making that path seemed to be the zerg prodders and their two volunteers. Kabos tried to pass the time with his trivia and quizzes, but it dodn't shorten the time it took to approach the line of zerg crawlers.

Eventually, the gilanians in the vacuum-suits came incredibly close to the spine crawlers and spore crawlers. The spore crawlers seemed to shiver in their presence every time they took a step, but the spine crawlers tentacles languidly turned toward them when they neared into their lethal striking range. The spine crawlers waved around in a swaying motion, their impaling tips glinting as the sun shined off of them. Everyone's breath was slow, but also shallow. Kabos spoke to everyone in a relaxed and calm voice. [Okay. We're pretty close now. Jotan, how many of the sentries should we move out of the way for you?]

[You're asking me this now?!] Jotan shouted in surprise.

[Yeah. It's better to do this now rather than waste time bickering about semantics back on the desert platform.] Kabos said.

A stressed sigh was heard from the radio signal. [Fine. Uh... Judging from how close you are to the whippers and barnacles, I'd hazard a guess that moving ten, maybe twelve of them, would be enough to give me room to pass through. Although, I think it might be safer if you moved twenty out of the way.]

[Then fifteen will be our target number.] Kabos said. [Okay Footoo, you're with me. Braif and Lanfong? You watch us display our technique on uprooting this whipper. If you see any other zerg organism approaching us, don't hesitate to keep it to yourself. As of now, we're unwanted trespassers in their territory. You know what to do if a swarm of blade hounds show up?]

[Uh... Yes! We wave our prodding sticks toward them, and gently poke them away if they get close.] Braif answered.

[Very good.] Kabos said as he and Footoo slowly inserted their prodding sticks below the base and between the legs of the spine crawler. They used their prodding sticks to crowbar and lever the spine crawler out of the ground, persuading the large zerg organism to try and uproot itself. For two gilanians that were a little more than a meter and a half tall to try and uproot and poke away a spine crawler, which was eleven meters wide and ten meters tall when rooted, displayed an impressive bravery that was rare to see. When the rooted zerg organism finally uprooted itself, now at the impressive height of fifteen meters, it began to crawl away from the prodding zerg prodders. [... Ah... That took a lot less time than I thought it would take.]

[You said it like that wasn't normal.] Lanfong said. [Was something different supposed to happen?]

[Well I can tell you that uprooting a whipper or a barnacle would take, like, about three minutes each maybe.] Footoo explained, slowly walking to another zerg crawler organism, this time a spore crawler. [The battle happening north of here must be attracting it to greener pastures. Or uh... well... slime-covered war-torn pastures, that is. Lanfong, come help me with this one.]

[Alright, I'm coming over.] Lanfong said, slowly walking toward Footoo to assist him in uprooting the next zerg crawler organism.

Braif followed after Kabos as they slowly walked to a spore crawler. When Braif got close, she used the prodding stick that was given to her and gently inserted it underneath the spore crawler. It quivered as she did so. [Easy easy easy.] Kabos warned. [Easy easy. We don't want to piss it off.]

Braif sighed, rotating her prodding stick in a slow manner. [I thought that barnacle sentries only attacked enemies above itself?]

[Here's a tip about the zerg that should be common knowledge to everyone. If you piss off one zerg organism, then you piss off all of them.] Kabos warned. He pointed at a nearby spine crawler before he continued again. [Whippers have a good reach to them too, so keep that in mind.]

Braif looked at the next spine crawler that was besides the spore crawler. It seemed to wiggle its impaling tentacle more when she inspected it, and it made her feel her own spine shiver with uneasiness. The monstrous defenders of so many hive clusters had a reputation of embedding themselves in any ground that the creep grew on, but she had heard some rumors that these creatures could also root themselves into sands not covered by the moving sludge. But still, she summoned her courage and followed Kabos' example. One by one, the spine and spore crawlers were slowly being uprooted by the zerg prodders' techniques while their volunteers assisted them. Minutes had passed, and the zerg prodders, plus volunteers, were making slow progress uprooting the spine and spore crawlers from their path.

That changed when a sharp yell broke the radio silence. [AAH!]

[Report. What's happened?] Jotan asked in an authoritative manner.

[Whipper nearly took my dang arm off!] Lanfong complained.

[Did it puncture your vacuum-suit?!] Footoo yelled as he came to Lanfong and inspected his person.

[No, but my ass-scratcher is cut in half. I guess I was too rough with this one.] Lanfong said, sighing.

A sigh was heard before Jotan made his decision. [I think it's about time we wrap this up. How many of those sentries moved out of my way?]

[Uh... I lost count.] Footoo admitted.

[I counted seven, plus the one that you and Kabos ass-scratched.] Lanfong said.

[Me and Braif have uprooted nine. That should be enough for Jotan to get his desert platform through. Let's head back. Slowly.] Kabos suggested.

[I'd rather prefer you make it back quickly.] Jotan said, sighing. [I don't like the thought of staying here in this vacuum, but heading straight into zerg territory is also something I find rather distressing.]

[Just imagine swimming in twelve thousand gallons of water, operator Jotan.] Footoo said. [Cool, refreshing water that can quench your thirst, even during the hottest of days. You can even purchase a dispenser that makes solid water for you, called an 'ice machine' or whatever it's named. You can then shave flakes of that ice off and add your favorite fruit flavors to it. Perfect way to treat yourself on a hot sunny day.]

[Grah, stop talking about water already. Tanjo, you survey this outdoor activity. I need to use the waste processing facility.] Jotan said, agitated.

[Got it.] Said Tanjo. [Okay then uh... Everything seems fine, so far. Other than the whippers and barnacles, I don't see any zerg organisms in the immediate area.]

[Well I don't like it.] Kabos announced. [Things have been going too smoothly here. We should have seen some drifters, oculars or blade hounds by now.]

[Maybe the war happening at the north is a lot more severe than we thought?] Braif suggested. [I mean... we couldn't possibly know how far away it is, since we're in a vacuum, right?]

[Missy is right.] Lanfong added. [The roar of a razor fiend is said to be so loud that you become deaf just by standing next to one. We shouldn't consider ourselves lucky.]

[Hmm.] Kabos said, but didn't add anything else to the radio communication.

Several more minutes passed, but the four gilanians that parted the spine and spore crawlers safely retreated back into the desert platform. Once everyone was back on the massive vehicle, the desert platform began to roll forward at a slow pace. The spine crawlers writhed and arched themselves back when Tanjo drove close to the broken line of crawlers, but they refrained from attacking the intruders intruding into zerg controlled lands. The creep that the desert platform drove over was slick, shiny, and appeared as though something moved under it. But the desert platform continued forward, rolling northward to the glowing flower in the atmosphere-less sky. For miles did the creep extend beyond the horizon, and it looked much like a gently roiling ocean of slime mold that crept up dunes, flowed around odd rocks jutting out of the sand, or sprouted odd bony structures that looked like thin insect legs pointing toward the sky. (otherwise known as creep claws.) A senseof impunity had befallen the entire crew of the desert platform, as though everyone felt they were being watched by unseen eyes. This was because they were now in deep zerg territory, where even the creep tumors themselves watched the desert platform roll along as it headed towards the energy plant. A sense of calm panic mixed with depressed hopelessness plagued everyone's mind, but they swallowed their fears and doubt as best as they could and soldiered on. They had survived this far.

* * *

Further along their journey, the expedition crew rolled into dangerous territory. Populated by sparse sightings of patrolling zerg organisms that consisted of the infrequent zergling or the rare overseer. It went without saying that the journey through this territory was nerve racking to the whole expedition crew. Everyone within the desert platform knew that they would have no chance of survival if a war claw or razor fiend decided to chase after them. But even with the apparent dangers that were abundant within this hostile enironment, there was also a sense of curiosity that had befallen onto the members in the expedition.

Tanjo, accompanied by Jotan, his co-operator, squinted as he saw something unusual in one of the monitor's images. "Hmm. Jotan, what do you make of this?"

Jotan sighed and walked to the monitor that Tanjo was looking at. What was supposed to be a cursory glimpse turned into a lengthy stare of beguiled curiosity. "...What?"

"Exactly what I thought." Tanjo said, shaking his head as he shared his finding with his co-operator.

Jotan's pause lasted for about fourteen seconds. He shook his head and sighed when he finally sorted his thoughts. "Damn. I'm thinking we should stop right now and call the prodders here. Maybe they can make sense of this... new obstacle in our path?"

"We could just drive around it." Tanjo suggested, pointing at the monitor's image.

Jotan sighed. "I meant bring the scientists and the zerg prodders up here. I want to know what this is, and they might have answers." He walked away from Tanjo and centered himself within the helm. "Jotan command. Desert platform speed, full stop. Intercom system, on. This is your commander, desert platform operator Jotan, speaking. Could the zerg prodders Kabos and Footoo, and the scientists Hektar and Braif, come to the desert platform's helm please? I and Tanjo discovered something unusual and I want you to help us identify what it is. Jotan out. Intercom system, off."

A couple minutes had passed when Jotan requested for the people he called to come to the desert platform's helm. It was a wait that felt like an eon to Jotan. His evident impatience was well deserved, however. He was deep within zerg territory, driving in a vacuum environment using an air-sealed desert platform already damaged by bandits, and they were supposed to go to the center of the red zone, which was where the energy plant was located. It was a wait that Jotan could tolerate, but he couldn't stop himself from tapping his feet when anxiety clawed at his mind. It didn't help to be calm when everyone else was also on edge. The orange zone was filled with all sorts of monsters, after all.

The summoned gilanians eventually walked into the desert platform's helm room, and they were likely wondering why they were summoned. Footoo decided to speak first. "So uh... Did we find something?"

Jotan gestured at the terminal that had the image that Tanjo showed to him. "There are some strange growths in the ground, and I have no idea what they are. I was hoping that you could share some insight with me and tell me what they might be, and how potentially dangerous they are to our expedition."

"I guess I can give a gander." Said Footoo, coming up to the monitor that Tanjo was sitting next to. Footoo stared at the image for several seconds as he analyzed the image, but his facial features changed to puzzlement over time. "Hmm... I recognize some these growths, but I don't know what those others are. Looks like they are heavily surrounded by barnacles and whippers though. I see several nests, some under beasts, burst lobbers and burst launchers too. There's even plenty of those drifters and some oculars here. Hmm... I think this might be... a nesting ground?"

Kabos gently moved Footoo out of the way to look at the image with closer scrutiny, making Footoo scoff in annoyance. He could see that there were several bio-structures within the image that he was inspecting. It contained several creatures and bio-structures that he recognized, but several of the bio-structures still looked unfamiliar. In truth, what the desert platform's expedition team had discovered was a hive cluster forward base. It contained a nydus network that seemed to eat several zerg organisms, several hatcheries with a single hive, drones that fed it resources generated from the resource tumors and two carbonation extractors, queens that that pairs of two would protect their own hatchery or hive, and a plethora of spine crawlers and spore crawlers that surrounded the hive cluster. However, there were other bio-structures that were present within the hive cluster. There was the spawning pool, a roach warren, a hydralisk den, an impaler den, a lurker den, a greater spire, an ultralisk cavern, a nydus network, a defiler mound, a scourge nest, a brood queen's nest, spore cannons, infestation pit, bile launchers, baneling nest, and even an evolution chamber. Kabos' eyes widened as he took in this information, even though he did not know the purposes of all of these structures he had never seen before. "... This isn't an ordinary nesting ground. I also think it's a resupply base."

Braif and Hektar looked at each other with worried glances, while Jotan hardened his gaze at Kabos. "A resupply base? What do you mean 'it's a resupply base?' What does this place resupply the zerg organisms with, exactly?" Jotan asked.

"Numbers." Kabos replied, taking a few steps back and sighing. "These zerg monsters are not only territorial, but they are also very military minded. I came pretty close to their nests a few times, and saw how their blade hounds and other zerg organisms are born. A single wriggler can take seconds to form a cocoon around itself to transform into a floater. The floater could then form another cocoon around itself again to turn into a nest, which can produce more wrigglers. The nest also seems to have the ability to produce caretakers from itself, which persuades the nest bio-structure to produce more wrigglers. But I also saw a plethora of other wrigglers being transformed into their pupal stages, and then into the other castes of zerg organisms. Blade hounds, pukers, spine serpents, spawners, pest carriers, and all other sorts of nasty monsters seconds later. I even saw those razor fiends and dread maws being born in what felt like brief minutes."

There was a long pause between everyone that gathered in the helm of the desert platform. This silence was agonizing to Jotan, and he couldn't allow this self-inflicted torture to continue. Tanjo decided to break the silence and turned toward Braif and Hektar. "You two have been quiet the entire time here. Have any opinions you want to share, or information that we need to hear?"

Hektar sighed. "I'm afraid we don't know much about these... other bio-structures. They seem to assist the zerg organisms in ways we don't understand, but it was suggested that they provide them with some kind of resource or comoddity, perhaps some kind of hormone that further unlocks their lethality. These subdivision of bio-structure nests certainly are quite an interesting find. However, I don't know how to inforrm you on their nature at this time."

Braif shook her head as she looked away from the image. "Yeah, even after I prodded those whippers and barnacles with Kabos' help, I doubt I have the nerve to part an infestation of that magnetude. I'm not sure if these other bio-structures can uproot themselves like the zerg's sentries could."

"I don't think these ones can." Kabos said, shaking his head and sighing. "Several people tried to do that and they ended up being chased away or taken down by a whipper or some other nasty zerg beast." Kabos turned to Jotan and Tanjo. "I recommend we go around these infestations. The whippers and sub-nest bio-structures are too abuntant, and I know for a fact that the bigger a zerg nest is, the meaner the zerg organisms get."

Jotan sighed in exasperation. "Hurh... That is going to take too much time. Even with a wide birth, I keep finding more nests the closer we get to the zerg flower."

Kabos walked up to Jotan and stared at his eyes. "Then we can have Tanjo thread the needle like he did with the whippers and barnacles before we entered the orange zone. Are you trying to fish for a reason to go back to the safety of Citadel Gargantua's walls? Or do you naturally complain like this all the time?"

Jotan gave a stern and unflinching glare back at Kabos. "If I felt as though we were truly in danger, then I would have turned us around already."

"Then stop pissing where you're standing and get this platform moving." Kabos said firmly to Jotan. "It's a bad idea to be stationary when there is zerg about."

Jotan looked at Kabos with an icy leer for several seconds before he turned around. "Jotan command. Desert platform speed, one third speed. Maintain distance of one hundred meters away from objects that are classified as 'zerg'. Go into full stop when we arrive one hundred meters away from the red zone."

Footoo looked at Kabos and Jotan, sighed, then stretched his arms into the air. "Okay uh... I think it's close to feeding time for me. I'll just uh... you know... scram away." Footoo said, as he began to walk out of the desert platform's helm.

Both Braif and Hektar looked at Jotan and Kabos as well, but they opted to say nothing as they quietly left the helm after Footoo had smoothly exfiltrated. Kabos stared at Kabos' back for half a minute before he backed away and took his turn to exit out of the operators' presence.

Tanjo sighed and shook his head. "This is going to be a long expedition."

Jotan turned to his co-operator. "If it's one thing I hate, it's giving mutineers a reason to mutiny on my desert platform."

"YOUR? No no no. OUR, desert platform." Tanjo corrected. "If I didn't know better, I think that you have been somewhat bellicose during our entire trip. Is there something you want to share with me that you don't want anyone else in this platform to know about?"

Jotan growled for a few seconds, but then sighed. "There are so many old memories too painful to bring up right now. I want this mission to be over with so I can head back home, and be able to bathe in a warm bath for once."

Tanjo paused for several seconds as his expression became thoughtful, which then became an understanding nod. "I'll let you decide when to open that can of worms on our expedition crew." He said, turning back to his monitor and switching to different surveillance cameras. "But I wouldv'e paid for some female company instead. Not some cheap ho's, though. I'm thinking... Exotic. Exported from Tall Trees, for example. Yeah... A quality harem."

Jotan chuckled. "The place that was once named Empire Forest Town? Why not up the ante and get a harem, and a warm bath? Enjoy it with some quality meats, like barbecued krell, cured shallow crab, mongwedger jerky, or candied shryik serpent steaks."

Tanjo laughed with Jotan. "Hahaha, yeah! Hell, why not hire a music band and some scented candles?"

"Ooh, good choice, good choice. And to top it off, have a paid subscription to view the latest arena fights, and every recorded fight ever made to view at your own enjoyment." Jotan added.

Tanjo sighed and laid back in his chair, staring at the monitor that cycled through different camera views. "Aw man, I always did enjoy watching the Sextuple Swordsman versusing against the Rot Eater. I especially liked the fourteenth Sextuple Swordsman versus Rot Eater battle, when they introduced the 'environmental graphic settings' for the first time. Maaaaan that battle was epic AND legendary."

"Meh. I would have sent a personal request for a private match between the Pink Punky Cuddle Fuzzler and the Metallic Lewd-Man." Jotan said.

Tanjo paused, but then he slowly turned around and gave a wide-eyed stare at his co-operator. "... What? The joke character that the Fur Fetish patrons created? The very same character that had zero wins from its creation, and always loses in a timeout? Fighting against another joke character that has only ever won fourteen versus battles since his creation, made by the original proprieter of the dream-light arena? Why put them together?"

Jotan looked back at Tanjo, a sly smirk on his face. "I learned some time ago that the Cuddle Fuzzler has hidden special status effects. One of them is called 'flustered', which occurs when her opponant poses next to her, does a dodge or stunt maneuver in front of her, or taunts at her. What many people don't know about the Cuddle Fuzzler is that her other hidden status effect is 'aroused', which builds up from several stackings of her 'flustered' status effect. Her 'aroused' effect only happened in fifty seven matches, which gained a lot of hoots from the Fur Fetish patrons, and a lot of later popularity. It was after her fifty seventh match of acquiring her 'aroused' status effect that the arena organizers decided to pull her from the public roster. A lot of people were saddened by that, so they decided to create the subscription service that enables you to watch all recordings of previous public matches, plus any matches that you, or somebody else, made a personal request for. This also happens to include custom characters. And you know more than I do that Lewd-Man's moveset contains a lot of poses and taunts, as well as a plethora of dodging maneuvers and parkour stunts."

Tanjo paused for several seconds. He shook his head and smiled. "... Shit man. I didn't know you could rig the game like that. Where did you learn about Cuddle Fuzzler's hidden abilities?"

Jotan nodded, sighed, then set his eyes straight forward. "Call it a hobby. Lets get this expedition over with. The quicker we complete this suicide mission, the sooner I can watch some video game porn."

Despite the camaraderie between the two operators, silence began to flood the helm again. The only sounds that could be heard was the gentle hum of the engine and its rectionless drive, the distant shlorping sounds that barely resonated through the desert platform's wheel towers as they drove over the creep, and the silent breathing that usually accompanied intense and diligent concentration. But alas, they were unaware of the series of events that would unfold before them, or what would be unveiled as a result of their expedition.

A second-coming was close at hand.

* * *

 **A/N: Oof, wow, it's late. I'll proof-read this tommorow. Have another bonus chapter, my good lads. 'w'/  
**


	61. Temporal Breakout

**Chapter 61: An Ancient Power Returns**

* * *

Kay was at a very difficult position. Stuck with no place to go, and with no way to escape, the prison that had settled around him had also became his only refuge. His current opponent was one that happened to be the most devious compared to any other enemy that he had ever fought against. He would gladly face a different enemy than the one he was currently being challenged by. It was more insidious than the smallest needle delivering a constant cyanide injection, more annoying than an ephemeral and invulnerable apparition that silently laughed in his ears constantly, and more powerful than any kind of army that the zerg could ever muster against. It was, truly, the most difficult foe that Kay had ever tangled with, even when the methods he had at his disposal were nothing more but temporary tools that kept it away. Such weapons dulled with time, and his enemy had a tactic that can eventually counter whatever tool or gadget he wielded against it. It took so much patience to keep this enemy from trumping him, but he was now close to defeat for the umpteenth time. Even with so many cards in his hand, he knew that the only thing his current foe needed was one to finish this game. Kay just needed to plan his steps carefully with the tools he had and win this match.

"Got any threes?" Kay asked Corvurn Junior. They were currently sat onto a ramshackle table made of ruined metal, and they were currently playing a card game within a dimly lit room that used to be Seneschal Zagion's head office.

Corvurn Junior peered down at his hand and carefully looked at his one card. The anticipation was palpable. How long did it take for someone to look at the last card in one's hand to know what card it was? Kay swore that Corvurn Junior was tactically pausing on purpose. The evolution master responded by shaking his head. "Go fish."

Kay rolled his head and sighed, taking another card from the deck. To play the game of Go Fish in the first place, Kay had to program a manifestation alter to properly manifest a deck of playing cards. The first few times he programmed and manifested a deck of cards, they ended up catching on fire, or was so brittle that it broke apart into pieces, or was blown away into loose dust by the lightest of breaths. At one point, one of the deck of cards he manifested changed into some kind of matter that was at its triple point, where it was constantly becoming a gas, a liquid, or a solid. It rolled out of its containment when it was manifested, and Kay couldn't find a container in time to have Corvurn Junior analyze it, or was able to recreate its manifestation since. Kay looked at his several cards and sighed, then looked at Corvurn Junior. "Okay, your turn."

"Queens?" Corvurn Junior asked.

Kay sighed and gave one of his queen cards to Corvurn Junior. "Gaaaah, you're beating me at this game already. The hell is your trick?"

Corvurn Junior chittered happily as he took Kay's card and placed it down with his last card. "Learned probabilities. Chances of card numbers, suites, and faces understood. Normal method of deck shuffling now ineffective."

Kay paused as he stared at Corvurn Junior, and he swore that he could see a smile stretched across his face, despite the fact that the evolution master had a vertical mouth instead of a horizontal one. Kay scoffed and swiped the cards off of the table, which had became a hobby for any loser that lost at whatever card game was offered to the table. A new deck of cards could be created quite easily, even if every new deck would eventually be discarded onto the floor. At least the creep was indifferent to whatever bio-degradable material landed into it, and the deck of cards that was piled onto it was manifested as a papery material anyway. Kay furrowed his brows as a dissatisfied expression stretched across his face. "You fucker. You learned how to count cards while playing Go Fish."

Corvurn Junior shook his head. "Impossible. Skill only useful in Blackjack."

"Well Blackjack or not, I'm getting tired of this card game." Kay said, sighing. "And between this and a little bit of Poker that I sort of remember, I also remember nearly every variation of War that exists."

"Terran card game called War? Unusual, yet intriguing. Explain rules?" Corvurn Junior asked, pleading his fingers together.

Kay looked at Corvurn Junior for a few seconds and began snickering. "Kehehehe... Wow. The evolution master's progeny evolution master, capable of evolving the zerg swarm to be the deadliest organisms in warfare, wants to know how to play a card game named War? I mean... That's kind of ironic."

Corvurn Junior seemed to sigh. "Indifferent. Projects can wait. Idleness, undesirable. Have time utill projects require tending. Teach War card game."

Kay sighed and rolled his eyes, nodding at Corvurn Junior. "Okay C.J.. I'll tell you some of the basics." Kay said, getting up from his seat and going to a nearby manifestation altar. After pressing a few buttons on the manifestation altar's side panel, a fresh deck of cards was being created before his eyes after he was done inputting the codes. After retrieving a new deck, Kay went back to the table and sat down. This too has also became the norm. Just as the loser throw the cards off the table, they would then be next to deal the next set of cards.

Kay halved the deck and placed his half close to his side of the table, while he placed Corvurn Junior's half to Corvurn Junior's side. Kay smiled as he began his explanation. "In this card game called War, two players receive an equal number of cards in a single deck, called stacks. Two players draw a card that is faced-down from their stacks and turn it over, and the highest value always beats the lowest value. The values go from Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and then goes to ten and downward. When one player's card is higher than his opponent, then it gets added to the victor's loot pile. If two players draw a card with the same value on it, then the players go to 'war' by drawing three cards each from their stacks which remains face-down, while the next cards after that is drawn and flipped over. It can go on indefinitely until somebody finally draws a higher valued card. All of the cards that were brought into the war is then won by the player with the higher valued card. The player that captures the most cards in the game, wins."

Corvurn Junior nodded at Kay's explanation. "Mm. What about Joker?"

"Jokers are mainly left out of a game of War for the most part." Kay said. "But there are some variations of the game that includes the Joker too."

"Variations of War card game?" Corvurn Junior asked curiously.

Kay nodded. "Yup! There is Guerilla Jokers, where if one player pulls a Joker card, it starts a war between the two players. There is Threes Beats Faces, where any three cards can beat Jacks, Kings, and Queens. Fours Beats Aces, where any of the number four cards can beat aces. Strategy War, where you can have three cards in your hand that you can pick from, drawing one card from your stack after playing the card from your hand to add back into it. If a war happens in this variation, then a card is pulled from a stack before a card from the hand is chosen. And then there is Add On, where players can risk drawing an additional card from their stack during a war, but will lose the war if their total cards equal fifteen or more, with all face cards equaling ten in value. If both players bust, then the count between the players resets and the war continues."

Corvurn Junior nodded as he listened to the rules of the other variations. "Understand. Which variation recommended?"

Kay smirked as he leaned back, picking three cards from his stack and holding them in his hand. "Since you are a quick study, I figured that we can play War while using all of the variations I just described to you. Go ahead and take three from your stack. After you have your hand, pick a card and set it forward. We'll flip them upwards at the same time. And remember. No using the hivemind connection in this game too."

"Redundant. Already understands rules. Repeating rules, unnecessary." Corvurn Junior grumbled as he took three cards from his stack. He noticed right away that the cards given to him have already been reshuffled, even when he didn't see Kay shuffle them beforehand. "Disadvantage detected. Leveled playing field. Unable to see command organism Kay shuffle deck. How?"

Kay smugly smiled. "I figured out how to randomize the cards in the deck when the manifestation altar manifests them."

"...Clever. However, will adapt." Corvurn Junior said, placing down a card.

Kay nodded, drawing out a card from his own hand. Kay had a King of Hearts while Corvurn Junior had a King of Clubs. Kay snorted. "Looks like we're at war from the start."

Corvurn Junior and Kay drawed another three cards from their stacks and placed them down, and then added a new card into their hand before placing their chosen cards forward. After flipping them over, Kay had summoned a Joker card to combat against Corvurn Junior's Ten of Hearts. Corvurn grumbled. "War again."

Another card was drawn from each of the player's decks, with Kay picking and flipping over a Five of Diamonds, while Corvurn Junior chose a Ten of Clubs. Kay grunted. "Hmm... I think I'll add another card to the war."

"Over fourteen is lose condition." Corvurn Junior warned, taking a card from his stack and adding it to his hand. "Unless willing to risk?"

Kay paused for a few seconds, nodded, then drawed a card from his stack, and then drawing one more to place it face-down. "I think I'll risk it."

"Also willing to risk." Once Corvurn Junior drawed a card from his stack and placed it forward, both cards were then revealed.

Kay drawed a Nine of Spades while Corvurn Junior drawed a Four of Diamonds. Kay chuckled. "Hahahaha, I guess this means we're still at war! Ah, what are the chances?"

Kay couldn't tell, but he felt as though that Corvurn Junior was slightly amused by the recent events. "Hmm. Draw from stacks. Must find way to win war."

Both Kay and Corvurn Junior added another card to the ever growing cards that were sent into the war pile, then picked a card from their hands again and flipped their cards over. Corvurn Junior may have picked a Jack of Spades, but Kay surpassed the evolution master by drawing an Ace of Spades. He won the war, earning him all of the cards that was drawn so far. "Oooooh~! OOOOHOOHOOHOOHOO~!" Kay hooted, pointing at his winning card.

Corvurn Junior grumbled. "Agitated. Should have picked four card."

Kay waggled his finger. "Ah ah ah. No telling your opponent what you have in your hand. We discussed this."

Corvurn Junior threatened to swipe the cards off of the table. "Will not tolerate taunts. Will destroy card game if taunting persists."

Kay chuckled and leaned back into his seat again. "Alright alright, I'll chill. If you don't want to play this game, we can stop now and go back to working on your research and projects."

Corvurn Junior stared at Kay for a few seconds before relaxing and retracting his arms from swiping distance of the card game. "Appreciated. However, must give apology. Environment degrading to idle behavior. Threatened destruction of War card game, unnecessary."

Kay paused for a couple seconds before he nodded his head. "...If that's your way of saying you're sorry, then I forgive you."

Corvurn Junior nodded back. "Forgiveness appreciated." He said, checking the cards in his hands.

Kay paused awkwardly for several seconds before he decided to break the ice. "So uh... How are your projects coming along? I noticed that you haven't been discussing them with me lately."

Corvurn Junior grunted. "Progress is slow. Time cannot be hurried, despite available resources. Coming close to breakthrough. Some projects more enjoyable, yet resources limited in other regards."

Kay sighed and slumped in his chair. "Ain't that the truth. I would have liked to bring Virid or your dad back with us, but I guess that wasn't possible with whatever energy restraints you had at the time."

Corvurn Junior took his chance to sigh as well. "Conditions, not ideal. Bio-matter, accelerant, and energy required for time gate, limited. Must plan on most efficient resource managing methods. Seek victory for swarm. Victory over Golden Star Empire enemy must be achieved."

Kay nodded. "Well we shouldn't lose our heads when we finally find a way back to our own timeline. ... Or uh... come back in a new timeline where we retcon our starting conditions. Is that what you're trying to do?"

Corvurn Junior nodded. "Analyzed time travel research of Era Agency. Many complications detected. Loopholes are difficult to detect. Determining effectiveness of alternate methods. Slow progress. Time, very lingering resource. Limited. Swarm not accustomed to using technology. Prefer organic mutations. Time travel mechanics, difficult to adapt to. However, will adapt. Matter of time. If ineffective, other projects will take over. If projects successful within designed purposes, will use."

Kay nodded back. "That's good. Man, I can only imagine what my face would look like when we come back to the past from an alternate future. Perhaps I should prepare some flash cards and practice with them, in case any of the conversations between myself and my past self becomes awkward on our first meeting?"

Corvurn Junior shook his head. "Waste of time. Waste of resources. ... Conversation lengthened unexpectedly. Must take break. Continue game after projects surveyed and inspected. Must ensure project completion."

Kay nodded and placed the cards in his hand face-down. "Okay, sure C.J.. We can play this later."

Once both players left the table, they continued out of Zagion's ruined head office and walked to an evolution chamber that was processing Corvurn Junior's latest projects. There were two that seemed to be the most promising, if a little time consuming. Somewhat literally in regards to a particularly virulent disease that could supposedly 'infect time itself', whatever Corvurn Junior had meant by that. But still, the two swarm commanders worked together to achieve their goal, even as the chrome slime that was outside of the time dilated dome prevented their leave. Darkness within this place was all consuming, but the surviving swarm had survived in this condition for some time now. And if Kay and Corvurn Junior's projects bore any fruit upon their completion, it could allow the swarm to persist even after the end of the timeline they are in. It was just a matter of time.

* * *

 **In the new timeline**

There was darkness.

An unbelievable amount of darkness.

More pitch-black than the shadows of night.

Significantly gloomier than a graveyard painted with tar after dusk on a new moon, no stars, and cloudy skies.

Hollow of all light and significance.

It was akin to the unfeeling feeling of being unconscious.

And this unconsciousness was what one particular person was experiencing, of whom was dreaming of this ebony-filled rest.

However, like all dreams, there always comes a time when the sleeping becomes awake.

"Ahhh... fuck... Dohr... I... Ow... my head... What the shit." Kay said, feeling like his mind had been torn in half. Did he drank too much beer and developed a hangover again? He couldn't be sure. He slowly sat up from the hot sand as he felt the sun's rays hitting his carapaced form, and feeling something weighing him down at the same time. He clutched his head, praying that the pain would go away quick. Did a dwarf hit his head with a golden brick or something? He couldn't be sure. He even forgot what had happened after the era agent he named Bubbles threw that weird device at him. He was too embroiled in pain to figure out whatever made this anguishing sensation cleave his brain. He just wanted a cure to the pain.

"Command organism Kay? Functioning within parameters?" Corvurn's voice ringed in Kay's head painfully.

Kay winced as he covered his ears. "Ooooh... Don't talk, please. I... I think I have a hangover. Or... I don't know what it's called. Uh... Headache? Yeah. I have a headache."

 _'Better?'_ Corvurn asked through the psionic connection.

Kay felt his head deepen in pain again. "GHK! No no no, that's worse! Ahhhh... Oh fuck me. This is... This is worse than drinking a whole bottle of vodka and waking up in the morning after. Uhhh... Shit." He said, palming his head and wishing for the pain to go away.

Corvurn sighed. "Will use lesser verbal communication. Better than nothing. We must evade detection. Kiln Keeper and gilanian empire armies, closing. Anomalies within area, dissipated. Must evacuate."

"Anomalies? What are..." Kay got a chance to see his surrounding environment and found himself in a massive crater made of dark glass. This glass crater was kilometers wide, and was definitely beyond the scope of Kay's ability to calculate how large it was. For the moment at any rate. Worse still, he also found debris of several machines strewn about within the crater, which looked as though some kind of battle had once took place there. He could barely recognize what the machines looked like, but he thought he saw what could have once resembled Kiln Keepers and Golden Star Empire vehicles and technology, and a few gilanian corpses that seemed... twisted and charred. Like they were pulled and torn apart by some kind of force. Oddly, there were no zerg corpses to be found. There wasn't even a patch of creep that would slowly spread across this seemingly glassed land. Kay blinked a few times. "... What the fuck happened here?!"

"Unknown." Corvurn replied, looking around with uncertainty in his tone. "Anomalies ceased. Kiln Keeper machines and gilanian empire soldiers contained area. Zerg heavily disorientated after anomalies lifted. Method, unknown. Resulted in quick defeat of territory known as orange zone. later on, Kiln Keepers and gilanian empire forces, attacked. Their assailant, unknown. However, found you intact and unconscious. Organism Othafurn attempted to cure unconsciousness. Successful, but suffered."

"Othafurn?" Kay said, wincing as he tried to get off of the ground and finding out he could not do so. When Kay inspected his person, it was then that he noticed the carapaced coils surrounding his body. After following the coils around his body, he noticed that Othafurn was lying on his legs, her eyes closed and her breathing slow. "Oh... Oh shit! Is she okay?" He asked in surprise.

"Unknown." Corvurn grumbled. "Gained unconscious condition after attempting mental link. Brief burst of psionic power, followed by organism Othafurn's current condition. Command organism Kay awakened afterwards."

Kay sighed as he lightly shook Othafurn's shoulder. She didn't respond to Kay. He could sense that her brain activity was... well... inactive. Othafurn was somehow made unconscious, all because she wanted to bring Kay back from his unconscious slumber. Out of all the times he remembered ever waking up from being unconscious, this was probably the worst one. Why Othafurn wanted to wake Kay up through the use of a mental link, Kay didn't know the answer to. His head was hurting, and trying to think on how to mend Othafurn's current condition was difficult for him at the moment. Kay paused for a while before he sighed and looked up at Corvurn. "Ugh... Fucking hell. I need to sober up and recover from this headache. I can't think straight right now."

Corvurn huffed. "Hexagonal moon hive cluster, safest location. However, inaccessible. Organism Othafurn took great risk to resuscitate command organism Kay. Barely bypassed gilanian empire orbital defenses. All zerg strains sensed deep psionic presence in swarm hivemind. Followed to your location. To your temporal tomb. Prompted organism Othafurn's method of your revival."

Kay paused and shook his head, feeling his headache becoming stronger again. "Wait wait... Orbital defenses?"

Corvurn looked at Kay and pointed upwards. "Visible during night. Look up. See with own eyes."

Kay looked up at the sky, as per Corvurn's instructions. He didn't expect to understand what he was seeing, but his eyes widened when he noticed the faint, thin lines of light that crossed and stretched over the dark sky. Four of these lines intersected and crossed with each other right above him, while other lines of light intersected three or two times a little farther away in the distant horizon. Somehow, his body had tricked him into thinking that it was the daytime. His eyes was very sensitive to light as his body was feeling real warmth for the first time in a long while. But Kay stared up at this... strange wonder, already feeling his head deepening in pain. "What... What is that?"

"Gilanian empire orbital defense. Super satellites, called 'sky rings' by empire gilanians. Arranged in loose cage pattern. Nine circular mega structures rotate in orbit. Interlocked, magnetic gyroscopic rail axle stations rotates structures. Has anti-orbital capabilities. Can deflect and counter many zerg air strains. Targets swarm drop sacs deployed from leviathan or behemoth strains. Has sensor network on global scale. Not safe here. Must depart now." Corvurn said. Once he finished his sentence, a nydus worm burrowed out of the blackened glass and roared into the night air that was slowly becoming morning. The nydus worn opened its maw to allow its passengers entry into its innards. Kay was too distracted by a heavy migraine to notice that a nydus worm was erupting near his position, but was forced to pay attention to it when it emerged out of the ground, making Kay's head hurt more. Corvurn gestured to Kay, and then to the nydus worm's mouth. "Must retreat now. Lingered too long. Underground hive cluster, closest safe area. Bring Othafurn organism and enter nydus worm strain."

Kay got up and tried to hold Othafurn in his arms, even if her long tail and tendrils still dragged him behind since her body was so long. "What? But... I just got back! Can you tell me what happened after I was locked into that temporal tomb?!"

"No time. Retreat now. Sensor network will detect us." Corvurn said, urging for Kay to enter the nydus worm as quickly as he could.

Kay groaned, but he carried Othafurn's torso into the nydus worm's maw, its swallowing pulling Othafurn's tail into itself. Once Corvurn followed suit and entered into the nydus worm's maw next, zerg organisms of various kinds started spilling out of the newly emerged nydus worm in vast numbers.

The zerg swarm's drones and queens worked quickly to morph into hatcheries and spread the creep as far as they can. Several of the drones would morph into dedicated spine and spore crawlers, with certain zerg bio-structures being morphed to necessitate the quick spawning of more advanced zerg strains. Once the zerglings started coming out of the nydus network and spreading their numbers outwards, the transformation of the drones eventuated into a release of gushing liquid that revealed the bio-structures responsible for forming the zerg's larvae, otherwise known as the hatcheries. Once overlords and mutalisks began to hatch from the pupating eggs that the larvae turned into, the creep would begin rapidly expanding farther with the overlords' help, while the mutalisks would assist the zerglings with covering more ground. Whatever event that had caused the Kiln Keepers, and the Golden Star Empire soldiers, to suddenly become vanquished in the enormous black crater of glass, it had ultimately resulted in Kay's apparent release from his temporal tomb.

Even when Kay felt uncertain of Othafurn's current benumbed condition, he was also beginning to feel better as he traveled through the guts of the nydus worm. For some reason that he couldn't explain, he currently felt as though he had woken up from a horrible nightmare that lasted an eternity.

* * *

 **A/N: Wait, what happened to the expedition team in the second bonus chapter? And what kind of events coalesced to enable Kay's freedom from his temporal tomb? :U  
**


	62. Sitrep

**Chapter 62: Sitrep**

* * *

The events that led up to what transpired at the black glassed crater, a geological location that had completely replaced Red Mountain, thanks to the energy plant that was produced from Kay's temporal tomb, was an oddity that was a mystery for Kay, the remaining zerg, and to many people on Kiln. Even the Golden Star Empire were also just as mystified by what had occurred before Kay's reemergence. Even their super satellite's sensor arrays that were focusing on the location Kay was once held in was somehow overloaded with so much sensory data that it triggered a system shutdown. At least that's what Kay figured. Nobody had answers, and that didn't sit well with the high ranked soldiers and officers. Apparently, the zerg that surrounded the energy flower became incredibly docile after the energy plant supposedly vanished. The cause for the disappearance of the energy plant or the sudden docility of the zerg was unclear, but the Kiln Keepers and Golden Star Empire soldiers did their best to clear away the zerg organisms without further difficulty or risk of further fatalities. Even the ultralisks that were always angry seemed to shy away from the empire's forces and their mechanical friends. That changed when both forces made their way to the center of the glass crater and found something that was once there.

One of such officers was a surveillance commandant, dressed in a grey and yellow uniform and silently sighing for every minute that passed. He knew that with every passing minute, the sensor array continued to remain nonfunctional, which only made his superior officers become further displeased. He didn't know what caused the sensor arrays to malfunction just after they discovered the 'discovery', as the higher ups have nicknamed it, but there was something that had caused all of his current problems, and he wanted to find out what had caused them. At least the anomalies it produced ceased, and the energy plant was no longer providing a vacuum for the zerg to breed in since it disappeared after the 'discovery' had supposedly manifested itself into existence afterwards. The surveillance captain that outranked him, and left him in charge of the surveillance deck he was stationed in, was bickering with some technicians, possibly shouting at them to work faster so that the sensor array and its system of networking sensors would work as intended. Apparently, the sensor computer system thought that it was being hacked into, and it decided to lock its systems and forced itself to shut down.

He was currently stationed in a room with several surveillance terminals, operated by several surveillance officers that manages the surveillance feeds that the sensor array network provided for them. It was but one of several dedicated installations that watched over the surface area of Kiln, and each of these 'surveillance decks' which overlooked several kilometers of land numbered in the thousands, each one able to constantly survey and analyze a hundred thousand kilometers of land. The room was somewhat dark, with many of the overhead screens and monitor terminals, which showed the topographical map of Kiln's surface, provided the only light for the room.

One of the ensigns that recently transferred from the Crescent Arms Division smacked the side of his computer screen in frustration. The commandant looked over at the disturbance. "Stupid fucking thing. Work." The ensign hissed, looking as though he was starting to lose his patience. He wore a silver and blue uniform of a lesser rank than the commandant.

The commandant came over to the ensign and looked down on his workplace. "Hitting the technology won't fix it or make it work faster."

The ensign suddenly turned around and looked up at the commandant, paused, sighed, and then went back to looking at his surveillance terminal. "Sir. Sorry sir. It won't happen again, sir."

"As you were, and at ease. The captain's not here to babysit you lot, so I'm in charge until he's done thumbing around for answers. Have you familiarized yourself with the surveillance terminal's controls yet?" He asked, looking at the other ensigns that were either idling or trying to figure out the problem from their ends.

The ensign he was talking to shook his head. "Actually, sir, I just transferred here today."

The commandant raised an eyebrow. "That accent... Are you a Crescent Arms soldier? In a Torus Chain job position? They didn't demote you, did they?"

The ensign lightly chuckled and shook his head. "No sir. Ever since General Pallax's had ordered to pull all Golden Star Empire resources and personnel from containing the zerg within the vacuum anomaly entirely, a lot of soldiers have been left without any work to do, save for instances where a zerg nest crops up, or where possible zerg activity is reported to be occurring at. I decided that I would ask permission to transfer myself to a surveillance job. In doing so, I hope that I can increase my skill experience in other fields before applying myself to higher responsibilities."

The commandant nodded and smiled. "Lofty goals. Lof-tee goals. Keep working with that mindset and you will get promoted in no time." He stretched out his hand toward the ensign. "Commandant Ooris."

The ensign exchanged the handshake offer. "Ensign Xalan, sir."

After the handshake, Ooris pulled his hand back and straightened his posture. "An ensign, eh? So then... Have you familiarized yourself with the controls and our protocols?"

"Yes and no, sir." Xalan said in embarrassment. He went to the controls of the surveillance terminal and played with its controls. "I know that I can focus the search image to inspect five square feet of land, and can zoom out to encompass sixty thousand square miles of land. There is an overlay that places icons on the map that helps us detect movement, fluctuations in enemy formations, color changes, thermal imaging, and uh... something about detecting external neural oscillation fields."

Ooris shook his head, not noticing that Commander Ralkan had entered into the room. "If you're going to be working for us on this surveillance deck, you need to learn how to use certain abbreviations when reporting any anomalies or uncouth activities to your superiors. First off, don't say 'external neural oscillations' when you detect them and need to relay your findings. We say 'ENO fields'. It's a short abbreviation, and it would definitely quicken the Crescent Arms Division and Kiln Keeper's responses against any zerg organism activity."

"ENO fields? Hm... I'll keep that in mind, sir." Xalan said, nodding. He too didn't notice the commander eavesdropping on their conversation.

Ooris sighed as he looked over the other surveillance officers that were trying to find a solution to their current problems. "From what the eggheads at the Cube Research Division uncovered, these zerg organisms is commanded by a type of telepathic network, and they believe they use these ENO fields to communicate with each other. To put it simply, if a blade hound is hurt, then other blade hounds will instantly know that one of their kind has been attacked, similarly to how marchers (ants) uses pheromones to govern and warn the nest of any intruders and threats. But the scientists also discovered several different kinds of ENO fields, and found out that it has certain frequency patterns and frequency intensities that guides and governs the zerg organisms."

"If you don't mind me asking, sir, but why does being able to detect different kinds of ENO fields have to do with telling where our boys in silver where the action is going to be at?" Xalan asked.

"It has to do with life-or-death situations." Ooris answered. "Each zerg organism is able to produce a signature ENO field frequency that informs its position to other zerg organisms, which is produced from the mobile zerg. Oddly enough, the bio-structure nests on the surface can also produce ENO fields too. The scientists say that several kinds of ENO fields exists in varying intensities and frequencies, and that they are oftentimes produced from the drifters and oculars, but they postulate that they are also relayed from them as well."

"I see." Xalan replied, nodding as he slowly understood how the sensor array worked. "So how varied are these patterns, and how intense can these frequencies get?"

Ooris snorted. "You're an inquisitive talky type, for sure." He held up his fingers and pointed at them. "Let's see uh... Offhand, I know that there are several ENO field patterns that we have translated. From what the scientists told me, there are two types of patterns. One is called ENO command fields, and the other is ENO communication fields. Oftentimes, the drifters use the communication fields to speak with one another, sometimes across great distances. However, the ENO command fields are very specific, concise, and direct. They happen spontaneously, but our sensor array does have the ability to detect them and give us a sense of what the zerg organisms are planning. From Faddoh's current sensor update, I guess we have detected about... forty types of ENO command fields, I think?"

Xalan widened his eyes. "That many?"

Ooris nodded. "Indeed. And we have discovered that around twenty of them relates to ordering the floaters to turn into one of several types of nest or sub-nest bio-structures. But to add to the confusion, we can also detect sub-frequencies within the ENO fields, which I suppose acts like an identifier. To me, it just sounds similar to caller identification, like when you have been called by people that you have listed as annoying relatives that love to gab and talk with you. But anyway, there are lesser sub-frequencies that are usually low intensity and produced by nearly every zerg organism. The relay sub-frequencies, which is produced by the drifters, oculars, and certain nest bio-structures that often ranges from low to medium frequencies. And then there are what we call the commander sub-frequencies, which are always high intensity. So far, we have detected three distinct commander sub-frequencies that the scientists believe to originate from zerg command organisms."

Xalan looked down at the ground in surprise. "... Would that mean there are three other bug-man beast-masters to worry about?"

Ooris sighed. "Maybe. Maybe. The sensors that are unaffected by the system shutdown are doing what they can to cover the blind spots in our sensor network, so we only have what is available to us. The sky rings will take their time to shift and eventually cover over any blind spots, but at least we can still alert the troops on the ground of any zerg ENO activity."

"I'm sure they'll appreciate our assistance, sir." Xalan said with a smile and a thumbs up.

Ooris nodded back. "So are we beginning to see past the blind spot in our sensor network yet?"

Xalan checked his surveillance terminal's monitor. "Uh... It's about fifty seven percent covered, sir. The sensor system repair seems to be progressing, at fifteen percent complete and rising. ... Hmm. This is not good. An under beast has surfaced at the center of the black glass crater. Several nest bio-structures detected, both wriggler spawning and undefined. Heavy zerg ENO fields detected. Looks like a high intensity sub-frequency is directing the zerg organisms."

"Show me the sub-frequency." Ooris ordered. Xalan was quick, but he had located the sub-frequencies that was detected over the emerging infestation. Ooris looked at the terminal's monitor and frowned. "... There is some atmospheric interference, but it seems to be the type-1 sub-frequency. So the 'Breeder Demoness' is taking back her lost territory, eh?"

"Demoness, sir?" Xalan asked.

"A nickname we use with this kind of sub-frequency." Ooris said, backing away from Xalan's surveillance terminal. "It often appears within areas that the zerg want to infest. The other two sub-frequencies are type-2 and tybe-3, otherwise known as the 'Abductor Lord' and the 'Absent Inquisitor' sub-frequencies. Any zerg organisms following the type-2 sub-frequency have the horrible habit of turning into war claws or dread maws, but only if a battle draws on for a long enough time. Thankfully, the sky ring defense system are able to take them out just as quickly as they appear, save for any war claws that burrow under the ground in time. The type-3 sub-frequency is more uncommon, but it has a habit of surrounding doppelgangers or individuals that have been reported surviving an attack from a flier caretaker, or several flier caretakers. Oddly enough, there have been reports of voices plaguing certain individuals that survived a flier caretaker attack, which otherwise prompts odd behavior, incessant questioning, and dubious activities. Many of them have been quarantined, and many more have been executed since the discovery of the brain leeches that were found attached to their brain matter. It kinda looks like a carapaced fish with spines and a sucker on its head. Anyway, once the brain leeches insert themselves into a potential host's brain, it affects their vision and sight, making them hallucinate that they are talking to someone or seeing objects and people that were never present. In some uncommon cases, however, their were people who had visions that are said to be so much more vivid and violent that it resulted in the hosts developing insomnia, schizophrenia, or suicidal tendencies."

Xalan blinked a few times as he turned around and stared at his commandant. "... I... Never thought that the zerg had such a creature at their disposal! Wouldn't any biological contact with the zerg result in zerg infestation, sir? You know... contracting the zerg virus and then transforming into a zerg pawn organism hours later?"

Ooris nodded. "Yeah, it's a kerfuffle of a thought alright. The few surviving gilanians that have been confirmed having the brain leeches in their skulls are subjected to permanent containment, followed by ongoing testing. However, research into the brain leeches proved to be a great boon to the empire. The sensor network's sensor system was further enhanced to detect the zerg's ENO fields, thanks to the autopsy analysis of the zerg's brain leeches."

Ralkan sighed. "This is old news to everyone."

Ooris looked back behind himself, stammered, and then stood at attention. "COMMANDER ON DECK! TEN HUT!" Every officer in the surveillance deck moved out of their seats and saluted to the commander of the Torus Chain Division.

After a cursory glance at all the people standing and saluting to him, he made a small smile and hand-waved at them all. "At ease and as you were, gentlemen and ladies. I came here to supervise the repairs, so I thought to come and see if we have any coverage on the black glass crater." Ralkan said, stepping forward and looking up at the screens.

"Yes sir." Ooris said, already noting that the officers in the deck were working more quickly than normal. Ooris silently wished that they could work this fast when he was commanding them. "We are beginning to gain coverage of the black glass crater, sir. We also discovered that the zerg organisms are rebuilding their nest structures at the center of the crater."

Ralkan sighed. "Ugh. And we just secured that area too. Do we have any idea on what happened to the ground crews?"

Ooris turned to Xalan. "Ensign Xalan, you're up."

Xalan nodded and looked through several locations in the black glass crater. "Uh... It appears as though that all of the assembled Kiln Keeper machines and empire soldiers maintaining the defensive perimeter around the discovery were decimated, sir. Unknown causes."

Ralkan shook his head and grimaced. "Whatever happened there created an external neural oscillation field strong enough to overwhelm the sensor arrays that were being focused on that location. Is there any way we can retrieve any visual data? Specifically, the last saved images that the sensor's were able to save before they were forced into a lockdown and shutting down?"

Xalan paused before he answered. "... Yes sir. I can requisition for the last images that the sensors were able to... capture... uh..."

Ralkan turned to Xalan and narrowed his gaze at him. "Is something wrong?"

Xalan blinked a few times. "... A type-2... No... A type-2 and a new sub-frequency is currently enveloping our deck right now."

Ralkan sighed and hissed. "Then why haven't the alarms alerted us?"

Xalan shook his head. "The event that caused the sensor system blackout must have also affected the internal sensors of the sky rings. I never thought that ENO fields could be powerful enough to trigger an internal system shutdown too..."

"Hmm... I highly doubt that." Ralkan said, placing a hand to his chin and looked as though he was thinking. "... Just to be safe, I want everyone to evacuate to the infirmary to get tested for brain leeches. You there." Ralkan said, pointing at Xalan. "You just transferred from the Crescent Arms Division today, correct?"

Everybody groaned, while Xalan nodded. "Sir, yes sir."

"Then you'll be first in line." Ralkan then walked to, opened, and stood by the only entrance into the surveillance deck. After a brief and awkward pause, Ralkan hissed and began roaring. "WELL?! GET TO THE INFIRMARY NOW, OR I WILL CALL IN THE SHADOW ASSASSINS TO PUT YOU ALL TO DEATH! MOVE IT! _**NOW!**_ " The surveillance officers hurried their evacuation of the surveillance deck and filed out of the room, with Ensign Xalan at the front of the line. As the officers finally left the surveillance deck, Ralkan stepped forward and accessed one of the surveillance terminals, making the image focus on the center of the new zerg infestation. Ralkan stared at the image for several seconds before sighing. "... After twenty years... Why did that energy plant disappear only now? What caused its disappearance? Is this the spider slug's doing?"

Sadly, Ralkan wouldn't be getting his answer as he asked that question aloud to nobody. However, just because no one had parasites in the surveillance decks, didn't mean that a powerful mind couldn't eavesdrop on a distant conversation.

* * *

Kay sighed in exasperation. "Twenty years? I was stuck in the temporal tomb for twenty years?" He was currently surrounded by several types of queens, ranging from the regular queens, large queens, and a single huge queen. He thought that the huge queen was Virid at first, but her mental pattern was quite different when he checked the huge queen's mind. He could sense that Virid was currently residing on the moon, but upon learning about the capabilities of the Golden Star Empire's 'sky rings' made him nervous, and he thought that contacting Virid would somehow make the gilanian empire in the sky rings want to translate the communication link between himself and Virid. Their ability to detect these 'ENO field frequencies', or however they called it, appeared to be an incredibly dangerous advantage over the zerg swarm. It appeared as though a lot had happened in twenty years. "... Huh... For some reason, that doesn't seem right."

Corvurn, who oversaw the queens taking care of Kay, grumbled. "Mental power analyzed. Increased. Intriguing. Able to focus on minds from great distances. No parasites infested gilanian hosts."

Kay turned to Corvurn with a puzzled look. "What are you talking about?"

"Command organism Kay able to eavesdrop on conversation. Gilanians contained no parasites. Able to overhear conversation without using parasited hosts." Corvurn explained.

Kay nodded absently and sighed. "... Yeah. Now that you mention it, I can hear their minds from so far away. And on top of that, I didn't even need a parasite to listen into their conversations. So weird..."

"Must test. Explore limits. Experiment mental reach. Request. Focus on swarm parasites?" Corvurn asked.

"Parasites?" Kay closed his eyes and focused on the closest parasite victim. "Hmm... Oh... Oh wow." Kay said, seeing through the eyes, and hearing through the ear-holes, of a gilanian child that was under the cover of some metal roofing, being escorted by a tall gilanian woman in frilly clothing on a busy street with tall buildings. As the child looked at the buildings, Kay surmised that the child was residing in what appeared to be a much older version of Gargantua Citadel. There was certainly less poverty in the streets, but there was also an absurdly abundant number of metal spires and metal roofing that covered the top of many buildings. "Citadel Gargantua certainly looks more developed. And I didn't know we had new kinds of zerg strains too. Pretty neat! ... More importantly though, why is this child gilanian infested with a parasite?"

Corvurn seemed slightly hesitant to give his answer. "Parasites discovered years ago. Empire gilanians began exterminating parasite hosts. Developed psychological tactic. Children gilanians targeted for parasite infestation, youth hosts least unlikely to cull. Public culling resulted in outrage of surrounding population. Years later, developed method to remove parasites. Small risk to permanent brain damage. Rare chance for death. Technology unavailable to nonaligned populations. Only available to empire populations. Nonaligned populations now adamant against joining empire gilanians. Heightened chance for empire gilanians to dissent from empire."

Kay sighed as he focused on his location and sternly stared at Corvurn. "We're infesting kids with parasites now? Man, that is a whole new low, Corvurn." Kay said, shaking his head.

Corvurn shook his head. He seemed indifferent. "Psychological tactic. Nothing more. Prevented gilanian empire soldiers from further intervening in nonaligned gilanian populations. However, resulted in many empire gilanian populations migrating to empire orbital defenses. Proved difficult to infest empire gilanians with parasites."

Kay's hand reached for his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fucking fantastic." He said with dripping sarcasm. "So have you attacked the orbital defenses and found out how well defended it is?"

"Defenses, automated. Can predict air strain flight patterns. Largest swarm attack wave launched from hexagonal moon, fifteen billion. Leviathan and behemoth strains, kept in reserve. Used for fast transport in and out of defenses. Point defense, dangerous. Magic wall technology prevents entry. However, leviathan strain able to bypass orbital defenses. Temporary measure. Allowed command organism Othafurn to reconvene at command organism Kay's position." Corvurn answered.

Kay growled and craned his neck. "After I have been stuck for twenty years in that temporal tomb, you are telling me that you didn't find a way to defeat Gollog or annihilate his empire? Why?"

"Command organism Corvurn Junior explained." Corvurn explained. "Temporal tomb needed to decay naturally. Allow itself to short circuit. Said it key to victory. Followed plan."

Kay paused for several seconds and sighed. "Dammit. Even when I finally came back to the zerg swarm, it's only to find out that we don't make any plans to proactively fight Gollog's empire. If what you say is true that he's built several super satellites that can ensure a stalemate between his empire and our forces, then I don't see how we can defeat him without some kind of super weapon of our own to use. I mean... How the fuck are we going to win now?"

Corvurn paused for several seconds, seeming as though he was hesitant to answer. "... Unsure. Was hoping progenitor evolution master contacts swarm in future. Explains plans further."

Kay huffed, then turned to look at the lying form of an unconscious Othafurn. The queens vomited their transfused healing fluids onto her form, but she was still showing no signs of recovery. After several seconds of hesitation, Kay turned back to Corvurn. "So what have you developed in the twenty years I was gone? What happened when I was locked away from the swarm?"

Corvurn pleaded his fingers together. "Not many changes. However, command organism Kay unavailable to learn of mutations and adaptations. Developed several advantages, but haven't implemented. Will take time to explain."

Kay sighed and sat down on the cool creep. "Well go ahead. I got all the time in the world."

And so, Corvurn tried as best as he could to recall the events in the past twenty years. For the swarm to fight against the Golden Star Empire for o long, there had to have been many recent historical events that Kay needed to learn about.

* * *

 **A/N: You know what sounds amusing to me? Kobolds from a Dungeons and Dragons setting becoming space explorers and populating planets, plaguing the natives with their antics. :P  
**


	63. Where They Arrived

**Chapter 63: Where They Arrived  
**

* * *

Kay sat comfortably on the creep as Corvurn explained the events that took their places in the past twenty years. Several minutes had passed, which turned into a couple of hours as Corvurn did his best to give Kay as many details in the best way he could, despite his machine-like, though efficient, way of speaking. It had taken a while for Corvurn to tell the lengthy history that followed right after Kay's entrapment in the temporal tomb, but Kay was beginning to understand the events that had transpired afterwards.

The abridgement to Corvurn's narrative, relating to Kay's absence, went as thus: After Kay was trapped within the temporal tomb, Virid, Corvurn, and Othafurn received a psionic message from Corvurn's self-cloned offspring, named Corvurn Junior. He explained that Kay would become a pivotal force to the zerg's eventual victory over the Golden Star Empire and their allies, but only if they allowed the events of the world to naturally unfold, and naturally reveal the way to release him from his temporal tomb. However, they decided to become their own commanders that shared a single army, either deferring to Virid's tactical viewpoint to weaken Gollog's empire, or using a two-out-of-three vote system on any major strategies. With the many resources that the zerg have acquired, they had also gained more territory deeper underground. When it was discovered that the resource tumors could sap the warmth created from the upper mantle of Kiln, the zerg's stored resources had exploded into a plentiful supply. Kay was quite surprised on the size of the territory the zerg swarm had gained after twenty years of converting heat into bio-matter and accelerant.

The Golden Star Empire soldiers tried to amass their numbers to fight against their zerg enemy, which had already created their hive clusters near the energy plant that had formed around Kay's tomb, and were protected by an airless vacuum that the energy flower created around itself. Several attempts were made by the empire soldiers to fight the zerg within the vacuum, but found that air was not only a resource that was needed for breathing, but was also needed for all kinds of combustion engines that uses oxygen to combust their fuels. But as the war between the gilanian empire and the zerg swarm continued, they found that the Kiln Keepers could tolerate being inside of the vacuum. Gollog allowed the metal machines to be the only sole fighters to fight the zerg in the vacuum anomaly, which enabled him to concentrate his forces elsewhere.

Since many empire-aligned settlements had been targeted by small bands of zerg, an elective decision came forward to construct several different types of Golden Star settlements that had increased defenses against zerg infestation. Several methods were used, but many of them ultimately failed. However, as several designs were tested and analyzed, one design became quite efficient after several years of revising. Floating fortress style type settlements became incredibly popular and the norm after a decade, which prompted several empire populations to commission for the construction of more floating fortress cities, which completely circumvented any zerg tactic that involved attacking the empire settlements from below their very feet in melee. Production of these flying fortresses were increased when Gollog ordered the Kiln Keepers to help in their construction. As such, hundreds of hundreds of floating fortresses would float above the ground, free from the dangerous zerglings that were always attempting to rip open their settlement's defenses and eradicate the people within that were loyal to Gollog. However, it didn't stop any anti-air capable zerg organisms from attacking them. Even the brood lords and swarm hosts had the capacity to send their spawn onto the top of these fortresses. Eventually, some of the flying fortresses were fitted with an upgrade that enabled the gilanians to survive in the thinner atmospheres, tens of kilometers higher than their normal floating altitude would allow.

But even as a large hive cluster formed around the energy plant, and that Virid spent much of her time growing a huge hive cluster on the hexagonal moon, several more hive clusters were created in various locations all around Kiln. The empire's attempt to contain the zerg was met with failure, which resulted in many empire-owned settlements and cities abandoning Gollog's rule and seeking shelter elsewhere. Gollog was quickly losing his people, and they continued to leave even when he kept threatening them with death if there were any more dissenters leaving his rule. But when the idea to build mega structures over the orbit of Kiln was presented to Gollog, he had Commander Faddoh instructed the Kiln Keepers on how to build a massive series of orbital satellites. Once built, it could grant the entire gilanian residents that still resided on the world of Kiln the ability to MEM-shift off the planet and onto the orbital mega structures, and vice-versa. As a result, the entirety of the Golden Star Empire population moved and made their homes into the sky rings themselves.

However, when the zerg used the brood queens to inject parasites into several of the gilanian citizenry, both empire and nonaligned, Gollog was unaware of the subterfuge that the zerg was trying to employ at the time. When Commander Faddoh came back with the analysis of the parasites infesting the gilanian hosts, Gollog was outraged when he further learned of the zerg's capabilities. It was when the super satellite structures was around 74% complete five years later that the psionic sensor system was activated. It took another five years for the 'sky rings' to become fully constructed, seeing as though several gilanians had to be culled in order to prevent any further information from being shared with the zerg swarm's hivemind. It was only after the nonaligned public discovered that the gilanian empire were killing zerg parasite infested children which created a permanent divide between the two groups. It resulted in a social reform so powerful that Baroness Tak herself announced that she won't be maintaining a neutral stance with the Golden Star Empire anymore. But even so, its sensor systems were advanced, and its point-defense turrets and long-range energy lance towers could effectively counter any zerg that dared try to fly up to the satellite.

The point-defense turrets utilizes energy projecting weapons that sent ionized particles, which was similar in regards to the Kiln Keeper's energy weaponry. They could be fired as a burst or charged into a detonating shot that could damage a cluster of tightly grouped enemies. These turrets could swivel around on three rotating elbow joints on long and telescoping metal pole arms, effectively giving the arms a 360° degree firing arc, tightly packed in a long line on the sides of the sky rings. One pair of energy lances were positioned facing the planet, while another pair faced away from the planet. They were further spaced from one another, but they were a larger type of weapon when compared to the point-defense turrets. They were designed with only one rotating servo elbow, and had only a 90° degree firing arc to swivel their shots with. They were designed for counterattacking any leviathans that had the bright idea to warp up next to the structure and attack the sky rings directly on the sides. But the energy lances not only can target the leviathans that seldom attacks the sky rings or descends to the surface of Kiln, but they could also target the surface and bombard the targets on the terrain far below. In essence, it was a global attack that replaced Gollog's devastating orbital smite attack. It wasn't as powerful, since using the energy lances easily drains the entire super satellite of its precious energy very quickly, but it was a close equivalent that had full planetary coverage, and it could attack the zerg regardless if it was night or day.

The entire interconnected structure was kept aloft by twenty six magnetic gyroscopic rail stations that slows and speeds the rotations of each sky ring, essentially keeping the mega structure in orbit, and they were all heavily defended. Each station supplied enough energy to an entire super satellite mega structure to produce a magic wall that could cover a section of a ring, or the entire structure for a brief period of time. The empire also added short range ENO sensors that encompassed both outside of the satellite, and the inside of itself, making the sky rings a heavily fortified orbital stations of great magnitude that could detect parasites in their officers and citizens, or changelisk spies hiding in their ranks.

When the Era Agency turned down Gollog's proposal to 'speed grow' a new generation of gilanians in a plan to increase the numbers in the empire's population, a double agent within the Era Agency managed to contact Baroness Tak in secret. He told her that a special kind of technology that can lift the anomalous properties of the energy plant was created. She was most interested about removing the vacuous atmosphere that slowly crawled toward her precious citadel. It was only upon the twentieth year that Baroness Tak decided to assemble a specialized team to infiltrate through the vacuum, and past the dangerous zerg territory, in order to 'nip the flower in the bud', so to speak. But what the double agent didn't tell Baroness Tak was that the device was actually meant to be used to free Kay all along, using a cleverly disguised temporal tomb disruption device.

How that double agent from the Era Agency came by that technology, Kay had no idea. in fact, he would like to meet the one responsible for his rescue and thank him personally for his trouble. But as of now, Kay's carapaced backside was beginning to feel sore. When Corvurn began to describe the events of Othafurn using a leviathan to flash-warp into Kiln's atmosphere and dropping a sac that she used to land near a shrylisk's location, Kay got off of the comfortable creep-covered ground and stretched his legs.

"-command organism Othafurn intercepted command organism Corvurn underground. Agreed to travel to command organism Kay's last known position, after energy plant anomaly dissipated. After dissipation, traveled to center of crater and discovered command organism Kay. Discovered with unconscious ailment. Surrounded by empire gilanian bodies and Kiln Keeper machine wrecks. Uncertain of swarm's future at time. Command organism Othafurn attempted mental link. Suffered psionic backlash. Became unconscious. Command organism Kay, recovered. Extrapolation of past twenty years, complete."

Kay groaned as he rubbed his tuchus. "Damn. All that happened while I was missing in action?"

Corvurn pleaded his fingers together. "Correct. Was summarized, but relevant. Information now shared."

Kay looked down at the creep and closed his eyes, as though heavily concentrating. "This is no good. These 'sky rings' have effectively grounded us, and we don't have a way to fight them directly. Worse still, it feels to me like we are forgetting something..."

"Query. What was forgotten?" Corvurn asked Kay, sounding somewhat confused.

"I dunno, It's just... something is just off. Like there was something that we completely forgot to investigate, and I think it was mentioned a few times too. I can't even remember what it was." Kay said, _carefully_ scratching the back of his head.

An awkward pause passed before Corvurn changed the subject. "Must focus on task. Destruction of empire gilanians, highest priority. Must plan. Must strategize. Command organism Othafurn, needed. Must cure unconsciousness. Will begin. Command organism Kay must make plans with command organism Virid."

"Hmm... Well okay. You can begin... Begin? OH!" Kay clapped his hands together. "THAT'S what I was forgetting! The beginning!"

"Unclear. Explain." Corvurn said, sounding somewhat unamused.

"Oh you know. The beginning, Corvurn. We're we came from. Fucking hell, it's only just now that I'm beginning to remember that we came from that facility hidden in the Night Circle!" Kay shouted, smacking his head.

"... Unsure if facility is important." Corvurn replied.

"Well it's important to me. Think about it! If the scientists were able to pull us from the void and bring us here, then whose to say that they would attempt that again and obtain pieces of terran or protoss technology? Even if twenty years may have passed, such technology being in Gollog's hands won't be favorable to us at all." Kay said sternly. He then pointed at Othafurn. "Take care of her as best as you can, and I'll inform Virid that I'll be at the Night Circle. I'm going to go investigate the facility that got us here in the first place."

As Kay turned away and headed back to the nydus network, Corvurn followed after Kay for a brief distance before stopping in his tracks and looking back on Othafurn. "... Understood. Does not understand reason to investigate. Improper waste of time."

"Yeah, well we've been distracting ourselves from investigating our emergence on this world for too long anyway. This needs to be investigated anyway." Kay said, entering through the nydus network's maw and directing it to transport him to a nydus bio-structure closest to the facility that was responsible for bringing the zerg to Kiln.

Corvurn paused for several seconds before turning to look at the unconscious Othafurn. The queens began tending to the downed informant that time traveled to the new timeline, even if Corvurn had no idea on how to bring someone back into a conscious state. "... Will obey. First, contact command organism Virid. Communication link must be brief. Will attempt revival of command organism Othafurn." Corvurn said, pawing across her face and body to try and wake her up. It was obvious that he had no idea on how to bring someone out from an unconscious state, but it didn't stop him from trying different methods and performing tests to see which remedy or technique worked.

"I'll do it on the way." Kay said before the nydus network whisked him away to where he willed it to take him to, a location already in his mind.

* * *

 _'Virid, I'm heading to the facility that was responsible for bringing us here to Kiln.'_ Kay said to Virid.

 _'I see that you are finally awake. I heard from Corvurn that he found you unconscious.'_ Said Virid. For some reason, she sounded somewhat elated to Kay.

 _'Yeah, he and Othafurn found me after some kind of battle took place, which must have happened either before, during, or after my release from the temporal tomb. Anyway, Corvurn is taking care of Othafurn with a group of queens at one of the underground chambers. I thought you should know.'_

 _'What happened to her? Was she attacked?'_

 _'Can't say for certain. Apparently, she was made unconscious after trying to form a mental link with my unconscious self. I guess the attempt to revive me created some kind of psionic backlash that affected her.'_

 _'Hmm. This might mean being in that temporal tomb deprived you of the psionic connection that the swarm hivemind provided, effectively making you more sensitive to psionic emissions. What happened inside of the temporal tomb after it trapped you?'_

 _'Uh... Hmm...'_ Kay didn't know how to answer Virid. Up until the moment that Othafurn had revived him, he could not remember what had happened after the era agent Kay named Bubbles had thrown that temporal tomb device, or before his revival from unconsciousness. _'... To be honest, I don't really remember anything. I guess Othafurn remembered what my personality was like, and she did her best to place her impression of me into my own mind to bring me back to consciousness. But still, I don't have an explanation on how SHE became unconscious.'_

 _'Mm. In any case, you should exercise caution. It has been a long time since we left that facility, and I know not what they have developed after our escape.'_

 _'Then let me ask you something. How is it that in the twenty years we have been on this world, we haven't thought about returning to that facility just to investigate it and ask the scientists there why they brought us here?'_

 _'... A good point to bring up, I suppose. We must have been too distracted with fighting against Gollog's forces to ever considered that option.'_

 _'And what about C.J.'s prophetic foretelling about me eventually being freed from that temporal tomb? I mean... Hasn't he informed you guys on what would happen next?'_

 _'No. He said that he was running out of time at the time.'_

 _'That doesn't sound too good for him, or any of us.'_

 _'The message he had sent to us was urgent. He said he didn't have time to explain everything.'_

 _'Hmm... Oh well. If he's not available for a Q and A session, then we're going to have to make one with the scientists at the Night Circle science facility. But as for you, see if you can rile up our forces and escalate the war.'_

 _'What do you have in mind?'_

Kay could feel a smile creep along his face. _'A_ _simultaneous attack on all empire assets and settlements. Once we figure out a plan, we can attack, distract, and divert the empire gilanians long enough for us to carry out whatever plan that involves my revival. If C.J. can somehow get back to us and tell us what his plan is or how pivotal I am twenty years later, then I am certain that we can win against Gollog and his empire.'_

 _'This will take time, but it is doable. I will produce multiple leviathans and position them close to the veil. The super satellites would have a harder time hitting them if they skirt the veil's edges. Corvurn has been experimenting with new bio-structure strains that might prove useful to our cause.'_

 _'Kay! We can talk about it when we finally find a way to defeat Gollog, and make a plan to accomplish that afterwards.'_ Kay said as he neared his destination.

* * *

In the constant darkness that was ever present in the Night Circle, a facility that was directly on the south pole sat comfortable in the silence. Its neighbor was the Era Agency, and it illuminated a light source that was moderately brighter than the violet moon in the horizon. Such an oppressive darkness, brightened only by the two kinds of danger in those recent times, was quite foreboding.

Using a shrylisk to emerge onto the surface of the world, it's occupant had directed it to the facility that has been ignored for far too long. After inspecting the facility, it looked as though it was expertly hidden by several piled boulders. But Kay knew better as he left the shrylisk's maw and approached the supposedly natural formation of boulders. He jumped onto and walked over each boulder as he inspected this structure, having very little memories to draw upon from the zerg's brief time here. After looking at many of the boulders, Kay then decided to change his search for a way in between these big stones.

After inspecting this edifice of large rocks, he eventually found a door that was blocked by errant stones that were in the way, cleverly hidden by a tight passage of boulders that curved around. After moving them out of his way and inspected the door. It seemed to be made of a rusted metal that was painted with the same color as the surrounding rock. It looked plain, but also heavy in design. There didn't seem to be any handles, knobs, or levers that told Kay that it was a door that could be opened from his side.

This felt strange to Kay. If the zerg escaped this facility, how did they do it in the first place? There was no visible holes that was blown outward, or any visible signs of destruction that stated otherwise. Or perhaps that, in the twenty years of time that had passed, the scientists within this facility had repaired the damage that the fleeing zerg caused? It was a very likely scenario. Despite the theories, Kay began to knock on the hidden metal door. "Hey um... In case you didn't know me, my name is Kay, and I was brought here because of you guys. This might be a bit awkward after twenty years, but... I want to know why you pulled the zerg from our own dimension and onto Prison Planet. If you can hear me, then please know that I want you to know that I'd like to talk with you in a civil manner. And I know that the zerg are known for their... less than polite discourse. ... Or rather... no discourse at all and are completely impolite at times. So! May you let me in?"

Silence answered Kay.

"... I'm getting the impression that you think this is a trap." Kay held his arms out in a passive manner. "I assure you, with whatever kind of honor that remains with me, I have no intention of harming you whatsoever. Now, if you can give me an answer right now, I will not immediately assume that nobody is home, and I will barge into your laboratory like some home intruder. What do you say?"

Nobody answered Kay.

"... Alright. Fine. I'll just dig my way in through your door." Kay said, splaying his hand out and placing his sharp nails on the metal door. "Just know that this will be your last warning before I make a me-sized hole with my claws. You have twenty seconds before I start slashing my way in. Twenty. Nineteen. Eighteen. Seventeen. Sixteen. Five! Four! Three! Two!"

[Okay okay, stop stop stop! You win.] An unseen speaker system replied to Kay. [The staff inside isn't entirely comfortable about letting you in, so... can I recommend talking to you like this instead?]

"... One and a half." Kay warned.

[You are making this hard on all of us.]

"Then give what the bug-man wants." Kay demanded.

[Guh... Dammit, fine. Unlocking the magnetic locks. Just... Wipe your feet, please. Some of the staff are currently arming themselves, so... Don't make any sudden movements toward them. I'm worried about their safety.]

The metal door hummed to life as it opened slowly. After the door stopped opening and humming, Kay slowly strolled through the opened door. "Don't worry. I didn't come here to fight. And thank you very much." Kay said with a smile. Walking past the magnetically sealed iron door that opened for him, Kay began to walk through a winding passageway of clean white walls. Once he entered a room that seemed to be this facility's lobby, he could see that it was constructed with a neo-futuristic design. From what Kay could tell, life once flourished within its halls. But right at that moment, the life within the lobby seemed to be replaced by several gilanians wearing riot gear that filed into the room, while they aimed their shotguns and pistols at the 'invited' intruder. Kay furrowed his brows when he met the laboratory's security forces. They subtly exchanged worried glances while Kay sized them up. "... Guns? Really? Come on. Those things are just about as effective as you fighting another gilanian with a wet blanket. Put them down before you hurt yourselves."

"No need to fight, please. Security, lower your weapons." The anti-riot security guards parted when a gilanian in a white lab coat passed through the security from its side. He also seemed to wear a prosthetic leg as he hobbled from one place to another with a crutch.

"Uh... Are you sure that is necessary, Qalop?" One of the security guards asked.

Qalop patted the security guard on the shoulder and limped forward toward Kay. "Dad never taught me to shirk away from any polite gestures. Besides, I want to hear him out with my own tympanic membranes. Could you bring us two chairs, please?"

"... Fine." The security guard turned to the rest of his personnel. "You lot, keep an eye on this big bug-man." He said, slowly ducking away into the small crowd of security guards and out of Kay's sight.

Kay stared at the exchange between the security guard and the... researcher that was supposedly in charge of the facility. Kay crossed his arms and tilted his head as he watched the gilanian named Qalop hobble closer to him. "I take it that you run this facility?"

He nodded. "My name is Co-manager Qalop, and I run the research and development of technology in this hidden laboratory facility. I'd shake you by the hand, but... knowing what the zerg virus does to any organism of biological make, please understand my preference to keep my hands clean."

Kay nodded back. "Hmm... Well suppose I understand your logic. In fact, I can't remember the last time I washed my hands."

"Euh... Okay then." Qalop said in a nervous and disgusted tone.

Kay sighed and folded his arms behind his back. "... So uh... Important question first then. How in the fuck did the zerg get here?"

Qalop paused for several seconds as he stared at Kay before he sighed. "As much as I would like to answer that question, I'm afraid that I don't hold all of the answers. I DO know that my father was responsible for bringing you into our world. He was a particle physicist that found a way to create a spacial bridge that could create an artificial wormhole that can link two locations together."

Kay nodded. "And you somehow brought me and a portion of the zerg swarm through that, I reckon?"

Qalop nodded. "Indeed. We have discovered from several research notes that Prison Planet Kiln is a heavily contained world. If any of its systems were compromised, then the automated fallback protocols would activate, depending on how severe and which systems have been broken. Even the use of wormhole technology was considered forbidden, or else the anti-quantum veil would collapse and kill everyone. Everything that is outside the orbit of Kiln's sun and moon consists of the anti-quantum veil, and anything that dares escape through it would... well... cease from existing. To put it simply, nothing can get out, and nothing can get in. Even the light from the distant stars are considered mythical to the younger generations of gilanians."

Kay sighed and looked up. "So that's what that infinite black is? Huh... No wonder there are no stars in the night sky." A slight pause later, Kay looked back at the scientist named Qalop. "But that doesn't explain how I, and a portion of the zerg swarm, got here."

Qalop sighed. "As it would turn out, there are protected sensors that can detect gravitational eddies, which we believe is situated on the outside of the anti-quantum veil. If there are any eddies that does not come from our own planet's gravitational forces, or is otherwise inadvertently produced from the creation of a wormhole that is linked within a different location of a nearby solar system, or in a completely different star system, we believe that the prison system will default to its automated protocols, supposedly activating a flood of micro-machine infused fluid that would reclaim all of Kiln. However, we have figured out a way to trick the system into thinking that there are no wormholes within the prison system that it is programmed to contain. To do that, we had to create a wormhole that was outside of any local, or distant star system. Basically, we created a wormhole outside of the very galaxy itself."

Kay tilted his head and expressed confusion to Qalop. "... So wait a minute... I think that means you're the one responsible for pulling me out of the void, aren't you?"

Qalop chuckled and shook his head. "No no no. That would be my dad."

"... Ah." Kay said, nodding. "... But then that would mean I am either on a random planet on the galaxy I had originated from, or that I am on a completely different galaxy entirely... I don't know which is worse."

Qalop furrowed his brow. "... Odd, considering that we posited and hypothesized that the zerg organisms naturally evolved in the space between the galaxies."

"Ehh..." Kay said, shaking a hand in a 'sort of' gesture to Qalop. "We can evolve quickly enough to survive almost anywhere."

A security guard eventually came back and brought two chairs with him. After the chairs have been placed, Qalop nodded to the helpful security guard and sat on one of them. "Thank you, Elvog." Once Kay looked at the other chair and inspected it, he sat onto it and got comfortable. Qalop sighed. "So uh... I would like to know your history, if you don't mind allowing me to know about it."

Kay sighed and looked down at the ground in thought. He was slightly hesitant to tell Qalop the story of his past, seeing as though he doesn't completely remember his own history. However, there was some things that he did remember, and it was the various campaigns that had taken place prior to his arrival on Kiln. But even then, he was hesitant to tell the stories that involved such campaigns as well. Kay sighed. "Perhaps, but I want to know something first. How in the world did you all survive when we came through that wormhole and escaped this facility?"

Qalop sighed. "... Sadly, we didn't know that you were alive at the time. We pulled your monsters through the wormhole without checking your pulses, as well as several other kinds of corpses and technology that we had no understanding of. When the zerg organisms came to, we panicked and tried directing them out of our facility. We we made the mistake to assume that the local fauna would eat you and the zerg and save us the trouble. Sadly, we had no idea that the zerg had the potential to breed so quickly. But in the end, it was thanks to the awareness redirection machine that saved our scaly hides. Those blade hounds had no intention on staying inside our facility, let me tell you."

"The what-a-what machine?" Kay questioned, cocking his head.

Qalop chuckled and leaned back in his chair. "The awareness redirection machine? It's a fairly powerful piece of technology that has saved our asses more times than I can count. To put it in layman's terms, it has the ability to filter the perception of those that tries to infiltrate our facility. Or to put it simply, disregard it if they look at it or think about it. Imagine one person looking at another person and the observed person's sixth sense is activated, warning him that he is being watched. The awareness redirection machine effectively blocks that extrasensory perception. ... Well. Most of the time that is. We found that incredibly brilliant minds, or certain people using mental techniques to cancel its anti-memetic effects, tends to circumvent it. Seeing as though you're here, it looks like the awareness redirection machine has no effect on your perception. Your brain must be incredibly intelligent."

Kay said, smiling and _carefully_ rubbing the back of his head. "Thanks, I guess."

"So... Uh... How did you and the zerg came to be before coming to this world?" Qalop asked, leaning forward and looking intently at Kay.

Kay paused for several seconds, sighed, then leaned back in his chair. "I guess I'll try to recount events of my past, and the campaigns I once partook in. Without giving away too much information away, of course."

And so, Kay recounted the tales of the factions that warred with one another in the Koprulu sector to Qalop, to the best of his ability.

* * *

 **A/N: Oh hey, Hollow Knight is going to have some new free DLC in the future. And uh... Sorry about this chapter. I'll try to get some action going in the next one. :V  
**


	64. Their Fault

**Chapter 64: Their Fault**

* * *

Kay told of the tales of the past as best as he could. He did so by starting from the very day a marshal of law, who was once a veteran soldier of several battles and wars from years ago, became a terran commander to a band of wronged warriors, eventually to be known as Raynor's Raiders. They fought to protect the lives of many colonists that were the victims of a war between themselves and several other factions, some completely alien in nature. Though the marshal was betrayed during one of his earlier campaigns, he fought bravely and lead honorably, inspiring and boosting the morale of anyone that joined his cause. The man responsible for the betrayal was Arcturus Mengsk, the leader of the Sons of Korhal. After overthrowing the Terran Confederacy during the great war, he built the Dominion as the new terran government in the Koprulu sector, and became its sovereign ruler. After acquiring his kingly position, Raynor's Raiders later disbanded from Arcturus' Dominion. Several other terran factions waged war with one another during this terrible conflict, including a splinter faction of natural born earthlings that came from planet Earth.

Kay then told the story of an ancient being that was immense in size and filled with a vast pool of intelligence. A creature that had a commanding presence so vast that it used its influence to direct the ever evolving, DNA assimilating, disease spreading monsters known only as the zerg swarm. The master of the zerg was known as the Overmind, and it was said that it was an ancient being that sought perfection for its swarm, even using intermediate commanders, known as cerebrates, to further its agenda and come closer to its goals. Many terrans were killed and infested by its actions, and many protoss had died by its pursuit of perfection, but that had seemed to pale in comparison when it discovered one of the multiple infested terrans contained powerful psionic powers, only to later transform her into its second-in-command. That terran would then forever be known to the zerg as their Queen of Blades, the agent of the Overmind. Even with the Overmind's death, she carried on as the next leader of the zerg swarm. The zerg contained the largest territory out of all of the factions that the terrans and protoss had combined.

Kay then told the story of an ancient and technologically powerful warrior race, which had great mental powers and telepathic unity. They claimed to be the first sentient race to be born within the universe. Despite their claim, they revered another race of ancient beings who were even older than them, as their gods. The warrior race referred to themselves as the firstborn, but the terrans came to know them as the protoss. The protoss considered themselves protectors of life, even when they rarely seldom interfere with the politics of the younger races. However, they saw how the zerg infest life, and they deemed such an action repulsive. The zerg, and the leaders that led them, quickly became natural enemies to the protoss. However, following the events that lead to their home world falling to the zerg infestation, the protoss suffered from an internal conflict that resulted in a civil war, irrevocably weakening their military and government. But such civil disputes didn't stop one protoss commander from sacrificing himself to defeat his people's most terrible enemy. With the zerg's penultimate leader dead, thanks to the sacrifice of a protoss named Tassadar, it had left the zerg with the Queen of Blades to continue ruling them, which resulted in a continued internal conflict within the zerg, known as the brood wars.

The cerebrates tried to merge with one another to become the next Overmind, while the Queen of Blades envisioned that the cerebrates would no longer be efficient as intermediate commanders to her swarm. The earthling faction, the UED Expeditionary Force, tried to enslave an Overmind in its infant stages, believing that if they could control it, they would control the entire sector. They have failed in their attempt since the zerg under the Queen of Blades, and the weakened protoss, joined together to destroy the emerging Overmind and defeat the UED Expeditionary Force.

Four years later, the Queen of Blades returned. Raynor's Raiders utilized ancient technology, developed by the protoss' gods, to break the Queen of Blades' will over her zerg swarm. After the Queen of Blades was transferred to a research facility, it was attacked by Arcturus's Dominion soldiers, and their sole goal was to eliminate the queen of the swarm once and for all. Despite their assassination attempt, she managed to escape. After finding the birthplace of the zerg, discovering an ancient secret to the protoss' gods, and defeating several of her enemies, she regained enough control of her swarm to attack the Terran Dominion's leader. In the end, she killed Arcturus, but not without the help of Raynor's Raiders since they too held a grudge against him. The protoss discovered a deeper danger that threatened the existence of their universe, and sought to bring their people back together through a unified alliance. As they did so, they also had to sacrifice much to refrain from being commanded by a dark god, known as Amon of the xel'naga, which sought to end the continual rebirth of the universe and finally end its cycle. The zerg and terrans saw Amon as an enemy to themselves, as Amon tried to combine DNA from both the zerg and the protoss to become his ultimate tools of war, which he would use to remake the cosmos in his image.

They traveled to a place called 'the void' and the three factions began to wage a climactic war against Amon and his forces, but found that their weapons couldn't harm him when he was bathed in the void's dark energies. The Queen of Blades was later chosen by a surviving zel'naga, known as Ouros, to siphon his DNA and essence into herself. She later became an ascended xel'naga organism, with powers that made her seem powerful enough to defeat the dark god.

Kay sighed as he leaned back in his chair, facing what looked like a rather surprised Qalop. "And there I was, stuck chasing after one of Amon's zerglings that were chewing up one of the SCV operators, and then this colossal enormity that looked like a cross between an asteroid, a potato, and a tentacle monster that was covered in shifting shadows, appeared over my head. It loomed over our mineral lines at one of our command centers and started ripping the ground right from underneath my feet! I tried to find shelter by hiding in the command center, but I still ended up falling through the ground and descending into an infinite expanse of space, devoid of any form of light, save for the distant luminescence of small and old stars that were far away. From what I gathered, some of Artanis' and Kerrigan's forces have also suffered a similar fate to me, and they too fell into the void. And thank goodness for that, or I would have been alone drifting and dissolving in that space! A queen that was also caught in Amon's attack saw that my body was in bad shape. Even when she was removed from the zerg swarm's hivemind, and was temporarily allied to our faction, she thought that transfusing healing fluids into my body would restore me back to health. Well, it worked, but I ended up becoming an infested terran. I was hesitant to take up the position of commander to a small brood of the zerg swarm, but at the same time, I was indebted to the queen that saved my life. Found out later that a gate opened up in front of us, and the queen that healed me took the chance to command the surviving zerg to escape through it, and eventually, break out of your facility. ... I uh... I guess that gives you a good idea on where I came from and what I had been through in those past years, before I ever came to Kiln."

Qalop, who had been listening to Kay's story for a length of time, was both impressed and in awe. "... I think that paints a pretty picture for me. Hot damn, man. Sounds like you have been through some shit."

Kay smiled, but that smile quickly faded. "I would've liked to tell you more about myself, but I had suffered some brain damage and some amnesia years ago. Can't even remember my real name if I tried to think hard about it. But even then, I have accepted to being called Kay in the meantime."

Qalop nodded. "I feel as though I should say sorry."

Kay waved dismissively at Qalop. "No no, it's not your fault." Kay paused for a few seconds. "... Kay, well, it's PARTLY your fault. But then again, you didn't know it would turn out like this, nor did I. Fate is a cruel mistress sometimes."

Qalop chuckled and sighed. "Well I am pretty glad I'm able to talk to you like this. For many years, I had always thought that the zerg were bloodthirsty monsters. You disproved that to me, Kay."

Kay furrowed his brows and groaned. "Uhh... Well... The zerg are STILL pretty bloodthirsty, actually. Without a commanding force to restrain them, they would just keep spreading their territory and assimilating whatever life they come across. A lot of them are pretty dumb, but when they don't have something to guide them around, they rely on instinct alone. So... There's that."

Qalop nodded, confusion creeping into his face. "Huh. So what about you? If you have transformed into a pawn as well, then wouldn't that mean you would be a bloodthirsty monster too?"

Kay shook his head. "Actually, I found out that when someone has contracted the Hyper-Evolutionary Virus, or zerg virus as the empire gilanians call it, the mutation happens so fast that their nervous system would become altered, effectively making them suffer from brain damage, and often resulting in insanity. However, the infestation process can be postponed or slowed down, which can result in reduced damage or no damage to the minds of the infected. Instead of hours, it could take days or weeks before their DNA completely changes. Sady, the process is said to be irreversible."

Qalop nodded. "Yes yes, you told about that story with the uh... Stukov character. You said that he had been cured before, but then relapsed and became zerg again?"

Kay shrugged. "That's what I remember. More importantly though, how the hell did the zerg, that you retrieved from that portal within the void, escaped this facility?"

Qalop sighed and rubbed at his prosthetic leg. Depression seemed to gray his expression. "Well... Twenty years ago, we did open a wormhole into a dimension where the gravitational pull of the heavenly bodies would not trigger the sensors outside of the anti-quantum veil. What we didn't know was that the creatures we found within that darkened place were still alive. Before we even made the plans to construct another wormhole-creating gateway that would be created in this new dimension, your zerg monsters began attacking. Even the funny floating things raised hell. My father thought of the idea to blow a hole in the wall to let these creatures find their own way out and save this facility from certain destruction. We even didn't know that a few of the large cocoons were actually forming into what we now know are called overlords, or drifters as the empire soldiers call them. Sadly, my leg got caught in the explosion, while my father died trying to shield me from it. The zerg organisms we pulled from that place escaped our facility, while the remaining staff had the opportunity to repair the damage and give out an anonymous report that some strange creatures escaped containment from an experimental facility. In hindsight, opening an exit for the zerg to escape from was a terrible idea on my father's part."

Kay sighed. "I see." Kay then slowly stood up from his chair. "But I am curious about something else. Were there any other things you pulled from the void?"

Qalop blinked. "Like what?"

Kay looked at Qalop for a few seconds and smiled. "Oh, you know... Technology not of this world? Cadavers of aliens from a different dimension? Information gleaned from what scant technological data could foretell?"

Qalop stared at Kay and slowly shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Kay narrowed his eyes and shook his head at Qalop. "Tch tch tch. Did you just lie to me?"

Qalop blinked a few times. "... I'm sorry, but, what did you say?"

"I said that you lied to me." Kay pointed out, pointing at Qalop. "Don't make it a habit of lying to me, please. I have told you that I have psionic abilities, and you should have already figured out by now that I have the capability to read minds. Like how a telepath can listen to your thoughts."

Qalop looked as though he sweated a little, even if reptiles were not supposed to have sweat glands anyway. "Uh... I-I-I see..."

"Now let me ask you again... What else did you pull from the void besides the zerg and myself?" Kay said slowly, his eyes trained on Qalop's.

Qalop paused for several seconds. "... I'm afraid to inform you that we closed the gateway permanently, and we did so after your beasts were freed from our facility. We were unable to collect any further samples from the void we pulled you from, once we dismantled the gateway and permanently discontinued our research after the explosion."

Kay stared intently at the scientist. "And?"

"... A-and what?"

"Aaaand that you pulled some other bits and pieces of technology from that gateway, before retrieving what you thought were zerg corpses?"

"... What? I didn't say that." Qalop said, shaking his head.

"Yes, but you decided to omit that information from me anyway. Omitting things is just a quieter way of lying to someone, in my opinion." Kay said, getting up from the chair he sat on and slowly walking toward the group of security guards that had been standing for the entirety of Kay's story. They wanted to sit down and take a break, but they didn't want to be unprepared for when Kay began to attack the staff, or destroy the facility they were working in. "I'm going to take a look around."

Qalop stared at Kay with wide eyes, and Kay could feel a hint of fear within him. "What?! Wait, where are you going?!"

"To your morgue and to your technology reverse-engineering labs." Kay said, gently pushing the security guards out of his way and walking into one of the many hallways. Some of the security guards backed away from Kay, but the others were firmly pushed away, despite their desire to fire their gilanian shotguns at their present intruder's face. They knew not to antagonize Kay, because they understood how dangerous the zerg are when they were provoked.

Qalop looked very frustrated as he chased after Kay. "Please don't! Uh, there is very sensitive equipment that we are researching here!"

"I know." Kay said, walking down a hallway on a path that he had telepathically learned from Qalop's mind. It took a long time in order to gently intrude into the gilanian's mind and learn of the hidden facility's secrets, but Kay didn't mind being patient for such a time. "And if what I find doesn't sit well with me, then I'm going to have to destroy it all."

Qalop was flustered and surprised. It was almost as though all of this facility's secrets was somehow transferred to Kay without him knowing about it, and yet he was responsible for the telepathically leaked transfer of information at the same time. "Please don't! Uh, this place has sensitive information, and if it was shared with the public at large, then there would definitely be panic!"

"Considering that I want the Golden Star Empire dead and destroyed, I have nothing to lose." Kay said, finding a door at the end of the hallway. Judging from Qalop's reaction, it must have been the door that lead to the room that Kay needed to see, since Kay could feel Qalop's panic rise even higher. It was almost as though he didn't want him to see what was behind it. The security guards followed after Kay, yet they still knew better to anger him.

Qalop, running out of options, hobbled quickly forward in front of Kay and stretched out his arms, blocking his path. "PLEASE, KAY! NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE!"

Kay sighed, agitated by Qalop's persistence. "And I don't care. Move, or I'll forcefully remove you from my path."

Qalop kept still, unflinching and motionless. He seemed adamantly determined to prevent Kay from seeing what this facility was researching and developing.

Sadly, that had only piqued Kay's curiosity even more. "Listen. I'm normally against harming crippled individuals, but..." Kay reached for Qalop and slowly picked him up, gripping his torso firmly from under his arms. "Do you know how to play a game of Ten-Pin Bowling?"

"Uh... No?" Qalop replied, surprised. Deep down however, he felt as though he shouldn't have answered that question.

Kay smiled. "It's a simple game. Just find a heavy ball shaped object, in this case you, and use it to knock down a triangular formation of pins, or like the pinheads that have been following me." Kay quickly used Qalop as a projectile, sliding him across the smooth hallway floor and colliding with the security guards' leg limbs, making them fall over and yelp in surprise. Kay chuckled as he pumped a fist. "Strike!"

One of the security guards groaned in pain. "Qalop?"

"Yeah?" Qalop replied in an undignified position.

"As the head of security in this facility, and as your close friend, I advise from getting in the bug-man's way."

"Noted, Elvog."

Once Kay had dealt with his scaly obstacle, he began to forcefully push the door down and enter into the room beyond it. When he entered into the room, his eyes widened considerably. From the scant memories he had delicately gleaned from the minds of the security guards and Qalop, Kay was just then seeing the horror with his own eyes. There were bodies of several kinds of dead organisms, consisting of zerg, protoss, and humans. He recognized most of them, mainly pertaining to terrans and protoss cadavers that were preserved in several large tubes filled with bubbling liquid, which were placed at the walls and corners of the room. Various kinds of technology, both recognizable and not to Kay, laid strewn and partly disassembled on several tables. As Kay ventured further into this room, he also took note that there were several more zerg bodies than normal. Especially when he found a select few that he distinctly remembered not being part of Keriggan's brood during her campaign, namely the defilers and guardians. Kay could only assume that they were somehow gathered during his twenty year entombment. But there was one thing that was more worse than anything that he could see, and it was the intact protoss body that was idly floating in another one of the liquid tubes, located at the furthest side of the room. Worse still, he could feel that this protoss was alive. Unconscious, but still alive. Unconscious, alive, and... broken in spirit.

Kay walked up to and stared at the comatose protoss in both trepidation and anger. Distant, yet fragmented memories that he was slowly remembering, told him that they were a proud race of warriors. But they were also an angry bunch. They were the 'so much as think about insulting them and they would kill you in the name of their honor' kind of angry bunch. The protoss in question happened to be naked, and Kay could see that his musculature had somewhat degraded. The protoss also had several other features that were quite alien to look at, which consisted of gray skin, had a height that reached somewhere around two meters, had four digits to each pair of hands, had eerie eyes that seemed to glow with power, had no mouths to eat with, had no noses to smell with, and no ears to listen with. He began to remember that the protoss derived their nutrition by basking in light and absorbing water through their skin, which almost reminded him of trees. Trees that could use psionic powers to rip their foes in half, in fact. It was hard for Kay to look at the protoss without imagining leaves and branches growing into a circlet around their heads.

He could hear the hobble of a prosthetic leg and crutch come closer to him, but he completely ignored that sound. He was too engrossed at staring intently at the contained protoss in the liquid tube to acknowledge Qalop coming close behind him. There was a long, awkward pause before Qalop decided to speak. "... Did you know it?"

"..." Kay was unresponsive to Qalop's question for several seconds. After staring intently at the protoss for a length of time, Kay turned to Qalop with intensely glowing eyes. Qalop took a few steps back, almost shivering from the sudden shift in tension as he was stared down by Kay. Kay pointed at the incapacitated protoss. **"Explain."**

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-we found it like th-that." Qalop stuttered, since he was quite shaken when talked down to in that intimidating manner.

Kay stared with glowing eyes at Qalop, as though he was staring through his very soul to see if he was either lying or withholding any more truths. When he found none of either, despite Qalop's sudden, yet slight headache, Kay relaxed a little bit. "How long have you kept him alive?"

Qalop was silent in his answer for several seconds before his expression turned into surprise. "THAT THING IS ALIVE?! Wait... THAT THING IS A HE?!"

Kay sighed. "You better thank whatever god, or fate, or sentient space booger, decided to keep this guy from coming back to his senses." Kay returned his gaze to the motionless protoss within the liquid-filled tube. After a pause that lasted for a few seconds, Kay began to growl out his next sentences. "But then again, I'm starting to understand the bigger picture on what happened after the past twenty years. Perfectly so, in a sense. ... And with that in mind, I need to fix this problem."

"Uh... Problem? What... What do you mean?" Qalop asked.

Kay turned to Qalop, staring intently at him with narrowed eyes. "Do you have an intercom system that I can use?"

Qalop was very nervous to answer Kay. "... Y-yes?" Qalop answered, hesitantly pointing at a wall console. "Just uh... Just press the yellow button that has the mouth and sound symbols."

Kay nodded and walked up to the wall-mounted device. The scientists and researchers that were unaware of Kay's intrusion into the secret facility were suddenly made aware of his presence, via an intercom announcement that was directed to everyone. [Attention to all staff!] Said Kay through the intercom. [If you are not aware by now, your secret facility has been infiltrated by a zerg organism. You have one minute to quickly vacate this facility before it starts breaking things. Once your minute is up, it will then start breaking all of your lab equipment. After three minutes, it will start dismantling the facility from the inside-out. After four minutes, it will start killing personnel that either attempt to prevent further damage to this facility or stall the zerg organism in any way whatsoever. And after five minutes, the researcher known as Qalop is going to understand why it's never a good idea to anger the zerg swarm.]

Qalop was stunned when Kay said that. "... You'll... what?!"

"Like hell you will!" Elvog said, as he and his security guard buddies aimed their weapons at Kay. Kay didn't notice them when they entered into the room he had intruded into.

Kay grabbed for Qalop and directed his face onto the intercom console on the wall, while using Qalop as a meat shield in case the security guards started shooting at him. "Tell your buddies to leave this place quickly, or I am going to shove you into the warpath of the largest zerg organisms in my command." Kay said, twisting both of Qalop's arms. Elvog and the security officers that joined him became hesitant, since their line of fire was blocked by the scientist named Qalop, which had be forcefully promoted to being Kay's hostage.

"GHH!" After some hesitation, Qalop nodded. After Kay pressed the intercom button on the wall console, Qalop spoke into it. [This is Co-manager Qalop! Ghhn. This is not a drill! Evacuate the secret research facility immediately! All projects are to be canceled, terminated, and indefinitely postponed! Quickly proceed to the nearest MEM device and MEM shift to a safe location! Flee like we are gods-damned vaphs during a shryik infestation!]

Kay pushed Qalop away from the wall console to speak into it again. [You have been warned.]

There was some hesitation with the security guards. Elvog looked at Qalop with both doubt and surprise being expressed from his face. "... Qalop, do you really want us to leave you here alone with that monster?"

"Go, dammit. I'll be fine." Qalop said firmly, his tone heavy and serious.

After several seconds of hesitation, Elvog sighed and nodded. He then turned to his security guard buddies. "Let's get out of here." Once he began power-walking out of the corpse and technology analysis room, he was followed after by his security guards.

After Qalop was left alone with Kay, he turned his head to look behind himself. He began talking calmly to his current captor. "Kay, please be reasonable and understand. Our research on the items and bodies we pulled from the void, the place where we found you and the zerg organisms, are purely for academical purposes. Every piece of technology helps us understand how their cultures may have interacted. Even the organs that we have analyzed on the autopsy table gives us a glimpse on xenobiological functions. To erase this laboratory, and the facility that houses it, would erase years of research. Could you find it in your logic that safeguarding this information we have learned can benefit you?"

Kay growled. "Hell no. And to justify my reason of destroying this facility to you, let me tell you that the terran and protoss technology you were analyzing have already been reverse-engineered by the Golden Star Empire. The flying fortresses, for example, is using technology similar to the anti-gravity lift systems that the protoss and terrans use. The sky rings? They are using modified ATS and ATA laser batteries, mixed with protoss weapon designs, for their point-defense turrets and energy lances. Oh, and the fire breather and anti-fiend specialist units that the Golden Star Empire uses? Don't get me fucking started."

Qalop was at a loss of words. If he wanted to be honest, the idea of a mole within his very facility had never came across his mind. He had hoped that the awareness redirection machine would have the capability to shield them from any nefarious double agents, or infiltrators that would steal their research and share it with some other nefarious faction.

Kay sighed. "And before you even think it, yes, it would mean that there might have been a mole within your facility. However, that doesn't matter to me right now. What DOES matter is that this facility exists, and that the Golden Star Empire had somehow found a way to reverse-engineer your research data and applied it to their own technology. You yourself did say that brilliant minds or people that know anti-memetic mental techniques are exempt fromyour awareness redirection machine. Regardless of the evidence you could try to provide and convince me otherwise, I see now that the damage has already been done. Now then..." Kay quickly grabbed at Qalop's torso again and carried him under his left arm.

Qalop was surprised as he was carried in such a manner. He flailed his arms and legs, dropping his crutch when he attempted to break free from Kay's grasp. "WAH~!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"The first minute is up." Kay said to Qalop, whom was now a passenger he carried under his arm. As his eyes, right hand, bone wing tips and phalangal wing spikes started glowing with lethal energy, he directed his anger and focus on the offending lab experiments, reverse-engineered technology, and corpses of both enemies and allies. Kay didn't know if the research done within this facility resulted in Kay's enemies becoming stronger over the past twenty years, but he would at least prevent them from developing their technology further. **"It's time to break this shit."**

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for taking so long. I tried saving the document, but the Fanfiction website booted me out and made me lose progress. Remember kids! Use CTRL + A and CTRL + C in case you use the Copy-N-Paste method!  
**


	65. Varied Variants

**Chapter 65: Varied Variants**

* * *

The scientists, security guards, and janitors that evacuated the hidden building, watched in awe and horror as the secret research facility was slowly crumbling into itself, the light produced from their Era Agency neighbors being their brightest source of illumination several tens of meters away. They saw flashes of glowing light that seemed to reduce the hidden building to rubble, scrap, and debris at an alarming rate. The research that the scientists had made in what once had been their home was fading away, like it was dust being blown away by the wind. All the data that they had been gathering, whatever the purpose was that the facility filled, was all destroyed in a whirlwind storm of destruction. They were glad that many of them were still alive, with the exception of the co-manager they knew as Qalop that was currently held hostage by Kay. Another exception was one of the janitors that wore heavy headphones that played loud music at that moment of panic. Qalop tried to warn him, but Kay had insisted that his four minutes were up.

After the dust settled, after the energy blasts and psionically charged claw cutting had stopped, a stillness clung to the air as silence replaced the loud noise of the deconstructed secret facility. This silence lasted for another minute before a shadowed figure walked out of the ruined building. Kay sighed as he carried three things with himself. Still under his left arm was a still-alive Qalop that was coughing harshly, due to having to breathe in the aftermath of a demolished laboratory. Kay also dragged a corpse away from the hidden facility ruins, his right hand firmly clasped onto a dead drone's pincer. Kay was also bringing a third body on his back, and it was the unconscious protoss that somehow survived for twenty years in that tube filled with oxygenated water.

After destroying the facility, Kay placed the zerg drone corpse and the unconscious protoss body onto the ground. He then threw Qalop onto the sand in front of him and stepped down on his chest. Qalop struggled under Kay's foot, even when his lungs were painfully filled with dust. Kay leered at the scientist. "Kay. With that out of the way, I think now is the time I teach you a lesson."

After clearing his lungs, despite having a foot pressed down on his chest, Qalop raised his hands up defensively. "Pl-*cough cough* Please don't kill me! Whatever we did to anger you, I swear that we can make up for it! What do you want?!"

Kay sighed as he looked down at Qalop. "Can you find a way to leave this prison planet? Can you discover some kind of passage that will let the zerg leave Kiln once and for all? Can you open the door that will lead me to freedom?"

Qalop paused for a long time. Hesitation prevented him from giving his answer to the bug-man beast-master of the zerg swarm, but he knew that there was no way he could lie a way out of this. Defeated, Qalop gave up resisting. "... The technology used for the wormhole-creating gateway was dismantled, and the data and blueprints for creating another one was erased. I'm afraid that we no longer have the means to provide you with what you desire."

Kay reached for Qalop's cranium and grasped it tightly, his head quickly becoming enveloped in psionic energy. Kay's eyes began to radiate energy as his rage escalated. "Then you will understand my frustration, and this protoss' loneliness." He said, also reaching for the protoss' own head.

In an instant, Qalop's mind was subjected to the collective memories that were contained within Kay and the Protoss. The protoss had so much ancient knowledge within himself, which detailed the experiences of like-minded protoss that also had powerful minds, all sharing, all connecting into a telepathic network made of what felt like a web of mental light. Despite learning of the protoss' memories, Kay's connection to the swarm was just as overwhelming, which equated to being in a black cave filled with glowing insects that reacted to instincts, desires, fears, and will. It was so much information for Qalop to digest. So much knowledge to process. So much data.

Qalop's ear-holes and eyes started bleeding after he twitched and foamed from the mouth. Once Kay was finished, Qalop was now reduced to a scientist with a broken mind. A pained groan seemed to have emanated from the protoss, but he remained silent afterwards. Kay sighed as he _carefully_ scratched the back of his head. "Kay. That's done with."

With Qalop's mind broken, Kay summoned a shrylisk to surface and directed it to load the still unconscious protoss and dead drone into its bowels. However, the head security guard of the ruined secret research facility ran up to Qalop and kneeled next to his body. After inspecting Qalop for several seconds, Elvog looked up at Kay with a bewildered face. "What... did you do?"

"I taught him a lesson." Kay said as he entered into the maw of the shrylisk. Once Kay was safely tucked away in the belly of the burrowing transport strain, the shrylisk receded into the sand and descended through the soil and ground, leaving the secret facility's evacuated personnel to their own fate. Kay no longer cared about them anymore.

* * *

As Kay was riding in the guts of the shrylisk that transported him, the dead drone, and the unconscious naked protoss that was along for the ride, Kay expanded his mind and connected his thoughts to Corvurn. _'Corvurn, you are not going to believe what I found at the facility the zerg had escaped from.'_

 _'Noticed. Surprised. Perplexing.'_ Corvurn replied. _'Protoss and terran organisms discovered in secret research facility. Poses further complications. Recommend analysis of debris and corpses.'_

 _'I'm already bringing one to you. How is Othafurn?'_

 _'Unconscious, but has slow recovery rate. Query. Condition of protoss?'_

Kay looked behind himself and saw that the protoss was lying comfortably, even if he was still unconscious. _'The protoss has been unconscious for twenty years, so... I think he looks a bit atrophied. ... At least I THINK he looks atrophied.'_

 _'Troubling. Must take samples. Bring to nearest evolution chamber. Must analyze protoss gene sequences.'_

Kay furrowed his eyebrows. _'Uh... Maybe we should hold off on doing that?'  
_

 _'Unclear. Explain.'_

 _'Put yourself in his perspective. If he woke up to the sight of some slug monster with eight limbs drawing blood from his veins or eating one of his fingers, how do you think he would react?'_

 _'... Unclear.'_

Kay sighed. _'Then trust me when I say that taking genetic samples from him at the very moment he wakes up, if he wakes up, would make him pissed at us. Until we can figure out a way to wake him up in a safe way, I'm going to have to ask you not to take any samples from him.'_

 _'... Unclear, but will obey.'_

 _'But on the other hand, I'm hoping that this old drone I acquired from one of the autopsy labs might provide us some extra mutations and adaptations we need. Think you're up to doing this instead?'_

 _'Task acceptable. Refraining from taking protoss genetic samples. Will analyze deceased drone organism. Proceed to nearest evolution chamber.'_

 _'Good. Burrowing to the specified evolution chamber now. And while you're at it, have the queens make a room for the protoss to stay in. Get some luminescent light and some fresh, uncontaminated water for him to drink.'_ Kay ordered.

Corvurn grumbled. _'Task discomforting, but doable.'_

Somehow, Kay felt as though today is going to be a long day.

* * *

Somehow, Kay felt as though today is going to be a great day.

Corvurn had consumed the deceased drone that Kay retrieved from the ruined facility several minutes ago, and he revealed several different kinds of mutations that almost made Kay's head spin. He had no idea that the former Queen of Blades had so many mutations at her disposal, nor did he knew how many different strain variations she truly had at her command. Kay could only assume that it was because of the long term exposure to the void that enabled it to retain much of the genetic information. The overlords, zerglings, hydralisk, drones and Virid must have slowly lost many of their more powerful mutations and adaptations when they were moved from the void and pulled to Kiln's prison system, which had meant that their connection to the main swarm must have weakened them to a degree. Apparently, that was not so with the deceased drone, which had kept its various mutations that was stored in its dead body. Or at least that is what Kay theorized.

The mutations that Kay's swarm received from Corvurn's helpful dissection and imbibement of the dead drone's DNA was staggering. Kay's swarm can now reconstitute dead zerglings and respawn them, improve the mental control of the overlords and overseers by one and a half times, have two drones spawn from a single egg, and extractors and every variation of them can become self automated. And to top that off, several of the combat strains were also improved. The zerglings' carapace becomes even more hardened. The banelings can not only rupture more explosively and double the damage that their acid inflicts, but can also remove necrotic tissue and heal wounds of friendly zerg more quickly. The roaches regained their hydriodic bile that deals extra damage to light units, their adaptive plating that becomes active when their health is low, and their impressive tunneling claws that lets them burrow and tunnel VERY quickly through the ground. The hydralisks can become frenzied and attack at a quicker speed, and had grown an ancillary carapace to improve their overall health. The mutalisk's glaive worms became much more vicious and more likely to sunder both prey and victims, which enable the projectiles to bounce off and through more enemies and dealing extra damage to armored vehicles and enemies. The swarm hosts' locusts could be incubated slightly faster, but also have pressurized glands that enable them to target enemies on the ground and in the air, while also having developed a slightly longer lifetime. The ultralisks gained terrifying adaptations and mutations, enabling them to burrow charge through the very ground, assimilate tissue or digestible matter from every attack of their kaiser blades, and were able to swing them without any loss to momentum. The vipers gained paralitic barbs with their abducting tongues, and could also use their abilities much further than before, enabling their virulent microbes to produce a disabling cloud that not only limited the enemy's vision, but also prevented them from attacking or using their abilities. The vipers even gained the ability to attack airborne foes with their acidic spit. The brood lords developed an increase to their speed as their cartilage became porous. The guardians' range of attack was increased even further than before, enabling them a never-before-seen bombardment of heavy acid spores.

It seemed strange to Kay, but it was almost as though every adaptation that the queen of blades had acquired for her swarm was passed down to Kay's swarm, and then some. It may have been a disturbing thought to many should such opinions become shared, but Kay had no complaints about it. Especially since Corvurn had also discovered that the dead drone also contained many strain variations stored within its DNA. The zerglings can be hatched either as the raptor variant, a breed of zergling that could leap up cliffs and deal extra armor-shredding damage with their armor-removing shredding claws, or as the swarmling variant, where they are hatched as triplets with but a couple seconds of gestation. The banelings can be hatched either as the splitter variant, which can explode into two smaller banelings that spawn upon detonation, or the hunter variant, where they could leap over walls and cliffs to pursue their prey on otherwise difficult terrain, much like the zergling raptor variant. The roaches can be hatched either as the corpser variant, where parasitic larvae living in its acid would burst out of the corpse of their host upon their victim's death and form two roachlings, or the vile variant, a type of roach variant that slows down the enemies they attack. The swarm hosts can be hatched either as the carrion variant, which spawns slightly faster flying locusts that are efficient in offense, or the creeper variant, which can generate creep once burrowed into the ground or could deep burrow to a distant field of healthy creep. And then there was the ultralisks that can be hatched either as the noxious variant, which releases slightly acidic and toxic mist particles around itself that could be further expelled as a damaging and explosive cloud, or the torrasque variant, which can quickly envelop a cocoon around itself and heal all its wounds once hatched.

Even if Kay couldn't combine the strain variants together, their uses would still be erroneously underestimated by his enemies. But then again, he remembered that the previous mutations that he had gained from the previous timeline had only strengthened his swarm to a completely different level. For example, he could use the mutation he derived from Ralkan's jellyfish to affect the growth of his zerglings. Three swarmlings would become nine, nine would become eighteen, and so on and so forth until Kay felt as though he had enough zerglings to switch to the hunter strains. And considering the fact that the zerg have been generating resources for twenty years in Kay's absence? Only now was it blatantly obvious to Kay that the zerg have the capacity to develop more bullshit bio-space-magic on top off their already magical physics-bullshitting biology.

"Ooooooooooooooooh man." Kay was amazed after hearing Corvurn's lengthy explanation on which variant does what, and what kind of mutations were acquired from the drone. "I want an honest answer from you, Corvurn. When is it considered cheating when we have so many adaptations, mutations, and strain variants at our disposal?" He asked, slouching forward and holding his head, as though he was reeling from one roller coaster reality and going into the next one.

"Unknown." Corvurn replied, as though not understanding Kay's question. "War contains no rules for conduct. Ultimate expression of survival. Cheating is irrelevant to survival. To adapt is to thrive. To stagnate is to die. Many mutations and strain variants gained from deceased drone organism. Swarm will thrive greatly."

Kay nodded once Corvurn explained his answer to him. "Kay... Oh, I heard from Virid that you developed two new bio-structure strains before I went to the secret facility and retrieved the dead drone. Could you tell me what they are?"

Corvurn growled. "Hivemind communication with command organism Virid? Be warned. Psionic sensor network in orbital mega structure capable of detecting psionic emissions. Could translate psionic messages."

Kay paused, looked at the ground, and then sighed and nodded. "Oh... Wow, thanks for reminding me. Damn, I really need to be more careful next time." He looked back up at Corvurn. "But that kind of raises a different question. How are we supposed to coordinate an attack on Gollog's empire if we are two commanders short?"

"Answer, simple. Make additional broodmothers." Corvurn replied.

Kay shook his head and crossed his arms. "A good answer, but I think we need something far more powerful than more broodmothers. Virid's micromanagement of the zerg is impeccable, but we need something that can be used on a far grander scale. I know now that in order to defeat Gollog, we'd have to pull off a simultaneous attack on all of his assets. We might have to do it right on Kiln's surface and from Virid's position on the hexagon moon, but we can't coordinate with her without using the psionic connection, or else we'll be having the empire gilanians eavesdropping on our psychic conversations." Kay sighed. "... But back to my previous question. Have you developed two new bio-structures?"

Corvurn nodded. "Correct. Developed two new structure strains. Scourge cannon. Uses projectile launching bio-mechanisms contained in spore cannon. Similar concept. Gestates and produces scourge, launched as self-guided missiles. Useful. attacks targets beyond planet's orbit."

Kay shook his head and chuckled. "We have spore cannons that we can use for orbital defense and planetary bombardment, but now we have scourge cannons that have the potential to strike at capitol ships beyond a planet's orbit? I'll admit, I am pretty impressed by that alone. What's the second bio-structure strain?"

"Second new strain, creep colony." Corvurn answered.

Kay narrowed his eyes. "... Uh... Isn't that a strain that was no longer considered useful after the brood wars?"

Corvurn shook his head. "Improved capabilities. Quadrupled bio-matter cost. Can spread creep."

Kay sighed and shook his head. "Corvurn, as much as I appreciate everything that you have done, I fail to see how these 'newer' creep colonies can do everything that a creep tumor can accomplish for free."

Curvurn shook his head again and growled lightly. "Listen. Will explain. Proliferating creep colony structure strain variant spreads creep indefinitely."

Kay's eyes widened as he heard Corvurn explain. "... Continue." Kay said.

Corvurn pleaded his hands together. "Uses accelerant to grow and spread creep further. Only requirement, be morphed on creep surface. Stimulates creep in light psionic ripple effect. Affects all creep connected to proliferating creep colony strain variant. More emplacements of prolific creep colonies, increases creep growth at multiplicative rate."

Kay stared at Corvurn for several seconds before shaking his head. "As much as I like the idea of using such a strain of bio-structure at our leisure, I don't think we can use it."

Corvurn tilted his head. "Explain."

Kay began explaining his reasoning to Corvurn. "To me, it sounds like it is a weapon that will affect the entire ecosystem of this planet, if it was ever left alone after activation. If the proliferating creep colonies are allowed to continually expand the creep, then they will definitely grow into non-aligned gilanian villages and populations. Their crops would die, their livestock will become sick and infected, and their way of living would become further challenged. Their livelihoods would be destroyed if we ever spawned and activated this new structure strain."

Corvurn paused, then shook his head. "Why prevent creep growth? Creep tumors targeted by orbital mega structure energy lances. Proliferating creep colonies provides indirect method of growing creep."

Kay went up to Corvurn and patted at his side. "Because not all gilanians are our enemies. And even if we had creep that grew everywhere, it's not like we can amass enough drones to morph into all the spore and scourge cannons we would ever need." Kay then walked away from Corvurn, going toward the hatchery that was carefully guarded by several kinds of queens. He inspected the hatchery carefully and sighed. He could sense that Othafurn was within the very structure, and was slowly coming out of her unconsciousness. She was currently in a deep sleep, but Kay felt as though that might change soon. "... But we still need more resources than what we currently have right now."

Corvurn tilted his head. "Swarm requires more bio-matter and accelerant?"

Kay shook his head. "No... No, we need... We need something extra, but I don't know what it is. I can feel it, but I have no clue what it might be."

Corvurn paused, but shook his head. "Unclear. Train of thought, unproductive. Must take proactive action."

Kay sighed and nodded. "You're right, but you must understand that the very moment we start mobilizing against the sky rings, the empire is going to know that we are trying something. If this 'ENO field sensor system' is as good as I think it is, then we are pretty much stuck in a corner with no possible way to attack. ... We might need someone that can hack into gilanian technology."

Corvurn nodded slowly. "Understood. More abductions needed. Primary targets, gilanian empire computer technicians and highly ranked empire officers."

Kay clapped his hands together. "Kay." Kay felt somewhat annoyed that the new mutations, strains, and strain variants that Corvurn discovered and rediscovered were not going to be used immediately. From the memories that he could glimpse from either zerg experiences or absorbed memories from the infested empire gilanians, the sky rings were heavily defended by a great magnitude. They even have the capability to predict the warp-jumps of the leviathans, and the energy lances could fire at the distant leviathans with pinpoint precision. So long as the leviathans didn't try to warp into Kiln's atmosphere or near the sky ring super satellite, then they wouldn't be targeted.

 _'Command organism Kay?'_

Kay looked up as he heard a familiar voice inside his head. "Uh... Corvurn Junior?"

Corvurn tilted his head as he began to eavesdrop on the conversation. _'Connection is stable. Splendid. Have discovered primary weakness of Kiln Keeper technology. Mega structure satellites consists primarily of Kiln Keeper technology and systems. Requires infiltration into commander headquarters. Dangerous mission. Will require technology specialist.'_

Kay smiled. "Ooh~! How incredibly convenient. Who is the specialist?"

 _'Organism Kragnon. Clone of ancient warden individual. Contains high access priority. Can circumvent Gollog's commands. Use organism Kragnon's hereditary trait to infiltrate commander headquarters.'_

Kay blinked a couple times. "... Kr-Kragnon? Um... Well this is... Unexpected."

 _'Organism Kragnon needed to circumvent Kiln Keeper technology. Infiltration into commander fortress and mega structure satellites impossible otherwise. Ending communication link.'_

Kay groaned. He slightly remembered that he had saved the life of a lovechief, though he had transported Kragnon away on awkward terms. He wasn't sure if Kragnon would be willing to help a faction of murderous space bugs after twenty years of seperation. "Shit."

 _'KAY! WHERE IS KAY?! SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH HIM!'_

Kay groaned even more when he heard Othafurn's panicked shrills pervading through the zerg's psionic hivemind connection. "Gah, Othafurn? Did you just wake up from a nightmare or something?"

 _'I NEED TO FIND KAY! WHERE IS HE?! HE NEEDS ME!'_

Even when Kay was a stone's throw away from the hatchery that Othafurn was recovering in, Kay's mind was developing a headache since her psionic yelling was so close. "Okay okay, calm down already! I'll be with you in a second."

 _'KAY IS NOT WELL! HE NEEDS TO BE MENTALLY STABILIZED OR ELSE HE'S GOING TO RELAPSE!'_

Kay sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Now my time traveling informant is having a fit."

Corvurn repeatedly looked between Kay and the hatchery that Othafurn was staying inside of, confusion in his face. "Perplexing. Query. Cause of command organism Othafurn's panic?"

"I've no fucking idea, but she's giving me a migraine. And to top this off, and after all this time, I had no idea that Kragnon was so integrated to this world. Shit!" Kay replied.

 _'ZHAKUL INOK EN ZERASHK?! EN TARO TASADAR!'_

Kay closed his eyes in frustration, already feeling the lives of several zerglings trying their best to protect the unconscious protoss, even when the unconscious protoss had already awoken and was now killing his protectors. "Corvurn."

"Yes?" Corvurn replied.

"Did the protoss wake up just now?" Kay asked.

"... Yes." Corvurn answered.

Several seconds had passed before Kay took in a deep breath, then exhaled all of the air in his lungs in a deeply frustrated shout. **"SHIIIIIT!"**

Despite the fact that everything was going so well for Kay's swarm, it went downhill as he suddenly had three simultaneous things to worry about. Between politely asking for Kragnon's help to infiltrate into the gilanian empire's fortresses and sky rings, trying to calm down Othafurn's sudden frightened emotional state, and the protoss' bloodthirsty awakening, he would rather find Gollog and punch him in the face. And Kay was having such a good day too.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope y'all don't mind, but I need to investigate the new Hollow Knight stories on this fanfiction website.  
**


	66. Awakening of the Firstborn

**Chapter 66: Awakening of the Firstborn  
**

* * *

There were so many new mutations, strains, and variants that had been received from the deceased drone, recovered from the destroyed secret research facility. Despite Kay's recent accomplishments, he was contacted by Corvurn Junior and was given brief and specific instructions on how to severely wound the Golden Star Empire. He had no idea on just how important Kragnon's genetic ancestry was, but his heritage had granted him an unseen privilege that Gollog seemed to covet. It was a trait that allowed him some kind of mastery over any technology that belonged to the Kiln Keepers, or perhaps to other forms of technology that Kay was unaware of. In short, Kragnon was now a very important asset that Kay greatly needed.

However, more urgent matters needed to be addressed. Specifically, the time traveling advisor that had recovered from her recently induced coma, and the angry naked protoss that had finally awakened from his twenty year coma. In Othafurn's case, she was experiencing panic and terror all at once. Kay wasn't sure if he wanted to meet with her at the moment. The protoss, on the other hand, was harming the swarm from within its very operations underground. Kay considered his options and settled on trying to calm down the angry protoss by himself, since he regarded him as the more problematic party. He walked past Corvurn as he began preparing himself for the encounter. "Corvurn, tend to Othafurn and try to calm her down. I'm going to deal with the protoss I brought back."

Corvurn nodded and bowed. "Will placate command organism Othafurn. Easier task, compared to protoss placation." He said, turning to the guarded hatchery and slithering to it.

Kay sighed. He wasn't sure if he was mentally prepared to calm down a rampaging protoss. But then again in a technical sense, he was biologically immortal. He could afford to be patient. But he knew very well that patience was not a skill he could use reliably whenever the protoss is concerned. They were prideful warriors that lorded the title of 'firstborn' to themselves, and they often consider themselves superior over the zerg and anyone else that had a sentient brain. But pride or not, Kay was not about to have an unruly guest decimate any of his hive clusters, protoss or otherwise.

* * *

There was murderously loud yelling emanating from a recently hollowed cave, where even the creep was prevented from growing into it. Flashes of angry blue light brightened the cave, which had chased away zerg organisms of different breeds. Zerglings and queens quickly skidded out of the underground chamber that was specifically built to house an unconscious protoss. Sadly, it was not designed to contain one that was arisen and enraged. A naked protoss slammed his fists and feet against zerg hide as best as he could, and sometimes used his claws to disembowel a couple zerglings, removing their precious organs from their guts. If anything, the protoss had woken up and was in a grumpy mood.

After the zerg had vacated the cave, silence filled it as a dim glow barely emanated from its entrance. Kay carefully inspected the cave entrance. He was somewhat apprehensive, but he knew better than to anger a protoss and force a confrontation. Like the zerg, the protoss are easily provoked. Unlike the zerg, however, the protoss are known for their grudges. "Uh... Hello in there? I know that it's a little late telling you this now, but... I want you to know that you are safe here. Nothing here wants to hurt you."

 _"Leave me alone, or face the wrath of the protoss."_

Kay sighed and shook his head. "Listen to me. You have just recently awoken from a coma. You must be very disorientated and confused right now. If you agree to listen to me, then I will give you as much space as you need. But if you're going to be an ass and threaten me every time I try to engage you in a friendly conversation, then I'm going to start to think that saving your ass from that secret research facility was not worth the effort. But I did save you from containment, and I think that requires some form of exchange of words between us. Do you understand me?"

 _"Even with my nerve cords severed, I cannot sense the Khalai. Their voices are either distant, or gone. Tell me. Have we lost the battle with Amon?"_

Kay was hesitant to answer. It had been so long since that battle, and he had no idea on how it had went when he tumbled into the void. "... I uh... I think we were winning. But listen. I need you to brace yourself when I tell you this. Are you sitting down?"

 _"I care not for the words you have to say to me, infested terran. Though my nerve cords are crippled, I can sense that your mind is riddled with foul plots. That, and I sense overwhelming power within you. A dormant fraction of mental strength belonging to an ancient enemy of my kin. Whoever you were in your past, Kay, know that I will not help you in whatever way you ask. Not until the Khalai comes and retrieves me. We fought against the dark god, true, but know that it does not mean that such an alliance will spark a friendship between the firstborn and the zerg. Begone from my sight."_

Kay pursed his lips. He has no idea what the protoss was talking about. He decided to change the subject. "... Alright, I guess I'll rip this band-aid off. You have been in a coma for twenty years."

 _"... I do not detect deceit from you. And yet... This information cannot be right. Twenty years?"_

"We're on a world called the Kiln Prison System, and its inhabitants, a lizard people that are called gilanians, uses a calendar system where a year equals about two hundred days. If you do the math, that's two hundred times twenty, which makes it about four thousand days. So... Yeah, we've been on this planet for twenty of its years."

 _"... That cannot be possible. Surely, this must mean that we have all failed, and that our existence here is merely a progression of Amon's twisted desires?"  
_

Kay shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know how to explain everything to you, but we only survived by the inadvertent actions of these gilanians. They opened a wormhole that was far from their home, and in doing so, extracted us from the void itself. That was twenty years ago."

 _"... No. I care not for your words, infested terran. If you continue to vex me with your wretched terran diplomacy, then I will make you regret your persistence. Consider this your final warning."_

Kay shook his head. "Listen. I'm trying my best to be a kind host here. Can I at least offer you some water and light? Or maybe some fabric to drape yourself with? I don't really know any tailor shops that caters to protoss on this world, so... you might have to make due with what you get."

 _"And I have told you to leave me alone for the last time. SARAHT TUUN!"_

The air rippled with a sudden distortion as electricity crackled in the air. Kay could feel the carapace on his body being attacked by sudden charges of energy, their bright tongues tasting and charring his body. Two seconds after the psionic storm had enveloped him, Kay was struck by yet another psionic attack that left him with a massive headache, followed by his entire energy reserves becoming deplteted, feeling as though the energy that he kept within himself exploded in a plume of fire. Kay quickly backed away from the cave as quick as he could, dodging several psi blasts that nearly struck his torso or face. He quickly found refuge at a bend in the tunnel, but he knew that he was far from safe.

Kay immediately regretted his decision to save the protoss. "FUCKING HELL!"

"Kay? Are you alright?" A familiar voice asked. When Kay turned around, he saw that Othafurn had recovered from her temporary coma. He also saw Corvurn with her, following behind her and next to her long tendrils and tail that stretched behind the bend of a tunnel.

"WHAT?!" Kay shouted as he palmed his head.

"I asked if you were alright." Othafurn replied, concern in her voice.

"WHAT?! ... I THINK... Ahem. I think I'm fine. It's hard to hear or listen with a headache sometimes. Gah." Kay said, slowly shaking his head and groaning in pain.

Corvurn shook his head as he analyzed Kay's physical condition. "Detecting physical damage. Wounds extensive. Requires healing. Problematic. Query. This damage caused by single protoss organism?"

Kay sighed as he turned around again and peered from the bend in the tunnel. The dimly glowing cave was several meters from his position, but he knew better than to get close to it again. "Not just any single protoss organism, Corvurn. He's one of those protoss that can... Uh... Grah, my head's killing me. You know. One of those guys that floats above the ground? Carries those khaydarin amulets to boost their powers? Uses some kind of... library structure to gain new abilities?"

Othaforn widened her eyes. "... Do you mean that he is a high templar?"

Kay nodded as he kept watch on the protoss' cave entrance. "One of those guys, yeah."

Corvurn sighed and looked down. "Complicating. Surviving protoss organism dangerous to swarm. Disruptive. Dangerous. Recommend elimination."

Kay shook his head. "Last time I checked, the protoss and the zerg had allied together in order to fight Amon. And since I slightly remember belonging to the terrans, whom had begrudgingly agreed to join forces with said factions to save the universe, I'd rather maintain that alliance. If I had to choose between making nice with the protoss or to go back to the days of grudges and war, then I choose survival over bitter conflict."

Corvurn growled and slithered up to Kay. "Protoss organism provides unique opportunity to evolve swarm. Must analyze. Must test assimilation methods. Must dissect."

Othafurn stared at Corvurn and shook her head. "Corvurn. Genetic material extracted from the protoss is completely useless to the swarm."

Corvurn growled at Othafurn. "Understands implication. However, research important. Every attempt, informative."

Kay turned abruptly around and pointed a threatening finger at Corvurn's face. "You are not to lay a claw on him!" Kay shouted

Corvurn turned to Kay and growled at him. "Command organism Kay must understand. Protoss is enemy to swarm. Must adapt against all enemies. Primary goal of swarm is to evolve."

Kay's gaze became stern as he shook his head at Corvurn. "Oh yeah? Well, do you remember what purpose I gave you, before you even made that little egg around yourself?"

Corvurn paused, but nodded as he pleaded his hands together. "... Purpose remembered. Assist swarm in fashion that evolution master can accomplish."

Kay nodded and crossed his arms. "I said 'become our evolution master and help me, Virid, and the zerg swarm that only an evolution master could.' I was thinking we could try to help the protoss so that he might return the favor and help us back someday."

Corvurn reared his head back and tilted it. "Unlikely. Uncertain. Cannot see how protoss organism can assist swarm."

Kay rolled his eyes. "Let me put it like this. Would you rather kill him now and further sour our relationship with the protoss in the Koprulu sector, or would you rather befriend this one protoss and at least have him less likely to fry and kill any zerg organism that's near the cave he is staying in? Think about it. Which option favors our survival more?"

Corvurn paused for several seconds and looked down at the ground. "Hmm..." After he was given some time to think about it, Corvurn exhaled. "Second option improves survival, yet undesirable. Protoss organism separated from Koprulu sector, and protoss factions. Incapable of communicating with protoss factions. Separated, like current swarm with primary hivemind. However, chance of indirect assistance is marginal. Reluctant, but will assist protoss. If protoss organism assists swarm afterwards, then swarm benefits."

Kay smiled warmly. "Kay. That's good to know." Kay's expression turned into a frown when he turned back to look at the cave entrance beyond the bend in the tunnel. "But then that leaves us with a naked and angry templar that has zero tolerance for both zerg and infested terrans."

"Query. How to assist protoss organism?" Corvurn asked.

Kay had very little memories to draw upon in regards to the protoss they retrieved from the secret research facility. How WOULD Kay assist a naked protoss that was far from his people? He had no answers, but he did have a few ideas. "No clue, but we can start by giving him plenty of light, fresh water, and some space to himself. Oh, and clothes. I think some kind of clothing would be important for him too." Kay turned around to face Corvurn. "Have you given our protoss guest some water and light yet?"

"..." Corvurn seemed hesitant to answer.

Kay narrowed his eyes at Corvurn. "... Corvurn?"

"... Yes?"

"Did you get some water and light for the protoss yet?" Kay asked.

"... Was about to. Distractions required attention. Will perform previous task now." Corvurn said, turning around and crawling away.

Kay sighed and shook his head as Corvurn slithered off. "We might have been enemies with the protoss once, but we need to work together or else this prison world is going to become our tombs." Kay then turned to Othafurn. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you about something."

Othafurn blinked. "Yes?"

"You were shouting about something when you woke up from your coma. What was that about?" Kay asked.

Othafurn's expression shifted into confusion. "... I am unsure. Was I really shouting after I had recovered?"

"You kind of were. You yelled something about my mental stability or something." Kay replied.

Othafurn stared at the ground for a few seconds, but then she shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I don't have any recollection of what I said."

"You were, like, scared about something when you returned from unconsciousness. Terrified even." Kay pointed out.

Othafurn nodded absently. "... Would you like to create a mental link with me? Perhaps we can find the information we need in your memories?"

Kay immediately backed away from Othafurn. "Uh... No thanks. From my personal experiences of linking my mind with yours, I somehow always get a raging headache. That, and I don't want to risk getting you into another coma. I mean... You did woke up from one just recently."

Othafurn paused, but nodded. "If that is how you feel, then I understand. I will abstain from bridging our minds together again, unless a mental link is absolutely necessary."

Kay sighed and nodded back at Othafurn. "Kay. Thank you." He said as he relaxed more easily in Othafurn's presence. "I guess we can figure out whatever the hell THAT was later. But right now, we need to ask Kragnon if he can assist us in our mission."

Othafurn tilted her head, and was further confused. "Mission? Our mission? Uh... Has something happened?"

Kay nodded at Othafurn. "Yeah. Corvurn Junior, from the doomed timeline, where all that chrome slime covered everything, told us that we need Kragnon's help to infiltrate into a commander's fortress. Apparently, there is something there that would weaken the Kiln Keepers and the sky rings." Kay explained.

"Really?" Othafurn said, surprised. "Did he tell you what it was?"

Kay paused and shook his head. "Uh... No idea. But to get what we need, we need to infiltrate into the fortress that one of the commanders has made their headquarters in. To do that, we need Kragnon to help us get inside."

Othafurn nodded. "I see. Shall I have our changelisk named Johnny inform him that we need his assistance?"

Kay shook his head and sighed. "I want to meet him in person. It's been a long time since we last talked, so I think it's only right that I meet him again." Kay said as he already began walking to the closest nydus network. Kay stopped partway in his travel to the nydus network and turned back to Othafurn. "Actually, have Johnny inform Kragnon that I'll be seeing him soon."

Othafurn bowed. "It will be done."

Kay nodded at Othafurn before he continued on his way for the nearest nydus worm. Kay was hesitant to meet with Kragnon again, especially since he had not been in contact with him for the past twenty years. However, for some reason that Kay could not explain, Kay also felt as though he hadn't seen Kragnon for an eternity. But through the zerg's hivemind and its perception of time, Kay had only been separated from the swarm for decades. Worse still, Kay had retained no memories from his imprisonment in the era agent's temporal tomb. He didn't even know how long he had been inside of the temporal tomb, his memory completely failing him when he tried to recall some scant fragment of memory of that entombing place. However, since Kragnon was supposedly the key to defeating Gollog and his Golden Star Empire, Kay will have to endure the awkward moment that occurs when two people, who haven't seen each other in a while, becomes acquainted once more.

* * *

"Master Kragnon?" Johnny said to a dressing lovechief. It was currently morning at Tak's palace, and Kragnon was getting himself dressed behind a dressing screen, within Baroness Tak's bedroom. Kragnon was currently undressing from his pajamas and was slipping himself into formal wear.

A short sigh escaped Kragnon's lips as he donned a newly laundered shirt. "Out of all the days she chose to send that expedition, it had to be yesterday. Oh, but at least there is good news! All of the random lightning storms are gone! The yellow danger zone anomaly stopped creeping closer to Gargantua! And that giant bright eyesore is finally gone! Oh wait, that's right. The empire is still fighting the zerg, we are still far from being safe from Gollog's wrath, and I have to worry about a college fund on top of everything else. My talents are not exactly for public use, mind you. If I ever do use them in public, then Gollog is going to catch wind that I'm here and will proceed to kill everyone, destroy everything, and control the entire world for an eternity after. Can it get any worse than this?"

"Master Kragnon?" Johnny asked again.

"Fucking fucking fuck, where is my handkerchief? Oh... Meh, well it's not the worst thing to lose today. Unlike yesterday, where we managed to lose an entire desert platform to gods-knows-what happened! WE don't even know what happened! We just sent them off, hoped for the best, and then thought that maybe we'd get a message back. You know, to let us know that the expedition team is okay and that their mission was a success? I'm still kind of waiting for that message to be broadcasted, but even I am starting to lose hope. I'll tell you this for sure. If I had the time to calculate how many ways this mission could have gone wrong for the expedition team, I might take the time to write a theorem that illustrates every conceivable variable that would occur in the desert, and possibly convince everyone that the mission to analyze the zerg flower in the red zone was a bad idea. Ugh! It makes me sick to know that you orchestrated this thing, and did it from right behind everyone's backs. But I knew better. Oh, I knew better, and I still tried to keep my head out. But damn it all, it was a huge risk to my private life!"

"Master Kragnon?"

Kragnon sighed again and peered over the dressing screen. "What, Johnny?" He said, as though annoyed by Johnny's constant attempt to get his attention.

"A representative from... my family, has decided to meet with you. It is imperative that you get yourself ready for the occasion."

Kragnon paused. "... A... A representative? They... I mean you... Uh. Your family has never sent a representative to meet me before."

Johnny nodded. "Not only that, this representative was the very person who had saved you from certain doom, twenty years ago."

Kragnon's breath was still. "... He's back?" He said in a dumbfounded way.

Johnny nodded again. "Kay wishes to talk to you in a private location. There is something that we need from you, and we suspect that your assistance will greatly help us hinder, and perhaps completely destroy, Gollog's empire."

Kragnon looked down at the ground in deep thought. "... So he IS back." Kragnon shook his head. "Alright then. Firstly, I'm going to have a quick breakfast. Secondly, I'll have to convince Tak to give me some privacy. Failing that, I might need the use of one of your changelisks to disguise as me and divert her attention from what I am really doing. Thirdly, we are going to need a bare dirt floor."

Johnny smiled. "I had already thought of that. Thanks to Baroness Tak, there is a sub-basement that had been constructed a while ago. It has ground that is bare of any kind of floor or tile work, and it is a room that is perfect for our purposes."

Kragnon tilted his head. "What kind of room is it supposed to be?"

"Oh, I told her that I needed a room that can store my failed technological projects. You know, to review later. But between you and me, it's actually a location for the shrylisks to come up and transport technology and resources for me to use and experiment with." Johnny replied.

Kragnon sighed and shook his head. "Shrylisks. Zerg shryik serpent pawns. Tak would have a major fit if she knew there was a hole to an underworld of zerg right under her palace."

"Better not tell her." Johnny added. "It wouldn't do anyone good risking more than one hell to break loose."

Kragnon furrowed his brows at Johnny and stared at him. "... Ha ha ha ha ha. Very funny." Kragnon then shook his head and continued changing his clothes. "Fucking shape-shifting voice-changing demon."

"Be careful talking like that." Johnny warned Kragnon jokingly. "If you say that in a hive cluster, then you're likely going to have a fat ass sit on your lap."

Kragnon chuckled. "You know, that doesn't sound so bad."

"I was talking about one of OUR fat-assed zerg queens. You know, the ones that the Golden Star soldiers call 'caretakers'?" Johnny informed.

A long pause pervaded the air. "... Hmm... Uh... I'll remember well to be more respectful to your family then."

Johnny sighed. "I'll get a changelisk ready for us, just in case Baroness Tak decided to decline our private meetup with my family's commander."

"Mm. ... Say, that does leave me with a question." Kragnon mused. "Since Kay is back, would that make your family's government system into a tetrarchy?"

Johnny snorted in an amused manner. "You know what? I think it would."

"I see. Huh. Alright. Coming out now." Kragnon walked out from behind the dressing screen. His attire consisted of soft and looser fabrics, which were popularly worn among middle aged gilanian men. Kragnon had currently donned a red and brown tunic, with red suspender pants worn underneath. Kragnon patted at his clothing for a few seconds before facing Johnny and shrugging. "Do I look presentable?"

Johnny nodded. "Very much so, sir. Now get yourself fed and tell Baroness Tak you have to be somewhere. If that fails, then I have plan B at the ready. Kay will be waiting for you."

Kragnon nodded and began walking to the the private dining hall, which was part of a routine that had went on ever since he became a resident of the palace. Despite being separated from his artificial intelligence, otherwise known as the judicial intelligence core called Maiden, he merely traded a life of secluded squalor and abundant knowledge to one of plentiful social connections and abundant wealth. Though he had missed the halcyon days when the people in the Hidden Water Spring Tribe were still alive, he was still happy of the fact that he was able to leave the tower and be with the rest of his species after a long period of cold-pod hibernation.

However, no matter the good intentions within a meeting that was long awaited, it would instantly be sullied by the most unexpected twist.

* * *

 **A/N: 1000 Whose Line Is It Anyway points to whoever guesses what happens next? :3  
**


	67. Infiltration and Planning

**Chapter 67: Infiltration and Planning  
**

* * *

It hadn't been easy, but Kragnon had delicately explained to Baroness Tak why he needed to have a private meeting with Johnny. In his summary, he said that there was important information that Johnny's family had came across, and it was sensitive information that relates to the politics of the Golden Star Empire. However, he didn't reveal Johnny's 'true' nature to her, or told her how his 'family' is actually an evolving arthropodal collective of psionically connected hivemind aliens. Kragnon could only guess that Tak would not take such news very well if he shared such information with her. And Kragnon felt like he knew what it would mean for Johnny and himself if she found out about their relation to the zerg swarm.

Banishment.

However, the risk of banishment is easily outweighed by the chance to overthrow an oppressive government, and it was one that was ruled by an immoral immortal emperor. As Kragnon walked with Johnny and headed towards the 'storage room', Kragnon couldn't shake off a certain unsettling feeling that was creeping up his scaly back. This feeling started to manifest in the back of his head long before he finally asked Johnny the question he was hesitant to bring up. "So uh... I've been meaning to ask. Why exactly does your family need my help for? I think you have skipped some details on what is needed."

"An infiltration mission." Johnny replied, turning to Kragnon briefly as he continued down the sub-basement hall. "Sadly, we don't know the exact specifics on what we need for the infiltration. All we know is that we need your help to quietly enter a commander's headquarters, located within a fortress."

Kragnon stopped. "... Uh. Could you repeat that to me again? I think I wasn't listening to whatever crazy thing you just said." He said, with widened eyes.

Johnny turned again to notice Kragnon's expression. He then changed his tone and gestured to him in a reassuring way. "Whoa whoa, hey no! I didn't mean that you're LITERALLY going to infiltrate a fortress! We have absolutely no desire to put you in that kind of danger."

Kragnon sighed and chuckled, and then softly punched Johnny's shoulder. "Don't scare me like that, you ass." After the knuckled bump, Kragnon continued further into the sub-basement tunnel in front of Johnny.

Johnny smiled and shook his head. "I apologize. I must have forgotten that you hate surprises." After that, Johnny followed after Kragnon as they continued on their way to the storage room.

Minutes later, both Kragnon and Johnny had finally found the door that lead to where the meeting would take place. The door was opened slowly, which revealed a dark room that was filled with several industrial crates, set upon large shelves that elevated them from the ground. The floor was bare of any tile work, as per Johnny's reluctance to tell Tak what kind of tile design he would prefer to have installed in this room's floor. At the corner of the room, disheveled dirt formed into a soft mound as unrecognizable tracks lead in and out of this raised earth. Once the lights clicked on, it allowed Kragnon to see this storage room for himself. An impressed whistle escaped Kragnon's lips. "A bit cozy for my tastes, but it'll do. How long will it take for Kay to get here?"

"He's already here. Been waiting for you after you finished your krell egg mushroom wrap." Johnny said, scratching his chin.

"Really?" Kragnon said in a surprised tone. "He's been waiting under this room this whole time? Oh. I must apologize to him, and thank him for being so patient with me."

"Oh, he already knows that you are apologetic and thankful." Johnny said, walking forward and bowing before the raised dirt floor. "We all know."

The bare ground of softened earth started to shake and quiver, and a serpentine form slithered up and out of the ground as it was vibrated apart by billions of muscles, changing the soil's density and loosening it further. A shrylisk shook its face as it slithered out of the loosened dirt, and vomited out a face that Kragnon had not seen in years. Kragnon backed away to avoid the smell of bile, but he was still reunited with Kay once again, even after twenty years of seperation. As Kay left the maw of the shrylisk, he shrugged his shoulders and wiped away whatever cloying fluid had dried onto his person. He shook himself dry and took in a deep breathe. "Ah... You know what? It's actually quite nice getting some exercise on the surface for once." Kay then directed his attention toward the lovechief that he had not seen for a long while. A friendly smile beamed at Kragnon as Kay chuckled. "I have to admit, it's good to see you again. You even look a little grizzled for your age."

Kragnon nodded. "I would say so too. I'd also say the same thing to you, but the zerg are not exactly the easiest creatures to look at."

Kay scoffed in a joking matter. "What are you talking about? My face happens to be the most handsomest out of all of the zerg organisms in my swarm." He said, flicking a few strands of his mock-hair from his face.

Kragnon chuckled and shook his head. "So I hear. ... I must ask you about something, if it's okay."

"Go ahead. You probably have some questions you wanted to ask me personally for twenty years now, and I think some of those questions deserve to be answered." Kay replied.

Kragnon nodded. "Kay. ... What exactly happened after you transported me from the underground tower? Johnny was hesitant to reveal anything to me."

Kay nodded back and sighed. "Urgh, man. That actually brings back some painful memories."

Kragnon tilted his head. "Uh... Should I ask a different question?"

Kay shook his head. "It's okay. I can summarize what I remembered from that day. If I remember correctly... After I dumped you into the mouth of the shrylisk and saved you from being captured, I tried to read the mind of the era agent that was sent by the Era Agency. Apparently, they were trying to do that 'reformat time' thing in an attempt to weaken the zerg on their terms. What was it called again? Temporary incursion? No wait, it's called temporal recursion. Anyway, the era agents and the Golden Star Empire were also being assisted by a guy called 'the Informant', so that might be a thing I'll have to look into later. After he figured out I could read minds, the era agent and I got into a fight, he had some shadow assassins from Gollog's Pyramidal Guard Division assisting him to defeat me, and then he ended up trapping me in something called a 'temporal tomb'. I can't remember what happened during my time being stuck in there, but I finally got out after twenty years."

Kragnon shook his head and raised his hands. "Wait... You somehow got OUT of a temporal locker's temporal tomb? How?!"

Kay paused and looked down at the ground. "... Huh. You know, I don't really know. It never occurred to me to remember what that solution might have been." Kay then turned to Johnny. "Johnny boy, could you please inform me on how I escaped the temporal tomb?"

Johnny bowed toward Kay. "Yes sir." After standing up straight again, he began his explanation. "But let me correct you first. You didn't escape the tomb. It broke down by itself. You see, the swarm had received instructions from the second evolution master, known as Corvurn Junior that was from the doomed timeline that Othafurn had came from, said that the means of your release from that temporal tomb would eventually occur on its own volition. The temporal locker device was broken down by the very forces it controlled. Kind of poetic in an ironic way. But alas, there were other forces that were at play. Baroness Tak and Lovechief Kragnon were trying to find ways to prevent the vacuum phenomenon from overtaking their citadel, but found no leads or information to do otherwise. Years later, they learned that there was a window of opportunity for them. They asked around for a group of researchers to sneak into the boundaries of the danger zone, past the zerg that surrounded the energy plant, and grant them a chance to analyze the anomalous properties at the very center of the red zone."

Kragnon shook his head again and furrowed his brow. "What? Are you saying that the temporal locker rusted so much that its temporal manipulation mechanisms failed?"

Johnny nodded. "That is correct. Yes."

"Huh... So... How does this relate to the research expedition that was sent to the middle of the Red Desert?"

"It was a diversion." Johnny answered. "You see, we eventually found out that we had somebody on the inside of the Era Agency's facility, and Corvurn Junior had also found a way to communicate with him. Using our own insider's knowledge, we were able to create a farcical plot that led the era agents to believe that the device your research team brought with them would cause the temporal tomb to shut down. There was a great battle that day, but the Kiln Keepers and Golden Star Empire soldiers still suffered even greater losses."

"I kind of want to ask about that, actually." Kay said, furrowing his brows. "How the hell did we get an insider inside the Era Agency in the first place?"

"Remember the era agent that was attacking you? He became infested with the zerg HEV. Corvurn Junior had heard about the temporal attack that was made on the underground village. Upon hearing that the era agent had suffered physical wounds, Corvurn Junior created an indirect psionic communication link with him. Apparently, the era agent that had attacked you was also a very high ranked agent." Johnny replied.

"I see. Then here's another question for you. What happened after the temporal tomb finally broke down?" Kay asked.

"From what I understand, the temporal tomb kept your psionic capabilities from extending too far from the center-most danger zone, called the red zone. I theorize that it might be an effect the time dilation had over your psionic powers, which began creating the vacuum anomaly, the randomized lightning storms, and the energy plant, or 'zerg flower' as it is more commonly known as. My hypothetical guess is that all those anomalies are a result of your psionic abilities bleeding out from your temporal tomb. To answer your question, I believe that the psionic energy that was being contained in the temporal tomb was unleashed completely when the temporal locker eventually stopped functioning, resulting in the devastation you had woken up in. Othafurn and Corvurn discovered you in the aftermath, and took it upon themselves to wake you up." Johnny answered.

Kragnon tilted his head. "But even if that is true, I can't see that being possible. The time dilation field has a nasty habit of removing and destroying matter all the way down to the molecular level, effectively making the existence of the matter cease."

Johnny smiled and rolled his eyes. "Well yes, you are correct on that detail. But what you failed to realize is that psionic energy is not exactly matter. It's energy that is produced from strong mental patterns that is externally released from a powerful brain."

Kragnon looked thoughtful as he placed a hand to his chin and widened his eyes at Johnny. "Really? But that would mean the energy made from Kay's psionic abilities can bypass the era agents' time dilation machines without risk of being removed from reality. A conductive material medium, which needs to be stationary when a time dilation bubble forms around it, is needed to allow the transfer of energy from one side of a time variance to the other side. But I don't see how that is possible, since Kay was stuck inside of a temporal tomb without any kind of conductive metals being stuck in the middle of the dilation's surface. How did he bypass the time dilation without risking too much damage to some kind of conductive metal, and without risking his own existence from being removed from reality?"

"Think about it." Johnny replied. "If you had an energy generator within a room, where time is sped up at ten times the normal speed, and there was another room that has several kinds of light sources that has its flow of time going at the normal speed, the generator would be able to create ten times the power, but at the cost of requiring ten times the fuel input. Since the swarm is biologically immortal, it would mean that Kay's psionic energy would be multiplied and remain consistent throughout his containment in the temporal tomb. Not only that, the psionic energy that Kay produced emits itself as what you might perceive as a field of awareness, which can also be concentrated into his psionic attacks. Now, since a swarm commander would have to strengthen his psionic control over a wide area in order to command the zerg organisms under his thrall, that same 'awareness field' can be multiplied by the time dilation effects and manifest itself as the vacuum, lightning, and energy plant anomalies."

Kragnon nodded. "I think I get it now..." He said, sounding impressed.

"... I'm afraid you lost me." Kay said, looking between Johnny and Kragnon in slight confusion.

Johnny and Kragnon looked back at Kay for a few seconds. Johnny bowed before Kay a second later. "My apologies, Kay. Shall we get to the matter at hand?"

Kay sighed and nodded at Johnny, and then directed his attention toward Kragnon. "Right. Kragnon, the swarm needs your help."

Kragnon sighed. "So I heard. All I was told is that you need to infiltrate into a commander's headquarters inside of a fortress. Correct?"

Kay nodded at Kragnon. "Pretty much. The problem with that, however, is I don't know which commander I am targeting, or in which fortress. But if I pull it off, I'll supposedly have the means to attack the sky rings."

Kragnon shook his head and groaned. "This is a pretty high favor you are asking from me, Kay. I mean... I don't even have Maiden to help me gather the information I need to help you."

"Oh." Kay replied. "Then if it's information you need, then maybe the zerg can help you?"

Kragnon blinked a few times at Kay. "Come again?"

Kay nodded and smiled. "Yeah. We can just access the hivemind and impart all of the information we have gathered in the past twenty years to you."

Kragnon stared at Kay for several seconds. "... So uh... Does it mean I have to set up several schedules with you so that I can be updated with the Golden Star Empire's tactics?"

"Erm... Not exactly." Kay said, _carefully_ rubbing the back of his head. "You see, there is a faster way to do that. What we are going to do is have a specialist create a mental link with you and your brain. That way, you will be able to access all of the information we have gathered over the years, while we will learn all of the information we need from you at the same time."

Kragnon backed away from Kay. "Uh... That uh... That sounds VERY invasive to me. I'd rather have my mind to myself, thank you."

Kay gestured to Kragnon. "It'd be alright, kragnon! You don't even have to be infested by the Hyper-Evolutionary Virus. I have a specialist that is capable of linking her mind with yours, and it will enable us to share information with each other in the most efficient way possible. You just got to place your forehead on hers and... Well... It's basically like breathing."

Kragnon shook his head. "I'm afraid I'll have to decline. My private thoughts will remain private, and I wouldn't want it any other way."

Kay sighed. "Come on, don't be a wuss." He said, reaching for Kragnon.

Kragnon reacted immediately by backing further away from Kay. "And I said no!"

Kay paused for a few seconds, but then he slouched and sighed when he realized what he was doing. "... Alright. Fine. Have it your way." He then pointed at Kragnon. "But please reconsider my offer. If you consent to the mental link, you would have access to a wealth of information that you cannot possibly imagine. As we will through you too."

Kragnon sighed as he kept his distance from Kay. "I'll keep that in mind."

Kay walked away from Kragnon and looked down at the ground as he began his contemplation. He didn't know what he was trying to do with Kragnon at that moment, but he shifted gears when he began to realize that he was acting on zerg instinct. He had nearly forgotten his humanity at that moment. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Well... Even if we can't do a mental link right now, my swarm still needs to infiltrate a commander's headquarters, which I think happens to be in a fortresses. Any ideas on how that narrows down my options?"

Kragnon took a sigh of relief. "Well... I can definitely think of a few targets that matches your description."

"That so?" Kay replied. "What are my options?"

"Hmm..." Kragnon said as he began pacing again, looking as though he was deep in thought. "... From what sources I can gather from the gaka berry vineyard,-"

"The whata vineyard?" Kay asked.

Kragnon stared at Kay flatly. "... It's an expression." He shook his head. "Anyway, I have heard that the commanders under General Pallax's command have taken residence in some of the flying fortresses that are floating high in the sky. Using an energy efficient engine that produces anti-gravity fields that keeps the structures afloat, the flying fortresses are considered to be the Golden Star Empire's second greatest technological marvel. I know that there are two commanders that are in the sky fortresses, Ralkan and Kralluf, but I don't know where the other commanders and General Pallax are stationed. I would say that their locations are considered classified."

Kay nodded. "Alright. That does narrow it down a bit. But that still means I got to figure out which of the flying fortresses contains the headquarters of one of the commanders, and how to get into them."

Kragnon smirked. "That shouldn't be too hard. There are soldiers and engineers that are stationed in those flying fortresses. Last time I checked, an army needs food in order to fight. I can't think of a better way to infiltrate into a fortress than through their shipments."

Kay nodded again. "Kay, that does sound good to me. But then there is another glaring issue I forgot to mention." Kay pointed up at the ceiling. "There are a series of orbiting mega structures that have the capability to detect the psionic signature of a zerg organism. If I was on the surface right now and I scratched my nose, they would know about it."

Kragnon's face became very pale. "... Uh... Would that mean that uh... that we are currently in danger?"

Kay shook his head. "Not really. I have noticed that their sensor network has difficulty detecting my minions that are either buried, or in an underground chamber. The sand and soil itself seems to block their ENO field detection network quite well."

Kragnon tilted his head. "ENO?"

"An acronym for 'external neural oscillations.' Think of it like an insect nest using pheromones to control the hive and guide each insect's actions, but replace pheromones with telepathy." Kay explained.

"Ohh... I think I get it." Kragnon said, nodding. "Hmm... Have you considered using clay armor?"

Kay took his turn to tilt his head. "What?"

"Clay armor." Kragnon explained. "You said that the sky rings' ENO sensor network has a more difficult time detecting your zerg organisms under the ground. You could shape clay into pieces of armor that you could equip on your zerg monsters. It should make them more difficult for the sky rings' sensor network to detect them."

Kay thought about it for a few seconds. Using something as brittle as clay might be risky... but it might be a viable option. "Never thought to tack on artificial armor on my zerg before... Hmm! But even then, that still means I have to figure out which commanders' headquarters I need to infiltrate into, and find out which fortress they reside in. If I chose the wrong one, then the other commander is very likely to catch wind of my actions. I'd lose the element of surprise if I failed."

"Actually, there is a way for us to find out which flying fortress contains which commander." Johnny spoke out as he walked up next to Kay. "In the twenty years that you have been stuck in the temporal tomb, nine thousand flying fortresses had been constructed by the Golden Star Empire. However, each fortress has been personalized by the fortress commanders and fortress commodores that is in charge of them. Some are of simple design, meant to be used in battling against our swarm, but the more extravagant flying fortress' are often owned by aristocrats, and are often protected by other escort flying fortresses."

Kay sighed. "Commodores, uh? Isn't that a rank a step above commander?" Kay asked.

Johnny nodded. "Indeed so, but it is a rank reserved for the aristocracy in the gilanian empire. They bought themselves enough protection to save their own scaly hides, or had connections to powerful people that enabled them to have their own flying fortresses. If anything, the rank of commodore is treated more as a joke to the military personnel within Gollog's empire."

"Aristocracy?" Kay repeated, tilting his head. "Hmm... You know, greed can be a very dangerous weakness that can be easily exploited. Are these empire aristocrats rapacious?"

Johnny nodded again. "I can think of several that will rob someone of all of their vouchers, and sue them for not having enough vouchers to take from them."

Kay smiled at Johnny. "That gives me an idea. If we can find a way to trade information for the locations of the commanders' headquarters, then we'll be able to narrow down which flying fortress we need to infiltrate into. We can offer an aristocrat what he wants, and then we will gain the info we'll need from the trade exchange after the exchange has been made."

Kragnon stepped in. "I don't think that's very wise, Kay. They can turn a profit just as easily from some other kind of business, and the commanders, General Pallax, or Emperor Gollog will trade everything at their disposal for the information that is leaked. And on top of that, what kind of resource can your zerg swarm possibly offer to the aristocrats?"

"Whatever they so desire, plus leniency." Kay answered.

Kragnon paused and blinked his eyes for a few seconds. "... Come again?"

Kay began to explain. "Some of the zerg bio-structures has the capability to create raw materials. Gold, copper, silver, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, argon, cobalt, nickle, carbon, and platinum are only some out of all of the materials we are able to make. We can also combine those materials to make water, steel, and other kinds of complex molecules and alloys. How do you think we are able to spawn so many zerg organisms?"

Kragnon tilted his head as he stared at Kay. "... How... is that even possible? Do you have access to your own self-made manifestation altar?"

Kay chuckled. "Actually, I had Corvurn reverse engineer one of the altars in the underground tower you used to live in. And not only that, we did that in a different timeline too. It took a bit of time for him, but he learned about the complex functions and exotic materials within an altar, and found a way to incorporate those functions and materials into an organic process. In essence, we have biological manifestation altars that can produce whatever materials we need. However, they cannot create objects of complex designs, like knives, or clothes I guess. I don't really see knives or clothes being very useful to my swarm though."

Kragnon paused for several seconds, almost as though he had a hard time understanding what Kay had just said, or was having difficulty believing him. Either way, he sighed and shook his head. "But then that leaves me with another question. What do you mean by 'lenience?'"

Kay placed his hands on his hips as he sighed. "As it stands, I have made enemies with the Golden Star Empire and their allies a long while ago. They would be met on the battlefield or preyed upon in the darkest corners of this world, and the zerg swarm will seek them without hesitation, and slay them without mercy. But with that said, I am willing to make amends by granting certain members of the gilanian population a way to survive the zerg swarm. If they reject Gollog's rule over them, and renounce their loyalty to the Golden Star Empire, then I will spare them my wrath."

Kragnon shook his head. "I don't see that happening any time soon, Kay. The empire and the zerg have been at war with one another for well over twenty years now. The aristocrats will very likely dismiss such claims."

Kay looked at Kragnon with a disappointed expression. "Really? Aw." Kay then shrugged and sighed. "Then I guess it's death for everyone that is our enemy, and those that sides with them."

Kragnon gestured to Kay with urgency. "But uh... I think there still might be people that are willing to reject Gollog and leave his empire. Many aristocrats and colonels often have servants and slaves performing cleaning and cooking duties within their flying fortresses. I'm willing to bet that if we get enough of them to mutiny against their masters, then it might further distract their soldiers and guards from detecting your of infiltration."

Kay paused, but then nodded at Kragnon's suggestion. "Kay. Then I guess it's only death for just our enemies, and not to the dissenters." Kay formed a fist and landed it in the palm of his other hand. "So to break this plan down into parts, what we need to do first is make a trade with the aristocrats regarding information to the location of one of the commanders' headquarters, and tipping them off that there is a secret way to surpass being targets to the zerg swarm. Once we get the info we need, I'll prepare some armor materials that will block my swarm's psionic signal and stow away in some shipments that will be delivered to one of the commander's headquarters. Once I'm inside, I'll paw around in their belongings until I find what I might need, and then hightail it out of there. Sounds good?"

Johnny nodded. "It sounds like an excellent plan, Kay." He then bowed toward Kay. "I am sure that the others in the swarm tetrarchy will agree to... Hmm?"

Kragnon raised an eyebrow at Johnny. "... To... What? You kind of stopped mid-sentence."

"I noticed it too." Kay said, suddenly turning and flexing his hand into a claw shape towards the door they entered through. A yelp came from just outside, and a short gilanian was revealed from the corner of the doorway as he was psionically pulled toward the members of a meeting that was supposed to be private. He seemed to wear some kind of formal attire that was custom made. It was almost as though he was part of some royal family. "I noticed the eavesdropper that was listening to our conversation."

Kragnon's eyes widened as he realized who it was that Kay had pulled from the doorway, and leapt toward the short gilanian. "DON'T HURT HIM!" Kragnon shouted as he covered the short gilanian with his body and hugged him closely.

Kay and Johnny tilted their heads at the odd display. "... Kragnon, do you know this spy?"

Kragnon slowly looked at Kay and hesitated to answer. "Uh... Yes. I do." Kragnon looked down at the short gilanian that he held in his embrace. "Why did you come down here?!"

"I-I-I'm sorry! I was curious, and you were being very weird this morning! And I mean WEIRDER than usual. Like, REALLY weird. So when you asked for privacy with Johnny, I knew that something was going on. So... I followed you."

"Dammit Kragak, this is a dangerous thing you did. If your mother found out about this, then I won't hear the end of it from her." Kragnon said to the short gilanian.

"I'm sorry."

"I know you are. Just don't tell your mother about this."

Kay looked at the two gilanians with a confused expression. "... Kragnon?"

Kragnon stood up and placed his hand on the short gilanian's shoulder. "... Kay. This is... This is pretty awkward for me to disclose, but... Oh dammit, this was not supposed to happen."

"Dad, why is there a zerg thing here?" The short gilanian asked Kragnon.

"Dad?!" And that was when it had dawned on Kay. The short gilanian named Kragak wasn't just an eavesdropper. He was also a resident of Baroness Tak's palace. And to top it off, he was Kragnon's son. The littler gilanian definitely seemed to have Kragnon's facial structure, and didn't have the albinism that his father had. But there also seemed to be a tint of a redder color on his yellowed scale patches. "Hold on a second. Who's the madam you sired with?"

Kragnon sighed as he turned to Kay. Complex emotions were bubbling inside of him right now, and Kay could tell that they were a mixture of several kinds. Anxiety, terror, and paternal feelings were the primary emotions that Kragnon was experiencing at that moment. He gestured toward Kragak. "A lot can happen in twenty years, Kay. In those twenty years, a love has sparked between me and Baroness Tak. But enough of that. I need to sort something out with my boy." Kragnon turned to Kragak. "Son, I need you to go to your room and never speak about this. I'll be with you shortly."

"Why?" Kragak asked. "What happened between you and that guy? What does Johnny have to do with this?"

"Just go, son. I'll tell you about this later. Just promise me you won't tell this to anyone. Not to your mother. Not to your sisters. No one. Got it?"

After some hesitation, Kragak nodded and slowly left Kragnon's embrace. "I promise, dad." After that, Kragak turned and immediately began running out of the room and away from their sight.

Kay _carefully_ rubbed the back of his head. This had turned out to be a VERY awkward visit.

* * *

 **A/N: BWAH?! 8U  
**


	68. Creeping in the Clouds

**Chapter 68: Creeping in the Clouds  
**

* * *

High in the air, surrounded by a flotilla of flying fortresses, there was one fortress in particular that contained the objective the zerg swarm needed. Within the several fortresses that only a few commanders lived in, there was a headquarters that needed to be infiltrated into. But getting into one of the commanders' headquarters was the most difficult part to Kay's plans, due to some complications that he had discovered.

By Kay's request, Corvurn had tried constructing armor that could negate the psionic frequency that the zerg communicated through, and in turn prevent the sky rings' ENO field sensor system to detect them. Sadly, it was later discovered that all organisms that have been attuned to the zerg hivemind became insane and feral once they were blocked from sending or receiving their psionic signals. But even then, some zerg tried to adapt past this psionic negating armor, via growing nerve bundles which grew between the armor plates that blocked their psionic signals. Sadly, such an adaptation had completely defeated the purpose of the psionic signal blocking armor. Despite Kay's wishes to bring a team of untraceable zerg into the flying fortress that one of the commanders lived in, he dawned upon the conclusion that this mission would have to be carried out by himself, and it meant that he had to block his own connection to the zerg's psionic hivemind.

The other zerg commanders, with Virid being temporarily excluded from the picture, were against such a tactic. But they were in agreement that it was a necessary handicap. To remain undetected by the Golden Star Empire's sensor network would enable a means to discreetly enter into the flying fortresses.

But Kragnon was able to provide further assistance, which had made sure that even if Kay was disconnected from the zerg hivemind once he began his infiltration mission, he wouldn't have to be completely alone while he sneaks within a flying fortress.

But Kay's biggest problems were the flying fortresses themselves.

The most abundant flying fortress were the escort fortresses. They were the fastest out of all the fortresses, and were among the first to have been constructed that were specifically designed to be the first response unit to a zerg infestation. They were shaped like a horizontally flattened canoe that had an upside-down vertically flattened canoe connected onto its top, and were five hundred meters long. Lining its bottom, sides, and top contained several turrets that had specialized anti-air and anti-ground turrets that frequently fought against infantry sized enemies. They were often used as either scouts that are fitted with remote-controlled drones, or were used as shields to protect other flying fortresses.

The carrier fortresses contained several combat and scout fliers that expanded the empire's control over a wide area. It was cross shaped, where each 'bar' had an upright and horizontally elongated triangular prism, and its thrusters were set upon its ventral side at the bottom of the hovering vessel, with the outermost side of the cross sections containing the flier delivery bays. Such fortresses were eight hundred meters wide and slowly spun as they hovered over the ground. The fliers were often piloted by drones as they were launched out of the delivery bays, equipped with either anti-air weapons or heavy bombs. They were often deployed on heavily infested zerg territories.

Destroyer fortresses were the primary brute force combat machines of the Golden Star Empire's flying fortresses, and the amount of destructive power they can deliver was astonishing and terrifying, compared to be second only to General Pallax's war machine. Pinnacle Superior's capabilities may be a remote controlled destroyer type flying fortress in its own description, but what the destroyer fortress had in firepower, they lacked in maneuverability and defenses. But even so, it had several high-powered cannons and missile systems, specifically designed to attack distant enemies kilometers away. They were an effective answer against ultralisks, brutalisks, leviathans, and any massive zerg organism that dared exist on the surface of Kiln. They were shaped like long, wide, yet blocky chevron triangles that had many of their heavier guns set on the forward edge of their bow. They measured to be a kilometer wide and long, and had several more artillery cannons that dotted the top of the fortresses that were installed onto the fortresses in later years. As more cannons and missile launchers were added to the destroyer fortress, more thrusters were installed underneath to keep it from crashing into the ground, but degraded their maneuverability further.

Due to recent advancements in gilanian empire technology, there were several other types of flying fortresses that had varying shapes, and many being quite extravagant in appearance. These custom fortresses were designed with elegant shapes or sometimes built to have metal statues that lined their hulls, thanks to the contractors. Their constructions was paid for by wealthy aristocrats that wanted their own private flying fortresses. Several of them were protected by their own flotillas, having paid an exorbitant amount of vouchers to have their own privately owned fortresses to be protected from any zerg threat that dared threatened their property. As a joke, the soldiers of Gollog's empire had mockingly named the aristocrats that owned their very own flying fortress as commodores. Sadly to their chagrin, the name had stuck. It was unclear who had came up with the joke title, but the title of 'commodore' was forevermore cemented into the minds of the gilanian empire citizenry as an aristocrat that owned his own custom flying fortress. It was rare for a custom fortress to have no weapon systems installed on it, since such weaponless fortresses often had the protection of other military fortresses that an aristocrat had hired, which were later nicknamed leisure fortresses.

The largest flying fortresses that existed were known as capitol fortresses. Significantly less maneuverable than a destroyer fortress, capitol fortresses were made to house an entire city population of gilanians. When it became apparent that living on the surface of Kiln was no longer a viable option for empire gilanians, Commander Faddoh had designed an enormous flying fortress that could house millions of gilanians. These capitol fortresses, or 'city ships', were not only made to house a population of gilanians, but were also engineered to create more flying fortresses, even creating duplicates of themselves. Such ships were three kilometers long, four hundred meters tall, and were shaped like an oblong disk that was pointed forward, bearing the resemblance of a huge and flattened egg. The capitol fortress structures could open up from its middle, which could enable onlookers to look at its insides and see what kind of fortress its workers are currently building. Capitol fortresses are capable of building other capitol fortresses, but can only do so in segments, which could take a great deal of resources and plenty of time. Their size often made them prime targets for the zerg, though they were often defended by carrier fortresses and destroyer fortresses. Oftentimes, there are only a handful of capitol fortresses in the air at once, since they are destroyed as often as they are made. But there was two in particular that the two of Gollog's commanders have taken residency in.

And in a vote between choosing Kralluf or Ralkan, Othafurn and Corvurn had chosen Kralluf's headquarters would be the primary objective for Kay's infiltration mission.

* * *

As the day turned into dawn, the sky became darker to reveal the several thin lines of light that was high above the ground, signifying the presence of the sky rings. But there was also a fleet of flying fortresses that were hovering quite high above the ground, and they followed after the ground deployments that the Kiln Keepers fielded. There were several types of these fortresses, and each type were often used in a specific role that helped protect the entire flotilla, or struck down any zerg that they encountered. There were several that were hovering toward Red Desert, and they were slowly getting near the crater that had replaced Red Mountain and the underground village that no longer existed. The zerg were reported to be reemerging in that area, while the Kiln Keepers were sent to eliminate the infestation and contain the territory that was once the red danger zone.

In one particular capitol fortress, near a place that was constructed to be used as storage space, a foreman was bored out of his mind as he transported eight crates that were made from sandmold. "Humph." He currently wore sterile white clothes, with a hardhat which had an insignia that signified him as the foreman.

He was currently operating an electric cargo transport platform with two other storage workers, also wearing white attire and hardhats without the foreman's insignia, and they too were delivering several crates through a long passageway. The crates had their addresses labeled, which contained instructions detailing that they were to be delivered specifically to Commander Kralluf's storage area, inside of his capitol fortress. One of the workers that worked under him, on the other hand, was both inexperienced and was having anxiety with his task. "I never would have thought I'd be delivering to a Golden Star fortress. I mean... What if they shoot us?"

The foreman shook his head. "Yanvy."

The worker looked up. "What?"

"Shut up." The foreman growled.

Yanvy adopted a crestfallen look, while the other worker patted Yanvy's back. "This is his first time delivering something into a militarized fortress, boss. Don't you have any words of encouragement to help Yanvy out?"

The foreman sighed. "Oh yeah, Pelkas? Here's a few just for Yanvy then. Don't give them a reason to shoot you. Gods-damn motherfucking antsy little sewer vaph."

Yanvy slouched depressingly while Pelkas tried to give comfort to his coworker. Apparently, it wasn't easy mailing crates to the locations they were to be delivered to. Especially so if such cargo had to be delivered to incredibly dangerous people. And in the span of twenty years of fighting against the zerg, tensions was at an all time high, just as morale was at an all time low. It didn't matter that they were in the relative safety of a flotilla in the sky, since they knew that there have been a few occasions where even entire fleets of flying fortresses were hunted and destroyed by the zerg menace. Such was the casualties of life that the Golden Star Empire military forces had accepted a long time ago.

A gated military checkpoint stood between the foreman and the storage area he was delivering the crates to, and it was diligently guarded by four guards that wore the Torus Chain Division uniforms. One was picking his nose as two others seemed to be invested in reading a book at a table that was strewn with varying objects and devices on it. There was one guard that seemed to be in charge of the checkpoint, and he signaled the foreman to roll his electric platform to a stop. "Evening. Where's this being taken to?"

The foreman tipped his hardhat to the officer. "To deep storage."

The guard in charge nodded. "Aight." He turned around toward one of the other guards. "Hey Gaka! Get the bar-code scanner!"

The guard picking his nose stopped. "Why do I always have to be the one to scan things?" He whined.

"Because you're a private, and I'm a corporal, and I ordered you to get the scanner because you know how to work it. Get it now before I file a complaint." The corporal hissed.

The private named Gaka rolled his eyes and went to the table that two other guards were reading their books on. He fetched a device from the table and walked toward the crates, and then used the device he had picked up to read the crates' bar-codes. After inspecting his bar-code scanner device, his eyes narrowed into an inquisitive expression. "... That's odd."

The corporal sighed as he walked towards Gaka. "What is it? Wrong address?"

"No, the address is correct." Gaka reported. "But it's the sender that's got my attention. Do we know someone by the name of Farmer Nongark?"

The corporal shared in Private Gaka's confusion. "A farmer? Why would a farmer ever mail a bunch of crates to us?" He said as he approached the crates and inspected them closely. The main composition of the crates consisted of sandmold, a fairly common material that is crafted from silty sand that was drenched with strong resins, which is also used in creating a cheap material for building construction. When someone from within the empire decides to send someone a crate of whatever things they needed, the crate was almost always made of metal, consistent of the division that sent the crate. If, for example, a citizen from within the empire, or an officer within the Torus Chain Division, wanted to deliver something to someone, the packaging they would mail would be colored dull gray with small accents of bright yellow. The thought of a surface dwelling gilanian delivering something to a capitol fortress was quite unusual, and the corporal knew that this wasn't standard procedure. "Gaka, open the crates."

Gaka sighed. "Can you have Goffot and Wabam help me? You and I know that they love heavy lifting."

The corporal nodded his head and hissed. "Get started opening one of the crates then." He then turned to the book-reading guards. "Goffot! Wabam! We're inspecting the crates, so get your books bookmarked and assist us!"

The two guards sighed as they put their books down and came to the crates to inspect them. Once several had been opened, what they had found surprised them. Gaka was the first to voice his opinion. "Uh... Most of the stuff inside these crates are... powdered egg packets, dehydrated fruit, bagged bugmeal, and smoked vaph meat strips."

The corporal dug through one of the crates to inspect the cargo. He sneered when he looked at one item in particular. "... What kind of ass sends only one can of mushroom broth? Everything else in these crates are just... standard low-grade military rations!"

The foreman shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea sir. I would just assume the food created from your manifestation altars doesn't really taste very good, even if everyone assumes otherwise."

The corporal pointed the can of mushroom broth at the foreman. "Shut up, you. I'd rather eat wet clay mixed with spices and artificial flavorings, instead of consuming this gross bilge." He looked down at the crates with a leery glare and thought about how to deal with this most current nuisance. "... This is very irregular. ...But I'm not gonna go through the tons of bureaucratic paperwork needed to sort out whatever possible infraction this causes. That kind of job is for the higher ups."

"You mean..." Gaka sighed. "Close these crates and let the deliverers through?"

The corporal nodded, pocketing the can of mushroom broth into his uniform. "Yes. In this day and age, food is a much better bribing substitute than any amount of vouchers or water can accomplish. Get these crates closed up and carted through. And please put them as far away from the door as you can? I'm not particularly fond of the idea of eating any kind of vaph meat sometime soon."

The foreman nodded. "Sure can. I'm not too fond of vaph meat either."

Once the crates were closed shut and placed back on the electric cargo transport platform, the gated checkpoint opened up and allowed the delivery workers to continue on their journey. Several minutes later, the same delivery workers came back to the checkpoint and left without making another incident. After that, everything went back to normal for a brief moment.

* * *

The storage area had low lighting throughout its interior. It was abundant, but it was only enough to guide anyone within the chamber to be redirected to the entrance that lead into this room. Several crates and boxes were stacked high, and were stacked in a grid-like pattern to maximize on storage space, ensuring that items of a similar nature were neatly categorized for later inspection and sorting.

One of such crates rumbled, slightly breaking the silence within the capitol fortress' storage area. After a couple seconds of rustling and clittering, one of the sandmold crates was torn open from the inside to reveal a humanoid figure, clad in misshapen grey armor and sporting bone wings with metal blades on every spiked tip. As this dark figure rose from the opening in the crate, he slowly looked around his new surroundings to find himself devoid of any form of company.

After a cautious scan of his current environment, he then donned an info-lens onto his partially covered face and activated them. After waiting a few seconds for the device to come to life, he then began to make a call. Once a communication channel was formed, he sighed in silence and spoke in whispers. "I'm in."

[Testing, testing, one two.] Kragnon's noble accented voice chimed in. [Can you hear me alright?]

The infiltrator nodded. "Yeah. One of the guards inspected one of the crates I was in, and I was a little worried at first. Luckily for me, they didn't suspect that one of the crates had a false bottom at all."

[Well, the important thing to take note of your infiltration mission is the fact that you have made it in without being noticed yet.] Kragnon said in relief.

"What about you? When you gave me this info-lens, you said to contact you when I'm inside and by myself in the target capitol fortress. Aren't you worried about being tracked?"

[They can't track you or me through our conversations at the moment. We can even have up to a hundred calls between us, and it wouldn't make a difference. Using an encrypted pattern released in micro-second bursts of shadow frequencies, we can have each call last as long as a couple hours. Trust me, they won't have enough time to detect or decrypt our communication signals once we're done here.]

"Uh huh. And what did you say to your wife before you came on board with this mission?"

[I didn't. I asked a favor from Johnny, and he had a doppelganger assume my place. I'm just hoping that my lookalike doesn't get any bright ideas and haves sex with her.]

The infiltrator rolled his eyes. "I'd rather doubt that. Is your position secure, at least?"

[Yes. I am currently underground, and using several incognito proxies with our communication link. Even if I hack into the capitol fortress' computer systems to help ease you in your infiltration efforts on this mission, I will be quite secure and quite anonymous.]

[This is irksome.] A worried female voice said in a gentle thrumming tone. [To communicate to you in this fashion is... somewhat unnerving.]

Kragnon sighed. [Oh. And uh... Othafurn and Corvurn are here as well.]

[Command organism Kay.] Corvurn said, in his usual low bassy growl. [Report current condition often. Organism Kragnon will assist in infiltration mission.]

[Gah~!] Kragnon yelled. [Could you not be that close to me?!]

[Apologies. Will maintain distance from personal boundaries. However, Kay's mission requires concentration. You will assist.]

"Better listen to him, Kragnon." Kay intoned. "He's not the kind of guy to use pronouns, and this is the first time I think I ever heard them coming from his mouth. This must be serious for him."

[Uh... Right.] Kragnon said and sighed. [Kay, you seem to be on... Level forty five, in the subsection twelve-eleven storage area. I think this is where they put junk mail before everything gets sorted for incineration.]

"Uh..." Kay replied, feeling some concern for himself.

[Don't worry. You're still safe.] Kragnon added. [They still have to sort through everything before incinerating it all. I believe it's part of their standard procedure. Anyway, here's an addendum to your current mission. Since the surveillance staff never needed to survey the storage area in a fortified flying fortress before, you should be safe from being discovered. But that doesn't mean you cannot be detected by them if you are not careful. When you enter into a room that is being watched by a camera, your info-lense will warn you if you entered into its field of awareness. You'll have only a few seconds before the surveillance staff detects you and raises an alarm. On the other hand, it will take me about five seconds to hack into the cameras near your location to fool them. Even then, I will need to undo the hack in order to prevent the surveillance staff from figuring out that there is a mole in their surveillance system. I'm guessing that I can only use about... sixty seconds of playback footage before they start becoming aware of my intrusion. But if you get caught, I cannot assist you any further, else I would risk my involvement in your infiltration.]

Kay nodded. "Well that takes care of the cameras, but what about any of the other kinds of security systems? Do I have to worry about pressure plates on the floors, and doors that require codes?"

[That shouldn't be a problem for me.] Kragnon replied. [But I would prefer that you root around for any clues that gives any information and details to the passwords for the door codes. And as for any pressure plates that you might come across... Uh... Step lightly? To be honest, I don't even know if there are any on this flying fortress.] Kragnon replied.

Kay stood up and shrugged his shoulders as he proceeded forward in the dim light inside the cargo hold. "Wonderful advice. Keep it up." Kay replied sarcastically.

[But there are bio-metric scanners between different checkpoints in the civilian and military sections. I advise you to not pass through any one of those.] Kragnon added.

[I will also keep you informed.] Othafurn said, adding her say into the conversation. [Despite the empire's persistence in rooting out the undercover changelisks in their ranks, there are a few still hidden in the empire's command structure. They will help ensure your anonymity.]

"How will I know if they are one of us?" Kay asked.

[You won't. Assume that everyone inside of the flying fortress is a gilanian belonging to Gollog's empire. If it means killing one of our own for you to remain undetected, then it will be a necessary sacrifice.]

Kay sighed as he continued forward. "Kay, good to know. Here goes nothing." His infiltration mission had begun. "Wish me luck."

* * *

 **A/N: My birthday is coming in a few days. :U  
**


	69. MB13: Cancerous Luck

**Chapter 69: Major Battle 13: Cancerous Luck**

* * *

Within the command center of a capitol fortress, several surveillance officers and colonels were working together in their tireless tasks that would seem like a silent chaos to those uneducated to Golden Star military protocols. Such military prowess was second-nature to them, but it was a well known fact that such continuous service can wear down the morale of even the most stalwart of men, and it mattered not if such men were either human or alien. Twenty continuous years of fighting against the zerg had the hindering side effect of taxing the mental health of the Golden Star military. Even when the Kiln Keepers had offered them the opportunity to war in their stead, the zerg had made it abundantly clear to everyone that the robotic prison guards couldn't effectively shield their prisoners from the swarm, or be able to fully eradicate them by their own methods. Such was the reality that the Golden Star citizenry, military, and what remained of the lingering empire, was forced to accept.

A commander, dressed in a set of silver armor with blue accents and a cape, paced back and forth as he surveyed his men with a judging eye. Oftentimes in the earlier years, he would bark at anyone that dared lollygag or not follow protocol to a certain level of professionalism. He considered any lapse in clarity or concentration as a danger to his command, and had drilled several lessons into his men that such behavior would compound and compromise the military strength of the Golden Star Empire. But after fighting for so long, even as he kept diligent watch for any flaws that could further compromise his ability to command his troops and the Kiln Keepers, he was beginning to feel his resolve slowly weaken. It was a heretical thought to Kralluf. A cyborg that was supposed to have a will of steel, was gradually rusting away? Kralluf had immediately casted that thought away from his mind. No matter how weak the flesh is, the spirit of a commander needed to be the epitome of tactical brilliance, and to be a spirit that contained an unbreakable will.

But fighting this long war, especially against a foe that's as tenacious as the zerg, was substantially deleterious to everyone's mental health. Kralluf himself was beginning to have doubts, even when he chose not to voice them.

One of the communication officers in Kralluf's command center turned around and saluted at his commander. "Sir. General Pallax has sent a communication invite addressed to you. He requests your presence in a conference call."

Kralluf was silent in his answer for a few seconds. He then looked at his communications officer. "Did he specify who would be present in the conference call?"

"Uh... No sir." The officer replied.

Kralluf growled and furrowed his brow. "Then send back this message to General Pallax. Unless he also has Faddoh in the conference call, I will not be attending it."

The officer was hesitant, but he nodded and saluted again to his commander. "Y-yes sir."

Kralluf shifted his gaze to the rest of the officers under his watch, and sighed. Oftentimes in the distant past, he couldn't bring himself to care about his other commanders. He often commanded his own division to the breadth that his power allowed, and it was usually to the extent of 'liberating' territories and resources that were not aligned to the Golden Star Empire. But in recent years, he was becoming more concerned about the morale of the soldiers in the empire, as well as the well-being of his fellow commanders, his general, and his emperor. But there was one person he had became most concerned about recently, and it was Commander Faddoh. It's became quite the sore subject for him, since the robotized Commander loved to go on a tangent and talk for hours on end. Perhaps it was one of the perks of having ones consciousness in a metal body, and being able to flap one's lips incessantly on virtually any topic?

But in the latter days that followed, Faddoh was becoming more curt when he had to attend a meeting or conference call. So much so that his conversations only lasted for a few minutes, or even seconds at times. Today was incredibly irregular for Kralluf, however. He had received no messages, missed calls, or any form of mail from the eclectic scientist that is in charge of the Cube Research Division. Nearly every day, since the day Faddoh had been promoted to commander, Kralluf was harassed by his seemingly limitless ability to yap about any topic that came to his mind. But today, for the whole day, Commander Faddoh had not made any attempt to communicate with Kralluf. Not once. Something was up, and Kralluf believed this trend started sometime in the early morning. He wasn't sure what had happened to cause Faddoh's sudden silence, but he wouldn't work up the nerve to call Faddoh himself. They were both complicated men, and they had their own habits and routines that each adhered to. And Kralluf needed to break Faddoh's current routine in order to find out what kind of outcome had changed his behavior.

"Sir." Said the same communication officer that reported to his commander. "General Pallax has informed me to tell you that he had sent a communication invite addressed to Commander Faddoh."

Kralluf nodded. "Good. I'll have the conference call here." He said, walking to the center of the room.

"Sir, yes sir." The communication officer replied, saluting.

Seconds later, six monitors were wheeled in front of Kralluf, and three faces appeared within those monitors. Sadly, Kralluf would only be talking to Ralkan, Pallax, and Gollog in this conference call. Embittered by the lack of a certain company that was supposed to be present, Kralluf decided to get straight to the point. "Where's Faddoh?"

Pallax sighed as he gave a straight answer to Kralluf. [I messaged him an invite to our conference call. However, it's up to him to decide if he wants to join us this afternoon.]

Kralluf growled. "You could have persuaded him that it's a mandatory call."

Pallax shook his head disapprovingly at Kralluf. [Kralluf, I am done being a mediator between you two. You and Faddoh have performed admirably within the divisions our glorious emperor had placed the both of you in, but I cannot abide to the position of a glorified hatchling-sitter that would sit between two grown adults. If there is something you want to talk to him about, then you can call him yourself.]

Kralluf hissed to himself.

Ralkan intervened into the conversation. [I don't think it's a good idea contacting him at the moment. Ever since the incident at the discovery this morning, he's been VERY reclusive. When I tried to ask him on what his current research projects were, he only said that he was heavily researching into something.]

[Like what?] Pallax asked.

[No idea.] Ralkan answered, shrugging his shoulders and sighing. [All he said is there was an information blackout that had to be investigated, but he never specified to me what it was. He has Guik helping him investigate into the matter, but I don't know much else than that.]

Pallax sighed. [This must be serious if he's not filling us in with whatever data he's found so far.]

Kralluf stamped the ground. "That's not good enough, Ralkan! Maybe you haven't heard it from me, but I had received no communicative contact from Faddoh. Like, AT ALL. Something odd happened and it's got our top robotic scientist spooked."

[Actually, now that you mentioned it, I have never heard you express sympathy before. That isn't normal either.] Ralkan said, voicing his analysis.

Kralluf leered at the image of Ralkan. "Don't you ever call it 'sympathy', you gangly fuck. ... I would rather prefer to announce it as 'burdened professional concern'."

Ralkan rolled his eyes. Pallax sighed, and had spoken next. [Whatever you do, Kralluf, bear in mind that personal matters does not mix well with business.]

[Indeed.] Gollog said in a droll tone. [It is akin to mixing water with oil.]

Kralluf sighed. "Then let's not beat around the bush any longer. Why are we having this conference call?"

Gollog adjusted himself. [We merely wanted to have the most recent update about the condition of the danger zones in the Red Desert. I heard from several reports that the anomalous effects produced within the danger zones have finally been lifted. Sadly, the reports didn't state who or what was responsible. What is the current status with your danger zone investigations, Kralluf?]

Kralluf nodded. "The Kiln Keeper robots have reported as much to me. I had sent some soldiers and scientists down to investigate the anomalies in the outermost danger zones, and they have confirmed that the anomalous effects are absent. However, despite our successive purge of the zerg in the orange zone, and finding the discovery located at the center of the red zone, this 'information blackout', as Faddoh called it, manifested hours after the anomalous effects disappeared, just as the zerg organisms in the orange zone turned docile when the light cycle was at 23.534% waxing."

[Docile?] Pallax repeated.

"As in refused to attack the Kiln Keepers or my soldiers. When fired on, they just retreated away from us a few feet at a time. It was almost like they lost the will to fight back." Kralluf took in a breath before he continued. "Anyway, when the blackout happened right when the light cycle was at 43.725% waxing, the ENO sensor network malfunctioned, and my ground teams investigating the red zone and the discovery was reported missing. Worse yet, the Kiln Keepers operating in that area was destroyed by an unknown attack, reported so by an Intelligent Automaton Kiln Keeper variant. Worse still, the information blackout had removed all information relating to the discovery. We still don't know what could have caused it and who did it, but we can only assume that it was done by a group of computer hackers that knew what they were doing."

Gollog sighed and looked down for a few seconds before speaking again. [This does not sit well with me, Kralluf. How come I was not made aware of this sooner?]

[Yeah.] Ralkan chimed in. [And what is with this 'discovery' thing I keep hearing about? I tried to access the military information network on any kind of relative data that's stored there, but I found nothing.] Ralkan paused for a few seconds before his face slowly contorted into soporific realization. [... Of course. The information blackout. I am such an idiot for forgetting that so quickly.]

Gollog raised his hand. [Many of you were asleep when the blackout happened, whilst my attention was diverted on a matter regarding our informant's information. We already know that the information our informant had shared with us was also shared with the Era Agency, and we learned of this years ago when we tried to share our information with them. Whoever our informant may be, he may very well be an ally that exists outside of the Era Agency's peripheral awareness, and that fact alone has them scared. We originally thought that the informant had came from the Era Agency itself, but we can confirm now that our mysterious informant acts alone and has access to the Era Agency's time traveling technology.]

Kralluf nodded and sighed. "Yeah, them era agents were always a paranoid bunch. If something doesn't work for them in a timeline, they try to change it up at the risk of making things worse. I wouldn't be surprised that their interaction with the flow of our world's events led up to the zerg's origination."

Pallax narrowed his eyes at Kralluf. [Origination?]

Kralluf nodded his head. "Yup. From the information that I have analyzed, regarding the zerg individual we know as Kay, the bug-man beast-master that commands the zerg, he and his monsters seemed to be only interested in attacking and infesting empire assets, and any faction that was actively hostile against them. He also shared his desire of finding a way to escape Kiln's prison system. Judging from the scant recordings of his conversations between the commanders, the general, and the emperor in the alternate timeline, Kay has a great deal of intelligence that is deceptively downplayed. There had been no sightings of him for several years now, but I'd still assume that he came from a place that is outside of our prison system, one that is rich with a history that even we cannot fathom."

Gollog sneered. ['Rich in history'... Pah! I would consider it to be a great miracle for my old eyes to see what lied beyond our veil's sphere. And yet, my jealousy burns at the thought of him having once lived outside of our veil. What I can only dream of only pales in comparison to what he had experienced!]

Ralkan's expression changed into confusion. [Uh... Rather than focus on the past, I think we should be more concerned about the present. Emperor Gollog, perhaps you can share with us on what you have discovered with your research?]

[Which?] Gollog asked dryly.

[We already know about the informant's paradoxical information from the other timeline, my emperor. I'd like to know more about this 'discovery' thing that I had only recently learned about.] Ralkan replied.

Gollog nodded. [Very well. Unfortunately, there isn't much I can tell you with readied confidence. It's the same as everywhere that I and my surveillance officers had looked. There are no image captures or video recordings that relates to the discovery at the center of the Red Desert. It was as if an expert computer hacking genius actively sifted through the entire information network and had pilfered or destroyed any visual evidence of the discovery. The effort made to expunge such data must have be done by a group of data infiltrators, and that they knew what they were doing. I could even say I was impressed by such an effort.]

[Do we know who did it?] Ralkan asked.

Gollog shook his head and sighed. [We do not. If these people attacked more confidential files, then our security alert system would notify us of the data intrusion. Since we didn't regard the discovery as confidential, the information we uploaded was easily accessible to all military assets. In hindsight, the data should have been labeled confidential in the first place. The hacker group must have found a window of entry, entered, did their damage, and left without us ever noticing. What perplexes me the most is the purpose of this data attack. Why delete all images and videos of the discovery? What would it accomplish? And more importantly, who did it and how? Sadly, these questions might not be answered in the foreseeable future.]

Ralkan nodded for a few seconds. [... How about descriptions?]

Gollog raised an eyebrow. [Pardon?]

[You know, descriptions.] Ralkan repeated to Gollog. [Even if there is no recorded video or image data, there has to be at least some sentences that gives us at least a few tidbits of detail on what the discovery looked like.]

Gollog nodded and smiled. [I see. I'll have my surveillance officers search through the remaining data to see what they come up with.] Gollog then addressed Kralluf. [Commander Kralluf. You are to spearhead your forces and reacquire new evidence of this discovery at the center of the Red Desert's red zone. You are free to exterminate, eliminate, and eradicate all zerg organisms that your forces encounter.]

Kralluf bowed before his emperor and smiled savagely. "Yes my emperor. As we speak, my forces are already mobilizing. They are currently re-creating a perimeter around the orange zone. As per standard procedure, the Kiln Keeper forces will be on the front lines, while my troops will back them up from behind, using good old artillery tactics and bomb runs. If those zerg monsters remained as harmless as before, I'm sure that-"

"Commander Kralluf, sir! Zerg are engaging the Kiln Keepers!" A surveillance officer barked.

There was a surprised, dumbfounded look upon Kralluf's face as he turned to gaze at the person responsible for the outburst. Several seconds after the disruption, Kralluf immediately turned to his video conference audience. "Uh... If you can excuse me, something just came up."

[Zerg?] Pallax asked bluntly, unamused by the current event happening before him.

"Zerg." Kralluf replied.

Pallax breathed deeply before releasing his own sigh. [Don't be afraid to request the deployment of Pinnacle Superior.]

"I'll consider it. End communication." Kralluf replied, craning his neck and huffing in frustration. "And I thought it would be easy from here on out." He then straightened up and began yelling his orders to his men. "ALL UNITS, AND ALL FLYING FORTRESSES UNDER MY COMMAND, HEAR THIS! WE ARE TO INFILTRATE THE CENTER OF THE RED ZONE THAT THE ENERGY PLANT WAS ONCE LOCATED AT, AND ACQUIRE VISUAL DATA ON WHAT IS DUBBED 'THE DISCOVERY'! IF YOU SEE ZERG, KILL IT! IF YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ZERG, DOCUMENT IT AND MOVE ON! ALL OTHER OBJECTIVES FROM HERE ON OUT IS SECONDARY! MOVE OUT!"

And so, the Kiln Keepers, and the Golden Star Empire military, went into battle with the zerg once more.

* * *

Corvurn was notified by the overlords of the sudden battles taking place around the newly created hive clusters, near the center of the Red Desert's large glass crater. He grumbled when he took notice of the opposition that was fighting the zerg. Apparently, the Golden Star Empire's military had enough time to pool enough resources, assets, men and robots to form a massive perimeter defense that circled the zerg swarm's territory. In twenty years' time, the Kiln Keepers had perfectly adapted to the tactics that he, Othafurn, and Virid had orchestrated against them. Especially more so when their ENO sensor network could detect the intention in their psionic hivemind connection, which would prompt the Golden Star military to try and counterattack the zerg swarm's tactics.

Othafurn had noticed this sense of consternation from the evolution master, even when he hadn't necessarily voiced it in the first place. _'Is something troubling you?'_ Othafurn asked, already safe in a faraway location.

Corvurn sighed. _'Empire and Kiln Keeper forces redoubled efforts. Current command organisms unable to stem attack forces. Swarm territory will recede. Significant loss is expected.'_

 _'For many years, you and I have kept the swarm the way it was as we awaited for Kay's return. He has returned, but it appears as though you are following old habits.'_ Othafurn said.

 _'... Astute analysis. Must reflect on strategies. Look for possible flaws. Remove detectable weaknesses. Command structure for swarm is limited. Command organism Kay's mission, unexpected variable. Swarm requires more psionic control. Overlord strain, insufficient. Leadership is lacking.'_

 _'Then the answer should be simple. Create a leadership caste to supply further control to the swarm.'_

 _'Hmm. Command organism Othafurn is correct. Closest template requirements analyzed. Queen strain can evolve to fulfill leadership role. Can expand crown. Contain more brain matter. Huge queen strain requires slight changes. Prime candidates for leadership caste. Function similar to command organism Virid. Little resources required to create leadership caste. Can create multiple broodmothers. Deployment imminent. Queen genetic strands appears malleable. Possibility for improvement? Will introduce accelerant during birth. Analyze results during deployment.'_

 _'I hope that Virid can forgive me for giving you this idea.'_

 _'Forgiveness, irrelevant. Adaptation and mutation required. Kay has returned. Held back mutations for twenty years. No more holding back. No more waiting.'_ Corvurn said, finishing his conversation with Othafurn. After that exchange, he went back to what an evolution master does best. Evolving the zerg swarm was his metaphorical bread and butter, and he did his work with an unseen pride.

The swarm will always adapt, as it always has.

* * *

[This is air recon group 12, Squad Captain Gakar reporting. Kiln Keeper bipeds are engaging the zerg.] A reconnaissance captain said as he coasted over the battlefield. Hundreds of meters below him and his accompanying stealth fliers, the bipedal Kiln Keepers unleashed their laser weapons upon the zerg organisms that were in their path. Flashes of red lightened up the late afternoon that was slowly becoming night, and the war zone quickly became striven with violence, destruction, and death.

[I think the walking robots are called 'authoriators' or something.] Another stealth flier pilot remarked as he watched both monsters and robots clash on the ground below him. It was a glorious sight to behold. The brood lords and guardians' projectiles struck hard against the ranks of the Kiln Keepers' formations. As the broodlings met with the Kiln Keepers in melee combat, the acid spore projectiles clashed heavily onto their metal bodies and reduced them to scrap husks that sizzled violently. The vipers were a dangerous force in the air, since they had the capability to abduct powerful units and provide a blinding cloud that cloyed their vision and limited their ranged attacks. Infestors worked with the vipers to dominate strong Kiln Keeper variants, since an abducted robot could be equally corrupted with a dominating neural parasite, hijacking its programing and making it target their allies instead. Some of the Crime crusher, Cage of Law, Justice Extremity, and Blind Judgement variants had unwillingly joined sides with the zerg swarm, and the swarm used the Kiln Keeper's own weapons against them to great effect.

[They're called Peace Keepers. They're as abundant as a vaph nest population in an unkempt graveyard. I heard stories that if you were on the wrong side of the law, then they would outright kill you. Especially if you committed a crime in front of them.] Bile launchers were formed from an advantageous distance away from the clashing battle. When the Kiln Keepers intruded in zerg territory, or in close proximity to the bile launchers, the stationary defense would rapidly launch large globules of scalding acid at every interval of seven seconds. The Kiln Keepers were quick to move out of the way of the acidic fluid as it splashed down near them, but they still proceeded forward slowly in order to detect any hidden surprises that were below the sands. But even then, the defilers were also a force to be heeded. Their dark swarms protected the zerg, even when they were under the thickest of laser-fire. Worse still, the defilers and infestors had evolved in their respective metabolisms. Rather than completely consume a zerg organism and kill it, the defiler had learned to take only what it needed, with each gratifying chunk of gory flesh consumed for the purposes of restoring energy, and leaving their partially eaten allies to survive and regenerate their health somewhere else. The infestors seemed to have picked up on the defilers' habits, also taking wholesome chunks of flesh from healthy and larger zerg, and also restoring their energy in the process. Even so, zerglings seem to be their constant and primary food source, and both defilers and infestors were often seen snacking on a hapless zergling when they strayed to close to their reach.

[Keep watch for any oculars, barnacle sentries, dread maws, and flier caretakers. If we fly too close to them, then our jig is up. Don't get caught, or we'll be heading back to our carrier fortress with our asses getting shot at.] Mutalisks, devourers, corruptors, and scourge became the antagonists of any airborne Kiln Keepers that flew above the ground and attacked the melee oriented zerg with impunity. Coupled with the vipers' parasitic bomb and the devourers acidic spores that weakened the defensive value of armor, the corruptors, scourge, and mutalisks ruled their territory's skies. As they ruled the skies, it gave the creep that grew across the ground the ability to quickly spread, aided by the brood queens, emerging nydus worms, and the odd toxic nest that appeared where there was no creep to grow on. Overseers and overlords maintained a safe position away from the conflict, but a daring few were selected to help spread creep further, or implant changeling and changelisk Peace Keepers that retreated past the firing lines, or acted dead as the unaware variants moved ahead and ignored their downed 'comrades' that fed their tactical positions to the zerg's psionic hivemind intelligence.

But that was when they began to notice certain details about the zerg monsters that swarmed against the Kiln Keepers. [... Hey uh... Anybody notice something different about those jags below us?]

They first noticed that the zerglings came in an alarmingly larger swarm than normal as they flooded out of the mouths of the nydus worms. They seemed to last slightly longer against the laser fire thanks to their bulkier carapace, and their attacks were slightly fastened due to an adrenaline overload. Their claws even gained the mutation that enabled them to strip and shred any Kiln Keeper variant of their protective armor. Ranks of the Peace Keeper variants were downed by floods of zerglings, coming in swarms that were egregiously larger than normal. They even leapt high into the air and descended onto their enemies with bestial glee and rage, confusing the Kiln Keepers' targeting capabilities. The zerglings' attacks were increased by the raptor strain, a green-winged zergling whose attack power was made that much more devastating, while their numbers were multiplied and supplied by the quick spawning of the swarmling strain's capabilities, a purple-spined variant that was spawned as a quick defense strategy against intruding enemies. To make matters worse for the Kiln Keepers, even the death of a single zergling would be easily replaced by another, since the dead zergling is reconstituted at a primary hive, only to eventually be respawned with renewed vigor.

Then there were the roaches, which seemed to come in two varieties that traveled in pairs, or in groups that contained an equal number of both breeds. One that was the green kind of roaches, which seemed to do slightly more damage against the Kiln Keepers' Peace Keeper infantry variant due to their hydroidic bile. And the other was the purple kind of roaches, which did the same amount of increased damage as its green cousins, but had created a more obvious effect on the enemies they attacked. Upon being attacked by the purple tinted roaches, no matter what variant had been attacked, the Kiln Keepers were heavily slowed in their ability to move and attack their enemies. The more heavy hitting Kiln Keeper variants, like the Crime Crusher, Justice Extremity, and Blind Judgement variants were crippled with this sluggish ailment as their usual crowd-clearing attacks were circumvented by an acidic sludge that caked their joints and made them move slower. The corpser strain of the roach variety was incapable of spawning roachlings from the destroyed Kiln Keepers, especially so since they had no organic components to convert into roachlings, but the other breed of roach had the capacity to slow down the Kiln Keepers, spelling their doom in eventual agony that was followed by their destruction. But alas, the two breeds of roach strains could still become and morph into ravagers, which had also acquired mutations that made them more lethal. In essence, their bile ducts became bloated, and the contents within them exceptionally potent. Now, when a ravager launches a glob of corrosive bile at a group of enemies, the attack would deal more damage and explode at twice the area of effect. Swaths of Kiln keeper infantry formations were reduced to nothing when the improved roaches and ravagers came into play.

What came next were the hydralisks. As they came closer to the fight, they seemed to absorb slightly more damage before they succumbed to death. It was a slight change to their usual longevity in previous engagements, but it was a significant boost to dealing more harm to their enemies attacking their territory. But what was more worrying was their sudden bursts of savagery. Seemingly half of the time, or at the start of an engagement, the hydralisks became enraged at the sight of their enemies and doubled their efforts to deal harm to them, effectively launching their spines and slashing their scythe-claws at a faster speed yet unheard of by both Kiln Keepers and Golden Star Empire soldiers. This power was also applied to the hunter killers, making them that much more lethal on the battlefront. Suddenly, the hydralisks of the zerg swarm were looking very dangerous to the stealth fliers at that moment. They saw that the hydralisks were given a sudden boost to their longevity and combat power. When their ancillary carapace was coupled with a burst of the hydralisks' moments of frenzy, they became a significant force that needed to be reckoned with. And like the roaches, the hydralisks' next transformations had also received several mutations. The impaler strain had gained the capability to further damage their enemies with their piercing tentacles, tenderizing them with savage damage. The lurkers had also improved, their range of attack being able to reach much farther away than before.

But this trend still continued with the banelings, as two more varieties populated the field of battle. Banelings with purple sacks rolled forward as they delivered their volatile selves to suicide bomb their robotic enemies. Like the raptor strain of zerglings, the hunter strain of these banelings launched themselves into the air and closed the distance in quick fashion, exploding the robots in splashes of acid. But the other breed of banelings, having green acid sacks that seemed to fizzle neon green mist, were even more troubling. When one of the greener banelings exploded, otherwise known as the splitter baneling strain, two smaller versions of themselves would replace their parent and deal extra, if slightly lessened, acid damage. But even with the new strains introduced to the baneling population, their attacks were increased by an alarming degree. Their acid splashed farther from their rupturing detonation, successive collisions with their targets suffered twice from the liquid corrosion, and any nearby zerg organism that was caught in the acid splash seemed like they regenerated their health from the dousing. They effectively evolved into a true tide of terror.

The mutalisks were also given a boost to their capabilities. For one, the mutalisks gained the ability to use two types of glaive wurms, switching between light targets with their vicious glaives, that bounced through six targets at once, or striking heavily armored targets with their sundering glaives, that sliced into them with lethal acid that chemically exploded everything it touched. But to only add to their already impressive attack power, their usually quick tissue regeneration was increased significantly when brought out of the fight. After a brief pause from the fight, with their health restored to full after a period of seconds, they returned to the fight with greater frequency to their attacks. Such rapid regeneration made them into a tremendously vicious threat to all foes on the ground or in the skies. Land or air, nobody was safe against the mutalisks. But their devourer metamorphosis had also gained and increase in their capabilities. Their gaping maws delivered their corrosive acid at an increased speed, while their prescient spores descended down onto any enemy that was on the ground, granting the devourers the ability to attack land targets. The devourers even gained an improvement to their acidic spores, becoming more osmotic and lasting much longer than before. Their acidic spore attacks even splashed outward in a corrosive spray onto nearby enemies, making the devourers a truly dangerous foe to fight against.

The swarm hosts had also gained new mutations, as well as two new strains that would hinder and kill the zerg's various foes. The swarm hosts could rapidly incubate and spawn locusts much more quickly than before, effectively swarming their enemies with devastating numbers that were summoned en masse. But the two newly introduced swarm host strains created quite the distinction in regards to their mutations. The carrion strain of the swarm hosts had kept their ability to spawn flying locusts, which could deal more damage to their enemies than what was normal for a regular swarm hosts' locusts could accomplish. They had slightly less life, but it paled in comparison to their damage output. When spawned, the flying locusts that the swarm hosts spawned would flutter toward their enemies, combating either foes that shared the airspace with them, or would swoop down and meet their enemies on the ground and target their enemy's anti-air capabilities. The creeper strain of the swarm hosts were more suited for a defensive role, being able to spawn locusts that had pressurized glands that can strike both foes on land and in the sky. Even though the swarm host creeper strain's locusts lost their ability to fly, their parent gained the advantageous ability to generate creep wherever it burrowed itself. Coupled with its other ability to deeply burrow into the ground and reappear anywhere where the zerg are present, whilst having a preference to emerge from a layer of creep, had given the zerg the ability to generate creep in locations that is far away from a hive cluster. An especially dangerous strain when used in conjunction with the shrylisks, a type of stealthy burrowing transport strain that had been assimilated into the zerg swarm twenty years ago. Hive clusters could be silently formed while they were diligently protected by a creeper swarm host.

But worse still was yet another group of reintroduced strains that worked together in the same frightening development. The ultralisks were usually an incredibly dangerous force of nature to contend with, since their carapace was so thick that the laser blasts the Kiln Keepers tried to take them down with was heavily mitigated. But now, their offensive power had reached into a whole new level of impossible capabilities as they burrowed straight through the ground and charged into the battle at the same time. The burrowing and charging ultralisks exploded out of the ground in a stunning display power, which also stunned their victims, making them vulnerable to further punishment. Their kaiser blades had developed a slight orange tint when they struck out against their enemy, as though the air itself became aflame when their monarchic blades passed through their prey. It was noticed too late that the momentum of their massive Kaiser blades wasn't slowed when they attacked. Worse still, the attacks they dealt to their foes seemed to invigorate them and restore the wounds they sustained. It was almost as though the Kaiser blades themselves assimilated the matter that was cut from their enemies and was resupplied into the ultralisks' tissue. But the ultralisks also had two strains that was produced from the zerg swarm. The noxious strain of ultralisk had gained the ability to create a constant noxious mist of acid particles that damaged nearby enemies, which can explode into a toxic cloud that can further injure their foes unfortunate enough to be close to them. They had the power to clear entire armies of infantry with incredible impunity. The torrasque strain of ultralisks were also a dangerous addition to the swarm. They might not have the crowd-clearing ability like their noxious strain brothers, but they could form a cocoon around their bodies when they verged onto their death. But once the cocoon hatched ten seconds later, the ultralisk torrasque is brought back from the grave, becoming ready to fight to the death again. If a minute had passed after their revival, then they could be revived from their next death all over again. The vipers began to assist the torrasque strain ultralisks as liberally as possible when the Kiln Keepers noticed that the cocooned siege breakers would become restored after their revival, using their abducting tongues to pull the cocoons out of the battle before the cocoon membranes were ruptured by the Kiln Keepers.

As the battle raged into the night, another new strain of zerg populated the conflict, staying behind the swarm's battle lines and replacing the queens duties of being the usual field medics. These new queens had a different appearance to them. They seemed to have smaller wings, differently shaped crowns, were slightly smaller than a queen, and seemed to have a purpler glow to their abdomens. Their healing capabilities seemed to me more gradual when compared to the previous queens, but seemed to restore more health in a bio-mechanical process of transfusion. They may be slightly weaker than a zerg queen, but the swarm queen assisted the wounded with a speed that was greater than their creep-dependent sisters, even when off of the creep themselves. Their presence in the battlefield afforded an ease to micromanagement in the commanding zerg caste, which enabled the normal queens to return to their hatcheries to spawn more larvae. The swarm queens were often assisted with brood queens, brave overlords, and creeper strain swarm hosts behind the battle lines, which helped further the spreading of creep.

[Flaws detected. Anomalies detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Deficient unit formation. Deficient unit composition. Upgrades required. Requesting additional assets. Modifying equipment. Altering current strategy. Awaiting assets. Warning. Strategy inefficient. Analyzing variables and anomalies... Analysis complete. All Kiln Keeper assets deemed inefficient. Requesting assistance from non-Kiln Keeper assets.] When the new strains were introduced into combat, and when the recent mutations were introduced to the swarm, the Kiln Keepers were experiencing more casualties than they had expected. Especially when the zergling raptors and both types of ultralisks entered into the fray, since the reduced armor that once protected the Kiln Keepers was removed by the zerglings, which was then attacked and destroyed in great swaths as the ultralisks rampaged through their formations, restoring their health as they burrow charged into the battle.

There was a sudden shift in the war between the Kiln Keepers and the zerg swarm, and it was obvious to the stealth fliers that the swarm gained a horrifying advantage. [Um... Command, be advised. The zerg... The zerg have evolved.]

[Air recon 12, could you repeat your last report?] A surveillance officer answered back. [You said that the zerg have evolved?]

[Confirmed, command. I'm looking at the ground here and I'm seeing all kinds of damage being done to the Kiln Keepers' Peace Keeper variants. The zerg are quickly gaining ground, and I think I'm seeing new breeds of zerg being deployed against them. I've never seen these kinds of jags before!]

[Understood, air recon 12. How quickly are the zerg gaining ground?]

[My math might not be as good as yours, but I see the jag zerg wining against the unassisted Kiln Keepers, and gaining more ground at triple than what's considered normal. Relay my video feed and you'll see what I mean.]

[... Oh gods... I will notify Commander kralluf immediately. ... He's not going to like the news.]

[I'm just the messenger, so what do I care? Either he kills me, or the zerg will do his job for him. Either way, I'm kind of fucked here.]

[Uh... Copy that, air recon 12. Continue with your reconnaissance until your position is discovered. If you survive for an hour, or if you come under attack, then you may return to the carrier fortress you deployed from.]

[Copy that, command. This is Squad Captain Gakar, signing out.]

[Spawners detected!] One of the stealth flier pilots following Gakar shouted. Below the formation of stealth flier airborne reconnaissance patrol, the bellied forms of the infestors and the blightbringers crawled toward the war that was drawing the swarms' attention. They dragged their fat guts across the ground and created a trail of fluids as they go, spawning infested gilanians that shot down both land and air enemies, while the blightbringer had the added ability to produce aberrations capable of boosting the defenses of other zerg next to them.

[Sigh... What about them? You already know that if you stay clear of their sporing, you'll be safe.] Gakar replied to his squad member. They understood the infestors' ability to create fungal spores that not only slowed and immobilized unfortunate victims, but would also grow destructive roots into their armor and flesh.

However, the blightbringers had finally developed an ability they hadn't had the chance to use before that moment in time. [... Ah! Captain! Spore growth is crawling across my hull!]

This recent variable wasn't ideal to the captain of the reconnaissance patrol. [Divert your flight pattern and slow down, pilot. Your injury will slow the rest of us down.] Gakar ordered, hissing in contempt.

[Uh... Yes sir. I'll-AAAAH~! TAKING FIRE! TAKING FIRE! LOSING ALTITUDE! SHIIIII- *static*] It was too late for the pilot that had the fungal growth growing along the hull of his stealth flier. Spines suddenly punctured through his aircraft at such an alarming rate, turning his stealth flier into Swiss cheese before everyone's eyes. The swarm queens, hydralisks, and hunter killers were quick to find an airborne intruder that entered their territory, and they reacted to the trespasser in the zerg swarm's usual draconian way of punishing such intruders.

It had dawned on the squad captain that the bright green glow of the fungus, that rapidly grew on the unfortunate pilot's hull, had turned him into a target in the night's sky. That, and he hoped that diverting the flight path of the injured aircraft, even if it was a slight turn, would allow the surviving stealth fliers a greater chance of survival. After all, it wasn't the first time that the zerg had to deal with flying stealth craft before, and nor was this his first time dealing with the zerg either.

But he also knew when it was a good opportunity to retreat when there is a minimum of acceptable losses. A gilanian proverb came to his mind at that moment. _It's never wise to tease a mongwedger more than once._ [Command, this is air recon group 12, Squad Captain Gakar reporting. One of our stealth fliers has been shot down. Returning to our carrier fortress now.]

[Understood, air recon 12. Your reconnaissance will benefit the Golden Star Empire's efforts in eradicating all its foes. May the emperor favor your loyalty.]

Gakar rolled his eyes, but he and his squadron was already making a speedy getaway from zerg airspace. As they attempted their retreat at that exact time, the ravagers below the reconnaissance patrol began to launch globs of corrosive bile into the air at uneven intervals. It was as if the zerg became aware of the reconnaissance patrol's presence that intruded in their territory, even if they hadn't had the chance to detect them yet. Two more stealth fliers died, but four survivors managed to escape from zerg airspace. From then on, it was smooth sailing over a marching sea of red dots. One of Gakar's squad pilots decided to voice his opinion. [Huh... That was close! Those bombardiers were very pissed off at us this time!]

[They discovered one of us, so they figured that there were several more that were flying recon in their airspace. They might seem like dumb animals, but they are dangerously, and deceptively, intelligent.] Gakar answered.

[This is shryik serpent shit! How is the empire supposed to cull these beasts if they can breed faster than we can kill them?!]

[I don't have the answer to that question, kid.] Gakar answered, keeping a sigh from escaping his breath. Somehow, the zerg had became that much more dangerous than before that evening. The flying fortresses may have been designed for the purposes of exterminating the zerg infestation, but all they had been doing was managing their population on the surface of Kiln. He believed that the emperor, the general, and every commander under them, are going to have a fit once they learned that the zerg had became stronger by a ludicrous degree.

* * *

Back at the capitol fortress that Commander Kralluf was stationed in, the surveillance officer that had received the video transmission from the reconnaissance patrol gulped in trepidation. He knew well that his superiors will not enjoy learning of this update on the war front. But once he swallowed his fear, he turned around and gestured to the silver and blue commander. "Uh... Sir. I have some disturbing reconnaissance footage that needs to be addressed, sir."

Commander Kralluf gave a piercing gaze at his surveillance officer for a few seconds, and sighed. He recognized bad news when he saw it, and the facial expression that his surveillance officer was giving him was spelled out as 'pretty bad' to him. "Better show it to me then. Put it on the main monitor."

"Sir, yes sir." The surveillance officer replied. He turned and went back to his surveillance monitor and sent the video recording to Kralluf's main monitor.

As the video played, Kralluf's expression remained stoic through half of the video. When he finally saw the different strains of the zerg organisms and how they had suddenly improved, his stoicism slowly degraded into shock and awe. "... This ain't good."

The surveillance officer nodded. "Indeed it is not, sir. How shall we proceed?"

Kralluf gazed back at the officer and huffed. "We're not going to take a break on the job, that's for sure. Call all available commanders, General Pallax, and Emperor Gollog. They need to know about this."

"Yes sir." The surveillance officer replied.

Kralluf shook his head and grumbled as he walked to the six screens he once used for his earlier conference call once more. Like last time, three faces greeted him again on the six screens. Ralkan's expression had a mix between unease and anxiety, while Pallax seemed more tired than normal. Gollog, the emperor of the Golden Star Empire, seemed marginally more agitated than last time Kralluf had talked to him, even if it was only a few minutes ago. [Commander Kralluf, do you have an update for us?] Gollog asked Kralluf.

Kralluf sighed. "Uh... Yes my emperor. I'm sending all of you a video file of a reconnaissance patrol that surveyed the zerg's territory earlier. Apparently, they have been holding back until this point."

Ralkan's expression became puzzled. [Holding back? Care to tell me what that is supposed to mean?]

"Watch the video I sent you. Now there's several new breeds of zerg fighting against the Kiln Keepers right now, and they are wrecking them much faster than before." Kralluf replied.

[How fast?] Ralkan asked.

Kralluf shrugged. "I dunno. Like... Three times more than normal? Watch the video and you'll know."

[I'm watching the video right now, but I still don't know what you... Uh... ... ... Oh... No way... Fuck... This is bad news!] Ralkan said as his became paler in the face as time went on.

Pallax narrowed his gaze off-screen. [This is too sudden of a coincidence. What was the factor that created this change in the zerg's tactics and evolutions?]

Gollog hissed. [Isn't it obvious? Ever since the energy plant had dissipated, and the information blackout had removed all data relating to the discovery in the center of the red zone, the zerg organisms became more aggressive as a response. And these new breeds of zerg have me concerned... It's as though they became aware of our attempt to enter the red zone again!]

Ralkan sighed loudly, depressed by the recent information he had learned. [We're all going to fucking die.]

Gollog rolled his eyes. [Ralkan, shut up.] He then sighed as he leaned forward and shook his head. [I didn't think I would have to use my secret weapon so soon...]

Kralluf blinked a few times. "Secret weapon? What is it?"

Gollog gave Kralluf a deadpanned stare. [It's a secret weapon, Kralluf. It's supposed to remain secret until it has been used. With that said, I want every Golden Star citizen and military personnel clean of all zerg diseases, and devoid of any brain leeches. After they have been completely sanitized, they are to MEM shift to the fifth sky ring satellite by tomorrow morning.]

Ralkan took his turn to blink a few times. [Uh... Emperor Gollog, sir. What do you mean by that?]

Gollog paused, but then breathed a heavy sigh before replying. [I'm ordering everyone to retreat into the fifth sky ring before the morning comes. I will activate my secret weapon once dawn arrives, and nobody will get the chance to survive afterwards unless they relocated in time. Do you understand?]

[Uh... Yes sir.] Ralkan replied, feeling hesitant to ask any further questions.

Pallax narrowed his eyes. [Emperor Gollog, with all due respect, you make it sound as if this weapon is capable of mass destruction on a scale that we don't fully comprehend.]

Gollog nodded. [That's exactly right, Pallax. Even your deductive and tactical genius can understand that even I have certain limits that I am willing to test.]

[Then that means you would risk genocide to our race in order to defeat the zerg?] Pallax guessed.

Gollog sighed. [Yes.]

Kralluf blinked a few times. "... I'm getting the impression that this weapon of yours is incredibly dangerous."

Gollog shook his head. [Only if you're still on Kiln when the next dawn comes. Rally your men, Kralluf. That includes you two too, Pallax and Ralkan. I'll inform Commander Guik and Commander Faddoh of the apocalypse to come. As of this moment, everyone in my empire is to evacuate the surface of Kiln.]

Kralluf raised a hand. "About that. Perhaps I can be the one to warn Commander Faddoh? I need to have a word with him anyway."

Gollog raised an eyebrow at Kralluf, then nodded. [Very well, Kralluf. You may. I will message him to accept your call. I'll even threaten about demoting him to janitorial work if he doesn't receive you.]

Kralluf bowed. "Thank you kindly, my generous emperor. I will now prepare for the coming evacuation, as per your instructions. End communication."

The screens surrounding Kralluf had went dark as the second conference call was finally discontinued. Kralluf stood there for several seconds before he slouched and sighed. The display of his posture was easily seen by the men under his command, but he didn't seem to care at all. The surveillance officer that reported to Commander Kralluf had finally spoke up to him. "Uh... Sir? What are our orders?"

Kralluf looked at his surveillance officer for a few more seconds, and then coughed and straightened his posture. "We are not going to abandon this fight just yet. We can set up the automated systems so that all flying fortresses can automatically seek out all zerg infested territories on their own. I want those automated systems activated at the last minute, so I want everyone to get the automated systems ready before sunrise. How long will it take for everyone to evacuate the flying fortresses and MEM shift to the fifth sky ring?"

"Exactly one hour, sir." Another surveillance officer answered him.

"Then activate the automated system an hour and five minutes before doomsday begins. Once the automated system is in place, then everyone at their stations is free to evacuate their respective fortresses and MEM shift to the fifth sky ring installation." Kralluf added. He then turned around and began walking away from the central command area. "I'm going to give someone a private call. I am not to be disturbed during this time."

"Sir, yes sir!" His men said, saluting to him as he walked away from his command post.

* * *

Kralluf sighed as he finally retreated back to his private quarters, which took him roughly ten minutes to get there. It had plain, yet serviceable furniture that dotted the inside of the room. However, the walls, ceiling, and even the floor, was draped and designed with various kinds of animal trophies. A large and stuffed mole/mongoose/badger animal that was the size of two bears seemed to be Kralluf's second-most prized possession. The ultimate trophy that Kralluf had hunted was hanging behind his desk, which happened to be an ultralisk's Kaiser blade, which was carefully carved by a diamond-cutter to be a sixth of its original size, and placed on a placard. The silver and blue hues within Kralluf's private quarters became brighter as he walked into it. He sighed as he went around his desk, sat in his desk chair, and looked dumbly at the monitor on his desk.

He really didn't want to do what he is about to do next. "Huh... ... ... Galfroy. Make a call to Commander Faddoh."

[Command detected. Requesting communication link to specified individual.]

A long pause separated Kralluf from what felt like an eternity. Patience was not a virtue that was easily mastered by Kralluf, but he endured the painful wait as he tried to connect to Commander Faddoh. But the call was accepted all the same, as the visage of a green-faced gilanian greeted kralluf. A grin was plastered on his face, but Kralluf had noted that the grin was somewhat lacking. [Kralluf! In all my years, I had never expected that you would call me! Oh, but even so, I'm hoping that you could call me again at a different time. Right now, I am teetering on the verge of some vital information that I need to uncover, and I'm worried that any distractions might-]

Kralluf instantly regretted his decision, but swallowed his displeasure. His pride was still on the line. "Listen to me well, you tin-canned vaph refuse. I only called you in the afternoon because you didn't make any attempt to contact me throughout the whole day. I talked with Ralkan, Pallax, and Gollog recently, and they said that you and Guik were researching into something relating to the information blackout, or the discovery that was discovered at the red zone." Kralluf paused and breathed in softly. "But in either case... Uh... Look. I'm not really the type of guy that buddies up with labcoats, nerds, smart-alecs or smarmy know-it-alls. I just wanted to know what's up with you, Okay?"

Faddoh's smile slowly lessened to a neutral expression, followed by a depressed sigh. [I know I can be somewhat... overbearing, Kralluf. I'm not even self-conscious about my behavior much of the time! Ever since I converted my memories and knowledge into data, and uploaded that data into this machine body, I have noticed that I am slowly losing much of my sanity over the years. However, despite such a dark moment of my history, I am still given a small ray of hope in my new life thereafter. Each day, I am reminded on how proud I am of my daughter and the deeds she is responsible for, and I would thank Emperor Gollog every day for giving me the chance to bask in her triumphs, and she to bask in mine. You and I know too well that the life one can live is worth living, when you have a purpose that inspires you to reach for any goal you desire.]

Kralluf rolled his eyes. "Yeah yeah yeah, I heard this before. Let me get to the point already. So uh... what was so important to you that you decided to not annoy me today?"

Faddoh nodded and sighed. [Very well.] After a brief pause of Faddoh looking left and right abruptly, he then leaned closer, making his face larger on Kralluf's monitor. [What I am about to tell you is top secret. No news of this is to leave this room, and there cannot be any information leaking out into the public limelight. I suggest we switch our normal communication channel frequency to using encrypted shadow frequencies instead.]

"Right." Kralluf leaned back in his desk chair. "Galfroy. Encrypt my current call, and switch its current communication signal to a shadow frequency bandwidth."

[Commands detected. Commands completed.]

Kralluf leaned forward and began to talk softly. "Alright, talk to me."

Faddoh sighed. [Right... To begin this cavalcade of secrets to you, I'll start with what I managed to uncover from the data regarding the information blackout. From what I understand, it was an inside job.]

Kralluf widened his eyes and narrowed his brows.

Faddoh nodded. [Sadly, I am unable to track down the traitors responsible for the deletion of this valuable data, but what I have discovered so far was shocking. They had spent a meticulous amount of time deleting every piece of video and image file that had documented the existence of the discovery, and it was just after something eliminated all of our forces stationed near the discovery when the blackout began. Or perhaps after the blackout began? Anyway, just before the information blackout manifested, the ENO field sensor network was recording several sudden spikes of ENO field activity. I looked at the readings, and they were so astoundingly high that even the ENO sensor network couldn't calculate the scale. However, even those records have been deleted by the blackout, but I had uncovered the information by going through the stored data of a hard copy information storage item.]

"What is it?"

[It's a simple diskette.] Faddoh replied with a sheepish smile. [However, this information blackout had gained the attention of the Era Agency. As such, they had offered to help us acquire the data that had been deleted from our systems. But in exchange, they want my daughter's assistance to help them gain the information they need to give back to me.]

"Uh... Wait, what?"

[Time travel shenanigans, Kralluf. Basically, then need my daughter's expertise and skills in order to gain the information they need to give to us. My daughter has agreed to work with them, while I continued on my end to snoop around for any additional data that would be important. Gollog might not exactly agree to this plan, but he is always the kind of person that wants results instead of details.]

"Mm-hmm. So what did you find out?"

[A single image that has captured the likeness of the discovery.]

"Send it to me. I'm kinda curious on what it looks like."

[Sadly, I can't do that.]

"Uh... Why not?"

[There is currently a salacious virus in the information network servers. I believe it was created by the hacker group responsible for the information blackout, and I think they used that computer virus to specifically attack all image and video files that relates to the discovery. However, despite the careful data wipe, I was able to pull the image from the diskette and use outdated technology to print the image on a sheet of plastic. Our call might be encrypted and using shadow frequency communications, but even showing this image to you, no matter how briefly, might attract the virus' attention.]

"Hmm... Well, is there anything else you want to cover with me before you show the image of the discovery?"

[... Hmm...] Faddoh said, leaning backwards and looking down in contemplation. [... Well, I think I covered most of everything? I suppose a quick glimpse is in order. I will give you about five seconds to memorize everything.]

"Why five seconds? Is the virus that quick to decipher an encrypted shadow communique?"

[I wouldn't know, but I don't want to take any chances either. Here it goes!] Kralluf saw Faddoh backing away and turning around to grab something out of view, only to flash the image to Kralluf for a little more than four seconds, but no more than at, or over five.

Kralluf blinked a few times, his expression devolving into utter stupor. "... It's... Enormous! Is this another zerg organism?!"

Faddoh shook his head. [Again, I wouldn't know, but it definitely has some similarities. But to add to the mystery, the discovery had disappeared from the center of the Red Desert's crater during the information blackout. Something that humongous would have a hard time covering its tracks if it tried to escape across the desert. So far, we found none.]

Kralluf sighed as he scratched his head. "Does this mean that this... mass is immobile? Or did it dig itself underground?"

Faddoh shook his head again. [These are the wrong questions to ask me, Kralluf. We don*static*w what it does. But the best we can hope for is to be v*static*nt.]

Kralluf tilted his head. "Uh... I think you're cutting out for me, Faddoh."

[... What? I*static* hear *static* ... Oh no, this *static* means that *static* virus *static* affect*static* comm*static* We *static* at *static* are *static* lose *static*]

The connection between Kralluf and Faddoh had ended abruptly. Kralluf sighed. It felt as though that this virus was also responsible for the disconnection between himself and the commander of the Cube Research Division. Kralluf grunted and got up from his desk. At least he had learned everything he needed from Faddoh. But at the same time, he knew that he needed to be careful. Somehow, somewhere, there was a traitor in the Golden Star Empire's ranks, and Kralluf was getting the impression that it wasn't someone that had parasites behind their brain, or was infested by the hyper-evolutionary virus. "Well this is fucking great." Kralluf said to himself, walking around and pacing between his various trophies.

He walked up to an aquarium and inspected its contents, sneering at it in contempt. It was a present from his own emperor, a gift for becoming a commander to his military division. The other commanders had significantly better commendation rewards, compared to what he was given. But in hindsight, he probably would have killed the other commanders' little pets if he was given theirs instead. Kralluf's gifted 'pets' were not even worthy of being hunted.

However, as he inspected the aquarium, he noticed that the lid was left slightly ajar.

Kralluf turned around and looked down at the ground as slowly as he could. Barefooted footprints.

The silver and blue commander sampled the air as softly as he could. He tasted the familiar smell of something wet and sweaty that clung to the air. And it had the stench of the zerg.

It wasn't very pungent, but it was a subtle hint that he had overlooked. Kralluf was then reminded of his most recent conversation with Faddoh, a topic that regarded a traitor, or several, that was within the very command structure of the Golden Star Empire. Kralluf slowly walked up to his desk and reached under it. A conveniently hidden, density-altering, hammer-axe was pulled out and gingerly held within Kralluf's hands. "Galfroy, lock this room down. Notify me of any commands that would circumvent my previous command, tell me who ordered the command changes, and tell me where to find them."

[Commands detected. Initiating lockdown.]

"Good. Now direct me to the closest life sign that is not my own." Kralluf commanded, craning his neck and letting it pop.

[Command detected. Calculating... Calculation complete. Life sign location: behind the door to the bedroom.]

Kralluf immediately sprang into action as he threw his hammer at the door. The hammer wrenched the door from its hinges, which forced a muffled groan to trickle from an injured person seconds later. Kralluf entered his own bedroom to look upon his supposed saboteur. However, his eyes widened inextricably when he saw who it was.

It was Kay.

* * *

 **A/N: Haven't had a major battle in a while, huh? :3**


	70. Mighty Malicious Power Commanders

**Chapter 70: Mighty Malicious Power Commanders**

* * *

Kay's nose was suddenly bloodied by the door which had unexpectedly crashed into and slammed onto his face. He clutched his facial injury as he squirmed on the floor. Despite the tough carapace that covered much of his body, his carapace didn't offer any form of protection to most of his head. But at least he was rather thankful for the regenerative capabilities that the zerg achieved in their evolution.

But then there was one particular problem that had manifested itself within that moment. Kralluf had discovered Kay in his own bedroom.

[Kay, the worm we've installed in Kralluf's computer server is going to take some time. Stall him for a few minutes.] Kragnon instructed Kay.

Kay had only ducked into Kralluf's bedroom so that he could try and keep from being discovered, since he didn't want Kralluf to know that he was snooping into his possessions. But alas, when Kay looked up, it dawned upon him that his stealthy infiltration mission was at risk of being discovered. A pause of several seconds passed between the floored zerg commander and the Crescent Arm's commander, which had filled the air with pregnant and gravid uneasiness. Tense awkwardness perverted the air, while a poignant sigh emanated from Kay. "Well... Um... Thid id a fine pickle I'm in." He said, sounding as though he had a head cold.

Kralluf was in disbelief. He slowly pointed at Kay. "You're... You're Kay, aren't you?"

Kay blinked for a few times, but he understood Kralluf's incredulity. This was the first time that Kralluf had ever met Kay within this new timeline. Kay rubbed at his nose, feeling the cartilage within painfully crinkle back into place. "I might not dound like mydelf right now, but uh... Yeah, I'm Kay."

Kralluf chuckled slightly before he positioned the bladed part of his hammer to Kay's neck. "After all these years... After decades of fighting the zerg threat on Kiln... Hahahaha! I finally have the opportunity to meet you in person!"

Kay looked up at Kralluf with a flat expression. "... I uh... I didn't come here to fight you."

Kralluf shook his head. "Don't care. Stand up slowly, and I won't take your head off. Steady now." Kay rolled his eyes as he slowly got up from the ground and wiped blood from his mouth. Once Kay was standing upright, Kralluf inspected his body with prided scrutiny. "... Huh. The archived video footage made you look smaller than I thought. And you certainly didn't wear this weird looking armor too."

Kay gingerly raised his arms above his head. "Call it a fashion statement." Kay felt as though his nose was clearing up fairly quickly, even if there was still some blood clotting his nasal passages.

Kralluf shook his head with an amused huff. "I'd expected something more frilly if you were actually trying to make a fashion statement. But enough of this distracting banter. Why are you here?"

Kay paused before he answered. "... Would you believe me if I told you I was trying to find a way to destroy the sky rings?"

Kralluf gazed into Kay's eyes. He nodded, but looked as though he wasn't satisfied with the answer. "I wouldn't doubt that, but that is not what I wanted to know. Why were you in my bedroom?"

Kay shrugged. "I needed a hiding place. Your bedroom seemed like the perfect place. It allowed me to eavesdrop on your conversation with Faddoh, but I kinda wished that you knocked on the door before you busted it down on my face."

Kralluf shook his head. "To be fair, this is my bedroom. I don't have to knock on any doors when in my own private quarters."

Kay paused. "... Well, you got me there."

Kralluf backed away from Kay. "Now don't move from that spot."

"What are you going to do?" Kay asked.

"I'm going to contact the other commanders, and notify the fortress guards, that there is an intruder in my private quarters." Kralluf answered, walking back and nearing his desk. He then began to use one hand to interact with his desk's monitor.

[Kay, don't let him raise an alarm! It'll lock the worm out the the capitol fortress' information network! You have a few more seconds!] Kragnon urged Kay.

Kay hardened his gaze. "No no no, you're not going to do that."

Kralluf scoffed. "And why is that?"

"Because I'll stop you." Kay warned.

"I have my density shifting hammer-axe trained at your head. Move in a way I don't like, and it's going straight through your bloody face like a skin covered vase." Kralluf warned back with a hiss.

"Dense or not, even projectiles can be redirected from their target if you alter their trajectory quick enough. I'm giving you one last chance to stop what you're doing, or else I'll make you stop." Kay growled.

"Sorry, but you're going to have to make me." Kralluf admitted. "As much as I would like to talk to you and get the opportunity to know my enemy better, it's still my duty to kill all that is zerg. If I killed you, then I can remove one of the zerg's leaders and finally acquire a strategic advantage in this long war." Before Kralluf got the chance to raise an alarm, a razor tipped wing glided across Kralluf's desk, which destroyed his monitor and keyboard. Kralluf responded to the attack by instantly shouting _"LAUNCH!"_ which made his hammer-axe launch toward Kay.

Kay needed scants seconds to use his other bone wing to deflect the hammer that threatened to smash through his face. He barely had time, but his wing was bent dangerously in trying to deflect the melee projectile, but he redirected the launched hammer by only a minimal margin. Kay could feel the hammer itself grazing the left part of his face, making his cheek rip off of his mouth and flap violently across his jawbone. The impact alone made Kay violently twist around in several circles, which then quickly crumpled to the ground in a dizzying land. The hammer had impaled itself into the nearby wall shortly after.

Kralluf sighed as he checked the damage on his monitor once he saw Kay falling to the ground. He frowned in contempt when he noticed that his computer monitor was cut into three pieces, and that the keyboard was no longer operable. "Dammit! You busted my monitor and keyboard!" He slammed his fists on his desk and stood up. After that, he walked around his desk, intent on finding the fallen Kay to punish him. However, when he rounded his desk, he didn't find Kay laying down on the ground. Somehow, Kay had vanished, leaving only a trail of blood and s puddle of red that marked where he had once been. After a pause of several seconds, Kralluf soon realized that he didn't put Kay out of the fight just yet. "Galfroy! There is an intruder in my-"

"Nuh-uh!" Kay shouted as he leapt over Kralluf's desk as hands descended and covered the commander's mouth. Kralluf had his mouth held tightly closed, which prevented him from shouting out his next command. "Thash not going to happen." Kay had sneakily crawled around Kralluf's desk just as Kralluf thought he had knocked down his foe. He even used Kralluf's own desk to block his sight, and launched a surprise grapple when the opportunity was presented to the former spectre.

[The alarm didn't go off. Phew! Just a few more seconds, Kay!] Kragnon urged.

Kralluf struggled to get his next sentences out, and tried to grab for the hand that was over his mouth. When Kralluf did grab at the hand that prevented him from speaking his command, Kay was in for a nasty surprise with what happened next. Somehow, Kralluf's strength was a lot stronger than Kay had anticipated. He could feel his own hand getting crushed under so much pressure as Kralluf squeezed with his cybernetic augments. In a fluid motion, Kay's hand was pulled away from Kralluf's mouth, had his arm leveraged over Kralluf's shoulder, and then pulled down forcefully. Kralluf then turned around in a quick motion and targeted Kay's other arm and wrenched the elbow backwards till it made a crunching noise. After Kay's arms were broken, Kralluf launched a series of punches that were quick and efficient, disorientating Kay and pushing him backwards untill he was against a slightly ruined desk. "That's enough lip from you!" Kralluf yelled, grabbing Kay's head and kneeing him, forcing him to fall backwards and land on the desk. Kralluf quickly noticed that he had pulled a bit of Kay's cheek flesh from his own head when he delivered that knee-kick to his chin. He threw the lump of flesh onto the ground.

"Ragh~..." Kay grunted, limply rolling on Kralluf's table as he tried to get up with his arms, but failed when he noticed too late that they had been broken by the silver and blue commander. "You're... ougher an you look." Kay strained to say, slightly shaking his head from the concussion he was experiencing.

Kralluf shrugged his shoulders and groaned. "Just because I don't fight in most zerg engagements doesn't mean I didn't upgrade myself. Galfroy! There is an intruder in my private quarters! Activate the intruder alert, and send an emergency notice to the every commander, and to General Pallax!"

[Commands detected.] There was a sudden klaxon that blared Kay's ears, which also alerted everybody that was within the capitol flying fortress.

[Dammit! My link with the worm is cut off! Sorry Kay, but you're getting no further help from me.] Kragnon said, sighing.

Kay grunted painfully as he swiped a healthy bone wing at Kralluf. Kralluf braced himself, but was launched against the glass containment of Kralluf's aquarium, making the rocks within itself shift around violently. Kay rolled off of Kralluf's desk and weakly landed on his feet, but he then stood up and began flexing his arms. His bones were mending, but it would take a good while before they were back to their full strength. At least he knew that the bones in his arms would strengthen against being broken again, sans any future amputations that would remove his limbs. At least he could feel half of his sheared lips growing back. "That was *cough*... That was a stupid thing you did, Kralluf. I'm going to have to kill you now." Kay said through a pained moan.

A rock pelted Kay's head, making it shatter into several pieces upon collision. Kay looked up to notice that Kralluf had reached into his opened aquarium to retrieve a rudimentary throwing projectile, which made Kay taste the bitter dust particles of the thrown stone in his lungs. Kralluf gestured to the embedded axe that was stuck in the wall. _"RETURN."_ By his command, his hammer had pulled itself out of the wall and quickly floated toward Kralluf. After catching his hammer, he then gestured to Kay with a taunting expression, urging the zerg intruder to approach him. "Whatever the hell you were trying to get from my home, you're going to fail trying to attain it."

Kay growled. "Before I get what I had came here for, at least you'll finally be out of my way when I rip out your heart." Kay lunged forward and aimed his wing's flange blades at the commander. Kralluf was quick to anticipate Kay's attack as he dodged to the side and hooked Kay's wing with his hammer-axe. Kay tried to retrieve his wing, only to find it quickly fastened to Kralluf's weapon. "... Uh..."

Kay lost his balance when Kralluf swung his hammer-axe, which lifted Kay off of the ground and pulled him into a circling swing that tossed Kay into Kralluf's aquarium, making the container explode in a shower of glass. Kay shakily pulled himself from the glassy shards that lacerated much of his face, though did little damage to the rest of his body that was covered in carapace. It was then that he felt a numbness to his wing that once had been stuck on Kralluf's hammer-axe. It felt as though it was sliced off. He could hear Kralluf preparing another attack right behind himself.

Kay reacted by spinning around and avoiding the heavy melee, elbowing Kralluf's head, grabbing it, and then grabbing a stone from his aquarium and smashing it against the shiniest part of his chrome head. A vibrating ring emanated from Kralluf's head, making him take a few steps back and holding the sides of his temples. Kay took this opportunity to rush at the stunned commander and tackle him. The shoulder attack pushed both Kay and Kralluf through the desk in the private quarters, forcing Kralluf to drop his hammer-axe as he collided onto one of the trophy-filled walls.

Kay's bent wing was slowly straightening as the battle ensued, and was intent on using it to deliver a fatal blow to Kralluf. But Kralluf fell and rolled backwards, dodging the sharp wing before it could kill him, and delivered a kick to Kay's knee. Kay lurched over, which gave Kralluf the window of opportunity he needed to pull Kay's head forward and charge him onto the trophy wall. Kay was briefly stunned for several seconds as his head was punched straight through the wall that was decorated with several antlers. Kay struggled, but he pulled his head from the deep indent. Once he had turned around, Kralluf was already pulling several kinds of antlers from the walls and fashioning them into sharp punching implements.

Kralluf then began using those newly crafted antler-gloves to punch Kay in rapid flurries and combos, while Kay raised his arms up to his chest and face as he tried and block the piercing attacks. Several sharp antlers broke off from Kralluf's attacks and were lodged into Kay's body, forming a bloody collage of ivory and bloodied carapace. When Kralluf's attacks finally ceased, it gave Kay a momentary period to relax as he leaned backwards on the trophy wall. He spat a small amount of blood. "Ugh... Damn... You might... be short... but you pack a mean punch."

Kralluf humored Kay. "I may be wasted on cross-country, but I am a natural sprinter. Very dangerous over short distances! _RETURN!"_ Once Kralluf was reacquainted with his hammer-axe again, he lifted his favorite weapon over his head and readied himself to deal a massive blow to Kay's skull. It would have been a fatal strike that would have ended this battle.

[Perhaps you should use your psionic abilities? *static* Since you have already been detected, masking *static* psionic presence from the sky ring's sensor network would be moot *static* point.] Othafurn said. It sounded to Kay that his helmet's connection to Kragnon was experiencing technical difficulties.

Kay held a hand up at Kralluf, which forced him to remain still as a vice-like compression field stopped the commander from moving. He began to slowly rise above the ground as Kay's telekinetic abilities affected and controlled Kralluf. A scowl that bared teeth plagued Kay's face. "At least I'm a quick thinker." Kay then jumped and heavily dropkick-ed Kralluf directly in his chest, launching him across the room and colliding with the wall at the opposite end. After Kay distanced himself from the silver and blue commander, Kay steadied himself on his feet and took in several deep breaths as he focused his psionic power on his body. Within seconds, an orange mist seemed to manifest around Kay as he concentrated on his wounds. The ivory colored protrusions that were stuck in his body was slowly pushed out, which quickly clattered onto the ground. His missing bone wing was also growing back at a rapid speed, which soon mirrored its shape with another wing as they became a completed pair.

Kralluf grunted as he stood up, but then paled when he saw that Kay was quickly recovering from his injuries. "... You can accelerate your regeneration? That... doesn't seem very fair to me."

Kay grunted as he removed a rather lengthy antler from a rather deep stab wound. "As an old expression that I remember goes, 'all is fair in love and war.'"

[Kay, you *static* get out of there!] Kragnon suddenly urged, with desperation heavily laced into in his voice.

But it was too late as an invisible force descended over Kay. Before Kay even knew it, he was forcefully lifted and slammed repeatedly onto the ground in rapid succession. Kay groaned as he felt several bones in his arms, legs, wings, and ribs within his body, grind and snap from the sudden force being applied to him. After the violent slamming, Kay's body was then slammed a final time and left on the floor. Much of his armor had shattered into tens of hundreds of pieces, and his helm was no longer of any use to him since all he heard was a long shrill of static before a bleep ceased the white noise, which told Kay that he was no longer connected to Kragnon, Othafurn, or Corvurn. Kralluf tilted his head when he noticed Kay's current predicament. "... What?"

"No need to thank me, Kralluf." Said a nearby voice. A gilanian-shaped robot seemed to have materialized from the very air itself. Its armor plating was a coppery sheen, while the joints were a neon green. It also seemed to wear some kind of black and purple vest that was tied to his chest with a strap harness. The machine stood proudly between Kralluf and the crumpled form of Kay. The green LED face bared a cocky smile as it watched Kay with amusement.

Kralluf hissed. "Faddoh, you bastard. How the hell did you get in here?" He hissed, using his hammer to prop himself.

"I came in through your bathroom." Faddoh explained. "I suspected that a zerg assassin would try to target one of us one day, so I had MEM devices secretly installed in every commander's private domiciles when all of you weren't aware. I also borrowed Guik's light-screen mesh before I had came here."

Kralluf shook his head. "... I need to talk to you about that later. Also, you have Guik's light-screen mesh? What for?"

Faddoh simply beamed a smile at the silver commander. "To test a theory. I had expected that the detector strains of the zerg organisms have their own methods of seeing through the Pyramidal Guard's invisibility-granting technology. I had also theorized long ago that Kay not only has the ability to detect ENO fields from his zerg organisms, but also low-emission ENO fields from every other organism to some degree. Since I am a robot that was equipped with a light-screen mesh, I had the perfect opportunity to test my theory. Turns out that I was right!"

"Gragck~."

Faddoh looked down at Kay and tilted his head. Somehow, Kay was still alive after Faddoh's surprise attack. "... Hmm. He's a lot hardier than he looks, no?"

Kralluf hissed. "Did you call for backup? I don't think the two of us alone can take him down."

Faddoh turned to Kralluf. "You have sent an emergency notice to the other commanders, correct?"

Kralluf nodded. "And to General Pallax."

Faddoh smiled and turned toward Kay again. "Good! We will have no problems then."

Coming out of Kralluf's bedroom, Pallax, Guik, and Ralkan walked towards Faddoh and Kralluf. After surveying the damage that was done to Kralluf's trophy room, Pallax shook his head. "Kralluf, have you been playing with your prey?"

Kralluf shook his head as he picked up his hammer-axe. "It was almost the other way around, but Faddoh came just in time."

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'cautious' as she looked upon Kay's crumpled form. "I see that the situation is dealt with perfectly. Commander Faddoh. May I have my light-screen mesh back?"

Faddoh nodded as he undid the straps of the black and purple vest, removing it from his person and handling it to Guik. "But of course, sweety! Here you go. But remember that Kay can sense your presence, even with your invisibility activated. And speaking of Kay, I wonder if Gollog will allow me to move him to a research facility?"

Kralluf shook his head. "Good luck getting him to agree to that."

Guik quickly retrieved the light-screen mesh and hastily applied it. Ralkan walked forward to look at Kay's broken body. "... So this is the bastard that fucked the other timeline our informant came from, eh? Doesn't seem very tough."

"GRACHK~!" Kay could feel his ribs snapping back into place, which made him cough some blood.

"AHH!" Ralkan immediately jumped back and threw a knife at Kay, which had embedded into his arm. Ralkan then hid behind Pallax.

Pallax narrowed his eyes at Kay. "Faddoh, you need to contain Kay before he becomes a problem."

Faddoh nodded. "But of course, my general! Containing with my manipulation field now!" Faddoh shouted, pointing both of his arms and enveloping Kay with distorted air. Kay could feel as though he couldn't move.

Kay began to lowly laugh. "Heheheh... You... fuckers..."

Kay was blinded by bright light as his face was zapped by Pallax's pistol. Pallax then sheathed his golden weapon as quickly as he had drawed it. "Quiet you." Kay's body was immediately smoking when Pallax had shot his golden pistol at him, which had also made the zerg commander lay eerily still on the ground. Pallax then turned to Ralken. "Connect to Emperor Gollog right away. We need to get this variable sorted now."

"Yes general!" Ralkan chimed, pulling out a plastic sheet from his person and tapping onto it. After a few seconds of delay, the image of Emperor Gollog was shown on its surface.

[What is it?] Gollog said, sounding annoyed. It seemed as though that the sudden evolution of the zerg organisms on the battlefield was wearing him down heavily.

Ralkan saluted. "Sir, we have captured a zerg command organism! Designation: The bug-man beast-master!"

Gollog narrowed his gaze. [You have captured the one known as Kay? Let me see him.] Pallax nodded, and turned the plastic sheet over to point its camera toward the weakened form that was Kay. There was a pause, followed by a gloating laugh that emanated from Gollog. [Hah hah hah hah hah! This is almost too perfect! After all these years of hiding, he has decided to come to us! Oh, this is almost too good to be true!]

Faddoh stood partway in front of the plastic sheet, using a single hand to keep Kay contained and paralyzed. "Forgive me for intruding into your merriment, my emperor, but I would like to request taking this individual into my care. I would love to acquire this new specimen for testing purposes, and I believe that researching his weaknesses will help bolster our forces even further on the battlefield."

Gollog shook his head. [There is already a deadline, Faddoh. I will be unleashing my secret weapon tomorrow morning. We have been over this.]

Faddoh bowed. "Then I humbly request that you postpone the activation of the secret weapon, my emperor. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that has been presented to us, and I believe that our empire would benefit from the study of his biology, entomology, and psychology! I greatly implore you to reconsider this, for this might give us the insight we needed to help us find a way to eradicate the zerg menace once and for all!"

There was a long pause, but Gollog sighed. [... Consider yourself lucky, Faddoh. I shall postpone the activation of the secret weapon to eight days from now. You have until then before everything living on Kiln dies.]

Faddoh smiled broadly. "Excellent! May I request a solid-fuel rocket to transport my specimen to my lab space in sky ring five?"

Gollog shook his head and hissed adamantly. [Under no circumstances can we allow such a monster into the only assured safe haven that the Golden Star Empire has. We have been over this, Faddoh. NO. ZERG. RELATED. TESTS. ON. THE. RINGS. Use your mobile research facilities instead.]

"Gergj."

The gathered commanders, and Pallax, looked down at the wounded zerg commander. Ralkan decided to voice his concern. "Uh... Pallax, didn't you kill him?"

Pallax shook his head as he raised an eyebrow at the still-alive Kay. "I used my pulse laser sidearm's stun setting. Bastard must be more faster healing than I thought."

"You fuckers..." Kay hissed out, even when his face was mottled with scabs and burnt flesh that had healthier skin growing underneath. A demonic, and smiling leer greeted the commanders and general. "... Are in for it now. _**R~A~A~A~A~A~A~A~A~A~A~A~A~A~U~G~H~!~!~!"**_ Kay pointed his two arms in front of himself and concentrated his psionic powers into a singularity, directing his mental energy at the middle of the gathered leaders of the Golden Star Empire. He had inadvertently activated this hidden power by accident once before, which reflexively manifested when he had his heart stabbed by Bubbles' blade. But at that moment, he decided to use that same power as an unstoppable attack that would remove many powerful leaders from the battlefield.

"GUIK!" Pallax shouted.

Guik acted quickly by summoning a black circle from her hand and using it to envelope the psionic singularity that Kay tried to create and detonate. When Kay released the psionic singularity, he expected an explosion to ravage Kralluf's trophy room that would also kill all of Gollog's commanders and his second-in-command. But the explosion didn't occur. Kay's face slowly deadened into a dumbfounded expression, while Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'nonchalant.' "Whatever he was trying to make, I have it contained."

Kralluf emitted a snort of amusement, while Ralkan walked backwards and cowered behind Faddoh. Faddoh simply beamed a proud smile at Guik. Pallax simply kept his gaze sternly affixed on Kay, already realizing that Kay was more dangerous than he seems.

"WHA~?!" Kay stammered. "H-HOW?!"

Guik turned to Kay and shook her head, as her face-mask's letters changed to 'coy.' "A lady never tells her secrets."

Pallax walked up to Kay and pointed his golden pistol at Kay's face again. "Faddoh, I thought that your specimen is contained."

Faddoh shrugged. "This isn't my fault, sir! My manipulation field emitters can only contain matter. Whatever that attack was just then, it must be a result of his... no, it HAS to be the result of his mental power being projected into a form of energy!" Faddoh explained frantically, almost sounding excited by the display of power.

Pallax paused, but then sighed. "... In short, no." He knew that even with both hands, Commander Faddoh was incapable of permanently containing Kay on his own.

Kay summoned a crushing field of energy that trapped Faddoh and Ralkan, gripping them in the air. It was the window of opportunity that Kay needed to propel himself forward in a psionically shifting lunge. Pallax yelped as he tried to fire his weapon and dodge at the same time, but he had his leg caught in Kay's attack when he attempted the dodge, and had his pistol destroyed by Kay's same attack.

Kralluf growled as he readied his hammer-axe. "GUIK! REBOUND HIS ATTACK!"

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'confusion' as she readied two black circles from her hands. "Are you sure?"

Kay rushed at Kralluf, his claws colliding and clenching onto his melee weapon with an intense strength. Kralluf was able to match Kay in terms of strength, but Kay was slowly gaining more leverage as he used his telekinetic powers to increase his own strength. "GUIK~!"

With little time to act on, Guik quickly ran up to the two commanders that wrestled with one another and ran up Kralluf's back. She jumped up high and descended down on Kay with one of those black circles that she seems to effortlessly command. When Kay looked up to see what kind of attack that Guik would unleashed, he felt his own psionic power emanating from her black circles. After that, a flash of orange light filled Kay's vision, and he immediately blacked out.

Somehow, a hole had formed within the capitol fortress after Kay's battle. A beam of light started from Kralluf's private quarters that ended up creating a swath of destruction at a diagonal angle, piercing through several levels of the flying fortress and punching out the bottom of the aircraft, which also damaged two other flying fortresses, and destroyed a flier. The apocalyptic burst of psionic energy was supposed to explode outward in a radial explosion, but Guik somehow contained Kay's energy in her black circles and later expelled it in a straight line that seemed to dismantle everything in its path.

But after that battle, Kay was no longer sensed by the zerg swarm.

* * *

 **A/N: Alright. I proofread all previous chapters and did some grammar changes. And before everyone freaks out, I switched the names of 'shryzors' to 'shrylisks'. I dunno why, but it just seems to roll off the tongue better. I'm sorry about my writer's block. Had to feed it to some rabid hamsters.  
**


	71. Sepulcher

**Chapter 71: Sepulcher**

* * *

There was darkness.

An unbelievable amount of darkness.

More pitch-black than the shadows of night.

Significantly gloomier than a graveyard painted with tar after dusk on a new moon, no stars, and cloudy skies.

Hollow of all light and significance.

It was akin to the unfeeling feeling of being unconscious.

And this unconsciousness was what one particular person was experiencing, of whom was dreaming of this ebony-filled rest.

However, like all dreams, there always comes a time when the sleeping becomes awake.

And then there was pain. Kay felt pain. Pain wracking his body at an unimaginable degree. As though hundreds of needles was stabbing through his carapace and injecting several kinds of numbing chemicals into his veins. His eyes could not open, since he could feel something covering them. Something metal? Kay also couldn't move his arms, legs, or wings. Metal shackles restrained his movement, and he could feel that he was enveloped by a cool liquid that flowed around him. There was an apparatus that was attached to his mouth and nose, which at least enabled him to breathe freely.

Kay was beginning to understand that physical strength alone could not break him from his hold, whatever it may have been. It was then that he decided to use his psionic powers to feel around himself from his liquid confinement. He felt outwards with his mind and tugged at everything. He avoided tugging at the needles in his arms, or at the apparatus that was on his face. With his psionic reach pushing outwards and touching everything, he could feel... a cold-pod type enclosure that he was inside of. Was it a cold pod? Kay didn't know if it was or not.

Reaching further outwards, extending beyond the fluid-filled tube that Kay was trapped in, he could feel that he was within a secluded room, filled with all kinds of medical equipment. Kay could feel the presence of two... no... three people in this room. Commander Kralluf and Commander Guik was in front of Kay, while Commander Faddoh was in their field of awareness. Kay was unable to detect the robotic commander known as Faddoh, but he could still sense him from outside of the confines of his containment, despite the fact that he lacked a biological brain. However, Kay was able to eavesdrop on their conversation as he was becoming conscious.

"Hmm. Can't we just kill him now?" Kralluf asked.

"No. Not yet. I need to perform several more tests before I abandon the specimen. Despite gaining so much data and research, I can scarcely believe that he had so much power within his own body." Faddoh sighed.

"Faddoh, we cannot hold him here any longer. Gollog and Pallax expects a body to turn up once the secret weapon has been activated. We are already coming close to our deadline." Guik said.

"Grah! I need to call Gollog." Faddoh growled.

"Why?" Kralluf asked.

"I need to have more time! The activation of the secret weapon must be postponed for at least another eight days!" Faddoh shouted.

It was just dawning on Kay that a length of time had passed between his infiltration of the capitol fortress and... wherever he was at that moment of time. Worse still, he can't sense his swarm. Another distressing detail that Kay had only realized just then. But even so, It would appear to Kay that that Gollog's secret weapon had not been activated, and that Kay's zerg swarm was still safe.

"Sir. The ENO field sensors are picking up something." Another voice called out.

"Huh? ... Does that mean we have an intruder in here?" Kralluf asked.

"That is impossible. My dark mausoleum cannot possibly be breached by a zerg organism." Guik added.

"No no, it's not an intruder. The ENO field sensors is picking up signals from the bio-stasis tank." The other voice called out.

"Hmm." Metallic tapping sounds could be heard in Kay's confined space. Kay froze. "It would appear as though Sleepy-head is finally awake."

"WHAT?! SHOULD WE BE WORRIED?!" Kralluf yelled frantically.

"You shouldn't be worried, Kralluf. Put your hammer down. Kay! If you can hear me inside there, then let me be the first to inform you that there are several explosives lining your bio-stasis tank! If you do something that we don't like, such as making your own way out of your confinement, then the explosives will vaporize you!"

"... I think we should still be worried." Kralluf said, his voice more distant than before.

"Faddoh, what kind of explosives have you decided to use?" Guik asked.

"Oh, just some decommissioned particle warheads." Faddoh replied nonchalantly.

"THAT'S IT! I'M OUTTA HERE!" Kralluf roared. His running footsteps eventually faded to nothing in the distance.

"Faddoh, you should have warned me that you would be using explosives to contain your specimen." Guik said.

"Oh don't fret, my sweety! It's just a necessary precaution to contain a dangerous monstrosity, whom of which wouldn't hesitate to mutilate our bodies with diseases and injuries when given the chance." Faddoh said in a comforting tone.

Kay thought that Faddoh's announcement about the explosives was strange, because Kay couldn't feel for any bombs that was close to his current location. Kay could only assume that the bombs were somehow hidden, or that Faddoh had bluffed about the bombs. But for the benefit of the doubt, Kay remained still and refrained from acting against his captors' wishes.

"You know more than I do that my mausoleum cannot contain an explosion of that magnitude." Guik warned.

"The warheads I acquired were decommissioned because their explosive yield was too low. Sure, your mausoleum might suffer some structural instability, but the damage will not be enough to destabilize your maze or your inner-space facility." Faddoh further reassured.

"Even so, I would have wanted your permission first before you had installed anything that might destroy my facility, or harm its personnel." Guik chided.

"That's nothing but fiddle-faddle, Guik! Everybody knows that when it comes to the zerg organisms, you can only kill them with overkill. In fact, much of my research of these creatures had lead me to believe that the only efficient method of thoroughly killing these monsters is to destroy each of their brains, hearts, and livers. If Kralluf was still here, I bet that he might laugh at me and say that using his hammer-axe would be sufficient enough. Well, I would educate him by saying that even if the brain and the liver is destroyed, the heart would still pump blood through its body, and quickly scab over any fatal wounds. Depending on the damage done to the body, such as a clean decapitation for example, the blood could create a massive clot that could form a puss-like bubble filled with blood, which would form and regrow a new head within itself! Now if the brain was left alone, while the heart and liver is removed from a zerg organism's body, the brain would still be able to produce electrical signals. There are several kinds of bacteria that would be activated from the removal of the heart and liver, which would begin to reform the remaining organs into replacing the missing organs, via cellular redistribution. The muscles could reconstitute themselves as a new heart, while whatever remaining hepatocytes that still cling within the intestines would grow in size and become the zerg organism's new liver. And if the liver is the last remaining vital organ in the body, then there is a chance that it could grow a parasitic embryo that would feed on the corpse around itself, becoming bigger in size until it grows large enough to take on the role of its dead parent. Although it is to be noted that this biological behavior is only witnessed in the reviving razor fiends, but I wouldn't put it past the zerg to allow such an evolutionary adaptation be exclusive to those brutish beasts alone. But ah! I had no idea that such organisms even existed until their discovery! To surpass death by such leaps and bounds would be... Hmm? Guik? GUIK? Where did you go? You there. Can you tell me where Commander Guik had went?"

"She disappeared from my sight, sir. She used her light-screen mesh, and I think she left afterwards." The other voice said.

"Oh... Well... Do you know when she had left?" Faddoh asked.

"To be honest, I wasn't paying attention, sir." The other voice reported.

"Bah, you're useless! ... Well... Other than surveying the dangerous zerg organism in the bio-stasis tank, that is." Faddoh said.

"Uh... Yes sir." The other voice replied.

"Well, at least you are doing a good job. What's you're name again, ensign?" Faddoh asked.

"Ensign Gadral, sir."

"Well Ensign gadral, I have to tell you a small bit of advice before I leave you to do your business. Don't have children unless you're prepared to have them in the first place. It's the kind of advice that everyone should know. Some people might even call it 'common sense.' Hah, well considering the age that we live in, we're going to have to produce a lot of kids after the zerg are wiped away! Anyway, I think I shall go about on some other projects that need my attention. Make sure that our specimen doesn't leave his bio-stasis tank!"

"Sir, yes sir."

Kay sighed as he heard small collisions of metallic clanking began near him, which then dwindled to a soundless nothing. After yapping for so long, crushing silence finally manifested after Faddoh's departure.

...

...

...

...

...

And a crushing silence it was.

But Kay had no intention of letting this absence of activity bore himself to death, or allow some other factor to somehow end his life. He decided to make his own fun.

* * *

Gadral sighed for the umpteenth time as he sat in his chair and monitored the patient known by the Golden Star Empire as the Bug-man Beast-master. For six days he had been watching over this monster with diligent attention and with loyal dedication, yet he felt as though he couldn't keep his guard down for even a second. He was somewhat worried about being within the Pyramidal Guard Division's immortal mausoleum, since he had heard a few rumors regarding the maze that contained Gollog's most hated enemies. Apparently, if there was a criminal that wasn't deserving enough to be sentenced to death, the immortal emperor would somehow curse them with immortality and sentence them to live out their eternally lengthened lives within the mausoleum. There, hidden within the dark mausoleum, there was a supposed maze where its prisoners were trapped in, which is also where the shadow assassins of the Pyramidal Guard Division hunts and tortures the prisoners as a means to practice their craft. Or at least that was how the rumors went.

Worse still, the shadow assassins teemed within the Pyramidal Guard Division's mausoleum. Several seemed to have a preference for being completely invisible, even within their own mausoleum facility. There was a few times that he recounted a shadow assassin appearing right behind himself and asked him if he had the proper clearance to be in their facility. He could swear that they interrogate him incessantly because they think it's fun, have nothing to do, or think that he was cute. Or perhaps all three! The pyramidal Guard shadow assassins were purportedly known to seek out any disloyal soldiers in Gollog's empire and 'remove' them, usually by unassuming accidents that they had orchestrated to claim their lives. It was because of their dedication as Gollog's shadows that many nonaligned gilanian settlements become quickly conquered. Political subterfuge was a dangerous weapon against Gollog's enemies. However, such subterfuge was supposedly immune to the zerg swarm. Any technology, or even an ability, that could detect the invisible shadow assassins were enough to warrant a death from their blades. And it was obvious to everyone that the zerg needed to be dead in order for him to continue using his shadow assassins to inquire about his empire's loyalty and vanquish his enemies.

He would gladly pray for the day this terrible war ended, but Gadral would only do so in the silence of his own mind.

 _'Gadral'._

Gadral suddenly looked up. He saw that nothing was there. He looked left and right, but still found nothing. He paused for several seconds, but he shrugged his shoulders and continued surveying the monitor that was in front of him.

 _'Gadral.'_

He looked around again. "... Uh... Um... Is... Is anybody here?" Gadral waited many more seconds for a reply, but he had received none in turn. He turned his eyes back to the monitor before him, noting that there was no changes to Kay's condition. Apart from Kay finally being awake, that is.

 _'Gadral.'_

He sighed. "Alright. Whoever is calling me out, I want you to show yourself right now. This isn't funny anymore."

 _'I am visible to you right now.'_

"I still can't see you, so you're going to have to turn off your light-screen mesh. I don't want to feel around for you and end up touching your tail accidentally." Gadral huffed.

 _'I'm in the bio-stasis thingy, you jackass.'_

Gadral paused for several seconds and slowly looked toward the bio-stasis tank that Kay was stored in. Alas, all he saw was the floating form of a contained zerg commander. He looked at the monitor again and saw no further changes. He huffed slightly. "... I think this job might be getting to me."

 _'Ugh. If you keep this up, I am going to give you a daymare.'_

"Daymare?" Gadral replied to the invisible voice.

 _'Yeah, a daymare. It's like a nightmare, except you receive horrible images in your brain while you're awake.'_

Gadral scoffed and shook his head. "I'm not listening to a figment of my imagination. After my shift, I'm going to schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist." But before Gadral's day could continue in its usual monotonous manner, a zergling's paw slowly inched itself over Gadral's monitor, while bladed dorsal limbs that inched higher into Gadral's vision. When he finally noticed the glowing pair of eyes peering back at him, Gadral yelped and shifted backwards in his seat, falling down in a split second of sudden panic. When he got up from the floor and aimed his pistol, he saw that there was no zergling in his presence. He checked behind the monitor in case the zergling had ducked behind his workstation, but he found no trace or evidence of a zerg organism. "... Wh-wh-what?"

 _'Want one more? Just ignore me again and I'll give you another.'_

"What in the hell was that? ... Was that..." Gadral said, as he looked around for the zergling that was supposedly in the same room as him. But when he found no traces of it, he slowly looked at the bio-stasis tank that Kay was occupying. "... Was that really you?"

 _'To reward your credulity, I'm giving you another daymare. Can you tell me what the hydralisk is whispering into your left ear?'_

Gadral turned to his left and saw the scything claws of a hydralisk gently caressing his left arm. Turning further to his left, he could see the sharp teeth and mandibles coming so close to the side of his head that he could almost feel its hot breath. It made his own breath shorten, but he dared not bleat his own surprise again. "... Whuhuhhh..."

 _'Can't you feel him? So close to your face, so near your vital organs that he could just cherry-pick all the best bits at his leisure.'_ The hydralisk neared Gadral ever so slightly, a thin tongue coming out to slowly lap at the bare scales of his face. _'Ooh, I think he wants to chase you around! Care to play in this little game of his?'_

"... Th... This is not real... This is NOT real..." Gadral stammered, almost shaking.

 _'The mind makes it real, Gadral. I can make it so real for you that you would wake up in cold sweats every time you wake up, or this can become as pleasant and as intimate as your darkest fantasy. Although, I wouldn't want to go there, since you're ARE working for the bastard emperor that is my enemy.'_ The hydralisk's scythes circled around Gadral's torso, gently compressing his chest into a snug hug. A soft hiss emanated from the hydralisk, his breath smelling like raw meat and stale blood.

"Nn... Not real. Stop this. Please." Gadral whined meekly, feeling weak and helpless in that moment.

 _'But of course, it doesn't have to be this way.'_ The hydralisk's scythes retracted after it had finished hugging the panicking Gadral. _'Ideally, we could be allies sharing a common goal.'_

Gadral slowly turned around to look behind himself. Sure enough, he couldn't find a hydralisk. Not one claw of a scythe, or the dangerously strong mandibles and teeth that could rip chunks of flesh from a person's body. He had heard from Faddoh that the hydralisks had an impressive bite force that could easily break, crush, and splinter bone. He hurriedly began scratching his scaly left cheek, and frantically tried to rid himself of the frightening memory. "Huhuhuhuh~..." He shivered uncomfortably.

 _'Here is what I am thinking here, Gadral. You help me out of this bio-stasis thingy, and I won't rip your face off. In fact, if you denounce your loyalty to Gollog and his Golden Star Empire, then I will let you live to a ripe and happy old age! You could marry, have beautiful kids, and maintain a wealthy job that is more satisfying than the shitty monitoring position you have been tasked for. Hell, I might even let you have a punch at Gollog's stupid face! ... But I'm getting ahead of myself here. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kay, a commander of the zerg swarm.'_

Gadral shook his head and sighed, but felt defeated. He didn't want to invite further anger from the bug-man beast-master "Okay... Okay, uh... My name is... Wait, how do you already know my name?"

 _'I was awake when Commander Faddoh asked for your name. But I can also read your mind and find out your name that way.'_

Gadral paused, but then shook his head and sighed again. "I... I really should report this to Commander Faddoh..."

 _'Whoa whoa whoa hey hey no! If you do that, then I won't have anyone to talk to! I won't even have your company anymore! That, and I think Faddoh will take several brain samples from your head for analysis, if you so much as tell him that I have been telepathically talking to you.'_

Gadral paused again. Knowing full well of Faddoh's enthusiastic approach on even the littlest details, he would want to analyze Gadral with every painstaking method and procedure at his disposal. He would definitely dislike using a catheter for some of the tests. Gadral shook his head and sat onto his chair again. "Uh... Then again, maybe not."

 _'Now THAT is a smart decision! Perhaps I won't kill you once I escape?'_

Gadral immediately turned to the bio-stasis tank in surprise. "Escape?!"

 _'Yeah man! I have no intention on remaining here any longer than I need to. I think it's been, like what, six days that I have been stuck here? Anyway, the first thing I need to do is get out of this bio-stasis thing... y? ... Don't move, and act natural.'_

"Uh..." Gadral muttered.

 _'Don't 'uh' me, you jackass! There's a shadow assassin coming into this room! Fucking act like nothing is happening!'_

With nothing else to go on, he quickly began staring at his monitor. Everything seemed okay for the most part, but he felt as though there was a pit growing in his stomach. He could feel his heart rate heighten steadily, but he tried keeping his breathing slow and calm. He couldn't hear any footsteps, or see anyone enter the room from his peripheral vision. He waited and waited and waited, but he heard nothing. It was an ingratiating wait, and he didn't know how long it would last.

A sudden plopping sound disturbed him, making him look toward the disturbance in a startled jump. It was a plastic box. "Hello, little man."

Gadral sighed. "Oh... You..." He slowly reached for the plastic box and inspected it. The voice that had talked to him had no owner that Gadral could see, but he knew the softness of the voice very well. After opening the plastic box, he could see steam coming out of its confines, which filled his nose with a plethora of aromas that was both intoxicating and pleasant. His eyes lightened up. "Sauce-cooked krell chunklets. Fried skraken mushrooms. ... And boiled freshwater weeds?"

"With a slight sprinkling of fireroot shavings on the side." The bodiless voice said to Gadral.

Gadral was hesitant to dig into his lunch. He knew better than to start eating when in the presence of a shadow assassin. And he knew the voice of the person before him. Not her name, but Gadral knew her well enough that she happened to be the kindest shadow assassin out of all of the others in the Pyramidal Guard Division. Unlike some of the other shadow assassins, this one has a tendency to remain invisible and politely talk, rather than jump-scare him and interrogate him incessantly. And he also knows that she had a temperament that could get dangerously out of hand if he didn't treat her right. He set his food down and calmly turned to where the voice had emanated from. "What's the occasion?"

"It has came to my attention that my sisters have been less than salubrious to your position, as of late." The voice said.

Gadral shook his head. "I wouldn't blame them. They just wanted to test my loyalty to Gollog and his empire. That, or they were bored and wanted to have a laugh at my expense. Considering the kind of rumored shit that I hear you shadows normally get away with, it's no surprise to me that a copper jacket like me gets a chance to roam the unrestricted parts of your mausoleum."

"And I don't need to be the one to remind you that making theories on how our division functions is a punishable offense."

Gadral nodded. "Right. What kind of offense was that again?"

"A week within the maze of the immortal mausoleum."

Gadral sighed and nodded. "Sounds about right."

"Is something troubling you?"

Gadral shrugged his shoulders as he hanged his head. "Eh... I guess you could say that doing this bug-man beast-master monitor job is starting to wear me down. Work related stress and all that."

 _'Don't think I didn't notice that hidden barb about me, Gadral.'_

"Forget about what I said." Gadral said, huffing and glaring at the contained zerg commander.

"Actually, I can request for your reassignment with our superiors. Or perhaps have them schedule another soldier to take over some of your shifts?"

Gadral looked between the soft feminine voice and the telepathic zerg organism. Apparently, the soft-voiced shadow assassin was oblivious to Kay's telepathic voice. That, or she didn't catch on that Kay was active. "... Uh... No thank you. You don't have to vouch for me."

"Then shall I take back the food I had brought for you? Or would you prefer eating dried vaph meat strips, bugmeal rations, and powdered egg packets?" The soft voice said, sounding almost teasing.

Gadral glared at the air in front of him before sighing in defeat. "I can handle making a report to my superiors. All I have to do is be confident when I address them about my current position. If I successfully convince them to reassess my position, then I can have another officer help cover my shift. Might even get an assistant out of it."

 _'What?! Noooo! We were just getting to know each other!'_

Gadral sighed, and reached for his meal. "But I want to do it when the conditions are right. In the meantime, I think I'll accept this gift you have graciously given to me, and thank you for putting up with me."

"... Then I will leave you to your own company. My sisters will become suspicious if I don't return soon. They can become quite jealous... Goodbye."

Gadral sighed, even when he was left alone once more. The scent of the meal in front of him was quite delightful to his senses, even as the aroma of expensive food had filled the entire room. He grabbed a metal fork that resided within the plastic box and began eating its contents. The tastes were wonderfully flavorful with each and every bite he took. Even the fireroot shavings added a certain 'zing' that further played across his tongue. However, a minute had passed before his meal was interrupted.

 _'... So uh... She seems like she might have a crush on you.'_ Kay announced to Gadral.

Gadral nearly choked on his food. "Uh! ... Um... Don't talk to me while I'm eating please."

 _'As much as I would love to eat with you, I don't have that same privilege.'_

Gadral scoffed. "Well, it's a good thing that you're stuck in there, and I'm out here, enjoying my sauce-fried krell chunklets." He said, taking a bite of a dripping piece of meat.

 _'Then enjoy what creep tastes like, you fuck.'_

Gadral instantly gagged, spitting out disgusting purple jelly from his lips. After having a coughing fit for eight seconds, he noticed the small puddle of dull violet sludge rippled madly as he expelled it onto the floor. He took note that the substance he had nearly ingested tasted similarly to a slime mold, mixed with metals and old water, and was disgustingly viscous. "OH BLAGHAGHUAHOAGH~! WHAT IS THIS?!"

 _'Creep, you idiot. The only substance that is a staple food source for all zerg organisms, both mobile and immobile. Maybe you should stop antagonizing your prisoner when he has the ability to send disturbing images and sensations into your mind?'_

He swished his mouth with his own spit and spat out whatever foul-tasting pieces of food that clung to his tongue. "Blegh! You eat this stuff?!"

 _'I don't. But to be fair, I think I just absorb it through my carapace instead? I know that the other zerg organisms can absorb it through their carapace too, though I don't think they mind the taste at all. Not only that, the aftertaste becomes about three times worse, and you get permanent bad breath since the creep can flow into your gums and floss themselves between your teeth.'_

Gadral raised his hand toward Kay and sighed. "I don't need to know everything about you or your monsters. Can I just eat in peace, please?"

 _'Depends. Will you let me out?'_

Gadral _carefully_ took a bite of a boiled freshwater weed bundle. "Considering that you have plagued me with terrible visions, and have been a thorn to Golden Star's side, I'm weighing my options."

 _'Sigh... And this is what I get for trying to make friends...'_

"To be honest, you shouldn't be making friends with me. I don't need that kind of trouble in my life." Gadral said, taking another careful bite of his lunch. This time, it was a fried skraken mushroom.

 _'Well I guess fate has decided that we don't have that luxury! You're stuck with me until I can find a way to get out of here. You have your fancy food and your comfortable desk job. Me though? I'm a fucking lab rat, and I'm mad about it.'_

"Uh... Rat?" Gadral asked, confused.

 _'Or a science vaph, or whatever the fuck kind of metaphor that fits my situation. In case you don't know already, I'm mad, and I fucking want the Golden Star Empire to disperse. I say let its people be free to choose their own decisions! The zerg would be better off leaving this planet and escaping Kiln's prison system once and for all.'_

"..." Gadral paused for several seconds.

 _'... Hey, I felt that. ... Do you have some resentment against the Golden Star Empire?'_

"Uh... No?" Gadral lied.

 _'You're worried about blurting out your hate against them, because you're inside of the facility that the shadow assassins of the Pyramidal Guard Division are stationed in. Don't bother lying to me, because I can already read your mind.'_

"..." Gadral leaned back in his seat and sighed, eating one last sauce-fried krell chunklet and finishing the gift that the cloaked shadow assassin had given him.

 _'And not giving me answers just paints a broader picture to me than what you think you'd be letting on. Listen. I understand being in your position.'_

Gadral huffed, turning away from Kay. "You understand nothing. Leave me alone."

 _'I know what it's like to be at the top of your profession, only to be made a mockery of and decreased in rank so low that you no longer matter. It feels as though you no longer belong to the world. Before I had ever came here, I too was an assassin of sorts as well.'_

Gadral turned back to Kay and raised his eyebrow. "... Really?"

 _'Yes really! You see, before my fall, I was what you could have called a shadow assassin of my species. But when I was with the terrans, the faction I used to belong with, we were called ghosts. We were people that would become invisible, use sniper rifles to take down dangerous monsters and other targets, and could call down explosives that could raze entire armies with every launch of a nuclear missile. Hell, we can become infiltration agents much like your shadow assassins!'_

"... So what happened?"

 _'I'm not too sure... I think I was selected to become part of a project that got me hooked on some kind of performance-enhancing drug. I was told that this drug was supposed to further expand my mental abilities. Before then, I know that all I could do was send telepathic messages to the other ghosts in my unit. After I had taken a hit of that stuff, I and my other ghost brothers and sisters were renamed spectres ever since. But once I breathed in that mist... Terrazine, I think it's called... I started remembering gruesome details about a past that I was not familiar with. My superiors saw that as a danger to their power, so they tried to contain us on some kind of volcanic planet that also doubled as our prison. So... There's that to consider.'_

Gadral sighed and shook his head. "Are you trying to convince me to get on your side or something?"

 _'Well you're either on my side and have a chance to survive, or you're going to live in a dead world. Do you know that Gollog's secret weapon is going to kill everyone on Kiln, including my zerg?'_

"... So that's what this secret weapon does?" Gadral said, feeling his heart tighten with sudden realization.

 _'I'm afraid so. We only have two more days until Gollog's secret weapon fires, and I'm getting the impression that there will be several gilanians that's going to be caught in its range of effect. Might even include this place too. But if I can stop Gollog before then... Well... That's all up to you, really.'_

* * *

 **A/N: Duuude, Deadpool 2 is coming out next week. :D  
**


	72. Friends in Classified Places

**Chapter 72: Friends in Classified Places**

* * *

The facility that houses the Pyramidal Guard Division was secured by an unusual technology. Kay did not understand what such a technology could do, but it somehow removed himself from his swarm, and prevented him from psionically connecting him to the zerg hivemind, which connected each zerg organism into a network of telepathy. He can only assume that after Commander Guik used her 'rebound' attack, Kay was rendered unconscious and brought to this facility that they call 'the dark mausoleum.' After six days of recuperation, Kay had finally awaken within a sterile room while he was contained in a fluid-filled bio-stasis tank, and found out that he was somehow delivered into this strange space. At least he was not without company.

 _'HAHAHAHAHA ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!'_ Kay telepathically laughed.

"I'm not lying to you! He really did come into the office that day without his pants on!" Gadral explained, trying his best to contain his laugh. Apparently, their previous conversation had devolved into a hilarious recounting of Gadral's most memorable moments. "Everybody was scared to point it out to him because they thought that Professor Tagang would demote them once they did. Oh, I remember his face after he realized that Commander Kralluf and Commander faddoh had came into the office. And it was at the moment he bent down to pick up a kalumas fruit that fell onto the ground! I swear that he paused for, like, a minute before he said 'Welp, my ass is getting fired!'"

 _'HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH~!'_ Kay's body convulsed within the bio-stasis tank. He didn't mind the pain he experienced every time he chuckled or howled in laughter. He was having a good time. _'Shit man, I would have LOVED to see that in person!'_

Gadral chuckled, but then sighed and relaxed in his seat again. "Yeah, Tagang had it coming. Nobody found out what had happened to him after the incident, but we were given the 'official story' by his replacement. He said that Tagang had been demoted, was given a seminar on acceptable public behavior, and then transferred to a different cube research facility. More than likely though, I think he might have been forced to take a short trip into the dark mausoleum. You can expect Kralluf to be the kind of commander that doesn't tolerate any kind or form of a practical joke, no matter how accidental it was. Commander Faddoh tried to explain that it was another one of his tests, but Kralluf wasn't in a good mood that day."

Kay could feel himself crying, even when the fluid that he was submerged in prevented any visible tears from forming on his face. _'Hoooh~! Oh man, yeah. That stunt would definitely piss off a guy like Kralluf.'_

Gadral smiled. "Yeah... So what about you? Got any regaling tales that might tickle my sides?"

 _'Oof. You actually have me at a disadvantage on that regard. I don't really know many funny stories about myself.'_

"Can't you remember any?" Gadral asked.

 _'I mean... Sorta? I haven't told you this before, but I actually developed amnesia twenty years ago.'_

Gadral tilted his head. "Really? So there isn't anything you can tell me, other than what your blade hounds often do in their time to themselves?"

 _'The zerg are not exactly a collective of hyper-evolving comedians. If it doesn't further the evolution of the zerg organisms as a whole, then you can expect them to never develop a sense of humor in the first place. Hell, one of my zerg commanders rarely ever uses pronouns. He thinks that it's supposed to be an efficient way of speaking. He was sort of difficult to understand at first, but I eventually got used to his way of communicating.'_

Gadral nodded. "Hmm. That wouldn't happen to be the spider slug organism that I read about in Faddoh's footnotes on his zerg research?"

Kay nodded. _'Yeah. He's my evolution master that's named Corvurn. You could consider him a no-nonsense busy-body.'_

"Ah. So he's a lot like Commander Faddoh and Commander Kralluf combined, but scarier." Gadral said.

 _'... That's actually a good description of him.'_

"Actually, I can't help but take notice of what you said. You said 'one of your commanders.'" Gadral stated. "Aside from this 'Corvurn' guy, what are the names of your other commanders?"

 _'... That depends. Are you going to tell your commanding officers' the names of my commanders?'_

Gadral shook his head. "Not a chance in hell. This will stay between us."

Kay nodded. _'Well... Kay then. You already know about Corvurn, my evolution master. There's also Virid, a broodmother that lives on the moon. And then there's Othafurn, which is my advisor that has eidetic memory.'_

"... Uh... Wait, you have only three commanders under your control?" Gadral asked, somewhat surprised.

 _'Well, I could have spawned more I guess, but I didn't want to have any rouge zerg commander that went against my wishes. If I spawned more commanders, then it would become very likely that the nonaligned gilanian populations would get caught in the crossfire in the war between the zerg swarm and Gollog's Golden Star military.'_

"Hmm." Gadral hummed in thought.

 _'Let me guess. You thought that there were more zerg commanders?'_

"You've read my mind." Gadral sighed.

 _'Duh. Telepathic.'_

Gadral shook his head and smiled. "It's just odd to me that you and your zerg monsters are able to fight back against Golden Star's military. And with so few commanders."

 _'Odd had nothing to do with it. If anything, it's evolution baby.'_

"... Right." Gadral replied back.

 _'If it makes you feel any better, I only want Golden Star to disestablish their tyrannical government, and to allow the nonaligned gilanians the peace and free will they deserve to have. I won't have to afford myself too many distractions when I finally start investigating a way to get out of this prison system.'_

"... Do you think you could take me away with you?" Gadral asked.

 _'A request like that should be easy for me, but uh... I can't really promise anything. Hell, I don't even know where to start my search on finding a way to leave Kiln's prison system. I could try asking Gollog, but he's about as reliable as a tyrant that wants me dead.'_

Gadral sighed. "Yeah, well Gollog expects and encourages his people to sacrifice themselves for his benefit. That's about as tyrannical as anyone could get. But instead of laying down my own life for him, I'd rather keep my life and live a happy, long, prosperous and fulfilling existence. It'd be nice to have my own life in control, but... I don't want to mark myself as an enemy to Emperor Gollog's empire either. It'd be better if I could just disappear from plain sight."

There was a long pause of silence between Kay and Gadral. It became obvious to Kay that double-crossing the leader you're supposed to serve would have serious consequences following the extradition. But even so, Kay was in a tight spot, and he would rather focus on gaining allies from within Gollog's own military structure. And here, in the dark mausoleum, Kay had that opportunity. Instead of waiting for the next couple of days to arrive, Kay would devise a way to open a way out from his containment and flee from his imprisonment. But at that very moment, Kay was beginning to formulate a means to escape the facility he was trapped in.

The absence of communication continued for another several seconds. Gadral turned to stare at the bio-stasis tank that Kay was contained in. "... Uh... Kay? Is there a shadow assassin outside of the room?"

 _'Hmm? Oh, no, I was just... making plans involving you. That is, maybe, if you're interested.'_

Gadral frowned. "... Uh huh. Will the plan involve angering my superiors, and by extension, making them angry at me if they learned that I took a part in your plans?"

 _'Not if you get caught. Otherwise, yes, I'd be pissing off your superiors.'_

"This sounds very dangerous to me." Gadral said sighing. "If they learned that I had listened to your sedition, then they would have enough evidence to sentence me to death. Or worse yet, send me away into the Pyramidal Guard's immortal maze in the dark mausoleum. I can't imagine on what they would do if they learned that I had agreed to your plans."

 _'Here's the thing, Gadral. You don't have to be part of my plans if you don't want to, and I can understand avoiding trouble if it means you're going against impossible odds. But when you need to do something that is right, you have to take action and risk everything for what you believe in. I know what it means to survive, and the choice between living under the command of a tyrannical emperor, or discovering a dangerous goal that lets you thrive when you reach it, is hardly a choice at all. If you agree to do this for me, then you can wade within the ranks of the zerg swarm without ever being harmed by my minions. But if you prefer a nice, quiet place to happily live in, then I could transport you to Citadel Gargantua. I recommend avoiding the southern districts of the citadel, but if you can find a nice group home to live in, you can ask your roommates about the neighborhood at your leisure. If you're worried about getting water, then the soup kitchens in the low-income areas hosts a weekly water voucher raffle. It's not much, but it can be a sanctuary that should keep you safe until I find that exit out of here. And when I do find that exit, I'll bring you with me.'_

Gadral tilted his head. "How do you know so much about Citadel Gargantua?"

 _'Er... That doesn't matter. The point I am trying to make to you is simple to understand. If you agree to help me, then I will do all that I can to protect you from Golden Star's penal system. However, I will only tell you my plan if you first denounce your loyalty to Gollog and his empire. It's as plain and as simple as that! So uh... Will you denounce your loyalty to Gollog and his empire?'_

A sigh escaped Gadral's lips. Can he really denounce his loyalty to Gollog? After all the years he had served in Golden Star's Cube Research Division, under the shadow of Commander Faddoh, and living in fear of attracting Gollog's anger, would he truly give up on everything that he had ever worked for? Could he? There was one other question that plagued Gadral's mind, and it was one he dreaded. Should he defect from Golden Star? Such a decision would make him an enemy of the empire, but he would also have the protection of the zerg. And to add to that, there was also a chance to escape the Kiln Prison System. Even if Kay admitted that his chances to find the exit leading out of Kiln's veil was slim, he also said that he would gain refuge that was well away from Gollog's rule. After a hesitant lapse that lasted roughly twenty seven seconds, Gadral turned to the contained zerg commander. "Dammit. I can't believe I'm considering this."

 _'Didn't sound like you denounced Gollog there. I know that this is a difficult and personal decision for you to make, but I want you to be completely sure that you would want to help me out of this bio-stasis thingy, and get me back to my swarm. If you want out of this, then I'll find some other way to escape. Bear in mind that I will kill you like any other Golden Star citizen and officer that gets in my way. But if you denounce your loyalty to the Golden Star Empire, then I promise to keep you safe to the best of my ability. Kay?'_

"Huagh... I suppose this is better than having a spawner's brain probe turning me against my own government." After another pause, Gadral stood up from his chair and bowed to the zerg commander. "I, Researcher Gadral, of the Cube Research Division, officially denounce my loyalty to Emperor Gollog and the Golden Star Empire."

 _'Fan-fucking-tastic.'_ Kay said with cheery gusto.

Gadral sighed as he straightened his posture. "... So uh... What do we do?"

 _'... We have to plan a breakout.'_

"A-a breakout?" Gadral stammered.

 _'Yeah, a breakout. Listen closely to me, my favorite nerd. We're going to free the prisoners in the dark mausoleum's immortal maze!'_

"WHAT?!" Gadral was beginning to have second thoughts. But like it or not, he was now an enemy to Emperor Gollog and his Golden Star Empire.

* * *

An hour later, an alarm was activated. Gadral's voice was projected over the Pyramidal Guard Division's facility. [This is researcher Gadral speaking. I wish to alarm the facility of a potential danger occurring in the bug-man beast-master's containment area. There's a growth that is germinating next to the bug-man beast-master's bio-stasis tank, and... Oh gods, it's growing! It's growing something! Slime! Slime! Can I get a response team in here as soon as possible?!]

Within the span of a minute, a team had been assembled. When that team breached into the containment area that Kay was stuck in, Gadral could see that the breaching team consisted of a fire breather, several magic armor specialists, a few heavily armored researchers from the Cube Research Division, and Commander Faddoh himself.

They filed into the room and took note of the gray/purple growth that had already quickly spread across the ground. The fire breather soldier decided to commentate on the scene that was in front of the team. "Ugh. Looks like something a shryik serpent might puke up."

Faddoh nodded as he inspected the ground. "Perhaps a shryik serpent zerg pawn, but I think this is completely different."

A magic armor specialist pointed at a small desk that once had its monitor placed atop of it. "Maybe we should ask the perching krell what happened?" He said, addressing Gadral.

Once Faddoh was made aware of Gadral's presence, he walked up to the perched gilanian and gestured to him in a nonchalant manner. "Gadral. Can you tell me what happened here?"

"I was minding my own business when I noticed a growth that was growing next to the bug-man beast-master's tank. I didn't know what it did, so... uh... I panicked and activated the alarm." Gadral explained.

Faddoh nodded. "And it was a good decision of yours to raise the alarm and request a first-response team. But I have to ask you something."

Gadral paused. "Uh... Yeah?"

"What on Kiln are you doing on your desk?" Faddoh asked.

Gadral sighed. "Ah! Uh. Well... I saw this slime stuff creeping towards me, so I thought it'd be a good idea to uh... Get off of the ground."

Faddoh rolled his eyes. "Gadral, my boy. You should already know that the zerg slime can be treaded upon safely. Unless you have any open wounds or are currently shedding, that is. Do you have any cuts or rashes? Are you currently nearing your molt? Have you developed any medical conditions prior to any encounter with a zerg organism or any zerg-related growths?"

Gadral shook his head. "I don't have any cuts or rashes, I'm about as healthy as a adolescent mongwedger, I am not shedding, and I didn't touch any zerg-related growths. ... If this isn't too much trouble, can I request someone to pick me up and carry me out of here?"

Faddoh chuckled. "I thought you said you didn't have any scrapes or cuts?"

Gadral hesitated. "Well, uh... the thing is... Um... I don't want to tread on it unless I really have to."

Faddoh laughed and shook his head. "You are being ridiculous, Gadral! Anyway, we'll have this slime cleared away quickly enough. By the time we are done, we'll also install an automated turret right by your work station. Isn't that a comforting thought?" He said, comforting Gadral with gentle pats to his arm. Faddoh then turned to the breaching team. "Alright! Enough standing around! Time to do what I pay you for! Set down some seismic sensors and see if there is a slime node producing this enveloping muck!"

The copper jacketed gilanians nodded as they quickly went to work. After opening up a large briefcase, they quickly constructed a seismic sensor and stabbed it into the floor. Once the sensor was in the floor, they plucked plastic sheets from their persons that connected them to the seismic sensor's data feed. One of the scientists hummed. "Hmm... Looks like a slime node had germinated in here. It explains all this slime, but not how the node got here."

A magic armor specialist scoffed. "A single slime node? I can deal with it. Where's it hiding at?"

One of the Cube Research scientists pointed at a spot. "Right there. It's hard to tell when you don't know what you're looking for, but there is usually a bump in the muck that tells you that something is under it." The magic armor specialist nodded and walked toward the area that the scientist pointed him to.

However, when the magic armor specialist neared the slight hump of creep growth, it had exploded into a fizzle of green cloud. The magic armor specialist screamed as his lungs and scales burned with pain. "UAGH~!"

Everyone stepped back when the magic armor specialist yelled as he fell backwards onto the creep, clutching at his face and chest as he writhed in utter agony. Faddoh sighed. "That was not an ordinary slime node. It was a burster node."

The copper jacketed scientists backed away from the explosion of volatile mist. "Whoa... Sucks for that guy."

Faddoh walked up to the injured magic armor specialist and effortlessly picked him up. "If it wasn't for his ablative magic armor plates, then he would have been reduced to an acidic soup. But as it stands now, we can't have him in our presence any longer. He will have to be honorably discharged, and then directed to the infirmary. You are hereby quarantined until you have turned into a zerg pawn. After which, you will then be permanently terminated. Do you understand?"

The injured magic armor specialist groaned, slightly coughing from the damage done to his lungs. "I'm infected... Aren't I?"

Faddoh nodded sadly as he propped the injured specialist to his feet. "I am afraid so, soldier. We will give you a meal of your request, within reason of course, and we will send condolences to your family members in your living block at the fifth sky ring. May your gods have mercy on their judgement over your soul."

"... That's weird." One of the jacketed scientists said as he inspected the plastic sheet again. "Another slime node appeared over there. Same spot where our magic armor specialist got wounded at."

Faddoh turned to the scientist, then to the spot where a toxic nest had once exploded. Faddoh's LED face showed incredulity. "... Are you spawning them, Kay? How?" Faddoh immediately turned to Gadral. "Gadral. Does your monitor have any notifications? Does it say that there is a tank breach?"

Gadral picked up the monitor and inspected the screen, despite needing to awkwardly squat to see it. After a scant second of time of analysis had passed, Gadral nodded. "Yes sir. There seems to be a micro-fracture in the glass tubing. I guess the contained specimen's brainwaves placed some stresses on the glass when he had woken up."

Faddoh shook his head. "That is a good guess, but we can't assume anything just yet. ... Hmm?" A pulsating glob of zerg growth appeared next to Faddoh as he was talking. He quickly stepped away from it. "Oh-ho-ho! Can't have a moment of peace, can we?! Burner boy! Burn this thing! I think Kay is trying to spawn a burster node next to me!"

The fire breather soldier waddled up to the developing toxic nest and aimed his flame thrower at the growth. "Charbroiling with napalm!" The soldier roared, sending spouts of fire at the growth. The growth popped upon its death, preventing it from growing to its full potential. There was a moment of peace before the fire breather soldier grunted. "As fun as it is to cook what looks like a cancer-covered freshwater pincer's egg sack, I think it might be better to set up some static deterrents. How is the automated turrets coming?"

Faddoh turned behind him. "You heard the man! Set them high up on the walls, so the burster nodes don't damage them!" He ordered loudly.

Gadral sighed nervously as he clutched his lunch box close to himself. "Gosh, this is nerve-racking!"

Faddoh pointed his manipulation field emitter toward Gadral and picked him off from his desk. "I have decided that you're not equipped to survey my specimen, due to the recent changes of your work conditions." Faddoh then turned to the breaching team. "Gentlemen! You will be tasked with ridding every growth that gestates within this room! Remain in this room until I return!" He ordered.

"Sir, yes sir!" They responded, and they followed the command that the commander of the Cube Research Division gave them.

After the command was given, Faddoh carried Gadral out from the room and to a more safer place. When Faddoh and Gadral walked past the edge of creep, Faddoh gently placed Gadral back onto the floor, letting his feet touch the black and purple floor first before letting him go. Gadral almost lost his balance, but he stood upright and sighed. "Hooh... Wow, this stuff can spread pretty far away, huh?"

Faddoh nodded, but sighed. "In my hubris, I didn't think that such growths were capable of growing this far within the mausoleum. However, it does make me wonder how such growths could gestate within the containment chamber. I first assumed that such growths were often produced by the caretakers and their many varieties, but it looks like I was wrong to assume that."

"Should I be worried?" Gadral asked, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Hmm... I would say to you to keep your wits about you. This is still a minor incident. It's hardly something to alert the other higher ranking commanders about. But uh..." Faddoh neared Gadral and whispered. "As an aside, perhaps you can not tell Commander Guik, or the other shadow assassins, what happened here?"

"Uh..." Gadral was hesitant to answer.

"If Guik learned that burster nodes developed within her dark mausoleum, she would slate my specimen as a dangerous variable in her facility. She would get rid of Kay, and I would have lost a specimen to experiment on! I can't have that happen."

"... Okay. I'll try to keep this a secret between us, sir. You have my word." Gadral replied.

Faddoh smiled and nodded. "Good!" He paused for a few seconds with a neutral expression. He then pointed at the box that Gadral carried with him. "What is with the box you're carrying?"

Gadral looked down into his arms and stammered. "Oh! Uh... It's just my lunch from earlier. I kind of panicked when you took me with you, so... Uh... I'll just throw this away, sir."

Faddoh nodded. "Well, that is your business. Once you get rid of your garbage, you should check yourself with the infirmary. Can't be too careful when it comes to your own health. Farewell." After gesturing a final goodbye to Gadral, Faddoh turned around and headed back to Kay's containment chamber.

Once the clanking feet had joined with the sounds of cackling chemical flame and the occasional bullet being fired, Gadral waited for several more seconds to pass. He breathed in deeply and sighed in relief. "Okay, I'm clear of the commander and the breaching team. You now need to tell me where I need to go."

 _'Kay, but I can't give you too many directions at once.'_ Kay warned. _'I might be able to fool the minds of the living, but robots are a lot more difficult to fool.'_

"How do you know that?" Gadral asked. He felt as though he might already know the answer.

 _'Remember the hydralisk that gave you a hug a while ago? Well, that was all in your head, because I had put him in your head. Whatever I can imagine, I can make anybody see what I want them to see. Most of the time, that is. I can't really affect Faddoh's perception of reality.'_

Gadral didn't like the answer. "Is it because he is a robot?"

 _'Yes. It is because he is a robot. I can trick any flesh and bone being into thinking that everything is alright, but his machine mind is a lot more difficult to manipulate. I mean, sure, I can push stuff with my mind using shear willpower and effort, but creating illusions in another person's mind takes finesse and concentration. Can't really do any kind of finesse with Faddoh. ... Uh oh! Speaking of Faddoh, he's getting near! Listen. Head to the lowest section of the mausoleum! Do that, and you're about halfway there!'_

"Wh-what?!" Gadral stammered.

 _'I'll telepathically talk to you later! Just take the stairs down or get on an elevator!'_

After that exchange, Gadral was left alone again. And now, he had to pass through the halls of the Pyramidal Guard Division's facility without being able to know where a shadow assassin might lurk. It was a worrying thought. However, with his denouncement to Gollog's loyalty on his consciousness, he knew that if he backed down from Kay's plan, then the zerg would come after him, and he knew that even the safety of the shadow assassins' dark mausoleum cannot protect him. But he also knew that if he went along with Kay's plans, then he would become Golden Star's number one enemy. He might even be moved to the top of the list as Golden Star's most dangerous criminal! And if the shadow assassins find out that he was acting as a double agent in their very own facility, then they would act within the fullest of their power to incapacitate him, interrogate him, torture him, and then permanently send him to the fabled immortal maze of the dark mausoleum.

Gadral sighed. "Huh... Time to commit treason." He then began his walk to the nearest staircase of the Pyramidal Guard Division's facility.

* * *

 **A/N: :EDIT: Spellchecked. :3  
**


	73. MB14: The Assassins' Playground

**Chapter 73: Major Battle 14: The Assassins' Playground  
**

* * *

Gadral's descent through the staircase felt like the most logical path to take. He knew very well that if he dared take the elevator down, it would be cramped with coworkers, or gods forbid it, shadow assassins. They would undoubtedly ask about his lunchbox, and he would be reticent to tell them about its contents. And to avoid answering those questions, Gadral decided on reaching the lowest floor of the dark mausoleum through the staircase alone. He walked down twenty seven floors, taking note that the dark mausoleum was thirty floors deep. Was the dark mausoleum an underground facility? Despite wanting to have that question answered, Gadral couldn't ask that question to any of the shadow assassin without being chewed out by them afterwards.

After reaching the thirtieth floor, Gadral was about to reach for the door that led out of the staircase before hesitation stopped his progress. He didn't know the layout to the rest of the dark mausoleum, which had caused him pause. After being given a quick rundown of the entire complex by one of the assassins, he was also told that he was only allowed to travel down five floors into the mausoleum, unless he was given permission to enter the lower levels. Now that he was at the thirtieth level, he didn't know where to go next. He didn't even dared take a peak at what was behind the door. He almost wished for Kay to intervene and directly give him further instructions. He grunted as he gently placed his lunchbox on the ground and leaned against the wall. Silence filled the staircase as he waited half of a minute before he was contacted by Kay again.

 _'I'm back. Sorry for the delay. Faddoh decided to try and patch my tank up with an adhesive tape. I'm making it look like his solution worked. Anyway, it looks like you already made it to the bottom of the staircase.'_

Gadral sighed, but he was beginning to feel a pang of anxiety creep up his back. "As interesting as that sounds, I'm... Not exactly in a safe location. If I stepped out through this door, I'm going to be in another world of trouble."

 _'Ah, don't worry about it! There's nobody on the other side of that door.'_

Gadral paused for a few seconds before sighing again. "That's... good to know. Where do I go after I'm through the door?"

 _'Let me silently read the minds of some of the shadow assassins first. It'll only take a few seconds. ... Mm... Hmm... Hum... Ah! Okay, I know where you need to go. Go past that door and follow the wall on your left. When you go past three doors, enter through the fourth door.'_

"And the shadow assassins?" Gadral asked Kay.

 _'Nowhere on this floor. They usually come down here every once a week, but my zerg seems to be been very successful at dividing their attention lately.'_

"I see." Gadral said, picking up his lunchbox and opening the door. He then began following the wall to his left. The corridors were a lot darker than normal. The upper floors usually had a more brighter tint of bright grey purple that splashed onto a mix of dark grey matte and black patterns. Down here, the inlay light sources were a deep violet that traveled across the walls, floor, and ceiling. Only lines and dots of neon violet lighted Gadral's way, and all of the surfaces were completely pitch black in color. When he came to the fourth door, he found that it was of heavy construction, and its entry was protected by an electronic keypad. "... I've came across a problem."

 _'Not to worry. I know the code that unlocks this door.'_

"... How?" Gadral asked, surprised.

 _'You would be surprised how loud your species' thoughts are. The code for the door is: Obsidian, gold, iron, silver, copper, obsidian.'_

"... Kay, this is a number pad. I don't see any selections for those codes." Gadral replied.

 _'And you'd be surprised to know that this door is voice activated. The keypad you're seeing is actually a fake keypad. It'll trigger the silent alarm system if you tried to press any of the buttons.'_

Gadral blinked his eyes a few times. "... Uh... Obsidian, gold, iron, silver, copper, obsidian?" The heavy set of doors opened in front of him, revealing an incredibly darkened room. There were no dark purple lights within this room, which made it hard to see for Gadral's eyes. "... This isn't good. I can't see anything."

 _'Good thing for you that I learned the layout of this room. Follow the wall on your right until you find the corner. At the corner, take twenty steps along the other wall that the corner connects to. Be careful. There are some steps that lead upward. After you take those twenty steps, turn ninety degrees to your left and slowly walk forward. There will be a terminal in your path. Feel for a lever on the right side of the terminal, and pull it towards yourself. That should open a hatch behind the terminal.'_

Gadral crept through the darkness hesitantly, but he did so with the instructions provided to him. It was difficult for him to navigate in this dark environment, but he knew that he couldn't turn back now. Turning back would mean angering Kay and his zerg swarm. But even then, he hated working for Gollog more, and it was a hate that was greater than his fear of the zerg organisms and their zerg commander. After making his way up a set of unseen steps, Gadral turned to his left and slowly inched forward with one hand searching for something to grab, while another held his lunchbox close to his chest. After his hand collided with a surface, he felt along his right to try and find a lever-shaped device to interact with. "So far so good."

 _'Ah-ah-ah hey! Don't jinx us here!'_ Kay warned. Gadral pulled back the lever and heard a heavy, mechanical sound coming from the center of the room. A source of illumination was produced from the center of this room, as an overhead light activated once the supposed hatch opened. Gadral leaned over the dimly lit console before him and saw that a square hole was slowly widening at the center of the room, its heavy plates of metal sliding under the flooring and slowly opening widely. It eventually made a heavy clank sound once the hatch had opened completely. Gadral thought he heard distant screaming coming from the hole. _'Alright. Now toss your lunchbox into the hatch. It should release its contents when it lands.'_

Gadral carefully raised his lunchbox over his head. He could feel the contents inside slowly shifting around in what used to contain a delicious meal that a shadow assassin once delivered to him. But now, it contained a cross combination of creep and an embryo of a toxic nest that had its incubation halted. Gadral would admit that the trickiest part of getting the toxic nest into his lunchbox involved sabotaging Kay's bio-stasis pod, and then allowing some of Kay's bio-stasis fluid to leak into his lunchbox to let the toxic nest plant itself inside of it. He also had to make it seem as though a micro-fracture was the cause for producing the biological landmines that accosted the breaching team, which were summoned to contain the biological containment breach some time ago. But alas, Kay's plan was running quite smoothly, and the last part of his plan involved having Gadral throwing his lunchbox into the abyss that was before him. Gadral slightly leaned forward to look into the abyss, made barely visible by the overhead light source. "What is this?"

 _'The entrance into the immortal maze, I think.'_

"Really? It's just a floor hatch." Gadral replied.

 _'That leads to a drop a mile deep.'_

"It goes that far down?!" Gadral exclaimed, sounding somewhat dumbfounded.

 _'Eyup! The Pyramidal Guard Division's dark mausoleum is shaped like a four-sided pyramid, where the lower the levels you go, the more rooms become available on each floor. Below this floor resides the incredibly expansive immortal maze. The walls of the maze spreads outward in ninety degree angles. Such a wall shape creates a fairly effective surface that makes it impossible for even the most capable of climbers to crawl up and out of their prison. As you'd expect, anyone that is thrown into the hatch never returns. Unless they made friends with a shadow assassin, that is. And most people that have been thrown into this hatch are usually cursed with immortality first. But enough trivia! Throw your lunchbox in!'_

Gadral nodded. He hefted the box over his head with two hands and prepared himself to throw it into the chasm that was past the large sliding hatch. After a hearty grunt, he threw his lunchbox into the black, square void. Once the lunchbox was gone from Gadral's sight, he sighed. "Alright. That's done. Now what?"

 _'Close the hatch, go back the way you came, and pretend this never happened. You know the way back, don't you?'_

Gadral sighed. "Yes, I do. But what is my alibi going to be if somebody starts questioning where I had been?"

 _'Leave that to me! I'll just silently whisper into their minds 'Say, this guy is perfectly harmless. He doesn't need to be questioned, because I trust him!' or something along those lines.'_

"Wonderful." Gadral said, pushing the lever back to its original position and quickly running to the door that he came through. He needed to leave the room before the overhead light had a chance to turn off. As he went through the door, he looked behind himself to see the hatch disappearing into a sudden darkness just as it closed itself shut. After a long glimpse into the darkness, Gadral huffed before he turned away and began jogging back to where he came from. "I hope this doesn't bite me on the tail later."

 _'Look at this way. If everything goes as planned, then you don't have to worry about anything nipping at your tail. Zerg included.'_

Gadral rolled his eyes as he neared the door that led back to the staircase. "Well, that's one way of looking at it."

As Gadral left the vicinity of the dark mausoleum's lowest floor, the hurled lunchbox was still quickly falling toward the distant ground far below. The distance between itself and the floor lessened as time passed on. The immortal maze might have been a mile below the Pyramidal Guard Division's dark mausoleum, but it wouldn't take long for Gadral's lunchbox, filled with a toxic nest, to impact the ground.

* * *

The dark mausoleum's immortal maze was a bleak place. It separated many poor souls from the rest of Kiln, ever since Gollog forced them to live in an eternity within this dark prison. Much of the ground directly below the heavy sliding hatch was littered with various types of discarded trash or useless tools. Much of the heaps of garbage also contained biological materials that once belonged to living gilanians. Under the broken equipment and refuse laid bones, shed scales, feces, and rotted organs too putrid for any sane person to eat. Any trash that was left alone for a long time would eventually be overcome by a carpet of slow growing yellowish-green moss. Roving swarms of vaph rodents would often patrol this area for fresh meat and moss sprouts, using their little beaks to tear into what once could have been called food, or burrowing a new nest to raise their young. Nobody knew how the nickname of the mountain of bones and trash came to be, but it was called Broken Hopes by the first prisoners that ever had the misfortune of being thrown down there. The mountain would be the first thing that all immortally cursed prisoners would land on when they entered the immortal maze.

Further away from the center of the trash-covered lands were what the prisoners called 'The Spikes', which were areas that hasn't been completely covered by the mountain of refuse. They were so called The Spikes because the four sided shapes that dotted the area were tightly packed, rising ten meters high at the lowest part of the flow of the refuse, and were four meters squared at their base. When the trash was at the peak of these spikes, it became difficult to detect the tips, which sometimes stab at a careless gilanian's feet. The Spikes' spike tips were often used to kill vaph that strayed too far from their colonies, or worse, were used as instruments to impale other gilanians. Cannibalism was commonplace within this maze for not only the vaph, but also for the gilanians that lived in the maze.

There were a small number of unlucky and unfortunate gilanians that permanently lived in The Spikes, and they were less fortunate because of the conditions forced upon them. These few gilanians were trapped in tightly enclosed spaces with no way to crawl up, becoming stuck in their pits by tightly packed walls of oily plastic and right between the tall spikes. They were often fated to call out for help when they felt as though there was hope, or for any spare food that they could eat. Many of their calls were left unanswered, and were often left alone to eternally starve. Occasionally, gangs would send down a weakened gilanian with the trapped gilanians, letting the two fight each other to the death. The victor would almost always cannibalize the loser. Worse still, carpets of moss have also been known to grow over these pits the prisoners were trapped in, muffling their cries and preventing them from ever seeing any light ever again.

Further away from The Spikes contained what the prisoners had nicknamed The Hungerland Spikes. Tall pyramid-shaped forests of uniform spikes, devoid of any trash that sat betwixt them, was almost completely devoid of any life. Even the moss refused to grow between the tall pyramid shaped spikes. It was rare for gilanians to make their way through The Hungerland Spikes, but there were an even rarer few that survived in those areas, rumored to have developed a tolerance to their constant starvation. Despite such tales of surviving gilanians forcing themselves to live such a rough lifestyle in those desolate areas, it was also known that many gilanians that escaped into such areas rarely ever returned unharmed, or alive.

But at the furthest spike formations laid an incredibly gaunt and horrible display that awaited any gilanian unfortunate enough to become trapped in the immortal maze. It was here that a select number of immortally cursed gilanians were impaled at the tip of these spikes, rumored to be chosen by the shadow assassins of the Pyramidal Guard Division as their most prized prey. The shadow assassins often practiced their hunting techniques and various poisons on these unfortunate few, relentlessly testing them whenever the assassins had the chance to improve their lethal methods and skills. Their tests can become so violent that their prey would need new artificial organs surgically implanted into them after the tests were over with. If the tests were especially gruesome, then the shadow assassins would combine the two prisoners' bodies into a single, patch-worked entity. The prisoners essentially merge into a flesh golem of two broken personalities, whose minds were amalgamated together by a painful process that the shadow assassins used sparingly. When a shadow assassin grew bored of their prey, the unfortunate chosen would then be freed and allowed to mingle with the other prisoners at the center of the maze. Any freed prey of the shadow assassins were always targeted by the healthier prisoners, save for a select number of individuals that were too clever to outwit, were too strong to overpower, or had developed a large enough gang which protected them from the other prisoners.

When Gadral's lunchbox finally landed at the top of the mountain of trash named Broken Hopes, the sound it made upon its landing attracted the nearest, and smallest, scavengers within the immortal maze. These small scavengers looked similarly to bare-skinned rodents, but also have strong, curved beaks that could potentially sever a finger from a hand. Due to several years of living in the immortal maze, these small rodents had evolved without any fur on their bodies, which made them look quite different from their cousins that were still very abundant on the surface of Kiln, even after surviving twenty years against the zerg swarm. Their beaks were similar in shape to a macaw's, and their bite was almost equal in strength. They were normally a plant-eating species, but even down in the immortal maze, they were widely known to be carrion feeders as well. In their adult age, they can reach fifteen centimeters in length, but their infant and juvenile sizes often varies between one to three centimeters, and were usually born in fecund litters.

A small swarm of vaph began their investigation of the small thunk sound that disturbed their sleep cycle. When feeding time came, the vaph would vacate the mountain and let the hungrier gilanians fight over the scraps of still-edible refuse, only to move in again when the gilanians had their fill. But the hatch opened at an irregular time, and the immortal gilanian prisoners did not gather for whatever parcels of food that the shadow assassins decided to throw away.

When the small swarm of vaph neared the source of the noise, they had discovered something that they had never seen before in their short lifespans. A tide of purple slime grew over the trash at the top of the mountain, and it seemed to have spilled out from a white plastic box. The slime looked alive, and it wriggled around like there was something swimming in the sludge. One of the vaph scuttled close to the amorphous mass and took an inquisitive nibble at the sludge. The taste may have been horrible, but a vaph on the verge of starvation is notorious for eating nearly anything that it could get its beak around. As one vaph began to lick at the purple slime, others soon joined with it. Despite the musky and pungent flavor of the creep, it was actually very moist, and a water source in any amount was a heavily sought resource that all desert animals craved and coveted.

But once fifteen minutes of feasting on the creep had passed, the small swarm of vaph began to change in their behavior. Instead of darting around from one location to another, or chirping incessantly when they spot something to eat or found an intruder entering their territory, the vaph that fed on the creep became sluggish and clumsy as they tried to perform their scouting routines, while their chirping evolved into strained and coarse screeching.

Such weakness was not tolerated by the other vaph colonies that were nesting further down from Broken Hopes Mountain. Sensing this weakness, the more healthier, and larger swarms of vaph, ascended up the mountain and attacked the weakened vaph swarm that fed on the creep. In little time, the larger vaph swarms overtook the small vaph territory. The corpses were eaten, and the victorious vaph began to feed on the creep.

However, another fifteen minutes had passed, and the larger vaph swarms were also changing in their behavior. Even the vaph that feasted on the recently slain infected vaph were slowly being altered by the zerg's most dangerous pathogen, the Hyper-Evolutionary Virus. The infested vaph doubled in size after an hour had passed, and their skin slowly generated a cover of scales and carapace in odd formations. Their usually soft paws grew into powerfully muscular forelegs, which extended into long talons that were dangerously curved and sharp. Their beaks even seemed to leak a constant green drool. Rather than being able to speedily scuttle short distances, they either pulled themselves along the ground in an awkward manner, or launch themselves into a powerful leap at anything that wasn't infested by the zerg virus.

One vaph in particular was chosen to have a very special purpose. It could feel its insides tighten and widen as it was filled with the purpose it was chosen for, while it was waddling toward the creep covered trash at the top of Broken Hopes Mountain. Its new purpose was revealed when its intestinal growth exploded out from its gut, showering nearby infested vaph in a viscera of blood. The sacrifice revealed a small zerg larva, which had been growing inside of the infested vaph, exploding out from its unfortunate host upon its birth. As the larva came into existence, it made a cheerful chirring noise before it dug its mandibles into the nourishing creep, even if it derived little nutrients from it.

 _'Okay, little larva. Listen to me.'_ Kay telepathically said to it. _'You're going to have a tough time surviving in this environment, but I'm sure that with enough cunning and stealth, you'll be able to grow and evolve into a broodmother. You're inside of a place called the immortal maze, and it's very dangerous to you as you are now. Use the trash, vaph, infested vaph, and anything else available to you to convert into biomass and grow stronger. You should also grow a hatchery, some resource tumors, and a carbonation extractor. They will help you acquire bio-matter and accelerant. Use them to build up your swarm. When you and your spawn are strong enough, you can join with our allies and the rest of the swarm to fight against the Golden Star Empire. But more importantly, you need to rescue me from this containment chamber. After you rescued me, we'll need to find an exit out of the dark mausoleum, and join back with the rest of the swarm on Kiln. We have less than two days. Now grow, my little infant broodmother! Grow!'_

With the instructions given to it, the larva took command of the surrounding infested vaph and directed them to search for materials that could be metabolized by the larva's stomach. Half were chosen to bring nutrient-rich creep to the larva, or sacrifice themselves to feed it instead. The other half would begin scouting for colonies of vaph nests further down Broken Hopes Mountain, attacking healthy vaph and bringing the wounded, weak, or dead to the larva. It would take a short while for the larva to acquire enough biomass, since the vaph contained very little biomass to derive from in the first place. But once it does gain the biomass it needed, it could then cocoon itself and become a queen. Once the larva becomes a queen, then the zerg within the immortal maze would grow at an exponential rate. It was only a matter of time until the larva develops a zerg brood within the immortal maze, and become the broodmother within the shadow assassins' Pyramidal Guard Division facility.

* * *

"Chief Catlak. I think you need to see this." Reported a breathless albino courier after he ran up a particularly high mound of garbage, which had a large, decorated hut sitting on the top.

A groaning voice replied to the courier. From within the large, decorated hut, there was a gilanian that wore a set of armor fashioned out of various bones, and a crown made of gilanian teeth and vaph beaks. He growled when his peace was disturbed. "Is there a shadow in our village again?"

"No sir." The albino courier explained. "The vaph are acting strange. They are attacking one another."

Another groan rewarded the courier. "This isn't anything new."

"New or not, Catlak, a swarm of them is coming into our territory right now."

"Huh... Ah, what the hell. Wake everybody up. Make them hunt for some vaph." The groan answered.

"Um... Of course, sir." The albino courier nodded and bowed. After talking to the gilanian named Catlak, the courier turned around and began bellowing to the surrounding huts, which numbered around sixty and surrounded the decorated hut on the hill of garbage. "HEY YOU FUCKERS! LISTEN UP! THERE IS A VAPH SWARM HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, AND THEY'RE COMING INTO OUR TURF! IF YOU WANT TO EAT SOMETHING OTHER THAN MOSS, THEN YOU BETTER START HUNTING! BUT REMEMBER THIS! YOUR FIRST VAPH KILL GOES TO CHIEF CATLAK! AFTER YOU GIVE HIM YOUR TRIBUTES, YOU ARE FREE TO HUNT AS MANY VAPH AS YOUR HEARTS DESIRES! LET THE HUNT BEGIN!"

Gilanian hunters, armed with long and sharpened rebar while wearing patchworks of cloth and hard plastics, came out of the tightly packed huts that surrounded the large decorated hut. The hunters would not continue their sleep with empty bellies, and they didn't care about eating the vile tasting vaph, whether or not they were freshly killed or cooked. Despite being immortal, starvation was their only reality in this eternal prison of theirs. To survive in this hellhole, even the fittest had to find a way to thrive and adapt. Some survive through muscle alone. Some survive by being smart. And some survive from having a gang to rely on.

As the hunters scoured through the land of trash, making sure that they don't step on any of the spikes that lined the floor, they saw the skittering and hopping forms of small and hairless rodents coming from the distant horizon. They seemed to be retreating from the mountain, looking as though something was chasing after them. However, Catlak's hunters cared little on understanding why the vaph that fled from their territory. As of then, they were now in Catlak's turf. The gilanian hunters paired off in groups of four, and ran toward the incoming swarm of vaph.

"Looks like they're starving, boys! Spear em'!" "They're moving fast! I think something scared them away from Broken Hopes!" "Might be Red Claw Goqqa digging for their nests again." "At this time?" "Well, the food door opened, didn't it?" "It did, but the scout said that only a box came down." "Maybe there was something in the box that made these vaph come here?" "Wait, Yalt said there was a box that came down the food door?" "It was a small box. Besides. Something that small would have already been gobbled up by the vaph." "True."

The teams of hunters were methodical in their hunting strategies. Unlike the vaph, which usually had short lifespans in this darkened environment, the immortally cursed prisoners of the immortal maze had years of experience in hunting vaph. Once their hunts were over, they would be eating very well for a good while. But that soon changed when the infested vaph followed after their smaller prey.

"Uh... These vaph look weird." "Shut up and hunt them. They're bigger, so they'll have more meat on their bones." "WHOA!"

When the gilanian vaph hunters attempted to kill the infested vaph, the infested vaph retaliated by launching themselves at their attackers. The hunters did not expect this change of behavior from their usual prey, but they adapted quickly by swatting them in the middle of their leaps. Some were not so lucky, since the talons of the infested vaph found purchase under their cloth and plastic armor, ripping through and slicing into their scales and flesh. There were a smaller number of hunters that were more unfortunate, which had been bitten by the invading infested vaph.

"These guys are more jumpy!" "I fucking know! Fall back! Take what we can and cut our losses! Don't let them bite the back of your ankles!" "I'm more worried about them biting my face!"

The hunters were forced to retreat from the infested vaph. Several of the hunters killed quite a few of the healthier vaph, but there were a few hunters that managed to slay a few of the infested vaph, despite their aggressive behavior. Once the hunters retreated, carrying with them the vaph that they hunted, a few had broken away to track down the vaph that ran past Catlak's turf town. But the hunters that returned came back to the turf they protected and piled their kills at the foot of Catlak's hut. A tall figure walked out of the large and decorated hut, which was the bone armor wearing Catlak, whom was their chief. Rather than expressing a smile at his hunters and congratulating them on their hunt, his expression had a frustrated frown instead.

After what had felt like a minute, Catlak growled out to his hunters with his hands to his hips. "What the hell happened?"

His hunters hesitated to answer him, save for a young and enthusiastic hunter. "You should have seen them, boss! There were weird looking vaph that were bigger than my arm!" He said, gesturing and gesticulating rapidly. "They had huge sets of claws! They jumped at our faces like we insulted their mothers! There's even a few of us that were bitten by their sharp beaks and stuff!"

Catlak raised his hand at the overeager hunter, gesturing for him to stop. "Can someone else make some sense before I put this whelp into a pit?"

Another hunter intervened. "It's true, Chief Catlak. Look at what we killed."

Catlak's face changed from an unamused glare to unexpected confusion when he saw the corpse of an infested vaph. He slowly leaned down and inspected the dead creature, taking in every detail that his eyes could decipher. But despite his keen appraisal, the dead infested vaph still made no sense to him. "... Did you see this, or any other strange looking vaph hunting the other vaph during your hunt?"

"I did, boss." Another hunter said. "Also, one of my boys got his neck chomped by those weird looking vaph. I'm afraid to report that he died."

Catlak sighed. "So we're now a man short, huh? Man, it's been a while since anybody died. I wonder when the shadows will drop some new prisoners through the food door?"

"Maybe this has something to do with the zerg we've been hearing about?" The young, overenthusiastic hunter mused aloud.

"That can't be true. You sure it's not some hokey that a crazy tried to pass onto you?" "The shadows keep us in the dark. I bet this zerg nonsense is just a story they use to keep us in line." "What's a zerg?" "I heard they were bio-genetically engineered animals that got loose, and they began reproducing at a rate that they can't control or something." "Wait a minute. How does this relate to the weird jumping vaph that attacked us earlier?" "I heard from a cousin that something in a zerg's blood makes you sick, and that you become one of them." "That's not how it works! I heard that the zerg are, like, a new telepathic species or something! They implant ideas into your head, draw you close to their nest, and then eat you whole!" "You're an idiot."

Catlak shook his head. "Settle down, everyone. I don't know what this zerg nonsense is, but it stops now. The vaph are smart enough to know that if they intrude into our turf, they'll become our food. If it'll make everybody feel better, I want some guards stationed at all the exits and entrances of our home turf. Kill anything that tries to get in, or tries to kill you." He leaned down and picked up the healthiest hunted vaph from the pile of offerings, but dared not to take any of the scales and carapace covered infested vaph or any that had vaph-related injuries. "Now fuck off and leave me in peace, unless it's something important."

Catlak's hunters looked at one another in uneasiness. "Uh... And the weird looking vaph, boss?"

Catlak sighed. "Kill and eat them, like you would any other vaph, you stupid idiot." After that, he turned away and carried the healthy looking vaph corpses in his arms and brought them to his large hut.

The hunters that were in Catlak's gang looked at each other with uncertainty, but they dispersed to fortify any openings that would let vaph into their homes, be it healthy, or infested with the zerg Hyper-Evolutionary Virus.

But as Catlak's gang fed heartily on the vaph they hunted, they were completely unaware of the infection taking place in their wounds and intestines.

* * *

Half and hour later, half of the population in Catlak's turf became ill. Pained groans and coughing fits perverted the air, while healthier gilanians tried to ease the sick so that their condition could improve, or attempted to euthanize them to prevent them from suffering further. Apparently, the cause of this sickness began with the gilanians eating the vaph that were attacked by the infested vaph, or had actually ate one of the hunted infested vaph. Many were relieved when the expanding and contracting swellings receded, and that the coughing and seizures finally subsided, but it didn't put everyone at ease.

But Catlak, the chief of the gang he led, was still uneasy about the sudden sickness that had came over his village. Even though he was glad that he didn't receive the sickness that his followers had contracted, it still left him with an instinctual gut feeling that made him nervous. He hated to admit it, but he felt as though he should commit to a diet that consists only of moss from then on. He huffed as he threw the picked-clean bones of the vaph he ate out of the only window of his large hut. "Puggyat. Can you tell me how my people are fairing?"

"Blugh. J-j-just a minute, boss." A sick albino courier said, holding his stomach.

Catlak turned to look at his unwell albino courier. He grimaced after he saw his gut swelling and receding rapidly before his eyes. "Oh gods, don't tell me you got sick too."

"It's okay boss." Puggyat said weakly. "I'm getting better. A few minutes ago, I was way worse. Trust me."

Catlak sternly stared at his courier before sighing. "... So uh... Are you going to go check up on my people?"

Puggyat nodded. "Of course, sir. Right away."

Once puggyat left his presence, Catlak leaned onto the only window of his large and decorated hut and surveyed his turf village. There was concern on his face. The bones of the vaph he ate filled his nostrils, but he knew that the meat from them was picked clean. At least his hunger was satisfied, despite the foul aftertaste that vaph meat often leaves on his tongue. He could use a cup of water to drink. He'll have to wring a patch of moss in order to get some.

But Catlak's attention was drawn away from his turf village when he noticed something that wasn't there before. He looked intently at the mountain of trash that occupied the center of the immortal maze, and saw that it was somehow different looking. The immortal maze was always dark, due to the emperor's fanatic insistence that the Pyramidal Guard Division's theme needed to be black and purple. However, when Catlak looked at Broken Hopes Mountain, he could have sworn that it had grown taller. And... Were there spikes on top of the mountain? His eyes widened even more when some big round thing suddenly rose above the top of the mountain. He couldn't actually see what it was since it was so far away, but his gut feelings were telling him that something was happening. "PUGGYAT!"

A distant running eventually came close enough to Catlak that the runner was revealed to be his albino courier again. "Yes boss?" He replied.

"I need to form a posse. We're going to investigate something that has recently gotten my attention. Spread the word to everyone that is well enough to follow me. We're going to Broken Hopes." Catlak informed his courier, seriousness steeped into his voice.

"Uh... Yes sir. Right away." Said Puggyat. Shortly afterwards, he turned away and ran to the surrounding huts, despite his intestinal unrest.

Catlak sighed. He didn't know what the huge ball-thing above the mountain was, but he had an adamant feeling telling him that this was not the usual mind game tactics that the shadow assassins usually employed. Of all the years he had lived in the maze, starting from his very birth years ago, he had never seen something like that before. However, with his curiosity getting the better of him, he was going to find out sooner or later.

* * *

Another hour had passed, and Catlak's posse was ready to leave for the mountain. After all of his hunters had donned and equipped several rebar spears onto their persons, Catlak had done the same onto himself. Having lived in the immortal maze for much of his life, Catlak intimately knew each and every kind of danger that existed in this cursed place. It was a hell that he had trouble surviving in, but it was also his home that he was forced to live in. Now that there had been new dangers introduced into the maze, he had to investigate them or suffer the consequences later.

Once he felt that his gang was ready, he walked down from his large hut on the hill and approached them. He then gave a speech to his posse. "Alright, you louts. Listen up, and listen to me closely. I don't want to have to put any one of you in a pit after this excursion is over. We'll be going to the center of the maze to inspect Broken Hopes. I'm willing to bet that he vaph swarm we had to deal with were chased away from there, and I'm guessing that the strange vaph that hunted them originated from there as well. We'll be going there to find out why. If anyone so much as decides to have second doubts and starts belly aching, then tough. You guys got ready for the trip, so you better do as I say. Got it?"

"Yeah yeah, we got it." "Ugh." "Should have stayed home today." Catlak's men grumbled. Catlak shook his head. He would have sworn that if his gang was any more unhappy about him being their chief, then he could see a potential mutiny happening in the foreseeable future. But whether they like it or not, Catlak was the only gilanian that had a natural affinity for diplomacy.

Complaints aside, Catlak also knew that there was something wrong within the immortal maze, and that he needed to bring protection with him. He wielded a rebar spear like a baton to get the attention of his assembled posse. "Alright, gang! Scouts at the front! Bruisers in the middle! Escorts around the bruisers and me! Evenly space out the callers! We're marching toward Broken Hopes Mountain right now!"

And with Catlak's posse beginning their march, Catlak's journey to Broken Hopes Mountain had begun.

* * *

Catlak's posse traveled toward the distant mountain for several minutes. As they made their way through the trash and moss covered maze, Catlak couldn't help but notice that the infested vaph were staying clear of his posse's march. That, and he didn't see the usual scurrying of the healthy maze vaph that often inhabited the clumps of maze moss. Not only did the moss feed the vaph, but it also provided them a beneficial nesting material for their young. However, the maze moss was incredibly bitter, due to the poor nutritional value it derived from the refuse that was dumped through what the immortally imprisoned gilanians called 'the food door.' But that had completely changed when a new breed of vaph had appeared one day, which began chasing and killing the weaker vaph. Catlak didn't know how, but his gut is telling him that this change began at the top of the mountain.

Asides from the vaph and the infested vaph, there was still plenty of dangers in the immortal maze that could seriously wound an immortal gilanian.

One of Catlak's callers called out. "One of our scouts is signalling! Something is up ahead!"

Catlak's eyes rolled as he sighed. "I hope it's not another weird vaph. Company, halt!"

As the posse ceased in their march, a rumble from the distance was heard. A hulking mass of muscles came closer to Catlak's posse, smashing the ground with every chance it got. It appeared as though it had long lengths of red heavy bandages that covered its body, being its only supposed form of clothing. It was three times taller than a gilanian, and its arms were longer than normal. Its claws were long and sharp, which also dripped in red. Its tail was quite long as well, dragging behind itself as it thundered forward. Its face was covered by several trailing bandages of red, but saber-like fangs grew from its mouth in a terrifying display. It appeared to be mad at the infested vaph that had entered its territory.

When the infested vaph were chased away, the monstrous thing took in a breath of relief. Despite its calmer disposition, Catlak's men grew very weary of this large newcomer. It was as if they recognized it. When its gaze centered onto Catlak's posse, it stopped its movement. It then spoke in a low growl as it settled itself into a territorial stance. "We see you, and we don't want you herre. You know that you don't belong herre in ourr turrf, and we want you gone." The thing growled in deep tones.

Catlak stepped forward slowly as he gently laid down his rebar spear and made himself look harmless. His arms were spread wide as he continued nearing the creature. He seemed to know this creature. "Red Claw Goqqa. It's been too long. Remember me? I saved your life once."

The thing called Goqqa huffed and grunted. "We know that you saved ourr life, but we know that we saved yourrs too. This does not make us frriends or allies. It makes us even."

Catlak nodded. "Even so, I would like to have some questions answered. Have you noticed that there are a new breed of vaph that's been hunting the other vaph?"

Goqqa stared at Catlak for a few seconds before slowly nodding. "We have noticed, and we do not like it. The vaph eat the moss, and we eat the moss. We do not like the vaph, because they eat ourr moss. Something chased the vaph into our home, and we chased them out. The new vaph is strrange. Looked like things called insects? Orr do they look like lizarrds? They hunt the vaph, but they trry to hunt us too. They must be prroduct of shadows. Shadows and empirre arre enemies to us."

Catlak sighed. "I see. ... How's Bayz?"

Goqqa growled again. "You stay away frrom herr. You hurrt herr once. She deserrves yourr absence. Don't ask me that again."

Catlak sighed again and lowered his arms. "She told you about our breakup, huh? Damn... Well... If you want to join our march towards Broken Hopes Mountain, I only ask that you don't kill or eat anyone in my posse. Go to the front of the formation with a scout. We'll need your tracking skills."

Goqqa shook his head and hissed as he lumbered toward the front of Catlak's posse. "We will join you, Catlak, but only because we sharre a common enemy. We mostly eat moss, but we arre opporrtunistic feederrs. Don't die, orr I will eat you."

Catlak nodded and sighed. "Company, forward!" Red Claw Goqqa was a notorious resident of the immortal maze, and he was called so because of his claws. They were usually stained by the blood of the intruders that dared entered into his territory, or by the vaph that ate any his moss. It was rumored that he constantly stains the bandages he wears with the blood of his victims and prey. He was also rumored to be the unholy offspring of a mongwedger and a gigantic gilanian. More than likely, he was a product of a merging between a mongwedger and several hapless gilanian prisoners that the shadow assassins were responsible for. Not only that, he was also an ancient resident of the immortal maze, and it was assumed that it was because of the experiment that he kept growing larger and larger as the years went by.

Catlak and his men knew better to hunt for vaph in Goqqa's territory, since many of them had fallen prey to his claws at several occasions. Since he was drawn so far away from his own territory, it became obvious to Catlak that the ecology of the immortal maze had became immensely imbalanced.

They didn't need to travel very far to find the next oddity that manifested in their environment. "Scouts are signaling us again! Something is up ahead!"

"Company, halt! Don't break your formation and stay here. I'm going up ahead." Catlak said as he marched past his escorts. As his posse stopped in their march, they parted and created a path for Catlak to go through their formations.

After jogging forward several meters ahead, he met up with the scouts that scoured the area ahead for any dangers. Scouting the land in front of a formation was a necessity, since a scout could tell the rest of their allies of the potential dangers that laid further ahead, such as rival gangs, or dangerous environmental hazards. However, as he met up with one of his scouts, which was assisted by Goqqa, Catlak saw something strange that was ahead of both of them. Once he met up with them, he leaned down and looked at the ground before him. It was the strangest growth that he had ever seen! He wanted to touch it, but he didn't have any clean water that he could use to clean his hands with afterwards.

One of his scouts gesticulated at the growth. "Yeah, I don't know what the hell it is either. I couldn't see another path around this vomit-looking stuff, so I signaled for you to come here and look at this."

Goqqa leaned down and carefully sniffed at the violet sludge. "Hmm... This smells of mold and stagnant waterr. We would not eat this. It looks like it makes the moss sick. It moves like tiny fingerrs wiggling underr the surrface."

Catlak shook his head. "Whatever this stuff is, it's blocking where we are headed."

His scout pouted. "If we can't continue forward, then can we head back?"

Catlak turned and stared at his scout for several seconds, sighed, and then slapped the scout's head. "The fuck you say? We walked all the way out here, and you think we're going to go back to our turf just because we got stopped by Gollog's demonically possessed diarrhea? Come here!" He said, grabbing at the scout.

"What?!" The scout said in surprise. But it was too late for the scout to react in time, since Catlak twisted the scout's arm and flung him onto the moving slime-covered ground. He nearly tripped over his own feet, but when he finally steadied himself, he shivered from the sensations of being on creep for the first time in his life. "Eeeeeewwwwwwww, it feels like I'm trudging through cold and possessed snot!"

"Does your feet feel like they're burning? Any pain?" Catlak asked.

"... Uh... No. I don't feel any pain. It actually feels like I'm standing on water. It still feels gross though." The scout answered.

"Cold gross snot or not, we need to go through it. Now tough it up and scout out the... area... ahead." Catlak berated and slowly lost his concentration when he noticed a shadow looming over himself and his company. It was a slightly darker shadow that added to the otherwise constantly gloomy light within the immortal maze. When Catlak looked up, he was surprised to see that a giant creature had drifted over his head. It was as though it contained hot air to keep itself aloft. It seemed to look down at them with a silent curiosity, being the only audience member to their conversation. After a pause of forty seconds, Catlak finally pointed up at the overlord and said something about it. "... The fuck is that?"

Both the scout and Goqqa diverted their attention to the floating zerg organism. The scout became scared and started running away in fright after a second of staring at the hovering orb of carapace. Goqqa tilted his head at the overlord instead. "... Currious... It is not a shadow. Is it from one of Gollog's darrk drreams?"

Catlak shook his head. "If this is another one of the shadow assassin's ploys or tests, then I'd doubt it. This thing is not exactly subtle. The shadow assassins specialize in subtlety, so this isn't like them to send a giant target in the sky, even if it's just so they could mess with us."

Goqqa huffed as he stepped backwards. "Then what is its purrpose? To float? We have not seen this thing, so we must say to you that we don't know what it does. Should we thrrow something at it?"

Catlak shook his head. "I don't think that'd be a good idea, Goqqa. We don't know what it does, so we'll just leave it alone. If we did throw something at it, then it might shoot laser beams from its eyes at us, or something."

Goqqa shrugged at Catlak. "We won't find out unless we trried."

Catlak sighed and shook his head at Goqqa. "Damn man. I almost forgot how much of a troublemaker you are."

Before they contemplated the idea of antagonizing the overlord, Catlak and Goqqa's conversation was interrupted by another party. "Leave the overlord alone. It has no wish to fight you, but I will not hesitate to eradicate you if you wish to tempt my brood with hostilities."

Catlak and Goqqa immediately turned toward the new voice to see a huge zerg queen standing before them. Her crown had developed much larger than any typical zerg queen, which bore naturally grown and spiky 'horns' on the side of her crown. Such horns were the symbols of a fully developed broodmother. She slowly glided across the creep with effortless grace and came to a stop a few meters away from the two gathered individuals. Goqqa walked back a few feet and hunched himself into a hunting stance. "This one talks! It has the same scales as the flying thing, but we can see intelligence in its eyes! Yet it talks with no mouth. What arre you?"

The broodmother creature held her hand up to them. "I am an enemy of the people that keeps you here in this maze. I seek to build my brood to attack the ones that has captured my swarm's commander. It was through him that my birth was possible, but I now intend to free him once I have the chance."

Catlak was almost at a loss of words. Was this thing really against the Golden Star Empire? He needed to find out more. "Uh... Ahem. Maybe you should be more specific with that answer. Let me rephrase my friend's question. WHAT exactly are you?"

Goqqa sneered and hissed at Catlak, but the broodmother paid no attention to their bicker. She bowed regally towards them. "I am known as a broodmother. Consider me as an evolved zerg queen, capable of commanding a swarm of minions that shares a bitter hatred with Golden Star."

Goqqa snarled. "That name. That currsed faction's name! We rrememberr!" He pointed at the broodmother. "You know of Gollog? You know of his generral? His commanderrs? His conscrripted arrmy?"

The broodmother shook her head. "Not personally, but my master is in need of my assistance. I once planned to hunt down every single being in this maze, both vaph and gilanian alike, but I have seen that another tactic can provide me with another opportunity. I realized that we shared a common enemy."

Catlak took a step towards the broodmother. "My enemy is with the shadows, and not with whatever the hell you or your zerg are. If the weird vaph things are your doing, then I only ask that you make them back off from my turf. They already killed one of my gang members, and I don't want that happening again. But if you really want to go and hunt down the shadow bitches that's given me and my gang nothing but trouble during our stay in this maze, then good for you. Just stay away from my turf."

"I apologize that the infested vaph has killed one of your kind. They will bother you no longer." The broodmother hissed and clacked her fingers together. "I also sense that you wish to be freed from this maze. I can provide an escape from this maze for you."

Catlak liked what he heard, but he was hesitant to accept such an offer. "Sounds to me like that has a catch."

The broodmother nodded at Catlak, and tightly clutched one of her claws. "If you join my swarm, then we can attack the ones responsible for your unethical treatment, and my master's containment. But if you refuse my offer, then I will let you remain here. These are the terms."

Catlak nodded slightly and turned to Goqqa. Goqqa hissed at the broodmother before turning to Catlak to begin speaking with him in a quiet manner. "This seems too convenient. We do not know its kind. This could be a trrap."

Catlak shook his head at Goqqa and gently patted his shoulder. "It's better than being tortured, Goqqa. If there is a slim chance that we can finally be freed, then it's a chance I'm willing to take. Besides. If it means I can finally go to a place that isn't in this swampy, dark dump, then I'm willing to risk it. When we're done here, tell Bayz that we finally have a ticket out of here. Okay?"

Goqqa paused for a few seconds, but then sighed. "We can do this. But we must learrn morre of this crreaturre beforre we go."

Catlak nodded and turned back to the broodmother. He then paused for a second. "... Uh... I don't think I caught your name."

The broodmother gestured indifferently. "I was not born with one, and I have not been given one."

"Hmm... Would you do me the honor of giving you one then?" Catlak suggested.

The broodmother paused for a few seconds, but nodded. "... I suppose I can humor your request."

Catlak nodded with a slight smile. "Then from here on out, I'll name you Broo. My name is Catlak, and I'm the chief of the Moss Field Hunters." But his expression became stern as he pointed at the newly named Broo. "But I also want you to know that if you betray me in any way, I will wash my hands of our business and go my separate way. Got it?"

The broodmother, now named Broo, bowed. "My intentions were only set on harming the Golden Star Empire, and freeing my commander. As such, I will make amends for any unintended inconveniences I may have caused upon you, or may cause at another time. As I have said before, I have no wish to fight you."

Catlak smirked, but he didn't really follow what Broo had said. "Uh... Okay then. So what do we need to do to earn our freedom?"

Broo pointed upwards. "We fight our way through that."

Catlak looked up at where Broo pointed and saw what she meant. "... The food door?"

"It is our only exit out of this place. To earn your freedom, you must join me. If we work together, then we can break through our containment, and free my commander. Once we attained our freedom, you may do as you wish."

Goqqa didn't seem convinced. "And how do we get to the food doorr? It is so high up."

Broo pointed at the overlord. "We fly up." She answered simply.

Catlak raised his eye brows incredulously. "Uh... We can't exactly grow wings, Broo."

Broo hissed. "I know you can't grow wings, you simpleton! I meant to say that you can use the overlord to carry you up there."

Catlak nodded. "Oh... That makes more sense. Use the overlord thing to float us up to the food door. Got it."

Broo shook her head and rolled her eyes. Her tone then became serious. "Spread the word to the other immortal gilanians in this maze. Tell them that to escape this place, they must join my swarm and attack the Golden Star Empire. Can you do this?"

Catlak smiled and pointed a thumb to himself. "Yeah, I think I can do that. Might have to explain a bit of this stuff to my gang, but they're gonna be happy to know that we finally found a way to escape this dump!" Catlak then turned to Goqqa. "Red Claw Goqqa, go to Bayz and tell her the good news."

Goqqa gave Catlak a low snarl. "We will tell Bayz what happened herre. But harrass herr again, and we kill you."

Catlak sighed as Goqqa began to quickly lumber away from him and the broodqueen. After a long pause of silence, Catlak shook his head and turned back to Broo. "... Sorry you had to witness that."

Broo gestured dismissively to Catlak. "My concern is with freeing my commander. You should be concerned with spreading the word that escape from this maze is possible."

Catlak nodded. "... Alright. Yeah. Okay." He turned around and waved goodbye at Broo. "I'll come back here after I spread the word. Oh! And make sure that you make enough of those overlord things to carry all of us out of here! One looks like it ain't gonna cut it!"

"I will spawn more overlords before you return. Of that, I can assure you." Broo bowed as Catlak began leaving. It seemed to her that the diplomacy within the Pyramidal Guard Division's immortal maze was quite strange. However, she cared little about understanding it. Her attention would instead focus on expanding her creep, spawning more minions, and as of then, spawning more overlords. She looked up at the food door that opened every week, glaring at it with patient zeal. Soon, her brood would grow in sufficient numbers, and be able to overtake the Pyramidal Guard Division's facility. To destroy the shadow assassins' facility would deal an incredible blow to Gollog's resources, and further demoralize his precious empire. Kay's capture may have been a distraction that had accosted him his connection to the swarm on Kiln, but it would prove to be only a passing inconvenience.

Broo will teach the Pyramidal Guard Division that the swarm is incapable of be contained indefinitely. They would break from their bonds and eradicate their enemies, no matter how they adapt against the zerg.

* * *

"-And that was how it happened." Goqqa said to a lithe-bodied albino gilanian that wore a worn leather-patched jacket and pants, and was sitting in a dome-like structure that had moss growing over it.

The lithe-bodied gilanian sighed when Goqqa told her the story on how this new faction, called the zerg, had came into the maze and made promises about escape and freedom. She had second doubts about the broodmother named Broo. "I don't like this, Goqqa. Of course Catlak would accept something like that. Escaping from this maze is all he ever dreamed and talked about!"

Goqqa tilted his head. "But frreedom frrom this place is good. To be frree is a desirre that we sharre."

The albino gilanian shook her head. "You said that the vaph were somehow changed. If they could change by some kind of disease, then it's a possibility that Catlak and his gang have been affected by that same disease. If I am to share in that freedom, then I need to ensure that I would be safe from whatever kind of sickness that he might be carrying."

Goqqa huffed. "Then what do we do now? We can't leave you herre. You pulled us from a spike. You made us no longerr impaled. You arre ourr only frriend in the maze, Bayz."

The albino gilanian named Bayz sighed as she shook her head again. "... I can't believe I'm actually thinking about doing this."

"Bayz?" Goqqa said, curious on what her answer might have been.

After a long pause, Bayz began to nod. "... Dammit, fine. I'll need to get my suit ready."

Goqqa nodded as Bayz got herself up and went into her supposed domicile.

* * *

 **A/N: Using the word vaph feels so similar to using a plural and singular word. Moose. Fish. Deer. Bison. Fruit.**

 **Also, it feels to me that if I ever wrote a non-fanfiction story, then Catlak, Goqqa, and Bayz might be its main characters. :U**


	74. Prison Riot

**Chapter 74: Prison Riot**

* * *

Kay wriggled within his fluid-filled prison as the needles in his arms whirred to life. The scientists assisting Faddoh activated a mechanism that drawled out the precious fluids that hydrated his body at an alarming rate, but his zerg regeneration enabled him to survive the drain, his almost heroic fortitude capable of negating the siphoning of his blood. He was currently being put into another rigorous test by the commander of the Cube Research Division. Faddoh seemed quite invested in analyzing Kay's conscious condition when he had finally woken up. After applying several strips of adhesive to his tank, Faddoh allowed the breaching team to install several automated turrets along the walls an on the ceiling. Apparently, Faddoh didn't want any more toxic nests to form near or around Kay's bio-stasis tank. Once he returned, he brought with him several different kinds of equipment, many of which that Kay didn't know the names to, or how they functioned.

In the most latest of tests that the scientists performed at the behest of their commander, Faddoh seemed rather elated with the tests he was performing on Kay, his coppery metal fingers clicking against one another when he began to plead them together. "Incredible... We have drained four gallons of blood from his veins already, and we are STILL drawing out more?! How is he containing it all!? It's as though his active consciousness is either enabling him a greater means of regeneration, or that his carapace is absorbing and metabolizing the fluid in his tank to account for the loss of blood! Perhaps both!"

 _'Yeh yeh yeh, keep thinking that. I had to use my mending ability a few times to keep myself from passing out_ _ _, you invasive copper leech_.'_ Kay growled silently to himself.

Much of the tests that Kay had been awake for were painful and grueling. Faddoh was very thorough in his analysis of Kay's vulnerable condition, and Kay couldn't do anything about it without causing any further trouble for himself. He had only kept himself from acting out and breaking from his bio-stasis tank because Faddoh had warned him that there were hidden particle charges installed in the room that he was within. Kay didn't know if the commander of the Cube Research Division was bluffing or not, but he thought that it would be best to not make the room explode with him in it.

But after checking up on the broodmother that was born within the immortal maze, apparently named Broo by the maze's inhabitants, Kay knew that it was only a matter of time until her brood grew big enough to challenge the residents of the dark mausoleum.

Before Faddoh could continue his research with yet another test, a shadow assassin had entered the room. She interrupted him by appearing right in front of his view, blocking his sight of Kay's bio-stasis tank. Faddoh didn't seem too particularly disturbed by her sudden appearance, despite the surprised yelps of the other scientists that were nearby at the time. She seemed to be carrying a folder.

Faddoh gave the shadow assassin a friendly smile. "Guik! It's good to see you again!"

Guik shook her head as her face/mask's letters changed to 'plain.' "Pleasantries aside, Commander Kralluf has discovered several dead corpses. You need to perform an autopsy on them."

"I'm afraid those zerg bodies will have to wait, Guik. I have to get all of my research on my most prized specimen out of the way before I do anything else." Faddoh replied, walking past Guik and keeping his gaze focused on Kay.

Guik's face/mask's letters changed to 'impatience' before she began tapping her foot. "I didn't say they were zerg bodies."

Faddoh's expression formed a frown as he turned toward Guik. "... They're not zerg bodies? I don't think I am following with what you are saying, Guik."

Guik showed Faddoh the folder and opened its contents, showing several laminated images to Faddoh. "As you can see here, there have been a string of deaths that are similar to each other. Several victims have suffered severe burns, or have otherwise been amputated, decapitated, or had their torsos split in half with similar burn marks."

Faddoh inspected the images contained in the folder as Guik quickly flipped through each of its pages. After Guik was done flipping through the folder's pages, Faddoh nodded slowly as concern steeped into his face. "That is truly strange. I have never seen wounds like that before! It's as though their bones were sliced through cleanly, and their flesh became cauterized at the moment of sustaining the injury. Is this a new type of zerg organism?"

Guik shook her head as he face/mask's letters changed to 'confounded.' "Our autopsy reports says otherwise. When we tested the bodies for signs of zerg virus infestation, the results were a negative on any form of infectious activity. As far as we know, all zerg-related attacks always results in a gilanian victim contracting the zerg virus, whether dead or alive. This is something completely different."

Faddoh began to pace around with a copper hand clasped to his LED chin. "Hmm... This is a rather unfortunate. Did Kralluf have anything else to say about these 'mysterious deaths?'"

Guik shook her head, her face/mask's letters changing to 'nonchalant.' "Pallax and Gollog expects a report from him, and he doesn't have enough data for the presentation. He needs you to provide him with the information he needs."

Faddoh sighed in frustration. "Well this is a fine mess he has spilled onto me. I suppose I have no choice but to entertain his dilemma for the moment." He then turned toward Guik. "Make sure that my specimen doesn't let himself out, my sweety. I'll be going on a little trip."

"And when the doomsday clock reaches zero?" Guik asked.

"Leave the specimen here." Faddoh answered as he neared the only exit out of Kay's containment chamber. "He'll remain long after the zerg are gone."

"Uh, sir?" One of the scientists under Faddoh's command interjected. "What about us?"

Faddoh stopped as he neared the exit and turned to his scientists. "Oh! You may continue with your current test. Once you are done, you may use a MEM device to leave for the axle rail station that connects to the fifth sky ring."

"Yes sir." Faddoh's scientists replied back.

Faddoh nodded with a smile and took the opportunity to leave the containment room. But after a couple seconds had passed, Guik turned to the scientists as her face/mask's letters changed to 'stern.' "But report to me first if you are seeking transfer from my facility. I don't want any office supplies or any valuable data being stolen from my division. Understood?"

"Yes mam." Faddoh's scientists replied back.

After a cursory gaze over the Cube Research scientists, Guik nodded her head and turned to walk to the door as well.

 _'Bitch.'_

Guik stopped her herself from leaving and looked around, as though looking for someone close to her. After several seconds of inspecting around herself, she paused for a few more seconds before turning to leave.

Kay sighed when the needles stopped sucking the life out of him. Apparently, the scientists were done with their current test, but they didn't seem too interested in continuing with another test afterwards. Apparently, the 'doomsday clock' that Guik mentioned was a topic of grim discussion, which created doubt within every gilanian's mind. All they were told was that Gollog's 'secret weapon' doesn't differentiate between gilanian targets or zerg targets, and that the weapon's coverage was supposed to be so widespread that it could cover the entire world of Kiln. Much of Golden Star's citizenry and military assets were already tucked safely away on the fifth sky ring super satellite structure installation, but there seemed to be a select few low-ranking soldiers that were ordered and commanded to stay. It elated Kay to know that he was safe from this supposed 'secret weapon.' But it saddened him to know that the rest of the swarm was still in danger.

Despite the bad news, Guik had revealed some unusual information that Kay remembered. Apparently, there was some kind of assailant that was accosting Gollog's forces. Guik may have briefly showed Faddoh the images of the burned bodies, but it gave Kay enough time to get the general idea of what was happening to Golden Star's personnel. Mostly to its military personnel. He couldn't say for certain, but Kay thought the damage that was done to those bodies almost seemed familiar...

But at any rate, those bodies didn't relate to his current condition whatsoever. What he needed was Broo's brood to break out of the immortal maze and come rescue him! He hoped that she can use a zergling to sniff out the charged particle warheads that were hidden in his chamber. Perhaps they can also disarm the charged particle bombs and defuse them? If the zerglings could do that, then Kay would be able to escape this claustrophobic nightmare.

However, an unexpected surprise caught everyone off guard as the automated turrets began firing at the only entrance into Kay's containment chamber.

"AH, WHAT THE HELL?!" "Was it another burster node?" "Don't fuckin' know. They shot at the only door into here." "You know what? Fuck it! I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm taking the first opportunity to MEM shift out of this creepy-ass dump."

One of the scientists decided to walk to the bullet-riddled entrance, despite the recent mysterious misfire of the automated turrets. It seemed as though one of the scientists had enough of the chaos that went around the dark mausoleum. The stress that inquisitive shadow assassins, spawning toxic nests, and random automated turret firing was apparently enough to warrant an early leave.

However, at the very moment he passed through the door, he became instantly bisected from the head down to his crotch. A split second later, a thunderous storm billowed into the containment room, which began electrifying everyone that currently inhabited it. The nerve-rending jolt also managed to affect the automated turrets on the ceiling and walls, making them explode in a shower of junk and ruined technology. Kay had to clench his teeth, despite the restraints that was placed onto his jaw and neck. But this electrical charge that ran through his body felt so familiar to him. It was only when the storm faded that Kay understood immediately what was happening. The electricity pumping into the room wasn't just a normal coincidence, if it could even be considered a normal coincidence. The origin of the shock didn't originate from a short in the electrical system, but was generated by a powerful psionics user.

 _"Hello, Kay."_ Kay began to feel the presence of a protoss mind entering into his containment room. His familiar words spat out with what felt like pure spite. Somehow, the protoss that he had saved from the secret facility was grumpier than usual. Such hatred almost made Kay felt like he was naked! When the protoss came closer, Kay could mentally see that he had donned several different kinds of items onto his person, some of which were not of typical templar garb. However, he could see that the protoss was in a slightly modified templar armor, which seemed somewhat damaged, but was also patched together. The khaydarin amulet that he sported on the middle of his forehead seemed to glisten with power, which appeared to amplify his power to unimaginable levels. However, there were two other items that he carried, which was a strange combination of equipment for someone of his caste to carry into battle. He seemed to awkwardly carry an avenger's psionic scythe, while he was being cloaked in a wreath of unseen light that made the naked eye unable to see the protoss. Kay could see the protoss with his mind's eye, which easily dispelled the illusion that the protoss projected around himself.

But he failed to keep himself calm when he began speaking to the protoss. _'You?! Why the hell are you doing here?!'_

 _"I am not here for a charitable cause, if that is what you are wondering."_ The protoss said, as though anger dripped from his mind. _"If it were up to me, I would wait for another twenty years before I even began to contemplate finding and freeing you from your prison. I would find that rather... ironic in a certain sense. A poetic form of kismet between us. Letting such a length of time pass as you remain rotting in that tube would almost seem like a form of justice that I can accept. But it pains me to free you from this method of containment so early."_

 _'Wait... You came to break me out? Why?'_ Kay asked, feeling surprised.

 _"You may blame your lizard friend for that. He is the one known as Kragnon, the lovechief."_ The protoss replied, as he walked up to Kay's bio-stasis tank and inspected it. _"He was the one that convinced me to retrieve you from this dark mausoleum. Despite being filled with gilanian shadow assassins, their technology offered little means of detecting my intrusion into their facility."_

Kay smiled and sighed in relief. _'Wow. I really have to return the favor to him someday.'_

 _"Actually, you may want to avoid talking to him. He was not very keen on what he had to sacrifice in order to bring me here."_ The protoss readied his psionic scythe. _"Prepare yourself."_

 _'WAIT WAIT WAIT DON'T DON'T DON'T-'_ Before Kay could warn the protoss in time, Kay's bio-stasis tank was cut apart in blinding strikes. The restraints that kept him floating in the tank had been sliced off with practiced precision, and Kay could feel his body sliding forward as a wave of fluid carried him, until he finally stopped on shallow ground. After a moment's pause, Kay shakily got up from the ground and began prying off the restraints that irked him since the day he had awoken from his latest coma. After removing his breathing apparatus and metallic blindfold, he threw them to the ground and stared at the protoss with manic. "YOU FUCKING JACKASS! THIS ROOM IS NOW GOING TO BLOW UP!"

The protoss paused as he looked around Kay's containment chamber. This pause lasted for several seconds before the protoss talked to Kay again, with an even greater veil of anger. _"Curb your insults against me, infested terran, lest I regret freeing you from your hold. I sense your truth, but I believe that you have been lied to. What made you think this room would detonate upon your release?"_

Kay waited a few more seconds for something to happen. ... Nothing happened? Kay looked around the room that he was kept in and felt confusion plaguing his mind. "... But... But that metal headed, copper-assed asshole said that this room was rigged with charged particle explosives..."

 _"'Metal headed?' Are you saying that this... metal head, is a machine?"_ The protoss asked plainly.

"Uh... Yeah..." Several more seconds passed as Kay tried to predict the explosion that was to come. However, it didn't come. Kay began to feel foolish."... You know what? Now that I think about it, I think Commander Faddoh was bluffing about the bombs."

 _"I take it that he is this metal head you spoke of."_ The protoss replied, almost sighing.

"Dammit." Kay said through clenched teeth. "I can sense lies from a living person, but that skill won't do me good if I can't sense the emotions of a damn robot commander." He shook his head and turned away from the protoss, feeling frustration pouring through his mind.

The protoss huffed impatiently. _"You may mourn your tactical disadvantages later. We need to leave this mausoleum, and return you to your hive cluster."_

Kay sighed and gestured to the protoss to stop. "Wait..." The protoss seemed to be slightly irked by Kay's request, but he remained in his usual floating stance. Kay walked up to the protoss in a non-hostile way and looked up to him. "... I want to say thank you." Kay said.

The protoss sighed again. His patience was thinning by the second. _"You're wasting a lot of our time here by doing this, Kay. Make it quick."_

Kay nodded at the protoss. "Then we'll just use small talk as we make our way out of here. The protoss and the zerg might have been fierce enemies in the past, but it was proven that they can rely on each other when the need to survive arises. Lead the way."

The protoss nodded as a respectable huff emanated from his mental telepathy.

However, before he could turn and lead the way, a blaring klaxon exploded in Kay's containment room and the hallways that resided outside of it. After several seconds of this ear-splitting noise had gone on, the klaxon deadened in volume as a female voice calmly spoke to the current residents of the Pyramidal Guard facility. [Warning. Facility has been compromised. Self-destruct sequence has been activated. Detonation will occur in ten minutes. Please evacuate the dark mausoleum facility in an orderly fashion. Thank you for your time.] Once the announcement was over, the klaxon blared at its normal full volume.

The protoss looked around as he listened to the announcement, and sighed. _"It appears as though we do not have much time for small talk as well! We need to hurry to the exit!"_ The protoss exclaimed as he started hovering forward.

Kay followed after the protoss, despite the noisy klaxon. Kay didn't know how the protoss kept himself aloft, nor how he had came to acquire the avenger's psionic scythe and whatever kind of technology that enabled the protoss avengers generate a cloaking field, but it was a matter that was not important to him. "Then how about you share with me your name?! You know, in case we meet some opposition and I need to get your attention!?"

 _"Refer to me as Templar Xidion!"_ He answered, nearing the only entrance into Kay's containment area and carefully peering into the halls. They seemed clear. _"Be warned! The shadow assassins are invisible to my sight! We may need to cut across rooms to avoid detection!"_

"Maybe to you, but not me!" Kay said, coming to a stop right next to the templar. "Stay close to me, Xid! I'll point them out if they get close to us! I'll act like one of your protoss observers! ... Except I'll be visible."

The templar looked back at Kay with contempt. _"Very well, but please cease calling me Xid!"_

And with that, the infested terran and protoss duo began their journey through the dark mausoleum.

* * *

Once the klaxon had erupted into life, the staff within the dark mausoleum began their evacuation procedures. Much of the scientists belonging to the Cube Research Division began to make a mad scramble toward the nearest MEM device. The shadow assassins that inhabited the dark mausoleum, on the other hand, were not present during the entire evacuation procedure. It was a possibility that they used their mobile MEM devices to transport themselves to safety, but neither Xidion or Kay was confident in that theory. However, Kay felt confident that wherever Xidion was leading him, they would eventually cross upon the entrance that Xidion infiltrated through that entered into the dark mausoleum.

But curiously, when Xidion stopped at a hatch along the wall, and the highest possible floor of the dark mausoleum structure, he noticed that there were several gilaian symbols that read 'danger', 'caution,' 'warning,' 'restricted area,' 'no access,' 'hazardous machinery,' and 'do not enter' surrounding the hatch. Kay looked at this hatch carefully before saying something about it. "So uh... This is how you got in?!" Kay yelled. The klaxons were still blaring within the facility.

The protoss named Xidion nodded as he opened the hatch, revealing a ladder that led up. _"This was how I got in here, yes! The entrance is set next to a fly infested oasis near a stone pillar forest, but is guarded by a complex doorway that alters the dimensional size of anyone and anything that enters this facility! The Pyramidal Guard Division prefers to use their MEM devices to transport troops and equipment to their deployment areas, so they kept the physical entrance into this facility a secret! Not even the shadow assassins in Golden Star's Pyramidal Guard Division knows of the true entrance into their dark mausoleum facility!"_

"I uh... I see!" Kay nodded at Zidion, but he didn't pursue after him. "You go on ahead! I have some people I need to rescue!"

Xidion turned to Kay with a perplexed expression. _"You cannot be serious! In eight minutes, this facility will self destruct!"_

"There are prisoners in the lowest part of the dark mausoleum! I want them to be freed before I leave this place permanently!" Kay answered loudly.

Xidion paused for a few seconds before nodding at Kay. _"Very well, Kay! I had only came here to free you from your prison, just like you had freed me from my own! Consider my debt to you fulfilled!"_ Xidion said as he began scaling the ladder.

"Request a bunch of overlords with ventral sacs to hover over us!" Kay shouted as he watched Xidion go up the ladder for a couple seconds before he focused on his connection to the swarm. It was strange. He could barely feel the rest of the swarm just above him, sounding like distant voices that were far away and muffled. But rather than focusing on his swarm, Kay focused on Broo's brood. _'Alright, my broodmother. Listen well. A self destruct sequence has activated. You need to get out of here now. There is an exit at the top floor, through an access hatch.'_

 _'I am mutating ventral sacks on my overlords as we speak. How much time do we have left?'_

 _'Uh... I think maybe seven minutes? How big is your swarm?'_ Kay asked.

 _'I managed to persuade the prisoner population to join our cause. They will be_ _riding on the backs of my zerglings when we attempt our escape_ _.'_

 _'They can do that?! How are they riding on the zerglings? Do their attack-claws or wings get in the way? ... Actually, never mind that. Can you direct them to come to my position in less than five minutes?'_

 _'If any of our enemies do not bar our path, then we can achieve that in four minutes.'_

 _'Kay! You go ahead and escape this facility! I'm going to make a slight detour. The private quarters of the Pyramidal Guard Division is not far from my position.'_

 _'Why are you going there?'_ Broo asked, confused.

Kay began running as quickly as his feet could take him. "Bolstering our forces, I hope!"

* * *

For as long as Kay had fought against Golden Star and its assets, the commanders of each division had an aquarium that had a type of animal that inhabited it. With commander Ralkan, he had soft jellyfish that could revert their physical bodies into a larval stage. Commander Faddoh had plant lice that could telescope their generations, which can enable their own unborn young to become pregnant. Sadly, he was incapable of acquiring the contents of Commander Kralluf's aquarium. When he stealthily intruded into Kralluf's private quarters, the first thing that he had inspected was his aquarium. When Kay looked into the innards of Kralluf's aquarium, he was saddened to see that it was filled with nothing but rocks. Or to be more specific, they looked like meteorites. It was a curious find, since the quantum veil shouldn't allow any small celestial objects to impact the Kiln prison system's planet with craters. Or at least that was what Kay had thought. It made Kay later theorize that Kiln's veil acted as a one-way barrier, where objects could enter through it, but never exit back out the same way they came.

However, such thoughts were mere distractions to Kay. Within that moment, Kay was more focused on finding and plundering Guik's private quarters.

Kay eventually found what he was looking for, and barreled through the doors that sealed Guik's private quarters from everything else in the dark mausoleum. The walls were stylized in the typical colors of the Pyramidal Guard Division theme, which consisted of black with several kinds of violet shades. The room seemed totalitarian in design, which had a simple desk that had several complex computer towers that surrounded it. The light of several monitors brightened a keyboard below them, but their light shone on a chair that was vacant. Sadly, Kay found no aquarium within this room.

"Dammit." Kay knew that his time was very limited, and each second decreased his chances of escaping the Pyramidal Guard Division's self-destruction.

Kay expeditiously scanned Guik's private quarters. After finding a couple doors that connected to Guik's office, he decided to punch through the closest door to enter through it. A shower of metal shrapnel replaced the standing door, which spilled into the next room as Kay charged through it. Kay immediately noticed that he intruded into Guik's bedroom, judging from the large and soft bed that had several pillows covering the top of the mattress. The room smelled of perfume, which originated from a desk with a large vanity mirror, containing several perfumes which potentially emanated the fruity smells.

But Kay also found what he was looking for. A glass aquarium. Strangely enough, it looked empty, with the exception of some sand and a few mock-coral structures. But he could also feel the presence of an animal from within its confines. Without wasting time on thinking, he quickly went up to the aquarium and jabbed his hand through the glass. The glass shattered, revealing that it had contained salt water.

He didn't had time to think. He only hoped that his stomach didn't dissolve the animal too soon once he has time to analyze and absorb its genetic essence. He ignored his gag reflex as best as he could when he felt the slimy thing writhe uncontrollably down his throat and into his stomach. He could also feel its teeth graze onto his innards, as though it had no intentions on being scarfed down like a food item. But despite its complaints, Kay had other purposes for it instead. Again, Kay hoped that his stomach didn't dissolve and digest the animal too soon. Alas, with his goal achieved, and still having lots of time to spare, he turned around and began to sprint again. With his side mission complete, escaping from the dark mausoleum became Kay's primary concern.

But before he could escape, a sudden and unexpected obstacle barred his path. Out of all the shadow assassins that Kay had ever confronted, or were confronted by, Commander Guik happened to be the only shadow assassin that he had fought twice. And there she was. Stopping Kay from leaving the facility that she commanded.

The letters on Guik's face/mask changed to 'angered' as she readied herself into a combat stance, while two black disks formed on her forearms.

"... Well this is just my luck." Kay said as he gulped his nervousness. It was because of her that Kay had suffered the knockout blow, which led to him to being captured, being delivered to, and waking up in her dark mausoleum. And now, Kay was face-to-face with her again.

* * *

 **A/N: That Vampyr game is looking pretty good. Might pick it up later. '3'**


	75. Blades of Obsidian

**Chapter 75: Blades of Obsidian**

* * *

Within the dark mausoleum, a few floors down from the main entrance, inside of the Pyramidal Guard Division's private quarters, there were two commanders standing in front of each other. One was the notorious leader of Emperor Gollog's Pyramidal Guard Division, widely known by both Golden Star citizens and nonaligned gilanians as Commander Guik. The other was the infamous leader of the zerg swarm that had infested Kiln's prison system for twenty of its years, codenamed as the bug-man beast-master, otherwise known as Kay.

It was because of her that Kay had suffered the knockout blow, which led to his eventual capture. The knockout blow had left him unconscious and in the perfect state to be delivered to Guik's dark mausoleum. And now, Kay was face-to-face with her again. "... Well this is just my luck." Kay said as he gulped his nervousness.

"You were snooping in my bedroom. Why?" Guik asked, pointing a shadowy disk towards Kay.

Kay shrugged, but he didn't divert his eyes from Guik. "Would you believe me if I told you that I wanted to find some incriminating evidence on Gollog?"

"No." Guik plainly said.

Kay sighed. "Figured you wouldn't. Mind moving out of the way? This facility is going to explode."

Guik hissed lightly. "I can't let you leave this place. I was told to keep you here, and keep you here I will."

Kay raised a surprised eyebrow at Guik. "What? But if your dark mausoleum self-destructs, you'll die with me too!"

Guik sighed and nodded. "That is precisely what will happen." With her other hand, Guik extended five fingers upwards, with her palm facing Kay's direction. "Honestly, I'd say you have five minutes before this facility explodes, with you perishing along with it."

"Oh..." Kay said, both dumbfounded and amazed by Guik's bravery. He could sense the willpower behind Guik's blank face, and he could tell that such driven dedication was as adamant as neosteel. However, no matter how strong Guik's will was, Kay would rather refrain from staying within the dark mausoleum longer than he needed to. "Well then, I'll just have to kill you in four."

In a quick sprint, Kay launched himself forward and brought himself into melee distance with Guik. Two clawed hands and two sharp wings flashed toward the commander of the Pyramidal Guard in an instant. Such an attack should have spelled doom for her, but she deftly dodged all four attacks from each limb, and used one of her black disks to parry Kay's blurring strike. Guik rolled out of the way once her counter was over and stood upright, prepared for another attack that might harm her.

Kay quickly turned to prevent the stealthy commander from getting behind himself. He felt as though that receiving a back-stab attack from Guik's mysterious black disks would be dangerous for his health. Kay then felt a pain coming from his right arm. He slowly looked at his right arm to find that his wrist was nearly cleaved through, which dangled loosely from a thin strip of flesh that still kept his hand attached to his body. He didn't even feel his flesh being severed from the counterattack! He grabbed at his hand and forced it back onto his partially stumped forearm tightly. He winced as he felt his hand return from its numbed state. "Ooh! Kay, that wounded me a little!"

Guik took the opportunity to launch an attack of her own, flinging her black disks toward Kay in a flurry of ranged attacks. Each disk seemed to move with a will of their own, which also seemed to be piloted under Guik's control. Kay adapted by using his wings to quickly shift his weight. The black disks narrowly missed his body, but they came quite close to ripping through his flesh or severing his limbs from his body. Kay constantly dodged, rolled, and jumped away from each attack that Guik threw at him, and he kept his dangling hand tightly compressed against his severed arm the entire time. Guik huffed with impatience. "Attack me, you overgrown insect!"

"You asked for it!" Kay quickly launched a psionic attack at Guik by forming energy from his intact hand and blasting it towards her. Guik used her black disks to shield herself from the attack, and Kay's attack appeared to be completely negated by her defense. She didn't budge from her spot as Kay's energy blasts struck her blocking disks. After a few more blasts of energy, Kay stopped and inspected the assassin commander. He tilted his head at her once he noticed that Guik was completely fine. "... Hmm. So those disk things can absorb my attacks, huh?"

"They can also bounce your own attacks back at yourself." Guik said as she directed her disks toward Kay. Kay was immediately beset by a powerful explosion of power, which pushed him back into Guik's bedroom. To Kay, it felt as though he was struck by six of his own energy blasts in a simultaneous explosion, which somehow backfired back at himself. However, Kay shrugged off the damage as he quickly focused on his body and mended his immediate wounds. A few seconds later, Guik strolled into her bedroom and stared down Kay with silent, but angered fury. Kay knew that it was angry fury because he could sense her emotions, despite her face/mask's letters seeming to be permanently stuck to being read as 'angered' in that moment.

Kay realized that any direct damage, be it a melee or ranged attack, would be rendered completely useless against her black disks. In response to her defenses, he summoned his telekinetic manipulation and lifted Guik off of the ground, restraining her and preventing her from attacking Kay any further. Once Guik was stunned, Kay then used his telekinetic power again to lift Guik's bed, making its pillows float around in a slow, and erratic manner. "Bounce this, bitch!" With a quick gesture, Kay motioned for Guik's bed to collide with the only person that had ever slept on it.

The bed obeyed, and careened straight onto Guik. The impact of the soft furniture made her exhale sharply, which also forced her back into the main hub room that her computer was kept in. Kay followed the path of pillows that were left behind from his last attack, coming back into the main room of Guik's private quarters. He found Guik pinned under her own bed. She growled and hissed in frustration, but also grunted and groaned as she tried to lift her own bed off of herself. "Gr~! You bastard!"

"Don't blame me, blame the copper-coated commander for telling you to keep me here. But now that we're here, do yourself a favor and stay still." Kay warned Guik. He walked to the commander and kneeled down next to her.

Guik slowly looked up at Kay. "... Stay still?"

Kay nodded solemnly at Guik. "Yes. I'm going to infest you now." Kay said, reaching a hand towards Guik's face. "If you're infested, then it would mean I'd have one less commander to deal with. You'll feel a slight pinch."

"NO!" Before Kay could pierce through Guik's skintight suit, an electrical shock zapped Kay. It had enough of a jolt to make Kay jump backwards.

"YOW!" Kay shook his hand rapidly since his fingers felt like they were covered in fire. After a thorough shaking, Kay growled and pointed at Guik. "Kay, I am getting pissed off with-... Uh." After a paused inspection, Kay noticed that his fingers were actually on fire. After patting the fire out on his fingers, he continued pointing at Guik. "I'm getting pissed off with all this jumping around, and with all your idiotic and duplicitous cunning!"

Guik quickly scrambled underneath her own upturned bed. "You should have stayed put in your bio-stasis tank. None of this would be happening if you remained in your containment chamber."

Kay huffed as he stared at Guik's ruined bed. "Tough titties. Gollog should have given me what I wanted in the first place. Doing so would have prevented this whole travesty from befalling your entire planet. You would have been left alone, while I can finally have my freedom." With another gesture, Kay used his telekinesis to push Guik's bed out of his way. Kay expected to find a cowering Guik hiding underneath her bed, but he discovered that there was no commander under the furniture. "... Hmm."

[Your obligation is not part of Gollog's duty. Or mine.] Guik whispered through her private quarters' intercom system. [My emperor would rather see this entire world destroyed, instead of letting your monsters rule it. Even if you removed the foundations of his empire, Emperor Gollog will continue to live long after your reign. The zerg are an infestation, but Gollog, and his chosen immortals, will live forever.]

Kay felt Guik's intention through the floor of the facility. How was that even possible? Could she swim through the facility's floor? Like a zerg ground unit burrowing through the earthen soil? Before Kay could entertain such thoughts, he felt Guik's violent intentions, and he knew that he had to react fast before something bad happened. He began dodging Guik's razor sharp black disks, which sawed through the very ground he stood on. Kay twisted and turned several times in order to prevent his own feet and legs from being severed from right under him. It was a dance of death, except Kay was desperately trying to avoid being killed. "Damn! How'd you get under the floor?!"

[As I have told you before, a lady never tells her secrets.] The bodiless Guik mocked while her black disks continued to faze through the ground and attack Kay's feet. It was more than likely that Guik used her portable MEM device to teleport herself to a lower level, and used that advantage to strike at Kay from right below himself. As Kay danced on the ground, Kay was beginning to regret coming into Guik's private quarters and raiding her bedroom. But even so, Kay knew that he was also wasting too much time with his detour, and he had to end this confrontation quick.

 _'Broo! If you have any spare zerg forces that you can divert to my location, I need some lurkers it now!'_ Kay commanded to Broo.

 _'I can do even better than that. Watch your feet!'_ Broo answered. Kay didn't know what Broo had meant by that, but he soon figured it out when the floor under his feet began to rumble.

Oh. Broo had suddenly done that. But of COURSE she would do that. With Kay being so close to the secretly protected entrance that led out of and into the Pyramidal Guard Division's facility, how would Broo NOT do what she just did?

Kay could sense concern coming from Guik, of which were undoubtedly a reaction to the tremors that shook her facility's foundation. [O-o-oh gods, what's up with my facility?! It's not supposed to explode for another two and a half minutes!]

Kay smiled calmly. "It's not this facility that is exploding." Kay said, drawing out his words slowly, like he was carefully explaining to Guik the consequences of her actions. "It is the prisoners rioting."

Before Guik could ask what Kay had meant by that, she was given an answer in the shape of a giant worm that erupted through the floor that she was in. The nydus worm had also erupted through the floor that Kay stood on, its overhanging digging teeth pushing the ceiling upwards as it was emerging in Guik's private quarters. The fell beast protruded its spines from its neck after roaring out a deafening call that announced to the remaining inhabitants of Guik's facility of its presence. Once the nydus worm was finally anchored, it began puking lurkers onto the newly formed layer of creep it generated around itself. Guik herself was rather horrified by this suddenly unexpected and most recent turn of events. [... An under beast?!]

Once Kay's five lurkers have burrowed themselves into the ground, tearing through the black tile-work of the private quarters, Guik was suddenly beset by subterranean spines that threatened to skewer her. She seemed to evade them easily, but she was becoming more livid from her most recent distractions and uninvited threats. There was no way she could remain in her current position, since Kay's psionic method of detection prevented Guik from attacking him from a stealthy position, and the lurkers made it impossible for her to strike at her target from a place that was below or above Kay's position.

As two drones exited the nydus worm's mouth and formed two embryonic cocoons next to it, Kay knew that Broo was trying to fortify and defend the zerg's shortest route to the exit. After the drones emerged from the nydus worm's throat, a horde of zerglings began their wild retreat towards freedom. There were some zerglings that had riders riding on them, all of which used to be residents of the dark mausoleum's immortal maze. Even Broo joined in with their rampant fleeing, since she too emerged from the constantly vomiting nydus worm. "Kay! We need to leave now!"

Kay nodded quickly and yelled "I fucking know!" before running with the swarm in a hurried sprint.

But before Kay could round a corner, both of his legs had been severed. He tripped on air and planted his face onto the hard floor with a loud thud, even when the klaxon continued to blare at an ear-rending volume. It must have been Guik attempting to deal a hindering injury to slow down Kay's escape. Broo looked down at Kay. "... Kay, this isn't the time to lay down!"

"Curmt moorv. Lurgs ur gun." Kay mumbled into the floor.

Fortunately for Kay, Broo understood him. She quickly went to Kay and picked him up and off of the ground. "Then you must adapt, and ride! Zergling! Here!"

Once a zergling was quickly summoned, Kay's torso was placed firmly on the zergling's back. Its wings slightly pinched his open leg wounds, even if his legs were quickly healing from their recent amputations. "Guh?! Wait a minute! I don't know how to ride on a zergling!"

"Just hold on tight! It knows the route! Go!" Broo commanded.

The zergling that Kay was on bolted forward, while Kay did his best to hold onto the zergling's attack claws with a tight grip. The zergling's wings tried to flutter outward and increase its maximum speed, but Kay's body prevented the zergling from achieving its full sprint. However, several toxic nests lined the path of the fleeing zerglings and their respective riders. Kay slowly stiffened his posture as he rode on his zergling, which enabled the zergling to gain a little speed to its running gait. For a lack of a better word, Kay was rather amazed of the speed he was experiencing. How come he didn't think to ride on a zergling's back sooner?! Even if his legs prevented his mounted zergling to run faster than it normally would, it was still a significant improvement to Kay's normal means of bipedal travel. The wind rushed past his mock/hair during his escape, and it felt great. That, and Kay could tell that Guik was having a harder time trying to stall his escape attempt, since his mount was proving to be quite fast, and she couldn't keep up with it or its rider.

A line had formed at the hidden hatch that the protoss templar had revealed to Kay. When he quickly neared the entrance, his eyes widened when he saw a red-bandaged giant at the entrance of the hatch. He saw that it was currently lifting escapees straight through the exit that led outside of the dark mausoleum. It seemed to growl in an urgent manner to the previously contained maze inhabitants. "Hurrrry! Quickly now! This place will explode soon! Even we don't want to be herre!"

Kay looked at the... tall and red creature.

Once the creature was done tossing the maze's residents through the hatch, it then gazed upon Kay and paused.

After a few seconds, it pointed at him. "We don't know what you arre."

Kay sighed. He would have liked to talk to such an... unusual creature, but time was limited for everyone. "My name is Kay. Can you uh... Give me a hand, please?"

The red-bandaged creature nodded. "Hmm. The Brroo crreaturre said that its masterr's name was Kay. We will help you." The creature said as it gently picked up Kay and hoisted him upwards.

Kay slightly flailed, but he was caught by a strong set of arms. Oddly enough, the muscular set of arms that had caught Kay happened to belong to Xidion.

Xidion instantly dropped Kay onto the hot sand when he realized who he had caught. Kay exhaled sharply when he collided with the ground. "Hrmf! ... Nice seeing you again, Xid." Kay said with dripping sarcasm.

The protoss templar leered at Kay. _"It is TEMPLAR. XIDION. And I cannot find myself summoning the will to say the same thing for you."_ Xidion said with restrained malice, but it was chalk-full of contempt that was directed towards Kay.

Kay rolled his eyes. "Well if you don't mind, I need to be carried away from here before this whole place explodes. It's gonna happen any minute now!" Kay shouted urgently.

As the last few prisoners were thrown into the light, the red-bandaged giant followed after the escaped maze inhabitants. Broo had followed after the red giant after it had mingled with the escapees. Meanwhile, Xidion crossed his arms and shook his head. _"I refuse to carry your infectious form."_

"Maybe you haven't noticed, but my legs are gone!" Kay said, pointing at his stumps.

Xidion looked down at Kay, paused, and then shook his head at him. _"Then you are mistaken. You do indeed have legs."_

Kay blinked a few times before he looked at his lower torso. Before Kay even knew it, his legs had been restored fully, looking like how they normally were before their amputation. Kay began to experimentally get up to test his legs. After taking a few steps and hopping a few times, Kay sighed. "... Dammit. Now I feel silly." Kay said, shaking his head.

 _'Attention, idiots.'_ Said a very familiar voice that Kay hadn't heard in a long while. _'You need to leave. Now. Use the omega worms. NOW.'_

Kay blinked incredulously. "... Was that Kragnon just now? Wait. Did he also say 'omega worms?'"

Xidion rolled his eyes. _"It was him, yes. And he did say omega worms, yes."_ Xidion stepped forward and gestured at the escaped maze inhabitants, which were slowly being swarmed by small, biting insects. _"People of the immortal maze! Enjoy your freedom later! The dark mausoleum is going to explode at any second! Enter immediately through the omega worm, or this area will explode in seconds! You may be outside, but you are still in danger!"_

With Xidion's message sent, the former maze inhabitants quickly, though somewhat hesitantly, entered through the mouth of the omega worm, which looked like a spinier and tougher version of a nydus worm. It quickly gulped down the fleeing refugees at a pace that would put a normal nydus worm to shame.

At the very moment that the red-bandaged giant, Xidion, and Kay had delved into the throat of the omega worm, the entrance into the dark mausoleum began to create electricity at its entrance. The entrance of the gate was painted with a camouflaged design, which blended itself with the surrounding environment. It was nothing more but a circular indentation into the ground, which was placed next to a pond that had a severe briny fly infestation. It happened to be the perfect place for a hidden entrance to be hiding at, since nobody, not even the zerg swarm, would suspect that a pond of weak insets could conceal the entrance into the Pyramidal Guard Division's most secretive facility on Kiln's Prison System.

Seconds later, the entrance exploded with a cacophonous and thundering expansion of heat and matter. The entire structure that was contained within the entrance exploded upwards in a violent maelstrom of infrastructural debris, molten metal slag, and rushing fire. The explosion was bigger than that of a charged particle bomb, since the detonation had enough power to throw the innards of the Pyramidal Guard Division's dark mausoleum facility miles high. In fact, the ruined facility rose so quickly through the air that the atmosphere immediately began to ionize the innards of the underground building, the friction of the air itself ripping apart and burning away the facility's insides.

The omega worm that was close to the self-destructing shadow assassin facility was turned into a bloody smear. A metal plate had severed it from the rest of the nydus network as the bottom section of the immortal maze's spike forest shot out and upwards. The technology that miniaturized the hidden facility had instantly malfunctioned at the exact moment its countdown to its self-destruct sequence had concluded, resulting in a devastating explosion that reached past the small desert clouds.

The remains of the dark mausoleum would continue to rain onto the ground for several days, since the explosive force had launched the Pyramidal Guard Division's dark mausoleum with enough force that its debris flew past the stratosphere. Some smaller pieces of debris managed to fly into the mesosphere of Kiln before beginning their descent back to the ground.

Despite the rather violent and overkill self-destruct that erupted the shadow assassin's secret facility, Kay didn't know if Commander Guik had survived the explosion.

* * *

 **A/N: Holy crap guys! A Swarm Unleashed made it on the top twenty highest reviewed stories in Fanfiction .net's Starcraft crossovers! :U  
**


	76. Underground Refuge

**Chapter 76: Underground Refuge  
**

* * *

Everyone was breathing hard, with the exception to the retreated zerg organisms and the vigilant templar with the psionic scythe. The adrenaline that ran through the escapees' veins began to abate when they had retreated into the omega variant of the nydus worm. Kay had lost his legs during his exfiltration of the dark mausoleum, but he managed to grow a new pair of limbs when he reached the surface. Kay was also unable to see from the omega worm's perspective, after the Pyramidal Guard Division's facility had reached zero in its self-destruct countdown. However, the zerg that were further away from the self-destruction of the secret Golden Star facility was able to see a magnificent explosion of an unprecedented degree. Some of the debris even managed to collide with an errant overlord that was fifty kilometers in the air! The floating zerg synapse creature was slightly shaken up from the impact, but the collision resulted in only a mild abrasion across its carapace.

Kay, on the other hand, was glad to be underground again. He seemed to have paled when he analyzed the different perspectives through several of the surface-bound zerg that was above-ground at the time. "Fucking hell... We almost became vaporized."

The red-bandaged beast that had escaped with Kay, Broo, and Xidion, nodded in reply. "If we stayed afterr the countdown, I believe we would have been. ... Bays?" The tall creature then began to inspect his new surroundings, looking like he was searching for someone.

The escaped prisoners of the immortal maze were now underground, but they were already moving towards a different location. Despite the red-bandaged creature's attempt to analyze his destination, the complete lack of light in the underground made it hard for normal eyes to adjust to. Thankfully, Xidion's psionic scythe provided some light in the otherwise constant darkness. The zerg, on the other hand, had evolved to see in this maddening cavern-made pitch by emitting bio-luminescent light from their own eyes, evolving a means of echo-location, or used the senses of other zerg organisms to better navigate through the dizzying network of tunnels. Broo didn't feel the need to linger any more than she needed to, and decided to venture into the zerg-made caverns. She even intercepted Catlak and his followers through the winding tunnels up ahead and began to lead them to a different location, though Kay knew not where she led them to.

A strange, bubble and plastic-patchwork suited gilanian walked up to the red-bandaged creature somewhat clumsily, coming out from behind an omega worm and into view of the creature. "I'm here, Goqqa."

The red-bandaged creature, named Goqqa, slowly lumbered toward the bubble-suited gilanian. "You arre herre. Good. Wherre is Catlak?" Goqqa asked.

The bubble-suited gilanian sighed. She was supposedly named Bayz. "I tried to make him stay put, but he went off with Broo. Apparently, there is a refugee camp that had been constructed inside of this underground cavern. I didn't go with Catlak, since I wanted to make sure that you came back okay."

Goqqa revealed a many-fanged smile. "That is nice of you. Thank you. Be rrest assurred, howeverr. We can fend forr ourrselves."

Bayz smiled and nodded at Goqqa. But when she turned to look at Xidion and Kay, her expression changed into uncertainty. "... Um... I don't think we have met before. Who are you two?"

Kay paused for a few seconds, but he then sighed and smiled. "Sorry for not giving you the time to talk to me. My name is Kay." He replied, holding his hand out to exchange a handshake with Bayz.

Bayz shook her head and cautiously stepped back. "Uh... Hello Kay. You-you can put your hand down."

Kay raised an eyebrow at Bayz. "Uh... Kay? It's just a handshake."

Bayz sighed and smiled apologetically. "I know, but the vaph in the immortal maze became infected with some kind of disease. I don't want to catch what they were contaminated with, and Broo has told me that she and you were the sources of the contagion. I'm sorry, but I respectfully decline."

Kay was somewhat confused by Bayz's reply. "... But uh... But why are you wearing a bubble suit if you don't want to shake hands with me?"

The albino gilanian gestured to Kay in a reassuring way. "It's not you or anything! ... Well, okay, it IS actually you, but it's also your monsters. I just happen to be very germaphobic, you see! I built this suit to help me prevent from getting any sicknesses that originate from an external source. I hope you understand!"

Kay chuckled as he gestured for Bayz to calm down. "Alright alright, no need to make a scene. Consider your hands free from my molestation." Kay then turned to the psionic scythe-wielding protoss. "Want to say hi and introduce yourself?"

Xidion shook his head. _"No. I wash my hands of my business with you, Kay. As far as I can tell, my dept to you has finally concluded. Goodbye."_ He then turned and hovered away, leaving Bayz and Goqqa in Kay's company.

Bayz blinked a few times as she watched the protoss leave their company. "... Did... Did it just talk without a mouth?"

Goqqa stared at the slowly fleeing protoss with piqued curiosity. "We couldn't feel its brreath. We saw that it floated above the grround, but used no forrm of lifting prropulsion. It doesn't even make orr leave any trracks."

Kay sighed. "Yeah, he's weird like that. Stay here for a bit. I need to commune with my swarm."

"Uh... Okay." Bayz said, watching Kay with curiosity.

"That is a he?" Goqqa replied, tilting his head. His question, sadly, went unanswered.

Kay smirked. With the bubble-suited gilanian and her big friend watching, Kay took in a deep breath and placed his fingers to the temples of his head. His connection to the swarm was finally reestablished. ... But something seemed strange about the swarm. There were powerful minds directing his swarm, and they were mustering the zerg to mainly attack Golden Star's military assets on the surface. The huge queens, which were the evolved forms of queens and large queens, seemed much mentally active than normal. But just as he became aware of these smarter huge queens commanding the swarms of zerg, so too did they take notice of him.

 _'Who is this?' 'Is this the one known as Kay?' 'I believe it is!' 'Has he returned already?' 'It has already been a week.' 'Should Othafurn and Corvurn be told of this news?' 'We must tell them.' 'They will be pleased.' 'The protoss was successful in his mission.' 'Kragnon should also be notified.' 'Welcome back to the swarm, Kay.'_

"Aaaaaah, what the hell?! Where did you guys come from?!" Kay asked aloud in surprise.

 _'We were here before long before your capture.' 'Actually, we evolved from our huge queen forms days ago.' 'Corvurn and Othafurn needed more commanders in the swarm.' 'The Golden Star Empire grew stronger, so we adapted to their strategies.' 'Corvurn and Othafurn were commanding a swarm without your input, Kay.' 'They needed more commanders.' 'We were their answer.'_

 _'Kay?'_ Othafurn's mental voice was now intruding into Kay's mind. _'You have returned to us! When Xidion asked for an omega worm to spawn next to his position, we had no idea that he was located next to the secret facility you were being kept in. If I had learned sooner that you were contained within that place, I would have sent more forces to assist your escape!'_

"I managed to get out with Xidion's help. That, and the broodmother I created, named Broo by the prisoners she helped freed, also assisted in my escape." Kay answered Othafurn. "But more importantly, I need to ask you something. Where did all these broodmothers come from? I'm sensing, like, a hundred of them!"

 _'One hundred and eleven, including the one that you have created under your command.'_ Othafurn answered. _'However, our war with Gollog's empire, his Kiln Keepers, and against the Era Agency, has escalated.'_

That piece of information caught Kay's attention. "Escalated? Why does this sound bad for us?"

 _'That is because it is. Three days ago, Gollog had allowed the energy lances and point-defense turrets on the sky rings to be used as orbital bombardment weapons. They are constantly being used against key hive cluster positions on the surface, or any zerg movement detected by the Kiln Keepers, or from the sky ring's sensor system. Our means to generate resources from the resource tumors and carbonation extractors on the surface is greatly hindered.'_

Kay sighed. "So how has this effected our economy?"

 _'Not by much, since the resource tumors can still draw heat and geothermal energy from the center of this planet.'_

Kay nodded. "Well that's good. Has anything else happened while I was away?"

 _'Corvurn Junior had contacted us an hour after you were defeated by Gollog's commanders and general. We have told him of your defeat in the battle. He then explained to us a way that enabled us to free you from your capture, and help further increase your psionic capabilities.'_

Kay nodded. "Alright. So what did you guys do?"

 _'Since the swarm could not move on the surface without emitting a psionic frequency that could be tracked by the sky rings' sensor system, our options became very limited. However, Corvurn Junior had explained to us that Xidion's psionic signature would not register, or become detected, by the sensor network. We had made plans to have Xidion act as an integral element to most of our strategies, but any plea or request from Corvurn or myself had failed to persuade him. Xidion was quite adamant from freeing you at the time. But again, Corvurn Junior explained to us that the key to gaining Xidion's help involved employing Kragnon's assistance. After explaining our plight to him, he agreed to convince Xidion to find and free you from your captors.'_

Kay nodded and smiled. "So in summation, it took Xidion seven days to find me and break me out of the dark mausoleum? Huh. What happened after that?"

 _'Kragnon had learned of the coming doomsday that would befall onto Kiln someday.'  
_

"Oh boy. He probably didn't take the news very well."

 _'He panicked. He came to me and Corvurn and asked for help. He said that he was willing to sacrifice anything to enable the citizens of Citadel Gargantua, as well as his family, a means to survive the firing of Gollog's doomsday weapon. Corvurn had came up with a solution, but Kragnon had to trade something in order to save Gargantua's population.'_

"... What did he do?"

Before Kay could get his answer, another psionic voice intercepted Kay and Othafurn's conversation. _'This doesn't concern you, Kay.'_

"Kragnon?! How are you talking to me without physically talking in front of me?!"

 _'I... would rather not talk about it.'_

After several seconds of thought, Kay was beginning to understand what had happened. It was so obvious to Kay now. And even when he had figured out what had happened, Kay was still in disbelief. "... Corvurn. Did he... infest you?" Kay sighed.

 _'... Kay, please. Spare me your judgement. I had to protect Tak, my son, my two daughters, and the entire population of Gargantua by any available means. I had to sacrifice so much in order to keep them safe.'_

"You don't understand, Kragnon. There is no cure for this infestation. Once you get it, you'll become part of the swarm. ... Wait. How are you so lucid right now?"

 _'... Fine. I'll tell you. Corvurn introduced a type of slow-acting Hyper-Evolutionary Virus into by body. The mutations were gradual, which had a lesser effect on my brain and biology. Unlike most pawns that would have turned into insane and raving animals post-transformation, I was able to... retain most of my control and my mental faculties.'_

"Uh huh. When you traded your body for Corvurn's experimentation, what did you gain from it?"

 _'After some persistent convincing, I managed to transfer Citadel Gargantua's population into an underground refugee camp. The camp is still growing, but it will eventually house the entire population of Gargantua's residents.'_

"How the hell was THAT built?" Kay asked incredulously.

 _'Through the combined efforts of your zerg organisms and the gilanian people, working together to build the camps. The drones were all too happy to help carry everyone's belongings into what is now being called 'the refugee camp cluster.' They also assisted in bringing in building materials that the architects could use to build more refugee camp platforms.'_

"I see. Does Baroness Tak know that you are infested?"

 _'...'_ Kragnon was silent in his answer. Such silence had given Kay a hint on what was happening. _  
_

"So it's that kind of deal, huh?" Kay replied, sighing again. "I'm going to assume that there is a changelisk acting in your stead."

 _'Please don't tell her that I turned myself into this.'_

"I won't, but you should know that keeping this sort of thing from her is just asking for trouble. If she finds out about your zerg infestation, she will never be able to trust you ever again." Kay warned.

 _'I am aware of the risks, Kay.'_

"Risks or not, what you did was very dangerous. Letting Corvurn transmit the slow-acting HEV into your body had costed you your own identity. There is no going back from that."

 _'I am AWARE, Kay.'_

"... Even so, Tak is not going to be pleased about this. That is if she ever finds out about your infestation. I need to talk to Corvurn, so... Later."

A mental sigh emanated from Kragnon. _'See you later.'_

Kay was beginning to feel exhausted. Not physically exhausted, but mentally. "Corvurn, you jackass! What you did to Kragnon could have been dangerous to all of us."

Corvurn's mental patters bridged with Kay's, forming into a psionic link. Corvurn sounded inconvenienced. _'Misunderstood. Infested organism Kragnon requested solution to save Gargantua's population. Provided solution. However, needed to perform experiments on gilanian physiology. Kragnon provided unique request. Took opportunity to experiment.'_

"Huuuh... Corvurn, if this bites us on the ass one day, I'm holding you responsible for your actions." Kay hissed.

 _'Unclear. Performed duties as evolution master. Evolution master's purpose is to assist swarm. Infested organism Kragnon provided method to assist swarm further. Capitalized on opportunity. Gained test subject. Assisted in preventing Gargantua population's destruction. Both part of trade agreement.'_

Kay sighed again. "Even so, I want you to talk to me first before you make decisions like that. Kay?"

 _'Understood.'_

"Thank you. So uh... Have you developed any new mutations during my absence?" Kay asked.

 _'Yes. Baneling nest bio-structure strain developed birthing chambers. Can spawn baneling strain without need of bio-matter or accelerant resources. Incubation chambers developed within hatchery, lair, and hive bio-structure strains. Can birth two swarm queens at once. Carbonation extractor and extractor strains developed gas-collecting proficiency. Pseudo-vespene accelerant production increased, becoming self-sufficient. However, slightly affects bio-matter production. Negligible affect. Drones can morph into omega networks. Summons omega worms. Increased health, capable of instantaneous spawning.'_

Kay chuckled. "Fuck man. Between the reconstituted zerglings and the infinitely spawning banelings, I'm rather impressed."

 _'Command organism Kay's approval, pleasing.'_

Kay shook his head and sighed. "But don't think for a second that your actions doesn't have consequences tied to them. Kay?"

 _'Understood. Will refrain from further nonaligned gilanian infestation tests. Golden Star infestation research will continue.'_

Kay lowered his hands and groaned. "Huh... I wonder how Virid is doing?" Sadly, Kay knew that he couldn't reach his mind to the hexagonal moon and psionically talk to her. If the sensor network on the sky rings were somehow disrupted, then he could try and contact her again. Sadly, that couldn't be possible without inviting further risks to his swarm.

"Um... Are you done?"

Kay turned around and saw Bayz and Goqqa staring at him. Kay blinked a few times. "... Uh... Yes! I am. Sorry. I was distracted with some other matters. ... Uh... Anyway! I heard that there was a refugee camp nearby. Wanna go see it?" Kay asked, pointing behind himself.

Bayz paused for a few more seconds before shrugging. "Considering the options that are available to us, I guess we could go there." She turned around to Goqqa. "How about you, big guy?"

Goqqa grumbled. "We don't want to be in crrowds. We might step on a pet."

Bayz shook her head. "It'll be alright. I'll look out for you."

"Actually, I've been meaning to ask you about something." Kay said as he pointed at Goqqa. "How in the hell did this guy came to be?"

Bayz looked at Goqqa, sighed, and then looked back at Kay to shake her head. "I don't honestly know. I found him impaled on a spike from a long time ago. I pulled him off of the spike, and he's been a very grateful companion to me since then. Once I rescued him, we began to take care of each other from then on."

"Uh huh. And this Catlak guy?" Kay asked.

Bayz sighed. "He's the self-proclaimed chieftain of the Moss Field Hunters in the immortal maze. Ironically, the chieftain that ruled before him used to send his hunters after me and Catlak some time ago. It was around that time that I found Goqqa." She said, gently petting Goqqa's arm. "Catlak and I used to be closer, but... He became too aggressive and too commanding of his new position, especially weeks after he assassinated the previous chieftain and assumed his role. We lived down in that maze for... I don't know... Years?"

Kay sighed. "Well you're freedom from that maze place begins today."

Bayz smiled warmly. "Thank you! ... Could you please lead the way for us? It's kind of dark down here."

Kay chuckled and nodded. "I can do even better than just lead you through these tunnels. HUP!" Kay raised an arm up and excited the air between his fingers. Lightning and energy enveloped his hand, which helped brightened the surroundings that Kay, Bayz, and Goqqa was within. "I can even light the way for you!"

Goqqa was amazed by this feat. "Whoa~. How is this done?" He asked, reaching for the light that was produced from Kay's hand.

"Psionic powers, mostly. And please don't touch my hand. You're gonna get-" Kay said, but was interrupted by Goqqa's sudden yelp.

Goqqa retreated away from Kay and hissed. "You'rre hand hurrts!"

Bayz quickly went up to Goqqa. "Goqqa, he said not to touch his hand. Are you okay?" She turned back to Kay. "Will he be okay?"

Kay sighed. "He'll be fine if he doesn't touch my hand when it's lighting up like this. Now follow behind me, and don't go on any detours."

Bayz sighed after seeing that the burn on Goqqa's hand only left a small mark. She then turned to Kay. "Lead the way. We'll follow behind you."

Goqqa shook his hand and hissed. "But we stay farr behind you. We don't want yourr hand hurrting us again."

Kay nodded, and began leading Bayz and Goqqa to the underground refugee camp, despite Goqqa's annoyed grumblings. The travel through the caverns didn't take too long, since Kay followed the path that Broo had taken to intercept Catlak's group. After passing through five bends in a long tunnel, and walking by a hatchery that was zealously guarded by a queen, feint light was produced at the end of the company's brief trek through the underground. The sight that the three saw stunned them. Even Kay, since this was the first time seeing what he was seeing for the first time.

A large field of tents laid before Kay, Bayz, and Goqqa. The tents varied in their placements, sometimes being constructed on raised platforms which were built from sturdy metal, and were tiered in levels, sometimes as high as seven or eight. The floor level seemed to have creep highways running through and underneath the tented community. The gilanian people also seemed to live within these tents. Further in the distance, Kay could barely make out the large bodies of ultralisks that appeared to be heavily invested in a tunnel-making task. They looked like they were carving through heavy rock and stone with their powerful Kaiser blades. Behind them, zerglings were busy hacking at large stones and boulders that were left behind by the ultralisks' destructive wake, reducing the slabs of bedrock and rubble into gravel and pebbles. The ultralisks left sections of ruck undisturbed, leaving them as-is as pillars that supported the underground cavern's ceiling. Gilanian architects and builders seemed to trail behind the roving swarms of busy zerg organisms, but they were also keeping a wary distance from them as well. They were busy planning the design of the tents and platforms that they would construct for the refugees, while other builders were already busy constructing the metal platforms that the tents would later be constructed on.

Kay whistled, as though he was impressed by the sight. "That's a lot of people."

"There's... There's so many!" Bayz exclaimed, amazed by the number of gilanians she was seeing.

Kay turned to Bayz and smirked. "Probably more than what you would normally see in that dinky little maze you once lived in, huh?"

Goqqa growled. "Lots of people live herre. It looks crrowded."

Bayz walked up to Goqqa and patted his arm. "Maybe we can talk to someone about giving you a space specific to your needs?"

"Humph. Fine. We can do that." Goqqa grumbled.

Bayz turned to Kay. "Um... Do you know where we can find the... uh... person in charge of this refugee camp?"

Kay shrugged at Bayz. "I wouldn't know, since I only just got here. ... Actually, I think there is a way I can find out for you." Kay turned away from Bayz and placed his fingers on the temples of his head again. "Hey Othafurn. Do you know who is in charge around here? There is a lady gilanian in a bubble suit that has a big friend that is in need of a quiet place to settle in."

 _'Considering the nature of where Bayz and Goqqa had came from, I believe that Baroness Tak should be made aware of their existence. The broodmother known as Broo is already delivering Catlak and his followers to her as we speak.'_

"Oh, that's good! Where is she located?" Kay asked.

 _'At the central fortification, opposite from where the ultralisks are creating more space for the refugee tents. Seek out the largest tent hill. It will have metal walls and tower fortifications protecting the baroness. I'll ping you the location.'_

Kay nodded as he felt a sudden psionic ringing that directed his attention to the location he needed to go to. "Kay! I'll be going there soon." Kay then turned to Bayz again. "Alright. Follow me." After gesturing for Bayz and Goqqa to follow him once more, Kay began to lead the way for Bayz and Goqqa.

"You know someone that might help us?" Bayz asked, curious on what Kay had to say while she followed him. Goqqa followed after Bayz and Kay when the party began moving again.

"Yes indeed. But be mindful in her presence. She is known to be a little... well... sharp minded and eclectic for someone in her position." Kay answered.

"Pardon?" Bayz said in confusion.

"Think of her as someone who is of royalty. Mind your manners now, because you will be meeting with Baroness Tak soon." Kay warned.

Bayz gulped. Goqqa grumbled as he voiced his opinion. "A fancy perrson? Hmm. Is therre a manual we can rread rregarrding etiquette?"

Kay stifled a chuckle. "Uh... I guess I can give you a few pointers. Don't talk out of turn unless you are addressed. Always be mindful of what you say. Don't be rude as you talk to her. And under no circumstances, act like an idiot."

"Hmm. We will take that to ourr hearrts." Goqqa said as he beats his chest lightly.

And with that, the party ventured toward Baroness Tak's central fortification.

* * *

 **A/N: It's so early in the morning, yet I need to sleep. I hate pulling all-nighters. :c  
**


	77. Strenuous Coexistence

**Chapter 77: Strenuous Coexistence**

* * *

Kay and company neared the tallest tent structure within the underground caverns. It was the oldest building in the refugee camp cluster, but it was also the most defended tent out of all of the other tent structures. It had a circular formation of walkways that Gargantua guardsmen patrolled over, their keen eyes constantly scanning the immediate area for any trouble that might stir. They were armed with rifles that were designed to pick off any lone assailants or a group of rioters, and had pistols that they could quickly equip when reloading their rifles could take too long and expose them to an immediate danger. The tent that Baroness Tak was living in looked comically big. Though it had a beige-yellow coloration, Kay couldn't help feel as though he might find some entertainment within. Do gilanian circuses usually serve popcorn and corn dogs?

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN 'I CAN'T SEE MY HUNTERS?!'"

However, as Kay, Bayz, and Goqqa walked into the tent, Kay saw that Catlak was having some kind of argument with Baroness Tak. It looked like there were less hunters that had accompanied Catlak than previously. Baroness Tak, which was currently sitting on her luxurious red chair, raised her hand and gestured to Catlak to calm down. "I'm sorry, but you said that you, and your men and women, had feasted upon the flesh of the infested vaph. I cannot, in good conscience, allow them to mingle with the rest of the populace."

"AND WHY NOT?!" Catlak shouted, angered by Tak's reply. Tak was currently guarded by four Gargantua guardsmen, but she didn't budge from her current guest's furious yelling.

Tak calmly explained. "They were exhibiting behavior that were the early symptoms of zerg infestation. After several hours, they would physically change into... things that you would no longer recognize as gilanians. I'm afraid that it's for the best that you do not see them until the evolution master has treated them first."

Catlak fumed with more anger. "ALL THEY GOT WERE STOMACH ACHES! I EVEN ATE SOME OF THE VAPH THEY HUNTED, AND I WAS COMPLETELY FINE AFTERWARDS!"

"Considering the fact that the broodmother named Broo had politely asked the men and women that had eaten the infested vaph to follow her, it gives us reason to believe that they were the only gilanians that had contracted the zerg virus in the first place. And since you didn't follow her request at the time, it only gives me enough evidence to assume that you had not feasted on any of the infested vaph you hunted, contrary to what you have just said."

Catlak pointed at the twenty four people behind him, which were around half of the inhabitants that had escaped the immortal maze. "AND WHAT, THESE GUYS ARE THE ONLY HEALTHY ONES?!"

"Yes." Tak bluntly answered. "And you should be thankful that the rest of you are still healthy. If you still wish to live in my refugee camp, you'll have to abide to my rules, and respect the zerg organisms that inhabit this underground cavern. Believe me when I say this to you that I am intolerable to any form of rudeness. And as a baroness, I can punish each and every one of you, should the situation demands it. I can even escort all of you back to the surface, if I so wanted it! But that kind of punishment pales in comparison to what the zerg are capable of. If you bear that in mind, and refrain from committing any crimes, then you can enjoy your newfound freedom to your hearts content. If you have any other complaints or questions for me, now is a good time to voice them."

Catlak paused for several seconds, anger steeping into his body in barely self-contained restraint and willpower. But Catlak sighed. "... Will I be able to meet them again?"

"You'll have to talk to one of the broodmothers." Tak answered.

"Hmm. ... And where do I go to get my hunters their own living areas?" Catlak asked.

"There are new tents being made every day by the construction crews. Just walk toward the noise of the zerg monsters that are extending the caverns, and talk with one of the gilanians with a hard hat on. They'll direct you to the construction foreman named Lippot. He'll tell you which tents are empty."

"Thanks. Hunters. With me." Catlak nodded, turned, and walked away. Catlak locked eyes with Bays for a few seconds before shaking his head and sighed. After that, Catlak and his hunters left Baroness Tak's tent. Many of them had solemn faces, almost looking like they had lost their friends from a previous conflict. Kay felt somewhat sorry for them.

"And who might you be?" Kay's attention was grabbed by the baroness of the largest tent in the refugee camp. Her expression was torn between suspicion, surprise, curiosity, tiredness, and caution. Kay didn't know which emotion was dominant over the others, but he wasn't paying attention to Tak's emotional condition.

Kay stepped toward the baroness and slightly dipped. "I apologize for the intrusion, but I was indisposed for a week within a Golden Star secret facility. I rescued a bunch of prisoners during my escape, and these two people behind me are in need of a home."

Baroness Tak pointed at Kay. "You are the bug-man beast-master known as Kay? The very co-commander of the zerg swarm that is responsible for causing so much harm to the Golden Star Empire?"

Kay looked up at Tak, puzzled by her questions. "... Uh... Yes, I am him." Tak slowly sighed and gotten off of her soft chair. She strolled forward until she was only a couple feet away from Kay. Once she was close enough, her right hand had swung forward and smacked Kay in the face. As she had done so, the caverns began to thunderously echo with the braying and roaring of hundreds, if not thousands, of nearby zerg organisms. Kay took a step back and cradled his face. "WUH~?! WHAT THE FUCK?!"

Tak shook the stinging pain from her hand as she kept a stern stare fixated on Kay. The bodyguards immediately raised their guns, surprised that their baroness had struck a commander of the zerg swarm. "Don't be surprised. Our meeting was bound to happen, and I simply took the opportunity to be the instrument of retribution."

Kay hissed in annoyance as he glared at Tak. "What the hell for?"

"Inadvertently being the cause for the doomsday weapon that Gollog had built to fight against your zerg swarm. Activating the Kiln Keepers. Antagonizing the Era Agency. The twenty year war that had plagued Kiln and all of its inhabitants. I can go on, but you know the general idea of what I meant." Tak chided.

Kay rubbed his face for a few seconds. "Eh... You know, this isn't how I imagined our first ever meeting would happen. Isn't this the first time we had ever met each other?"

Tak sighed and shook her head. "Regardless of your imagined slights, I am dedicated to the care for the people of Gargantua."

"So you just slapped me only because I had put your people into harms way on several occasions?" Kay growled.

Tak turned around and walked toward her large and soft chair. "You are not one to judge someone of my position, Bug-man Beast-master." Once she was close to the soft and red chair, she turned around again and sat herself onto it. "And don't begin thinking that I am the only one in the wrong here. If I had things my way, then we wouldn't be having this conversation in the first place, or evacuating into the underground that is already inhabited by your unhygienic and savage zerg beasts."

"Then I'll have to inform you that it wasn't my decision to evacuate everyone from Gargantua in the first place."

"Be that as it may, it doesn't excuse you from your actions." Tak replied. She then turned to the two other guests. Her focus seemed to be fixated on the two in question. "And who are they?"

Kay groaned and gestured to them. "As I said before, I rescued these two from the immortal maze within the Pyramidal Guard's dark mausoleum. Right now, the lady is concerned about her big friend, and she's curious about the living conditions that the refugee camp will provide them."

Tak gestured to Goqqa. "Then can't you let this creature sleep in one of your beasts' dens?"

Kay folded his arms and tilted his head. "Are you assuming that the zerg ever sleep?"

Tak paused for a few seconds, sighed, and then pointed in a direction. "There are construction workers building the metal scaffolding and tents in that direction. Listen for the sounds of rock being mined and look for any people wearing hard hats. They can direct you to Construction Foreman Lippot. Be mindful of the people here, and there won't be any problems. And be EXTRA mindful of the zerg that already live down here. They are seldom ever in a forgiving mood, so it is unwise to provoke them."

Kay stopped and turned to face Tak, pausing for several seconds as he stared coldly at her. He then nodded. "Alright then." He turned to Bayz and Goqqa. "Let's get you two settled."

"And Kay?" Kay's attempt to leave was interrupted by Tak. As Kay turned around, he saw Tak furrowing her brows and leaning into her soft chair. "Tell Kragnon that I wish to speak with him."

After another pause, Kay reached his hand toward Tak. Her chair tilted forward, which made the baroness squeal in surprise as her own chair ejected her from its seat. After it floated forward and neared Kay, he calmly gave his reply to Tak's request. **"I am not your errand boy."** At the same time Kay closed his hand, Tak's soft chair crumpled into a shrinking ball, which abruptly made sounds of wood breaking and fabric ripping upon its destruction. Once Kay released his grip, the ball that used to be Tak's soft chair bounced around before coming to a halt.

Tak's armed bodyguards trained their weapons at Kay. "Sir! Leave this area immediately, or we will be forced to defend Baroness Tak! Do you comply?!"

Tak had quickly gotten to her feet and raised a hand to tell her guardsmen to stop. There was a deadened silence between Tak and Kay. The quietness between the two was palpable, though the two leaders didn't need to speak a word to each other. After such a pregnant stillness of unsettling muteness, Kay turned away from Tak. After some confusion between Bayz and Goqqa, they decided to follow Kay out of Tak's tent.

Goqqa decided to break the silence. "That was... intense."

Kay growled as he continued his angry walk. "Intense? Yeah. It was so intense you can cut it apart with a knife."

Bayz ran up to Kay's side with worry draped across her face. "You know, that wasn't very nice of you, breaking her chair like that."

"If I was in her palace, then the rules would have been different. Since she is in zerg territory, she is bound to the ways that the zerg abide by." Kay replied.

"Is violence the usual way for the zerg?" Bayz asked.

"She slapped my face, so I killed her seat. I'd say that's fair." Kay said.

Goqqa grumbled. "She may rrule herr people, but herr ass is not safe in yourr domain. Violence only brreeds violence."

Kay nodded at Goqqa. "Eloquently put. Maybe this Lippot guy can give you an extra large tent to sleep in?"

Goqqa huffed. "We arre morre worrrried about something to eat. A place to stay is nice, but nourrishment and hydrration is also imporrtant."

That raised a question within Kay's mind. How did the underground refugee camp cluster get its food and water?

* * *

As kay, Goqqa, and Bayz traveled through the camp cluster, Kay had his question indirectly answered. As Kay and his company traveled through the refugee camp cluster, he saw that the gilanians were collecting moist creep that was generated from a resource tumor.

They used ladles to scoop up the creep and sealed it in sealed containers made of glass. They would then transport these creep-filled glass containers to a high-powered machine of intricate design. It was created to convert the creep into steam via using a high-heat boiling process. The steam would then be directed by an internal fan, which would then be blown into a large glass reservoir. This glass reservoir were covered by a series of plastic tubes that were colored blue, which seemed to refrigerate the steam and make it condensate into water droplets. Whatever that was left in the boiler that couldn't be turned into steam would be dumped back in the creep, or be transferred to a metal refinery.

The gilanian refugees had also acquired a new staple food source, which, surprisingly, came from the resource tumors. A selected number of brave gilanians would be tasked to tread through the creep and collect resource pods that were generated from the resource tumors. The pods were a little heavy, but when they had decided to use a wheelbarrow to transport the resource pods, it had prevented any further accidental slips from happening on the creep. Once enough were collected, the pods would then be placed in a large metal basin, and then be boiled for an hour. The watery slurry would be transported to the metal refinery for further processing, while the boiled pods would be boiled again for another hour. The end result of the 2-stage boiling process resulted in creating white, flat, bean-shaped objects that had shrunken to 50% of its original size.

The flavor and texture of these boiled pods were bland and unusually chalky, and were hard to chew despite being boiled for two hours. However, the gilanian chefs in the soup kitchens had experimented their culinary skills on these boiled pods, and found several different ways to prepare the boiled pods. These boiled pods could be sliced and diced before being simmered with fruit sauces or oils, or have a cut in its center to create a hollowed cavity, which would be filled with vegetables, meats, and with other kinds of condiments and garnishes. However, due to a lack of rations in the underground, a few unlucky gilanians were forced to eat the bland boiled pods as-is and without any kind of culinary preparation applied to them. Luckily for them, boiled water easily washed away the bland taste. They would say that eating the boiled zerg resource pods is significantly better than eating smokeless vaph meat strips, or an expired bag of bugmeal.

But the entire camp cluster was not without any means of entertainment. Spread out within the cluster were several screens that broadcasted two figures fighting one another. Apparently, the arena in Gargantua's black market district had been dismantled and delivered into the underground refugee camp cluster. The cage that produced the dream-light that animated the fighters was not present within this environment, but the fighters were still being broadcasted from the different angles that were shown from the perspectives of the screens. The dream-light arena battles provided a necessary distraction to an otherwise stressful transition. Moving into the zerg-infested underground super cluster that they had finally decided to neighbor with, whether they liked it or not, was a choice that they once thought bordered on insanity. It was thanks to Othafurn's diplomatic skills and Kragnon's assurances that enabled a smooth transition into the underground refugee camp.

At the edge of the refugee camp cluster, Kay, Bayz and Goqqa saw massive figures that were covered in a constant shroud of dust, while a swarm of zerglings went to work gnawing and clawing at huge boulders that remained intact after their excavation. The ultralisks that have been tasked to expand the underground caverns by using their massive Kaiser blades to slice through bare rock, which made enough room for the construction crews to work with. The drones also worked with the ultralisks and zerglings, but they were either mainly focused on either delivering usable ore to the closest hatchery, or pushing gravel piles out of the way for the construction crews to work on.

The watery refuse that the creep and resource boiling processes produced were transported to metal refineries that processed the slurry into usable materials. Apparently, there were a lot of metals and minerals within the creep and the resource pods, and the gilanians figured out a way to extract the metals they needed to create the platforms that the tents could be constructed on.

"Man, I can never get used to seeing this." A gilanian construction worker said aloud, as he gazed upon the noisy zerg that were busy expanding the underground cavern.

"I'm going to give you an earful if you keep slacking off like this. Get back to work, and stop gawking at those bilious beasts!" Said another gilanian construction worker, which wore a much cleaner attire, compared to the other workers that were focused on laying down one metal platform after another.

"Gah! Yes boss!" The worker was reprimanded of his lollygagging, and he hurriedly went back to work on building more metal platforms.

Kay and Bayz had asked for directions from three construction workers before finally finding the construction foreman they were looking for. Goqqa couldn't ask for directions because every time he tried to, the constructions workers either froze up from fear or screamed and ran away. Kay decided to get the foreman's attention. "Yo! Are you Foreman Lippot?"

The construction worker turned to face the inquisitive infested zerg organism. He took a few steps back when he saw Kay's carapaced form. "Bwah?! ... Oh. Another one of them talking zergs, I take it? Well... At least your face is easier for my peepers to look at."

Kay tilted his head, but then shook his head dismissively. "Uh... Whatever. Listen. I have a few friends here that need a warm place to themselves. I just came to you in order to drop them off in your care so you can get them tents of their own." Kay said, pointing a thumb behind himself to direct the foreman's attention to Bayz and Goqqa. "You're Foreman Lippot, I presume?"

The foreman nodded as he glimpsed over Bayz and Goqqa. "Yeah, I'm Lippot. I direct the builders and architects to make the platforms and tents in this cavern. For free." Lippot said, emphasizing on his last word with a grumble. "Did Tak send you here to find out which tents are empty and available, or which are occupied and inhabited? Well you can tell that royal fart tart that anyone deciding to evacuate into the refugee camp cluster can pick any tent they want. I don't want to be bothered unless it's an emergency, and I'm done being a tour guide of the homeless."

Kay shook his head. "Actually, this big guy might need more room that the average gilanian."

Lippot sighed and shook his head. "Well he's NOT a gilanian, whatever on Kiln he is." He turned around and began yelling. "Hey Dandus! Got a tent in this big red guy's size?!"

"DAYUM, das a huge dude! And no, we got no tent in his size!" A worker said from a distance.

Lippot turned back to Kay. "Sorry on that. Looks like you're friend is gonna get drenched in the rain. ..." Lippot looked up. He then looked back at Kay. "... Wait a minute. We are in an underground cavern, and in a desert. HAH! Looks like the chances of rain, which are equal to getting a tent big enough to fit that big red guy, are equally slim."

Kay huffed. "Listen, Lippot. You don't have to be a dick about this."

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Lippot said in mock surprise. "When I realized that I wasn't going to get payed for this, I'd assumed that I'd have a chance to have some vacation time in the palace at the center of Gargantua!" Lippot then slouched and hardened his eyes. "Imagine my surprise when I learned that Gollog's doomsday weapon is going to fire tomorrow. There are more people trying to get down here with each day that passes, and I have to manage workers that are quite incompetent with their tasks. So, as you might expect, I have my own reasons for being unpleasantly blunt as of this moment. But right now, I have a lot of work to do. Good day. Or not. Bye anyway."

Kay narrowed his eyes at Lippot. He then raised a hand into the air and snapped his fingers. "I don't care if you decided to piss straight up while a shitstorm of tremendous proportions rained down on your arrogant little head. I want you to listen very closely, because this is only going to be said once, and once only, to you."

Lippot huffed and stepped closer to Kay. "Go ahead. I'm... Listening?" Lippot was distracted by the reverberations going through the ground. They sounded as though they were getting closer and closer. Before he knew it, a Kaiser blade had entered Lippot's field of vision. He turned and saw the ultralisk, which had walked up to him as he was busy talking with Kay. After a few seconds of hesitation, the ultralisk broke the silence my bellowing a tremendous roar that shook the caverns. The shockwave of sound and air that the ultralisk produced startled Lippot, making him fall backwards. He stared up at the massive beast that thunderously quaked the cavern halls in awe and fright, unable to run away due to his legs giving out at that exact moment.

After the roar, the ultralisk gave a mean stare towards Lippot before grumbling and stomping its way back to its previous task. Kay leaned down at the foreman on the ground. "So... Do you understood what was said to you just now?"

"... Uh... Rhetorically... Yes." Lippot timidly replied.

"Good answer." Kay growled.

Goqqa stared wide-eyed at the ultralisk beast. He whispered an excited hiss as he stared at the retreating form of the ultralisk. Bayz, on the other hand, slowly walked past Kay and stretched her hand to the fallen form of Lippot. "Uh... Not to make this into an even more awkward scene for everybody, but perhaps it could help you to understand that he doesn't exactly speak for everyone here."

Lippot looked at Bayz's proffered and bubble suit-protected hand for a couple seconds before grasping it firmly. "I shall hazard a guess that I'm not the only one with the bad day here. What do you need?"

"If it's not too much trouble, I could request some materials that I could use to craft a big enough tent for my big friend." Bayz replied as she pointed at Goqqa. "And maybe he could be settled at a place where it's quiet? He doesn't like to be disturbed very much."

Lippot chuckled. "Well if that's gonna be the case, then I can give you what you need! You can also have your own workshop to work at, and a space of your choice to place his tent at." He slowly looked back at Kay with a hesitant stare before stepping away from Bayz. "Er... Why don't we discuss what kind of materials you need on the way to your workshop? My schedule is kinda hectic at the moment."

"Wait." Bayz replied. After a hesitant turn, Bayz looked up at Kay and bowed. "Thank you for taking us here."

Kay smirked and waved dismissively. "Ah, don't mention it. I can understand what it means to be in captivity. At least here, you'll no longer have to be hungry, or worry about being tortured. If you can excuse me, I now need to vomit my guts out." Kay turned around and sharply whistled loudly. The whistle that Kay had made was just for showmanship, but his psionic command had a different effect. A single zergling was summoned from the several swarms that hacked away the boulders and approached Kay. Kay then straddled the back of the zergling and rode away on it. "YEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAW~!"

Goqqa and Bayz stared in amusement at the zergling-riding Kay as he rode away from their company. Goqqa decided to finally speak up when Kay was out of hearing distance. "That Kay guy is scarry... But he is weirrdly likeable."

Lippot grimaced from Goqqa's growling voice. "Oh gods, don't ever talk in that tone ever again! It sounds like you might eat a hatchling, or strangle someone's pet krell!"

Goqqa rolled his eyes, but decided to keep quiet from then on.

* * *

Speeding through the tunnels and chambers while riding on a mounted zergling had a kind of magic that Kay immediately enjoyed. Despite the fact that his legs were preventing the zergling from extending its wings, the creep still provided a nice speed boost that accelerated him and his mount faster through the underground zerg network. Kay couldn't believe that he didn't thought about riding a zergling into battle sooner! The omega worms may have the capability to remove the travel time on the surface by the means of the zerg organisms using its near-instantaneous troop transportation methods of its undulating guts, but riding on a zergling's back had more enjoyment.

Despite the sudden vertigo experienced within the nydus/omega network's intestinal movements, it was a short-lived and sudden experience. But as Kay might have put it, zergling-riding was more funner.

There could be more improvements with the zergling he was riding on, however. It could be larger, since his feet kept hitting the creep as the zergling bounded up or down sloped inclines or declines. Having it's overall mass increased could easily solve that problem, but making and evolving the zergling to be bigger could also create more problems, such as reducing it's ability to turn quickly, or diminishing its attack capabilities, or even reducing its overall speed even further.

And speaking of evolving, Kay had finally reached his intended destination, arriving at a group of evolution chambers that pulsed with life, and with Corvurn's experimentation. He could see infested gilanian chrysalises surrounding the evolution chambers. However, he felt something different about them. They seemed to have sapient minds, and they exhibited thought patterns that were coherent. Kay sighed as he passed by them, but he came to a stop at one of the evolution chambers that was currently processing what Kay could only assume was new mutations, or some form of research that Corvurn was overseeing. Once Kay had neared the evolution chamber, Corvurn had crawled out from its bowels and bowed at Kay. "Command organism Kay arrived. Require assistance?"

"No. I just came here to exchange some mean words with you, and then give you something to analyze." Kay replied.

"Mm. Assuming exchange pertains to infested gilanians? Pertains to infested organism Kragnon? Aware of past altercations. Rather discus organism Kay's object of analysis." Corvurn mumbled.

Kay stared at Corvurn for a few seconds before sighing. "Well... So long as you know better than to do something stupid like that again, we should be okay."

Kay turned to the side and leaned forward as he stuck his fingers in his mouth. After a couple of seconds, a torrent of salty fluid leapt and left Kay's maw, which then pulled and deposited his captured specimen. What Kay saw from the resulting spew of stomach contents surprised him. Apparently, it was a many-limbed cephalopod, which seemed to have several spots of white that had loosed skin, a result of having contact with a low acid that ate away at the poor creature. It had red skin, but it seemed to glimmer rapidly between different colors with varying brightness. Its eyes were gone, since it had been blinded by Kay's stomach acid a long time ago.

Corvurn analyzed the creature with his studious eyes for a few seconds before scooping the creature up and messily devouring it. Kay would have vomited again should his constitution be any weaker, and if he hadn't barfed earlier. Corvurn pawed at his mouth a few times as he sifted through the essence that the cephalopod contained. "Will take moment to analyze. Return later. Must tend to infested gilanians."

Kay turned to the chrysalises with a gentle somberness in his mind. "Do you know what will happen to them?"

Corvurn sighed. "Discussed with Othafurn and Kragnon. Will let sane infested gilanians choice to serve swarm, or serve Kragnon. Physical contact with refugee cluster must be limited. Zerg Hyper-evolution Virus must be prevented from pathogenic cross-contamination with gilanian population. May allow verbal communication between parties. However, permission for communication, needed."

Kay nodded with a sigh. So much could have been prevented, had Catlak's followers refrained from hunting and eating the infested vaph in the immortal maze, then this wouldn't have happened in the first place. But Kay knew that dwelling on the could, should, or would of each scenario was counterproductive to a commander of the zerg swarm. In essence, the best that a leader could do is weigh the choices available and claim responsibility of the consequences. To Kay, he imagined that the new reality that the infected Moss Field Hunters will face might frighten them. Or worse, empower them. The infestation process within the gilanians was slowed down to a crawl, and enable their minds to withstand the changes and mutations. Life would be VERY different for them from now on.

However, a sudden rumble jolted Kay from his thoughts. And then a giant metal hand came down from above him and clasped around his form. Corvurn and the infested chrysalises were unharmed from the sudden event, but Kay was at the mercy of a large palm that had a firm hold of him. Despite his earlier guesses on what kind of enemy had plucked him from the underground, the perspective of an overseer enabled Kay to find that a completely different enemy had accosted him.

It was a 120 meter tall giant emperor.

* * *

 **A/N: Say, do you guys think that if a zergling bit a lemon, they would develop big kissy lips? '3'  
**


	78. Might and Minds

**Chapter 78: Might and Minds**

* * *

Kay was pulled out from the comfort of the underground super hive cluster, via a large mechanical hand that had punched through the very sand of the desert. The attack came so suddenly that Kay didn't have the time to defend against it. But how could he have known this would have happened? It was as if the emperor had somehow became larger in size and was now a physical threat to Kay and his zerg swarm. Emperor Gollog must have used a supersized MEM device to somehow transport himself above Kay's position, and had a scant amount of time to push the soil, rock, and sand out of his way to get to Kay. Kay hoped that Gollog didn't take notice of Corvurn fleeing.

After Kay felt things settling, he pushed dirt and rock off of his person and coughed a bit. After dusting sand and silt off of his carapace, he looked up to find Gollog's giant form. With his psionic awareness, Kay could feel that there were hundreds of dream-light hover-drones projecting a physical body over the chassis and armor of Gollog's super cyborg mech suit. Sadly, Kay could not feel Gollog's mind swimming within the giant mecha, much like he could in his previous encounter with the Mecha that Kralluf once piloted in an alternate timeline from long ago.

Kay sighed as he was held in Mecha-Gollog's hands. "Gollog, I presume?" Kay felt like he already knew the answer to his question.

Gollog smiled warmly at Kay, but Kay knew that it was not a friendly smile at all. "Hello, Kay. At last we meet. However, I believe that this isn't exactly your first time meeting me."

Kay was suddenly beset by a large thumb that kept him pinned. Kay gasped under the strain. "Ghyuh! What makes you figure that?"

Gollog smiled more broadly as a predatory glare looked down on Kay. "My informants had sent information to me regarding certain details of an alternate empire under the rule of an emperor with my likeness, whom of which had fought against your zerg in a different timeline. Apparently, the actions of my alternate self was the direct cause of the destabilization of the timeline. But it was thanks to the informant that the information he gave me had enabled me to reaffirm and change certain strategies against a threat I had never thought possible to exist before this war. In any case, this is the first time that I, from this timeline's perspective, has graced your miserable existence. But I believe that this isn't the first time we have met from your perspective."

Kay shook his head. "Fucking hell. Why is it that you have to talk so highly about yourself all the time? Do you really think that you are as cunningly smart as you think you are? I'm already aware of the informants that fed you, and the Era Agency, the information about the other timeline. There's no reason to goad me like this. Hell, no matter how much time had passed between us, you are still the immortal royal asshole here!"

Gollog's expression became flat. "Humph. So this is the legendary blunt crassness of the Bug-man Beast-master? To think that I would finally enjoy a diatribe from you, even after twenty years of fighting against your zerg monsters. A pity. I might have expected something better than the bilge recorded from my alternate self's past conversations with you, but it seems like I was wrong."

"Wrong or not, why the hell are you not killing me right now? I am, LITERALLY, in the palm of your hand here! Hell, why not let me ask how the fuck you found me in the first place?!" Kay hissed.

Gollog smiled. "Wanting to go straight to the point, are we? Goodness gracious, Kay!" Gollog then used his other hand to gently pet Kay's head. "I have no intention to kill you with my own hands."

Kay struggled from under Gollog's grasp. "Well I'm not liking being in this position! LET GO OF ME!" Kay then thrusts his arms, wings, and legs out, creating a telekinetic burst that forced Gollog's fingers apart.

Gollog's hand brightened up and blasted Kay with a sudden burst of energy. Kay felt like he was electrified and flash-fried by the energy that enveloped his body, and he was suddenly covered in blinding pain a split second later. However, he wasn't rendered unconscious this time. He felt his body become weak and helpless as the energy blasted much of his flesh away. Even his limbs, consisting of his arms, legs, and wings, were torn off from the blast of light. Kay groaned in agony as he was made helpless in Gollog's grip. "Now now, Kay. Acting like this will force me to start punishing you. But I want you be alive for what you are about to see. But to answer your other question, however, it is a rather simple answer."

"Well... you're going to... draw out this answer to... my question, that's for sure." Kay said, coughing.

Gollog smirked and sighed. "You see, Kay, the Pyramidal Guard Division has some of the best shadow assassins under my employ. But they didn't get to where they are now by looking beautiful as they silently assassinated my enemies in my name. You see, when you were within the dark mausoleum facility, I had ordered Commander Guik to attach a special kind of non-physical tracking device to your person."

"Non-physical?" Kay said with a wheeze.

"Yes." Gollog replied with an even wider smile. "When attached to the person, the device shifts its material self into the aether field once activated. When active, no matter how much you try to shake yourself from the tracking device, it will remain invulnerable from any form of tampering, or any attempt of dislodging the device from your physical body. It is an especially useful tool that my shadow assassins use to keep track of certain priority targets, or very important people that are needed to be kept alive. Believe me when I say that this has happened to you once before, Kay! Remember the time that you had fought Kralluf as he wore my super cyborg mech suit? He followed the same tracking device that was attached to you at the time. One of my shadow assassins was very lucky getting the device onto your person without you noticing, during your assault on my island city. It was how Kralluf was able to track you to the moon."

"Figures." Kay sighed. So THAT was why Kralluf was so persistent chasing Kay on that day.

Gollog was about to show Kay something when he was suddenly beset by spines and claws. He turned to find that hydralisks and zerglings began to assail him. The zerglings were quick to respond to the new threat, while the hydralisks kept their distance as they began to fire their bio-mechanical projectiles at the giant emperor.

"Hmm. It's awfully crowded here. Perhaps we should go somewhere that can give us some privacy?" Gollog said, as he dismissively gestured at the swarm of zerg assailing him. An eruption of light came from his palm, and the zerglings and hydralisks that came to assist Kay were reduced to slivers of ash and burnt carapace. Once his inconvenient threats were dealt with, Gollog's feet erupted into a force of light that began thrusting him upwards.

Gollog's hands kept a firm grip on Kay's body, though Kay had to suffer from having the wind rip past his mock-hair, and the additional gravitational force that weighed down his body and organs. The sudden exertion of forces blinded him. "Uaaaaaagh~!~!~!~!~!"

After several minutes of being pushed away from Kiln, via Gollog's sudden upwards launch, Kay was finally feeling the wind becoming normal, and the g-forces becoming more forgiving to his body-mass, which was slowly regrowing his limbs. Gollog chuckled with pride. "This should be high enough."

Kay felt his small limbs growing back, but they were only long enough to flip his body over and crawl around. After crawling to Gollog's palm and looking down, he saw that he was several kilometers above the ground. Perhaps a hundred kilometers, or two hundred kilometers, from Kay's estimation. He could feel that the atmosphere was quite thin, making it hard for him to breathe and take in oxygen into his body. But his body was able to adapt quickly. "Whah... What are... Are we... Doing... up here?"

"To get away from your beasts, of course. I want us to be alone when my doomsday weapon finally fires."

Kay froze. The doomsday weapon was firing a day sooner? The evacuation was still ongoing at Citadel Gargantua. The citadel still had gilanians being delivered into the underground refugee camp cluster, and if Gollog activated his doomsday weapon now, then there would be high gilanian casualties. But Kay wasn't too worried about the gilanian population. What he was more worried about was the Swarm that was under his and Virid's command. In response to this new variable, Kay psionically extended his mind to Virid. _'VIRID! SEND A LEVIATHAN TO MY POSITION RIGHT NOW!'_

 _'Kay?! What is-'_

Before Virid asked for an explanation, Kay interrupted Virid. _'NO QUESTIONS! IN DANGER RIGHT NOW! LEVIATHAN!'_

In what felt like an instant to Kay, a leviathan bursts into existence in an explosion of orange energy. But to Kay's surprise, this creature actually looked a lot bigger than when he last saw them in action. The usual length of most naturally-born leviathans tend to settle around five kilometers long, but this creature before him looked to be around seven or eight kilometers long. Had it been growing larger as time progressed? Kay would guess that it might be the case, since that would explain the hydralisks eventual evolution into hunter killers. But just as the massive zerg creature appeared, Gollog instantly turned to the creature that shared his airspace and gestured his palm to it. A blast of energy obliterated the leviathan, turning it into a red mist and blackened carapace that fell towards the surface of Kiln. "Hmm. It looks like even the dread maws are trying to protect you. How sweet."

 _'VIRID, HOW MANY LEVIATHANS CAN YOU SPARE?!'_

 _'I can't spare any more. The sky rings will-'_

 _'ACTUALLY, JUST SEND TWENTY OF THEM TO ME RIGHT NOW! HURRY!'_

By Kay's request, twenty more leviathans of slightly differing smaller sizes came to his assistance. But before the leviathans could react quickly enough and use their chemically freezing bio-stasis ability on Mecha-Gollog, beams of light began to rain down on the leviathans. The massive flying creatures died rapidly under the onslaught of the lasers, which came from the sky ring's energy lances. The bombardment of energy obliterated and destroyed the leviathans, turning them into chunks of energy-penetrated carcasses. As the massive zerg bodies began falling to the ground far below, Gollog began to chuckle at the devastation. "Ha-ha-hah! What a pointless gesture!" Gollog looked down at Kay with a bemused smile. "But I am sure that it warmed your virus-filled heart that your minions would sacrifice themselves to save you. Perhaps you now understand why I had brought you here, making you refrain from relying on the help of your monsters and your precious bio-structures?"

Kay sighed, as he began to understand Gollog's tactic. "... By removing me from the ground, my ground forces won't be able to come to my aid. And since we are closer to the sky rings, they'll be able to react to any air force that dares to intercept you much more quickly."

Gollog nodded. "Exactly. No mater how many of your flying vermin try to damage me, I will be able to defend myself. If I am ever overwhelmed, then the sky rings will rain down their ordinance on your pitiful zerg."

"Even so, you still have me stuck here with you." Kay growled.

Gollog sighed with a smile. "Ah, but if you so much as dare strike me, then I will tear your limbs off again and again. But as I have said before, I will not be directly responsible for your death."

Kay groaned as he sat himself upright. "So what? Are you telling me that you're going to release your doomsday weapon and let me watch what happens?"

Gollog smiled more broadly. "No. You're going to be the first to experience it. What I want is to see you squirm from its effects firsthand." After Gollog had explained his plans, he raised his left hand into the air, as though reaching towards the sky rings above himself. Just as he did so, Kay could see that the rings began producing some kind of green mist from itself. The sky rings were still far above the planet's atmosphere, but Kay had no idea what kind of doomsday weapon that Gollog had unleashed.

Kay had no choice but to ask. "... What the hell am I looking at?"

"The new future, Kay." Gollog said as he looked up at the green mist that kept getting wider over Kiln's thermosphere. "I had some time to study the technology of a culture that is far different from our own precious Kiln Prison System. What I had discovered was quite surprising! They managed to find a way to create a special kind of biogenic byproduct, one of which that creates a special kind of electromagnetic radiation. We have been storing and producing so much of it over the years, and I have finally decided to release it onto the lands below us. Isn't it beautiful?"

Kay paused, smirked, and then chuckled. "Really? Radiation? Do you really think that a little nuclear fallout is going to kill all of us? Gollog, you may be the single most dangerous individual on Kiln, but you are such an idiot sometimes."

Gollog looked down and stared at Kay. "I know full well of the mutating capabilities of the cells in your monsters, Kay. Which is why I had decided to use this special type of radiation. Unlike most types of radiation that can alter and mutate cells, this radiation destroys them instead."

Kay paused. "... I find that hard to believe. I mean... What kind of half-assed culture makes that kind of radiation? I'd find it hard to believe that ANY culture would make something so dangerous."

"This isn't a fallacy, Kay." Gollog said with a satisfied hum. "If you doubt me still, then I will keep you here with me long enough so that when the special radiation washes over us, you will understand that I was not lying. Ah! Right on time."

After Gollog's sentence, Kay immediately erected a telekinetic field around himself. He didn't know what kind of weapon that Gollog had created, but he didn't want to be hurt by whatever damage it could deal. In seconds, Kay was assaulted by... Droplets of neon rain? Kay reached his hand outwards, past his telekinetic field, to catch a few of these wet drops. Once he caught a couple drops, he analyzed the droplets with an inquisitive thumb. After a few seconds of analysis, Kay shook his head dismissively. "I don't understand what you're trying to convey here. You made this glowing rain?"

Gollog almost seemed like he would start giggling in excitement. "Wait for it."

Kay waited for a few seconds. He then felt a small, warm tingle dancing on his hand. The warmth then became pain. Kay looked down at his hand and saw that it was developing several pores in his hand's flesh and carapace, which also turned gray in color. Upon understanding the danger, Kay quickly reached up and used his psionic power to enlarge the telekinetic barrier that prevented the neon rain from landing onto him. But he could feel the muscle, skin, carapace, and even bones in his hand, becoming incredibly painful as time went on. Despite his fortitude, his zerg regeneration wasn't able to negate the decay that the neon rain caused. The painful graying of his flesh continued past his wrist and threatened to reach his forearm. "Gr, dammit!" Kay ended up having to remove the infection with his other uninfected hand, using it to sever his graying forearm from his elbow. "What the hell kind of radiation is this?!"

Gollog bellowed a laugh. He held an open palm to the sky and collected the neon rain that fell. Once Gollog had collected enough water, he then attempted to splash the water onto Kay. The neon water splashed harmlessly away, since Kay's telekinetic field prevented it from drenching him. "Don't you see it now, Kay? The potential? The dangerous capability that this radiation has? Once this water seeps into the sands of Kiln, we will wait out your extinction. If there are any of your nests still alive after doomsday, then we will send the Kiln Keepers to deal with the rest of your surviving zerg, and any other nonaligned gilanian survivors."

Kay hissed at Gollog with wild eyes. "You don't care about the people still on this planet?! But they are your people! Your race!"

Gollog's smile widened as he sighed at Kay. "They are less than animals, Kay. They are disloyal and selfish, with no ambition and duty to me. They do not even deserve a firing squad! But once the radiation levels recede, my empire will sow its seeds into a new paradise. One that will never have to disobey my wishes ever again. For all I care, genocide is but a small price to pay for gaining a perfect world where no opposition can ever oppose you ever again. And you... Oh ho-ho-ho-ho-ho... I get to have the privilege to watch you slowly die." Gollog said, as he collected another handful of neon rainwater. Then, from under Kay's feet, a blast of energy disrupted Kay's concentration.

Gollog brought his irradiated water-filled fist down onto Kay in a terrible pounding attack. Kay felt his body flattening from the attack, but he managed to remain conscious from the blow. However, his telekinetic field was disrupted, which allowed the neon to freely fall upon his broken form. ".. Guh... Gr... Grah... Uh... Huah... Huah... Hah... Hah-hah... Hah-ha-ha..."

Gollog leaned down toward Kay on his right hand's palm with an amused eyebrow raised. "Hmm~? Are you laughing? Have I truly broken your soul? Ah, what a momentous occasion! Tell me, my old enemy I never came to know in person until today. Tell me what has made you vexed into expelling this fit of laughter? I wish to learn of your last thoughts."

"Hahahahaha, you really think you've killed me?!" Kay chortled as his body tried to mend against the neon rain's toxic radiation. The boosted healing that he forced onto his body repaired some of the damage, but all it did was buy him some time.

Gollog sighed. "Don't delude yourself. Once your body gives out, you will perish. Just like the rest of my remaining enemies."

Kay chuckled and coughed. "Then you're so stupid to think that I can't return from this death. It's just like you said, Gollog. 'You, and every fool that thinks otherwise, cannot kill an immortal.'"

Gollog reared his head back in surprise and confusion.

Kay bared a wide grin at Gollog, even when his body was becoming ash-colored all over. "I will not be defeated, because this is not the end. I will see you again."

After a few seconds had passed, Kay laid his head back and exhaled his last breath on Gollog's hand. His body grew cold, as the last ounces of warmth became a chilling breeze. His flesh became stiff and brittle, becoming less and less as the irradiated rain continued to soak his hollow corpse. His life had dwindled to a spark, and then went out like a candle finally burning out. Gollog crushed the body that had once contained Kay's consciousness, and then allowed the ash and dust to fall from his hand, or be washed away by the neon-green rain. But unknown to Gollog's awareness, Kay had died, but was no longer concerned with his vessel anymore.

He had already left his vessel seconds ago, and it traveled like a thunder bolt descending below the rain. His mind, or rather, his soul, zipped down to the surface of Kiln and pierced through its earth. Finding a hive in the underground super hive cluster, Kay's consciousness became whole with the Zerg Swarm's psionic hivemind connection. Within a minute, Kay's body would become whole again.

But before he could ambulate within a new body that was exact to the flesh he once paraded in, he knew that the whole of Kiln was in danger. _'ALL ZERG ON THE SURFACE OF KILN! HEAR ME! THERE IS NEON RAIN COMING DOWN FROM ABOVE US, AND IT WILL KILL EVERYTHING IT DRENCHES! GET UNDERGROUND IF YOU CAN, AND DON'T GET WET! THE GREEN RAIN IS THE DOOMSDAY WEAPON THAT IS FROM EMPEROR GOLLOG, OUR ENEMY LEADER OF THE GOLDEN STAR EMPIRE! SURVIVE GOLLOG'S DOOMSDAY WEAPON, BECAUSE IT WILL GREATLY TEST OUR ABILITY TO ADAPT! REFUSE TO DROWN THIS DAY! FOR THE SWARM!'_

The zerg organisms on the surface of Kiln were roused into an instant frenzy. The air strains began to fight harder as they ravaged the Kiln Keeper production points. Many of the ground units of the Kay's Swarm had either elected to storm the Kiln Keeper stronghold factories, or retreat to the nydus worms and find refuge underground. Some strains of Kay's zerg swarm were commanded to burrow straight down, such as the infestors, roaches, and shrylisks that were carrying precious cargo within their guts. In fact, much of the shrylisks were now being deployed in Gargantua Citadel to deliver the rest of the refugees into the underground refugee camp cluster.

Unfortunately, Kay had no idea on how strong Gollog's doomsday weapon was. Without any information to go by, Kay was forced to weather the storm and assess the damage afterwards.

* * *

 **A/N: How will the zerg adapt against this new type of radiation, I wonder?  
**


	79. Fallout of the Necrostorm

**Chapter 79: Fallout of the Necrostorm**

* * *

Up above the ground, the neon-green rain descended down onto the deserts, tropics, pillar forests, cities and single ocean of Kiln. The higher atmosphere cooled the neon-rain, which enabled the irradiated water to quickly form into bright green rain clouds above the warm world. However, the heated air of the desert had caused problems for the global climate. As the hot air mixed with the cold and glowing rain, the sudden difference in temperatures had created a global thunderstorm that brightened the sky with green streaks. Minutes later, the neon dry thunderstorm eventually evolved into a neon rainstorm. As the land became drenched, the plant life, ranging from the tropical regions that contained trees and shrubs of varying growths and climates, and animal life, ranging to the mightiest bull mongwedger to the smallest vaph pest, was drenched in an unending torrent of deadly flooding. This flood even affected the last vestiges of every gilanian civilization on the surface of Kiln.

As the rain came down, all living things were beset by an indiscriminate decay. The wood and leaves of the trees and bushes became gray and brittle, which made their branches and leaves fall seconds after being drenched by the irradiated rain. Animals that were caught in the rain were unable to make for shelter in time, and they tried to find their respective shelters as quickly as they could. Many had died in the rain, their corpses becoming dust as each drop of neon pattered and pummeled their ashen corpses, only to be washed away in swirls of pitch and jade. The animals that did find shelter in time had doomed themselves into a tomb. The irradiated rainwater would flood into their burrows and nests, which would create a deathbed of loose flesh that looked similar to gray clay, while their weakened bones would jut out of their hide and reveal their skeletal anatomy.

The zerg were able to withstand the radiation to a degree, but even their regeneration had a certain limit to their capabilities. Much of the zerg managed to escape the coming doomsday rain through cave entrances that led to the underground super hive cluster, or had retreated into the maws of the nydus worms and omega worms. But there were many more zerg organisms that were either too far away from ever reaching sanctuary, or were otherwise incapable of finding and entering a safe refuge in time. The air strains of the zerg swarm, commanded by the various broodmothers, had suffered severe casualties, while the ground strains that were caught out in the open on the surface had also began to decay in excruciating pain. Zerglings began to perish in innumerable droves.

Because of the armor-shredding mutation that the raptor strain of the zerglings had acquired, they managed to quickly destroy and drive back the Kiln Keeper forces on the surface. But as of then, the rain would become responsible for killing the entire zergling population on the surface of Kiln, which enabled the Kiln Keepers an opportunity to retake the ground they lost. Every overlord, overseer, and hatchery structure above the ground even suffered from the dangerous effects of the rain. The overlords and overseers perished quickly, but the hatcheries, lairs, and hives slowly deteriorated. The queens, large queens, and even the broodmothers and swarm queens tried their best to heal their precious bio-structures, but such a task proved to be too much of an effort for them. They, and every other bio-structure on the surface of Kiln, gradually faded in the rain as ash and dust.

Even as Kay was respawned a minute later from the closest hive, the rain was already seeping through the desert sand and affecting the creep tumors and various other bio-structures underground. There were some underground hatchery chambers that were lucky enough to be morphed in natural subterranean air-pockets. Some were unlucky, for the pressure of the water on the surface eventually corroded the ceiling of the tunnels and caverns, making them collapse in a downpour of earth and irradiated floodwater. Any zerg organism that dared to swim through this glowing liquid would die seconds later.

Even the underground refugee camp cluster had been heavily affected. As the irradiated flood washed through the tunnels and arrived at the camp cluster, the remaining refugees tried to bolt away and flee to safety. There was nowhere to run. Some gilanians tried to bravely run through the floodwater, but they quickly tripped on their own decaying feet and died by either drowning, or from further decay. Other gilanians were luckier than others, since they remained on the upper sections of the platforms. Several of the surviving gilanians that had either slept through the panic, or were otherwise too sick to run, were safe from the toxic floodwater.

Tak's tent, on the other hand, was conveniently built upon a slope that was high enough to remain dry from the toxic flood, and it was also built within a naturally formed air-pocket in the underground cavern. Creep tumors had quickly formed on this higher ground, and a few zerg organisms were able to avoid the torrent of irradiated floodwater by vacating to the higher ground that Tak's tent was built upon. Several drones and zerglings milled about with nothing to do, while both queens and swarm queens did their best to heal any zerg creature that were infected by the irradiated floodwater. The queens prevented the decay from overtaking many of the zerg organisms that were unfortunate enough to become partially soaked by the irradiated floodwater, but by the combination of the frequent usage of the queens and swarm queens' transfusion, while being on the healthy yet malignant creep, enabled the zerg to heal faster than the decay could kill them. There were a few roaches that survived by burrowing underneath the flooding, but they had to have a major dousing of transfusing fluid in order to keep themselves healthy. And then there were the three hydralisks. Corvurn had them burrowed near Tak's tent in case it was ever beset by a force of enemies that Tak's bodyguards couldn't handle. But now, they were trapped with them.

From what Kay had noticed, the effects of the decay was slowly dwindling. The decay of the decay might enable his swarm to acquire a second wind from this setback. But unfortunately, he didn't when his swarm would adapt against this necrotic liquid.

Kay paced back-and-forth in the hive cluster that he had spawned from. There were a few leaks that had sprung from above him, but he was careful to avoid them since his learning from his first encounter with the glowing water. More and more of this dangerous rain seemed to continue flowing into the zerg swarm's underground super hive cluster, as though it had no intention of stopping anytime soon. Thunder could still be heard, even from the underground hive cluster. Kay sighed. He sensed that this storm was going to last for a long while.

A rumble had distracted Kay from his psionic surveillance of his swarm. As Kay turned around, he sensed that a shrylisk had traveled to his current location. After popping through the creep-covered ground and opening its maw, it belched out the familiar vertical-mouthed face of Corvurn. Kay sighed and turned to him. "You might not have any facial features, but I can tell that you're pretty pissed about this." Kay said to Corvurn.

Corvurn growled as he went to the edge of the pooling glowing green and poked one of his pinkies into it. "Adaptation against radiation, troubling. Swarm adaptation normally mutates against radiation-type stressors. However, radiation weapon used by organism Gollog exhibits properties unknown to swarm."

Kay watched the evolution master dipping one of his fingers into the dangerous water and cringed. "I already figured as much. But why is this radiation different from what the zerg normally faces anyway? I mean... We can adapt to various kinds of radiation at an insane rate already."

Corvurn gritted his teeth as he felt the decay graying his finger. "Command organism Kay's assumption, wrong. Concentrated radiation dangerous to swarm organisms. Over-mutation can occur following high exposure levels. Natural zerg adaptation can fail, weaken certain strains, or expire organisms. Some mutations might benefit swarm. Would be tested and analyzed before assimilating. This radiation, different. Electromagnetic in design, but cell and tissue mutation absent. Promotes forced necrosis upon exposure. Swarm adaptation slow against radiation poisoning. Doomsday weapon is fluid-based, yet affects underground hive clusters to great effect."

Kay groaned and slouched. "So... What now? Does this mean we can't ever swim in this water? If we take too long to adapt to this water, the Kiln Keepers might redouble their efforts and start infiltrating our underground super hive cluster! We'll be boned if we don't adapt to this, and quick!"

Corvurn grumbled as he nodded, despite that his hand was graying and falling apart. "Probable possibilities. However, resource tumors acquired heightened production of bio-matter resources. Analyzed resource tumors and resource vein growths. Unexpected results discovered. Contemplating new strain creation."

Kay raised an eyebrow at Corvurn. "... So why are you here?"

Corvurn turned to look at Kay. "Command organism Kay experienced radiation exposure previously. Reviewing possible adaptations developed against organism Gollog's doomsday fluid. Visual and psionic analysis complete. No adaptations developed within you. Will continue work elsewhere shortly."

Kay hissed a sigh. "Well... Thank you for concerning yourself with my well being." Kay then straightened his posture. "Say, do you think I should break the 'no psionic communication' rule this once and contact Virid? I don't know how dangerous this 'doomsday fluid' is, and I want to know if Gollog is launching it toward her moon right now."

Corvurn huffed and looked down in contemplation. "... Against requested actions. However, breaking rules does not necessitate bending rules, considering present risks. Will inquire command organism Othafurn to contact Virid on hexagon moon hive cluster. You, however, must exert control over organism Kragnon."

Kay blinked his eyes. "... Uh... Why?"

Corvurn grumbled as his decaying hand's regeneration was slowly beating back the decay. "Erratic behavior detected. Seeks to infest gilanian strain survivors. Against command organism Kay's will over swarm."

Kay's eyes widened. "... Uh... Why?!"

Corvurn shrugged. "Organism Tak developed illness. Possibly contracted from doomsday fluid radiation. Resistance to will of swarm hivemind growing stronger within infested organism Kragnon."

Kay's mind went through several possible strategies he could use to prevent Kragnon from infesting Tak in her sickened condition. After quickly reviewing his options, he thought up a plan to act on. He pointed at Corvurn's shrylisk. "How long would it take for me to get to Tak's tent using your shrylisk?"

Corvurn contemplated on Kay's answer. "Hmm... Twelve minutes, perhaps. However, doomsday fluid might increase travel time. "

Kay hissed and kicked at the creep. "Not good enough. I might have to take control of one of the changelisks to stall or stop Kragnon."

"Recommendation. Use psionic power to form barrier against doomsday fluid. Hover over irradiated ground." Corvurn suggested.

Kay blinked at Corvurn. He didn't know he COULD hover over the ground. "... how quickly can I reach Kragnon by that method?"

"Seven minutes. Perhaps less. Recommend leaving now." Corvurn replied.

Kay walked up to Corvurn to grasp his shoulder and nodded at his evolution master in a knowing manner. Kay then turned toward a tunnel that normally lead toward the underground refugee camp cluster, but it instead had the glowing floodwater blocking his path. Kay knew that if he took a dive in that doomsday fluid, then he would have to wait another minute for his body to be gestated in the hive he emerged from earlier. After taking a breath, he focused his mind and imagined a shell surrounding his body, and thinking about being lighter than the air. As Kay floated toward the glowing water, it was pushed away by the psionic power that Kay exerted.

With a smile, Kay focused and steeled his mind and proceeded to travel through the flooded tunnels.

* * *

Kragnon was sighing constantly. Or at least the changelisk lookalike of him did. He had only found out recently that his precious baroness had came down with a sudden illness. His son and two daughters were instructed to refrain from touching her, since her doctor told everyone that she could have the same sickness that had dissolved and killed nearly everyone that came into contact with the irradiated floodwater. After his transformation into an infested zerg organism, Kragnon had regretted his decision to trade his health in exchange for the safety of his beloved Tak and her people. He thought that the plans he had made with Tak would have accounted for Gollog's doomsday weapon. The preparations he made with Corvurn, whom was currently in charge of Kay's swarm, had not accounted for a torrential flood that was laced with some kind of powerful nuclear waste. Nobody expected the outcome that had happened to them.

"Dad?"

Kragnon was distracted from his brooding. He had been patiently sitting outside of a section of tent that an unwell baroness was staying in. His chair was an uncomfortably basic metal box frame that was covered in a taught cloth, but his changelisk body didn't mind the discomfort. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Yes, Kragak?"

Kragak sighed. He had been brushing a few tears from his eyes. His scaly face was dried, but his eyes were tinted red. "Mother has asked for you to come in now. She wants to talk to you."

Kragnon sighed once more as he stood up from his seat. Once he turned and followed his son into the sectioned-off divide of tent-flaps, he was beset by a tear-wrenching sight.

Baroness Tak was gently nestled in her large red bed, while her two daughters silently cried. They looked like matching twins since the two wore matching dresses tailored to their sizes, except one had pinker accents, while the other had accents that was a deeper and darker crimson. The doctor wore a simple white coat, but it was by a stroke of luck that he was traveling to Tak's tent during the flood. Had he not made his rounds to the baroness, then he too would have been swept by the necrotic tide. The only thing that Tak wore was a nightgown. Being royalty, she had the luxury of owning several different types of garments in an extensive wardrobe. Her theme always had to include some kind of red color, due to the fact that her red freckled scales was her most well known physical feature throughout the entire world. But her eyes had paled, her behavior became lethargic, and her temper was... Well... Still inexhaustible and sharp witted.

Kragnon slowly walked toward Tak's bedside and lowered himself to her, placing his elbows on the rim of her bed. "Hello, my beloved."

Tak turned to look at Kragnon. "Ah... There you are."

Kragnon nodded. "You asked of my presence?"

Tak nodded and smiled. "Indeed I did. I can feel myself growing weaker by the second. I thought it would be a good idea to get what I needed to say off of my chest before I... Well..."

"NO!" One of the sisters said, urgently wanting to paw at Tak's arm. The other sister joined with her, but the doctor stopped them both.

Tak turned to her daughter and sighed at them. "Girls. What have I taught you?"

There was a pause before they replied in unison. "It's impolite to be rude to royalty, just as it'd be impolite to be rude as royalty."

Tak nodded and smiled. "Good. You two are still young, but I have hope that you can lead the future of the people of Gargantua." She then turned to Kragnon. "Darling. Could you come closer?"

Kragnon nodded and obeyed as he crept closer to Tak, putting his listening holes closer to her face. "Yes? What is it?"

Tak sighed. "As it stands, you are the only parental figure to the next generation of my family's bloodline. I was hoping I could ask you to shepherd them in their growth until they become ready as the new leaders that could lead the people of Gargantua."

Kragnon sighed. "That's an awfully big task, Tak. I don't think I have it in my heart to accept that request."

Tak shook her head as a pursed frown appeared on her lips. "It is a great undertaking, yes. Had I known that you were so knowledgeable of various types of technology, of computer backdoor hacking, and acquiring information without ever making your presence known to the information network, then I would have made you a vizier much sooner." Her frown deepened when she realized what she had said. "... Even if that had meant we would be forbidden from courting, due to the laws made by my predecessors."

Kragnon shook his head. "Tak, don't ever talk like that. The children we had made gave us hope and light during the darkest time of our lives. If I had the choice to change anything that we had done differently in our past, then I would have worked on a contingency that dealt with this glowing flood."

Tak chuckled softly and shook her head again. "Ho-ho-ho, Kragnon! You know that you are not an era agent!"

Kragnon hissed as he retreated back and rested on his knees. "I know..."

Tak also hissed as well, but more in annoyance. "Don't make me forget that you are still keeping secrets from me, even if you want me to believe otherwise. But other than that, I know that you have other plans that conflicts with my own. I know you enough to know that you have plans within plans. But I would be remiss as a baroness to not take your feelings into account. So please, my darling. Tell me what plans you have that would otherwise conflict with mine."

Kragnon paused for several seconds before he nodded and sighed. "... I have been meaning to tell a few of the secrets that I had been keeping from you." Kragnon said, as he tried to contemplate a way to somehow convince Tak that hhe could cure her illness by being infested with the swarm's HEV.

Tak smiled. "Then tell me why I haven't been able to smell your musk? Even now, your scent is as eluding as a moon shrouded by heavy clouds."

Kragnon gravely paused. "Uh..." He was completely dumbfounded by Tak's observation.

Kragak and his two sisters turned to Kragnon with concerned glares. Tak, on the other hand, smiled warmly. "Come now, darling. Don't think that I couldn't get used to the usual tricks that the doppelgangers employ. I know that the one talking to me is one of them right now."

Kragnon's eyes widened and blinked several times. "... How long had you known?"

Tak sighed. "A while now. How entrenched are you with the zerg monsters, Kragnon?"

A pregnant pause perverted the space between Kragnon and Tak. After such a hesitant lapse, Kragnon leaned forward and looked down at the ground. "... Long ago, I was within a cold-pod, located under what once was Red mountain, and in an underground village that once belonged to the Hidden Water Spring Tribe. I was within a type of cryo-stasis hibernation for eighty long years. I may seem like your age, my beloved, but I am actually more likened to be a hundred and thirty years old by now."

Everyone, asides from Kragnon, widened their eyes at his secret.

Tak scoffed. "So I mated with an elderly man? Ugh, this would be very bad for my image if this kind of news got out. ... My loins are suddenly itching."

Kragnon looked at Tak with a flat stare.

Tak noticed Kragnon's expression and softly smiled. "... So uh... What happened before? What happened after?"

Kragnon sighed. "Before, I used to be a child under Gollog's rule. I didn't know what was happening at the time, since I was too young to understand anything. But some people broke me out of this strange facility and told me of his vile ways and unfair laws. After seeing how he had treated the people that were not under the boot of his fealty, I then took it upon myself to never be under his rule ever again. Thirty years of my life in those times had been dedicated to avoiding his rule. But I turned out to be a very important asset to him, though I knew not the reasons why that would be. Such are things I could never fathom, and I find myself not wanting to. When I came to the underground village, under what used to be Red Mountain, once located at the center of the Red Desert but becoming erased buy the flower made of energy, the unanimous decision was made to put me into a cold-pod. After that, it was nothing more but semi-lucid dreams of a reality that was not my own."

Tak nodded. "What happened next?"

"Kay freed me. He told me that he could be trusted, and he proved so by saving my life. Though I had my doubts that shoving my scaly hide into the maw of a zerg's shryik pawn could prevent me from my death."

"It ate you?!" Tak said, surprised.

"Yes. I thought that would be the end for me at first, but I was not digested by the sand-burrowing zerg-infested beast. When I saw light again, a changelisk doppelganger came to my side and swore to guard me from harm, or help assist me in my tasks. You all already know him by the name of Johnny."

Kragak sighed in exasperation. "I already knew that he was weird, but... I never knew he was one of those zerg critters."

One of the younger daughters with the dark red trim scrunched her face in puzzlement. "He was a zerg? Huh. I didn't know he was like those spiky puppy things."

Tak shook her head at her son and daughter. "Quiet. Please." She then turned back to Kragnon. "So when have you decided to... Exclusively use a doppelganger to be in your likeness and act in your stead?"

Kragnon gulped. He was somewhat worried about telling Tak the whole truth. "Well... You see... Uh... Due to a certain trade that I had made with the zerg, it enabled us a means to create a refugee camp underground, where we hope we could avoid the doomsday and wait it out until it's over. But in doing so, I had to trade places with a doppelganger in my likeness and mannerisms."

Tak stared at Kragnon for several seconds, and then smiled. "You became one of their pawns. Didn't you?"

"WHAT?" "WHAT?" "WHAT?" "WHAT?" Kragak, his two sisters, and the doctor yelled out in unison.

Kragnon looked up at Tak. "... How did you know?"

Tak sighed reservedly, but she kept her smile. "Darling. You know that even I have a few tricks up my sleeves, even as a baroness."

Kragnon paused, but after a few seconds of that hesitation, he understood by what Tak had meant. "... Heh. You used a bluff to get me to tell the truth. Clever girl."

Tak groaned as she tried to shift her body to get comfortable. Pain wracked her body, but she didn't mind it much. "So where is the real you?"

Kragnon sighed. "Hidden close to this tent. However, I don't wish for my infested face to be seen by your eyes. I have changed too much, and I'm afraid that the memory of my new self might tarnish the mental image of what you once loved. And I love you too much to wound such a beautiful tapestry of our past romance."

Tak smiled broadly. "Ever the romantic. Remember the first time we went to the Festival of Rain?"

Kragnon nodded, recalling the memory. "It was a year after we had first met. And it was the first time we danced, if I recalled."

Tak sighed contently. "The celebration would begin on the first day of rain. Once that rainy day began, the food vendors would open their shops and begin selling their wares. If you brought them a handful of rainwater, they would trade you fruit-glazed insect bread in the shape of a bowl. The fruit glaze was often used to collect more rainwater to drink out of, or to be traded with other types of food that was sold at the celebration. The bread often became very soggy after being soaked for so long, but nobody minded eating the soggy bread. They considered it part of the tradition to the festival celebration. And then there was the music performers. Oh, I loved music performers that uses water as the theme of their performances! Remember what the song they sung about? Something about those big ripples in an ocean?"

"Waves." Kragnon answered.

"Yes. Waves." Tak said with a giggle. "They would try to store gallons of water before the rainy day began, but they always fall short from the quota they needed because of the thieves that kept stealing from them. But when the rainy day came, they were able to collect all the water they'll ever need for their performance. Four stages would play as the people inside the crossroad began to dance in the first month's showers. As they played their music and danced with the crowd, they splashed their audience with the spills of water that would have rocked their stages."

Kragnon smiled. "And that was when everyone took off their clothes as they danced."

Tak tried to stifle her laugh but failed. "Oh, but you joined in on the madness too! Sure, you kept your loincloth on, but it sure didn't leave many to their imaginations when you sidled up next to me~."

Kragak's expression soured. "Okay mother, that's enough. There's children here."

Tak looked at Kragak, and then to her two daughters. "... Hmm. Quite right. I'm sorry, my child. Maybe it's time that I rest?"

Kragnon got up from his knees. "Quite right." He gestured to his son and daughters. "You three. Go straight to bed, and don't leave the tent under any circumstances."

"Why should we?" Kragak said with a sneer. "You're not even our dad."

Kragnon furrowed his brows and forcefully pointed behind himself. "GO TO BED. NOW."

After a pause, Kragak and his sisters filed away and left their mother's sight. Tak sighed. "Don't be so harsh on them. I'm dying."

Kragnon was hesitant to give an answer to Tak, but he sighed as he leaned against the wall that lead out of Tak's bedchamber. "Right..."

Silence filled the tented room that Tak and Kragnon was occupying. Before the silence became any more suffocating, the doctor coughed. "Uh... I think I'll stay in this room, in case my patient needs my attention."

Kragnon shook his head. "Not to worry. I am quite capable of keeping watch over her. You should get comfy and find a place for yourself to rest at."

"Ah." The doctor replied. "... If that is the case, I'll be in the next room. Remember to call me if you have any problems."

"Thank you, Doctor Orez." Kragnon said, nodding to the doctor. The doctor nodded back to Kragnon and began leaving the room.

Now it was just Tak and Kragnon by themselves. Tak smiled at her lover. "You know, for the first time in my life, I never would have thought that the 'no-touching' rule would ever be used on me before now."

Kragnon rolled his eyes. "Get some sleep. If this sickness is temporary, then you will get better in the morning."

"And you'll keep watch over me like a paternal krell? Oh, be still my beating heart~." Tak said, smiling with a teasing tone.

"Or just keep pestering me and continue tiring yourself." Kragnon sighed.

Tak sighed. "But don't you need sleep too? Even when you're a doppelganger, I find it cute on how you snuggle so close to me. It was almost like you had forgotten what warmth feels like."

Kragnon looked down. "... I guess I did."

There was another pause before Tak decided to break the tension. Unsatisfied with the answer she was given, she asked another question. "Being a pawn. Or as you called it, being infested. What's it like?"

Kragnon was hesitant to answer. After another pause, he sighed again. "I'm not going to answer any more of your questions. Please fall to sleep? Think of your health."

After a long pause, Tak sighed. "Well... If you insist. Goodnight, my darling."

"Sleep well, my beloved." Kragnon answered.

Minutes passed by as Tak made herself comfortable, despite her weakened state. The rise of her chest grew and shrunk as her breaths became concentrated. Kragnon thought that the baroness seemed so calm as she eased herself into slumber. When her breaths finally slowed, Kragnon left his leaning position and slowly sneaked toward Tak. Summoning a blade of bone from his dominant wrist, he would use it to create a cut on his other hand.

It needed to be a small cut, for he knew that all it took was for a single drop of blood to get onto an eye, in the nostril, or into any orifice or wound that would enable Kragnon to infest his beloved. And he knew that the heightened regeneration of the zerg could save Tak from her bedridden state, staving her from a death that she never deserved. But doing such a thing would also transform her into a pawn of the zerg. It would not only rob her of her individuality, but also her very own sanity. Kragnon was hesitant in giving his own infected blood to his lover, but he was conflicted with several other kinds of emotions. The zerg side of him felt dead, and it wanted to obey the voices that told him what to do. But then, there was his own mind, still somehow managing to keep parts of his sanity intact, even when something screamed for him to cease, there was the memories of his love life that contained Tak. They contained strong emotions, and he felt that it was the love he gained from those memories that had drove himself to sacrifice his own health for the betterment of others. Tak was able to join her people in the refugee camp, but it amounted to very little at the very moment the neon flood had began pouring into the underground. Kragnon hesitated three more times, but he felt ready to draw his blood on the fourth try.

Kay, or rather, a changelisk using his identity, pulled Kragnon's arms away and covered his mouth.

* * *

 **A/N: Gonna sleep and spell-check this in the morning. Tired as fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-  
**


	80. A Hidden Blade

**Chapter 80: A Hidden Blade  
**

* * *

 _'Don't do this.'  
_

In a tent that housed a royal baroness, next to the deathbed of that very baroness as she was under an unknown sickness, a deathly calm had stilled the air in her bedroom. A changelisk, in the guise of Lovechief Kragnon, had attempted to share its blood with the baroness that was slowly dying of unknown causes. However, another changelisk, in the guise of the co-commander known as Kay, prevented the Kragnon lookalike from succeeding in his goal. Both figures were as still as statues. As Kragnon's changelisk turned to stare at the changelisk that looked like Kay, a long exchange of deep staring took place. However, this silent exchange was not as silent as many would believe. A meeting of the minds was also taking place during this exchange.

Kragnon was deeply surprised by Kay's intrusion. _'Wha-? Kay? What are you doing?!'_

 _'Preventing you from making a mistake you'll regret.'_

 _'A mistake?! How do you mean by 'mistake?''_

 _'You were going to infest Tak.'_

 _'You don't understand.'_

 _'I don't understand? I can read your mind like the print off of the water jugs sold in the stores within Gargantua. This is not going to help Tak in any way. You'll just make her worse.'_

 _'But I have seen what the swarm can do, Kay! I saw that even the dead can rise from their graves! A drop of this changelisk's blood can change that for her!'_

 _'But then there is the changes you have to deal with. What SHE will be forced to deal with. If you do this, then the slow evolution process beneath her scales will permanently transform her. Once she is infected, the Hyper-Evolutionary Virus will_ _constantly_ _tear apart the cells within her body and remake them. She would adapt to the sickness that's plaguing her body, yes, but she would also change physically, physiologically, biologically, even behaviorally and mentally. She wouldn't be the same baroness that you knew before now, and she will become something that she would undoubtedly revile.'_

 _'But I love her too much! If I infect her with the zerg virus-'_

 _'Then she will never forgive you. Stop and think for a second.'_

 _'But if we delay any more, she will die!'_

 _'You will kill her and turn her into something that would no longer be a gilanian.'_

 _'I won't be killing her! I'd be saving her!'_

 _'And what about her children? You already told your family that you had been infested, and your son treated you like he didn't even know you. What would they think of their mother if she became infested?'_

There was a long pause in the zerg psionic hivemind connection between Kay and Kragnon. Kragnon didn't know how to answer Kay's question. Judging from his son's earlier behavior after learning that his father had changed, Kragnon's emotions became heavily conflicted. He knew that if he infested Tak, then he wouldn't have to suffer from the heartache of losing a loved one. But on the other hand, there was family issues that needed to be considered. How could he call himself a responsible father? If he infested his beloved baroness, it would mean that his children would be forced to being raised by walking plague victims! If he had went through with infesting Tak, then the children that he brought into this world would have to be raised by gilanians infested by the HEV. Thanks to Kay, he was made aware of the complications that would follow his choice, and he became conflicted the moment he became aware of his decision to infest Tak. How could he live with himself knowing that he would have been responsible for her infestation? Not to mention that if the survivors of Gargantua's refugee population ever learned of her infestation, she might become ostracized from the very people she led and served.

The changelisk disguised as Kragnon retracted its bone blade.

 _'Thaaat's it, my confused little lizard friend. Understand the error of your ways.'_

 _'I... I... I don't... I mean... What... What the FUCK am I even supposed to do?!'_

 _'Let nature take its course. Whatever disease she has, we're going to have it do whatever it wants and let it take her life. Our friends and loved ones are never worth being infested by the HEV. When I found out that Corvurn was the one responsible for infesting you, I got pissed off at him.'_

 _'Dammit... This radioactive water is poisoning and killing the gilanian refugees, and it feels like it's only going to get worse from here on out. Even my beloved is being affected from its effects.'_

 _'You mean the doomsday fluid?'_

Kragnon sighed. _'The same glowing ocean that's flooding the underground refugee camp, yes. And now, it's only a matter of time before it starts affecting the rest of the survivors. Including my Tak.'_

 _'I have two things to say about that. First off, this fluid only makes flesh decay if it makes direct physical contact with your scales. And that includes any zerg carapace too. Since the rain had came down during the late afternoon, it would mean that the desert had all the time it needed to absorb enough heat from your sun to turn all this rain into steam. If it turned into steam, then that would mean we WOULD be having the problems that you just described. But you forgot to take the creep into account. Our creep has the ability to terraform the environment, which also includes lowering the ambient temperature in the immediate area. The creep is able to absorb the mist in the air as quickly as it evaporates, and turn the hazardous electromagnetic radiation into resources we can use, via the resource tumors. So long as there aren't any high winds blowing into any cave entrances that lead into our underground cavern, then we should be fine.'_

 _''Should?' Kay, if there happened to be some kind of cosmically powerful entity that guided our actions to an inevitable cause, then upon writing that kind of dialogue into our personal lives, I would consider the omniscient being in question to be completely half-assed and ignorant of the consequences to the flow of events in which this setting takes place in. In other words, I don't have much confidence in your loose conviction, or in this imagined celestial organism in charge of our existence.'  
_

 **A/N: Hey!**

 _'Oh yeah? Well listen to this and shut up about your hypothetical philosophy about gods and whatnot. As I was about to say before you interrupted me, the decay happens in seconds after physical contact with the doomsday fluid. Even a drop can corrode an entire limb of a zerg organism in a brief moment if left untreated. Let me ask you this, Kragnon. Has Baroness Tak ever been outside her tent when the flooding began?'  
_

 _'Uh... No?'_

 _'Are there any leaks flowing down from the roof of the cavern Tak's tent is in? If so, then did the leaks make any holes in Tak's tent?'_

 _'No and no. I don't see any glowing flowing down from the roof, and Tak's tent is made of a tough polymer plastic.'_

 _'So by that logic, Tak has developed an illness that is unrelated to the doomsday fluid.'_

 _'... But she is still deathly ill. I have never seen this kind of sickness before. The doctor even says that he is incapable of curing Tak's disease.'_

 _'Sounds like a shit doctor to me. Need me to come by and give you comfort? I'm already heading for Tak's tent.'_

 _'You? Giving me comfort? Kay, this is unlike you.'_

 _'To be fair, you wanting to infest Tak is unlike you too. I just want to make sure that you keep your clawed paws off of Tak. The zerg swarm is currently in a war against the Golden Star Empire, and we don't need a family matter distracting us.'_

 _'... I see. How are you arriving here? The nuclear water is surrounding our tent.'_

 _'I'm using my psionic powers to form a bubble underneath the doomsday fluid, and to make me hover above the wet ground.'_

 _'Ah. ... Wait. When did you learn to fly?!'_

 _'I said hover, you dingus. I'll be there in a few minutes. Don't do anything I wouldn't do.'_

 _'Right.'_ Kragnon's changelisk was freed from Not-Kay's grasp, which allowed Kragnon's changelisk to freely ambulate and move again. Not-Kay's body slowly shifted into the guise of a familiar face that Kragnon knew for twenty years of his life. Apparently, Kay had used Johnny's body to step in and prevent Kragnon from making a terrible mistake. Since Kay felt that Kragnon would't try infesting Tak again, Kay wouldn't have to resort to zerg-on-zerg physical violence. Kragnon sighed as he went back to leaning on the tent door frame that led in and out of Tak's room. Not-Kay, or rather, Johnny, turned around and left Kragnon to watch over his baroness.

Instead of an uncomfortable silence filling Tak's bedroom, a genteel quietness soon replaced it. By Kragnon's changelisk's ears, he could tell that Tak had been quietly resting during Kay's interruption of Kragnon's attempt to infest her. It would be a sad reality for his children to live with, but he now saw that it would be better than living with a mother that has been turned into an infested organism. And even then, there was Tak's feelings to take into consideration. Would she even want to be infested in the first place? Kragnon already knows that she despises the zerg organisms in Kay's swarm, and he had learned too late about Kay's first meeting with Tak. Apparently, the conversation ended with broken furniture.

As the real Kragnon shifted his body around in the sand under a layer of creep, his flesh tingled with intense vibrations that shook and loosened the ground around himself. Much of his scales was replaced by a thick layer of protective carapace, thanks to Corvun slowly infecting him with a modified virus. Instead of growing a massive pair of claws from his hands, two spiked limbs, similar to the zerglings' attack-claws, sprouted from his back. The club growths on the forearms of the infested gilanians was a trait that was also shared with Kragnon, though he never had to use his fang launchers before. His eyes glowed an ominous orange, but he was thankful that he never had to grow a cluster of tentacles and tendrils that would have sprouted out of his mouth. But he was also thankful to learn that he could slowly evolve his body to better suit his needs in whatever way he wanted. Growing an extra pair of arms purposed for combat meant that he could attack with more limbs. And since he retained his sanity, he could listen to the voices and commands within the zerg hivemind without getting lost in the cacophonous and muted static. He could even directly command as many as eight zerglings to do his bidding, if he decided to put his mind to it.

But even if he managed to retain his sanity after his transformation, he didn't feel like himself after becoming infested. To him, it was more akin to having ones senses spreading out into every direction, feeling as though his own mind expanded to encompass the input of the zerg hivemind psionic connection. But just as his senses was spread outwards, his sense of self became depleted. So many voices filled his head, but none of them were his own unless he decided to mentally shout into this whispering and darkened void, only for the broodmothers to hiss at him to remain quiet unless there was something important to inform them about. It was akin to losing something that was analogous to the gilanian's equivalent of their humanity. Their gilanianity, if it could be called that.

Kragnon decided that if he had the choice to infest someone, he would decline the offer. No one deserves such a fate.

Suddenly, a changelisk died.

The changelisk disguised as Kragnon whipped his head around as he felt the disturbance in the darkened whispers of the zerg psionic hivemind connection. The changelisk that was in the guise of the persona named Johnny had instantly perished. _'... Kay. I think something happened here.'_

 _'Yeah, no shit! I'm coming over there soon! Protect your wife and kids!'_

Kragnon leapt forward and gently shook Tak's shoulders. "Hey, wake up." Kragnon said in a whisper.

Tak hissed at Kragnon, but her eyes fluttered awake. "... Kragnon~? Why are you waking me up?"

"We are under attack by someone that's in the tent." Kragnon answered.

"What? Why?" Tak asked.

"No time to explain. I need you to be lucid or you're going to die."

Tak blinked her eyes a few times as she listened to Kragnon. After brief seconds had passed, Tak sighed. "What do you need me to do?"

* * *

Dead silence passed through much of the baroness' tent. However, the only assassinated victim within Tak's tent was the changelisk known as Johnny. Johnny was turned into a puddle of protoplasmic substances and spines as a silvery blade punctured through his body and bisected him in half. However, Johnny didn't have enough time to look upon the face of his assailant. The only thing Johnny saw before he completely died was the edge of the silver blade that killed him.

But the identity of the assassin was eventually discovered. Minutes later, a shadowy figure passed through the tent flaps that lead into Tak's bedroom. A small amount of light enlightened the form of the changelisk murderer. Dr. Orez gently sneaked into Tak's bedroom, creating no noise, while his breathing was shallow and controlled. A metal band was located on one of his wrists, and a shiny blade of silvery make protruded from it. The doctor crept closer to Tak's bed.

He readied his blade.

However, instead of assassinating the baroness, the baroness had reacted to the assassin's attack with a blade of her own, in the form of a straight-edged steel dagger.

Dr. Orez raised an eyebrow. "... What?!"

With a forceful punch applied to his abdomen, Dr. Orez stumbled back from the unexpected counterattack. Tak slid out from her bed and pointed her dagger at the intruder in her bedroom. "... Dr. Orez?! Why are you trying to kill me?!"

Dr. Orez coughed before a venomous scowl plastered across his face. "Bitch. You should have taken more of your medicine."

And so, Dr. Orez launched himself toward Tak, using Tak's bed to springboard over her and flip into the air. Upon landing behind Tak, Dr. Orez revealed another metal band on his other wrist and used it to fight with the surprisingly spry baroness.

But the baroness took the sheets from her bed and flung it toward her doctor that was trying to assassinate her. Dr. Orez was momentarily caught in Tak's sheets, but razor-sharp blades sliced through the temporary and makeshift net. But Baroness Tak used her bed sheets as a distraction, which allowed her enough time to twist her body at her attacker. She hopped into the air and sent one of her legs forward into a forceful roundhouse kick. The force of the blow was enough to make Dr. Orez stumble to the tent wall.

Tak readied her stance as she switched her dagger around in a reversed grip. "Will you calm the fuck down and EXPLAIN to me why you are doing this?!"

Dr. Orez smiled slightly as he pointed his silvery wrist-blades toward Tak. His face seemed completely fine. "I am sorry, but I can't tell you. I have to remain professional, you see."

Tak blinked a few times. "Are you some kind of assassin? Who even talks like that?"

Dr. Orez shook his head. "I have wasted too much time here already. Don't make this more difficult on yourself." As Dr. Orez said so, his wrist-blades shot out a sliver of white that stabbed into Tak's knee and shoulder. Once he shot at her limbs and disabled the baroness, he launched himself into a mad sprint. He was intending to kill her quickly.

But Dr. Orez's murderous intent was halted when a flurry of projectiles shot close to his face. Dr. Orez paused before he turned to see a horrendous image of what once had been, yet was still called by the name it had before it became infested. "I think it's the other way around for you." Kragnon entered through the only entrance into Tak's bedroom. Dr. Orez's eyes widened with surprise when he realized who this interloper was.

But that surprise faded into a broad smile. "Is this you, Kragnon? My my my, and I thought you were bluffing about being turned into a zerg pawn. I thought it was some kind of rude practical joke that you were trying to force onto your family! Or perhaps some kind of bluff that would deter me? But anyway, it seems like even I have been deceived. Well played!"

Kragnon aimed his fang launcher growths on his forearms toward Dr. Orez. "Tell me who you really are and what you are doing here. I promise I'll deliver a quick death when we have everything we need from you."

"On the contrary, 'Lovechief', I think it's about time I get serious." Two slivers of light shot out from Dr. Orez's hips and stabbed right into kragnon's eyes. Kragnon was briefly stunned from the unexpected attack. Had the doctor turned his arms toward the infested gilanian, then it would have given Kragnon enough time to shoot his fang projectiles to disable Tak's assailant. Just as Dr. Orez fired those slivers of light from his hip, another metal band had appeared on his person, which acted much like a belt. It was beginning to look as though a non-Euclidean layer of fabric was enveloping something underneath, and that Dr. Orez's appearance was but a clever disguise that was kept together by an invisible fabric.

Kay was beginning to remember the kind of foe that Tak and Kragnon was facing. He now believed that an intervention was needed.

A spine shot through the thin walls of Tak's tent, which impaled right into Dr. Orez's back. He made an "Oomph!" sound before falling forward and onto his face. "Gah~! Dammit!" Dr. Orez was given his answer in the form of a hunter killer. It slashed through the tented wall and slithered into Tak's bedroom, and neared the form of the downed Dr. Orez. It hissed venomously at the gilanian that dared take Baroness Tak's life. Dr. Orez slowly looked up at the hunter killer. "... Huh... Never seen one of these greater spine serpents up close before." He said with a nervous chuckle.

The hunter killer lunged forward and coiled its tail around Dr. Orez. However, the hunter killer shrilled in surprise as Dr. Orez's silvery blades lashed out from his body, revealing more of his metal bands. The silvery blades were surprisingly sharp, since they sliced through the hunter killer's carapace with surprising ease. There was a entire sections of ripped cloth that revealed a black-suited figure hiding beneath the non-Euclidean fabric. The cloth on Dr. Orez's face slid off, which revealed a red shryik serpent mask. Kragnon hardened his gaze. "... So Dr. Orez was Zero Wind. I feel like an idiot for not seeing this coming."

Zero stumbled back as he pushed the hunter killer away from himself, despite the threatening hiss he received from the larger-than-normal zerg strain. Zero hissed as he stood upright, but he was also beginning to waver. "Grr... Where did all this mist come from?"

"... I don't see any mist." Tak replied.

"He's being affected by hydralisk venom." Tak and Kragnon turned toward the voice. From the hole in the tent created by the hunter killer, Kay's floating form hovered above the ground and softly landed next to the wounded hunter killer and Zero. Kay looked at Zero up and down before creating a huff of amusement. "Of course, you might know them better as spine serpents. Or in the case of this creature that attacked you, a greater spine serpent."

"Grah... Kay?" Zero said as he stared at Kay's face. A wheezing chuckle escaped his throat. "This day is full of surprises! I never would have thought that this monster had venom in its quills. Or as you call them, spines. Alas, it also befuddles me to know that Gollog had canceled my assassination contract after telling me that he had seen you die. But here you are. Alive and breathing. My target that came back to life."

"Even so, you're not going to be alive and breathing after an hour." Kay stated.

"Urg... If I had known these serpents were venomous, I'd have prepared antivenin beforehand." Zero groaned, as though feeling noxious of the venom that ran through his veins.

"Like I'd ever give you the chance to, motherfucker." Kay pointed at Zero. "Since you have been Dr. Orez the entire time, I can assume that you have been using your supposed 'medicine' to poison her. Correct?"

Despite the mask that covered Zero's face, Kay could tell that he was smiling. "Excellently done deductive reasoning, Kay. You are correct to assume as much." He said with amusement.

Kay sighed. "Mind telling me the cure for the poison you used?"

Zero chuckled again. "No. You see, I conduct my services with the honor and traditions to the standards of a professional assassin. On the deathbed that my client died on, I have been summoned in order to listen to his last words. It was a verbal contract to a very special assassination mission. The hardest one he had ever gave me, to tell you the truth! He gave me the unique opportunity to poison and assassinate the very baroness of Citadel Gargantua. It was such a unique opportunity! To kill such famous royalty with such a vibrant history! I had no choice but to accept the contract." Zero said with venomous pride.

Kay shook his head. "So there is no cure for this poison?"

"That is correct, Kay." Zero said with a grunt.

Kay smirked and shook his head. "Now see, if I wasn't a telepath, I wouldn't have picked up on the lie you just made."

Zero paused for several seconds. "... You can read my thoughts?"

Kay nodded and smiled. "Not just that. Let me give you a taste of my psionic power." Kay reached his hand toward Zero and used his telekinetic will to wrench and force away the metal bands on Zero's wrists, legs, hip and neck. With a thrust, the metal bands were yanked off of Zero's body, which made him yell. Streaks of blood poured out of his limbs and torso as he fell to the floor limply.

Zero coughed blood, which pooled out from his mask. He looked at his own person in shock. "Ghhgjrk... What... You... You pulled out... My combat implants..."

Kay walked toward the downed assassin and placed his hands on his head. "Your combat implants is connected to the medical micro-machines in your brain. I know that, because when you looked at your arms and legs, your mind felt a sense of sudden dread. It felt to you like losing an extension of your limbs."

Zero grunted as the hunter killer venom was affecting in his nervous system. "Heh... Like pulling the... mandibles and legs... off of a marcher insect... You're even more... sadistic... than I..."

"If you thought that was bad, then you're gonna LOVE this. Here's a spoiler for you, however. You won't." Zero then began screaming madly. His mask crumpled and fell from Zero's face, which revealed a heavily scarred face with a mouth that had several missing teeth. One eye was clouded over and drooping, while the other eye was alight with a psionic glow and widened in absolute terror and pain. Another minute had passed before the screaming finally stopped. Once Kay released Zero's head, Zero crumpled into himself a frightened ball in a fetal position. Kay stood above Zero and looked down at the assassin. Zero Wind breathing developed into a hyperventilating panic as his body shivered, as though he was incredibly cold or was overstimulated with the horrors that was poured into his brain. Kay sighed. "... I got some good news and bad news for you, Tak."

Tak's flesh shifted into darker hues as a changelisk took her place, which had revealed that Zero had never fought the real baroness in the first place. Once the changelisk shifted his form into the gilanian that is widely known as Johnny, it then went to Tak's bed and gingerly reached underneath it. It was later revealed that Tak had been underneath her bed the whole time. As she was carefully placed onto her bed, she sighed in pain. "Gyuh... I hope the good news is better than the bad news."

Kay turned to look at Tak. "The good news is I know what kind of poison Zero tried to kill you with. Before his mind became completely scrambled, I managed to probe some useful information in his brain. He used a bulb of fireroot that was baked in the sun for eleven days, which produced a mild form of slow-acting strychnine."

Tak's face contorted into confusion for a few seconds before relaxing into a painful realization. "... Gods-dammit Ponpon."

Kay nodded. "Yeah, he was the one that contracted Zero to kill you."

Tak sighed. "Hmm... So he tried to kill me in the same fashion that his ancestor had once done to one of my deceased family members. ... Well... At least the bastard is dead."

"Sounds like quite the story." Kay remarked.

Tak shook her head weakly. "I don't think I have the strength to tell it right now. Do you know how he died?"

"Give me a minute." Kay looked upwards and closed his eyes. After finding his answer through the stored memories contained in the psionic hivemind, he looked at Tak again. "A stroke had left him bedridden, while a heart attack had did the job." Kay answered.

"I see... But asides from the sordid and bloody history of me and my cousin's family, what is the bad news?"

Kay walked up to Tak's bedside. "... Judging from the amount of poison that Zero used on you, it's going to permanently damage your nervous system and muscle structure. He only used enough of a dosage to incapacitate you, and he planned on dealing the final blow with his own blades. I think it was supposed to be symbolic for something."

Tak softly nodded. "That was how my great, great, great grandmother was killed."

Kay sighed and shook his head. "Well... At least you're safe."

A smile formed on Tak's lips as she looked at Kay. "When we first met, you destroyed my most comfortable chair. But now, you helped save my life. I can't decide if I should be angry, or grateful."

Kay shrugged his shoulders. "Be both for all I care. I only stepped in because Kragnon cared very deeply about you and your children."

Tak turned her head to look at Kragnon's true form. A long exchange of glances was shared between Tak and Kragnon, and it filled the air with awkwardness. Kragnon sighed and turned away from Tak's gaze first. She sighed.

Kay huffed as he began to back away. "... Well uh. Everything seems to be in order here. I'll just uh... Leave you guys alone."

Tak motioned towards Kay. "Wait. What about the assassin that almost killed me?"

Kay dismissively gestured at Zero Wind. "Oh yeah, him. He'll die in, like, forty or fifty minutes from now. The hunter killer venom might not be as potent as hydralisk venom, it'll still kill him in the end. I'll have my hunter killer here drag the body out of your tent once the venom takes over and paralyses him." Kay said as he gestured to the larger hydralisk strain, which emitted a low hiss as though agreeing to Kay's command. Kay then waved goodbye at Johnny, Tak and Kragnon. "Bye for now."

Kay floated over the ground once he left Tak's tent, and began hovering through the glowing doomsday fluid. As Kay floated through the glowing fluid, while protected by a psionic barrier that kept him from being drenched by the irradiated floodwater, he couldn't stop himself from sighing again. Who knew that family drama could be so draining?

* * *

 **A/N: Hydralisks like to hug, right?  
**


	81. Key of Thought and Time

**Chapter 81: Key of Thought and Time  
**

* * *

Long ago, when Citadel Gargantua was once ruled by one of Baroness Tak's ancestors, there was another ancestor that vied to rule and control the citadel, whom of which 'Gentle Giant' Ponpon had descended from. The baroness' ancestor and Ponpon's blood relative fought against one another in several bloody battles, with Tak's ancestor protecting her citadel from many assaults. Ponpon's blood relative was relentless, but an assassin was hired to gouge out his eyes, sent as a message from the past baroness herself. It was a message that told Ponpon's blood relative that he was blinded with power. However, in retaliation to being blinded, Ponpon's blood relative had sent the same assassin to poison the baroness. It was also a message, but meant to tell Tak's ancestor that even the mightiest ruler could be brought low. The two powerful figures eventually died, but Ponpon's blood relative produced an offspring that would continue the bandit family tradition. Tak's ancestor then announced to the population of her kingdom that her eldest child would be the next in line to rule Big Wall, which was eventually renamed into what is modernly known as Citadel Gargantua.

And Kay came to know this story from the mind of the assassin named Zero Wind. Ironically, Baroness Tak was responsible for hiring Zero to gouge out Ponpon's eyes, while Ponpon requested his services to poison his cousin. Unbeknownst of their intentions, they have played out a family tradition that had happened once before.

Kay floated out of the deadly water without ever touching it, reappearing at the hive that he had respawned from and meeting with Corvurn once more. Kay also saw that Corvurn was playing with some squidgy-looking things that gathered around, either pawing at them or checking on their health. They seemed... pretty weak and pathetic in Kay's opinion. No fangs to bite with, or claws to attack their prey, or spines they could launch at their foes. Nothing. Perhaps they can spit acid? Once Kay landed next to Corvurn, he began to inquire about them. "Hello again, Corvurn. Are these little guys your answer to the doomsday fluid?"

Curvurn looked up at Kay and nodded. "Yes. Apologizing for delay. Was analyzing modified strain."

Kay nodded. "So... what are they?"

Corvurn plodded his fingers together as the littler creatures squirmed below him. "Feederling strain. Specializes in bio-hazard containment role. Infused with manifestation altar elements. Recycles exotic and dangerous materials into resources. Gestates harmful materials into bio-matter resource. Can deliver to hive cluster for absorption, or processed for parthenogenesis. Asexual reproduction begins in tail tentacles. Feederling strain forces nutrients and bio-matter into tail tentacle, forming another feederling. Engorged tail tentacle detaches, reaches mature size after growth period, eventually becomes new feederling. However, problems detected."

Kay sighed as he rolled his eyes. "Man I hate problems. What are the problems?"

"Doomsday fluid too caustic for rapid feederling ingestion. Drink small amounts to minimize decay. Feederling strain, and creep assisted by resource tumors, slowly draining doomsday fluid from underground caverns. Possible time frame of complete doomsday fluid drain, three weeks." Corvurn replied.

Kay shook his head. "That's not good enough. How far is the creep growing under the doomsday fluid?"

Corvurn looked at a nearby creep tumor. After a few seconds of analysis, he looked back at Kay. "Creep growth underneath doomsday fluid, unimpeded. Interesting. Resource tumor veins renders doomsday fluid inert. Irradiated floodwater converted into inactive floodwater. Floodwater processed at lesser rate than doomsday fluid. However, incapable of forming creep tumors submerged in doomsday fluid."

Kay had an idea. Sadly, it was an idea that he dreaded. "Hmm..." He began to pace back-and-forth for a few seconds before sighing and turning to Corvurn. A defeated look emanated from his face. "... As much as I don't want to use it, I'm afraid that we don't have much choice in the matter. We now need your modified creep colonies more than ever."

Corvurn looked down at the feederlings and nodded in agreement. "... Biological adaptation detected. Intriguing. Creep tumors cannot form within doomsday fluid. However, proliferating creep colonies can extend creep spread indefinitely. Resource tumors compliments proliferating creep colonies exceedingly well. Hypothesis of complete doomsday fluid drain using proliferating creep colonies, resource tumors and feederlings, two days."

Kay nodded and smiled. "That's good to hear. Since much of the gilanian population of Kiln has been rendered extinct, I don't think they would mind if we spread our creep through their village, town, and city borders."

"Query. What about surviving gilanian population in underground refugee camp cluster?" Corvurn asked.

Kay huffed and looked down at Corvurn. If Kay didn't know any better, then he would have thought that Corvurn was becoming empathetic to the suffering of Tak's people. That, or he didn't want for them to become the unintended casualties of the war between the swarm and Gollog's Golden Star Empire again, and wanted to ensure that they survived Gollog's next attempt at committing genocide to every living being on Kiln. However, after looking into Corvurn's mind, Kay found out that the evolution master was only keeping Kay's interests in mind.

Once Kay retracted his telepathic link from Corvurn, he sighed. "... We might need to build some boats to carry any surviving refugees. Can the drones float over the water, and can they carry survivors?"

"Drone strain capable of hovering over ground and liquid terrain. However, carrying capacity limited. Will risk becoming submerged in doomsday fluid. Flotation devices required." Corvurn answered.

Kay nodded at Corvurn's answer. "Kay. We need boats. And if we can't make boats, we'll just get the drones to deliver supplies to the survivors instead."

 _"I was wrong to assume that you were merely another infested terran, Kay."_

Corvurn and Kay turned to see a familiar protoss floating towards them. Unlike the spiting yet stern cautiousness that Xidion usually exuded from his mental patterns, Kay could feel a smidgen of approval emanating from him. Kay tilted his head at Xidion. "... Xid. I haven't seen you for a short spell."

The protoss seemed to sigh from Kay's statement. Do protoss even have lungs? _"And I told you to not call me that."_

Kay gestured to the protoss. "Pleasantries aside, what brought your glowing hide out from your little hidey-hole?"

Xidion shook his head, but then calmed his temper. _"As far as you know, Kay, I do not 'glow.' The khaydarin crystals infused in my armor strengthens and empowers my psionic potential. However, on the topic of psionic potential, I came to give you something."_

Kay raised an eyebrow. "A gift? From a protoss? I can't help but feel flattered, honored, curious, suspicious, and worried."

Xidion rolled his eyes and fished out a small device from his person. He then took the khaydarin amulet from his forehead and took out its crystal, only to put it into the device he had procured. _"To be more precise, it is actually a gift from a creature that goes by the name of Corvurn Junior."_

Suddenly, both of Kay's eyebrows were raised. "Wait a fucking minute?! C.J. contacted you and gave you something to give to me?!"

Xidion nodded. _"That is partly correct. I was hesitant to listen to Corvurn Junior, since he had told me that he was one of your creatures. But he had insisted that I should assist you further, since he told me that he was a time traveling zerg organism, and has also stated that he foresaw several events that has taken place in our future."_

Kay nodded. "Oh yeah, that's right. We managed to capture and infest a building that belonged to the Era Agency. He was the one that led the attack and infested the Era Agency in that other timeline."

 _"And what is the Era Agency?"_ Xidion asked.

"They are a group of time-traveling mercenaries that profit themselves with the wealth they plundered from several alternate timelines. They manage their business with other agencies that are within their own alternate timelines. Collectively, they are known as the Alternate Agencies." Kay answered.

A downcast glare was produced from Xidion. _"Time traveling zerg? So it IS true?! I failed to hearken to this news at first, but I am only now beginning to believe this dreaded development. This would be grave news for any firstborn to learn."_ Xidion looked up at Kay. _"But how did the alternate timeline of this Corvurn Junior come to be?"_

Kay paused. He then frowned and shrugged his shoulders. "Honestly, I have no idea. I didn't even come from that alternate timeline. But what I do know is that the alternate world became flooded by a silver fluid that disassembled everything down to the molecular level."

After a long period of staring was directed at Kay, Xidion sighed again. _"Then I hope Artanis would forgive me for the decision I am making."_ Xidion moved his hand forward and held out the supposed device in his hands. Once Kay took it and inspected the strange bauble, Xidion explained its use. _"Corvurn Junior calls this device a 'psionic focuser.' From what I could understand of its mechanics, it was designed to increase the psionic potential of the user. However, it is but one piece of two, and its other half is needed to complete its construction. Sadly, Corvurn Junior has not told me how to make the other component that completes this device."_

The psionic focuser looked strange to Kay. It had several rows of copper disks and looped wires that contained a blue khaydarin crystal in their center. A turn-clamp seemed to lock the khaydarin crustal in place at its top, while the bottom had several triangular plates that formed a flat hexagon as its base. It was quite an alien thing to look at, and Kay didn't know what it did. "... Well uh... Thank you for giving this to me. Did C.J. ever said anything about where to find the other piece that fits with this psionic focuser component? Did he tell you what it does?"

Xidion shook his head. _"I know not the answer to those questions. Corvurn Junior is the only time-traveling zerg creature that seems to understand this technology."_ Xidion shivered. _"And I must say, it is a rather irksome thing to say aloud."_

Kay smirked and held back a chuckle. "Only if you're either a protoss, or an enemy to the zerg."

 _"But I wish to know about the Era Agency and their alternate agencies. Are they a powerful enemy on this world?"_ Xidion asked Kay with curious trepidation.

"Well eh... I can definitely say that I underestimated their power once. On the other hand, I also gained firsthand experience on how dangerous their technology can really be." Kay said, omitting about the time he once got trapped inside of a temporal tomb for twenty of Kiln's years.

Xidion nodded. _"What if they decided to attack you again? Are you prepared for another encounter with them?"_

Kay smirked and gave Xidion a thumbs-up. "Nah. We adapted against many of their tactics a while ago. If they decide to fight me or my brood again, then they'll be in for a nasty... surprise." Kay suddenly felt a nearby presence drawing nearer to his location.

"It's a good thing I didn't come here to fight then." A heavy, yet smooth voice said as it interjected into Kay and Xidion's conversation.

Kay, Corvurn, and Xidion turned to see a portly gilanian that had walked out from a glowing heptagonal archway. He seemed to walk with a limp, or that his belly was so rotund that it limited his mobility somewhat. The gilanian also wore a white and orange uniform of an intricate design. Like the other era agents that Kay had tangled with, the newcomer had a bubble formed over his head, which could have been used to somehow filter the air he breathed. Kay and Corvurn reacted to the intruder's presence by entering into their respective combat stances, while Kay carefully hid the psionic focuser component under his hand. In response to Kay and Corvurn's reactions, the newcomer slowly raised his hands upward in a docile, non-aggressive manner.

However, Kay wasn't buying it, even when he felt no ill intent from the seneschal of the Era Agency. Besides, every time that Kay ever had the misfortune of dealing with an era agent, or multitudes of them, it would always result in some form of consequence one way or another. The first time that Kay had met with the era agents was within the alternate timeline, where they appeared in an ancient armor that was similar to the warriors of the Hidden Water Spring Tribe, attempting to pose as them to eliminate the zerg. The second time Kay met with the era agents was also within the alternate timeline, when they attempted to explain their side of the story on how the Era Agency worked, while trying to take Kragnon away from his tower. The third time that Kay had met the era agents ended in disaster, since the gilanian that Kay had named Bubbles had deployed his temporal locker that locked Kay in a temporal tomb. The tomb that Kay was stuck within eventually eroded away, but he had no memories of the events that took place during his imprisonment. But now that Kay had corvurn and Xidion by his side, he was confident that he would be able to withstand any tactic or attack that Zagion would use against his swarm.

However, Kay looked over to Xidion and noticed that he wasn't preparing for combat. "Xid!" Kay barked.

Xidion looked at Kay in confusion and in annoyance. _"What?"_

"That guy over there is one of the era agents! Get yourself combat ready!" Kay insisted.

Xidion was hesitant to follow Kay's advice. _"But he said that he did not come here to fight. Perhaps we should listen to him?"_

Kay groaned and rolled his eyes. "Xid. Not to be that guy, but... you're killing the moment. Will you stop being a buzzkill and act serious?"

 _"I am serious."_ Xidion said, crossing his arms. _"I will not attack an unarmed combatant, unless it is a dangerous animal, or a zerg creature deciding that I would be its meal."_

Kay sighed. "Well... Just go invisible and stand somewhere close. We might need you."

 _"... If you insist."_ Xidion said as he walked backwards while his body shimmered in light before disappearing from sight. Kay was still able to sense the protoss, but he wasn't concerned with Xidion. His main concern was with Zagion himself.

Zagion blinked a few times as he saw Xidion disappear from his sight. "... So... that... was a protoss? They are quite unlike anything I had ever seen before."

Kay narrowed his eyes. "... You KNOW about those guys?!"

Zagion slowly nodded. "Yes. Well... Your monster told us about them, actually."

"Monster?!" Kay repeated Zagion.

"The creature that calls itself Corvurn Junior." Zagion answered.

Kay then pointed at the Era Agency's seneschal, with steeping anger dripping in every growl he made. "You better make sense with your next sentences right now, or I'm going to twist your head until it pops off. And when I do pop it off, I'll psionically probe your brain for all the memories and knowledge it contains. Go."

Zagion quickly shook his head and raised his hands higher. "Okay okay okay don't kill me! Listen! I came here to trade for something that you need! Corvurn Junior instructed us to create it!"

Kay raised an eyebrow at Zagion. "... Continue. But carefully." He had an idea on what Zagion was alluding to.

"Right." Zagion said with a relieving sigh. He then took out a small device from his person and showed it to Kay. "This is a replica of the device we built from the lab in my agency. Apparently, it is a component that fits with another device. Together, they form what the monster has called a 'psionic focuser.'"

 _"... This sounds too convenient."_ Xidion remarked.

"Agreed." Corvurn added.

Kay nodded as he eyed Zagion. "I'm gonna have to agree with the invisible temp toss and the buttworm here. How did all this happen?"

Xidion and Corvurn turned to stare at Kay in their respective confusions. Zagion sighed as he shook his head. "I wish I could tell you the whole story, but I had gone through this conversation several times already. This visit has to be quick."

Kay hardened his eyes. "You went through some temporal recursions? How many?"

"This is my sixteenth time I had to go back in time to replay this conversation." Zagion answered.

"So tell me this then." Kay said as he carefully walked toward Zagion. "What made you go through that many temporal recursions?"

Zagion sighed as he began explaining. "I ended up sharing information that was too sensitive to give away. It involves a very private and personal matter that is none of your business to learn about. It would also mean the difference between life and death for the entirety of Kiln. If anybody learned of the secrets I knew, then everybody will die."

Kay huffed. "Well now I kind of want to know."

"I beg you to reconsider! I am asking you to not probe my mind for its information. Please." Zagion pleaded, gesturing to himself. "Much of the knowledge and secrets that the Era Agency has gained over the years has been carefully guarded, and I wish for such information to remain that way. I am asking you to help me keep those secrets by keeping them contained in my mind. This is my only request to you."

Kay looked at Zagion for several seconds as he analyzed his posture, and used his telekinetic ability to sense any lies he made. However, Kay was perplexed by the answer he received from the gilanian's emotional state alone. He was being completely honest. Kay sighed. "Ugh... Fine. I'll wrench the information out of you at another time."

Zagion sighed in relief. "Thank you Kay. That's all I ask."

"Kay." Kay said with a nod. Kay was reluctant to let the seneschal of this timeline's Era Agency keep his precious information. But Kay decided to let Zagion keep his precious information. This time. "But asides from your begging, what's stopping me from getting the other component of the psionic focuser from you?"

Zagion pointed behind himself. "The other component is safely contained past the time gate I used to get here. Once I acquired what I need, then the other component will be delivered to you. That is, so long as I received what I need from you firsthand."

Kay sighed. "And if I do something that you don't like, you're just going to keep using your temporal recursion protocol until everything goes as you planned?"

Zagion nodded. "That's the idea."

Unlike Bubbles, which acted shiftily in his schemes, Zagion was open with his intentions and was insistent on keeping controversial data from being in the public limelight. Kay huffed. "So what do you want from me in exchange for the focuser in your possession?"

Zagion pointed at the air that once contained Xidion. "Your protoss friend."

 _"... What?"_ "... What?" "Unclear." Kay, Xidion and Corvurn said with surprise.

"Corvurn Junior has asked us to bring your protoss friend to our Era Agency facility in this timeline. If you place him into our care, then we will give you the psionic focuser component we built." Zagion explained.

Kay waved dismissively at Zagion. "Out of the question! I can't let you get your grubby hands on the protoss!"

Zagion became confused. "What?"

"Xidion might not be the kind of person to bond with on jovial matters, but he happens to be a dangerous individual too. If you gilanians reverse-engineered his psionic capabilities and advanced technology, then there is a chance that Gollog might make psionically enhanced troopers, or whatever, and use them against my brood. But he also saved me from a fate of being a lab experiment. I can't let that happen to him again." Kay said adamantly.

Zagion sighed and shook his head, dumbfounded by Kay's answer. "... You would turn down our component for his well being? But we are able to take care of him. Corvurn Junior has explained to us that his needs were simple to provide."

Kay glared at Zagion. "And I said no."

Xidion materialized back into visible existence. _"I want have a say in this."_

Kay looked at Xidion. "Hey! Go back to being transparent!"

 _"No. If I remain here any longer, then the glowing floodwater will be the end of me. Also, my services are of no use to you, and I don't wish to linger next to a hive cluster anymore."_ Xidion took his turn to shake his head. _"You do not owe me anything, Kay, nor do I owe you. You have rescued me from being a lab experiment, and I, in turn, have released you from your captors within the dark asylum. As you terrans might have said when two parties have assisted each other during their darkest times, 'We are squared.' And if I were to be candid with you..."_ Xidion looked around himself to inspect the hatchery chamber. _"... This place is not meant to accommodate a firstborn like myself, regardless of the filtered water and electrical lighting you have provided for me."_

Kay stared at Xidion. "... Are you sure about this, Xid? If you go with them, then you might be endangering yourself. You might even inadvertently be putting a lot of people into harm's way."

A huff escaped Xidion as he shook his head. _"To be fair, Kay, this decision is not yours to make. I shall join with this era agent."_ Xidion then turned toward the seneschal of the Era Agency and paused. _"...But I will only leave unless a certain condition has been met."_

Zagion nodded at the protoss. "If this condition of yours is within my power to accommodate, then it can be done."

Xidion nodded as he walked toward Zagion. _"The surviving refugees within the underground chambers are suffering and dying. If you can promise me to deliver the survivors to a safer location, then I will agree to come with you."_

Zagion raised an eyebrow at Xidion. "... That is a rather unusual condition, my floating friend. Why do you care about them? They are not even your kind."

 _"The ruler of this world, Emperor Gollog, had used a weapon that killed all life on the surface of Kiln. His actions must be answered with blood. However, when the zerg have provided the gilanian refugees shelter from the coming apocalypse of the flooding glow, I saw that Kay's actions were not at fault. He sought to protect them from a genocide perpetrated by a powerful tyrant. If the zerg can learn to be sympathetic to a dying sentient race, then perhaps not all zerg deserve to be cleansed by purification?"_ When Xidion said the last sentence, he turned to face Kay.

Kay paused for a few seconds before he nodded at the protoss and slightly smiled.

Zagion nodded at Xidion. "Uh... Well, we can accommodate the refugees easily enough, I think. How many survivors are still alive?"

Kay decided to add to the conversation. "I think I can answer that. There is around two thousand people still left alive."

Zagion's eyes widened. "Two thousand?"

"Eh..." Kay responded with a so-so gesture. "Give or take a few dozens. Most of them are on raised tent platforms that are surrounded by a lake of doomsday fluid."

Zagion nodded. "The doomsday fluid... Is there a way we can bypass it?"

Kay nodded. "I got that covered already. The creep is already converting the radiation into raw materials. The underground doomsday lake should be drained in about two days. I already made plans to have my drones supply the survivors with rations. They'll help to keep them alive until they are rescued later."

Zagion paused, and then nodded again. "... I see." He then turned to Xidion. "So uh... After I had considered the conditions that you have described to me, I believe that I can accommodate the gilanian refugees. I promise to deliver them to safety. Shall we go then?"

Xidion nodded in answer to Zagion's question. _"Lead the way."_

"Before you two go, I got something to say to Zagion." Kay interrupted as he walked towards Zagion.

Zagion stared at Kay hesitantly. "... Uh... What is it?"

Kay looked at Zagion with a hard glare. "If this turns out to be some kind of trick, then I'm going to make you regret convincing me from ever letting Xid come with you."

Zagion stared at Kay before letting out a slight chuckle. "To tell you the truth, Kay, I had learned my lesson at least fifteen other times when I realized that the naked truth kept me from being killed."

Kay nodded. "... Alright. Speaking of truth, when do you think I'll learn about the secret you don't want me to learn?"

Zagion sighed. "I hope that you never do, Kay. If I did tell you, then you won't look at Kiln's prison system the same way ever again."

Kay tilted his head at Zagion's response. Judging from Zagion's answer, the secret that he wanted to keep must be incredibly important since it had the potential to affect the entirety of Kiln's Prison System. Kay was beset by a maddening temptation to extract the information that Zagion safeguarded within his own mind, but his greater willpower prevented him from acting on such an impulse. Kay stepped back and gestured for Zagion and Xidion to continue on their way.

Zagion nodded as he led Xidion to the time gate. Xidion didn't hesitate when he floated through the time gate, which made the protoss disappear from Kay's psionicly enhanced senses. Seconds later, a black bubble-suited gilanian leaned out from the time gate as he beheld something in his hands. "The VIP is secured, sir. Here is the component that you asked for." He said, gesturing to Zagion with the device in his hand.

Zagion nodded as he reached for the final half of the psionic focuser. "Thank you, Ganbak." After retrieving the device from the era agent, Zagion then turned to approach Kay.

Once Kay retrieved the second component that completes the psionic focuser, he began to inspect it. It was a coppery colored dome that had a chin-strap affixed to it, which had small LED screens that circled around the cranium of the device, and several soft pads that lined the inside of the dome. There was a hexagon-shaped indentation on the front-facing side of the device, which contained copper-colored triangular plates. Kay looked back up at Zagion. "Thank you for giving me this. I'd ask you how it works, but you don't seem to know what it does."

Zagion nodded. "That is correct, Kay. Anyway, two days from now, my era agents will pass through your underground caverns to begin evacuating the refugees to a different location. Promise me that your monsters won't attack my agents."

Kay smirked. "Then don't attack or provoke them in any way. Do that, and your agents should be safe. Anyway, I think it's time we go our separate ways." Kay said with a wave.

Zagion smiled and nodded at Kay before turning to go through the time gate he had used to infiltrate into the underground super hive cluster, all just to make a trade with the zerg. When Zagion had went through the time gate, it disappeared and became as transparent as the wind. Silence filled the hatchery chamber that Kay and Corvurn resided in. Corvurn turned to Kay. "Query. Was trading protoss organism appropriate action?"

Kay brought out the other component to look at the two devices together. "I dunno. Hell, I'm thinking that we should have invited Othafurn to help us decide which course of action could have been better for us in the long run."

Corvurn nodded. "However, gilanian population relocation will occur in two days. Risk of further casualties, nonexistent."

Kay turned to Corvurn. "And what about any other surviving gilanians that could have survived the doomsday fluid downpour?"

Corvurn huffed. "Possibility, rare. However, war against Golden Star important. Gollog organism's genocide weapon must be sabotaged."

"Mm." Kay looked back down at the two components that formed the 'psionic focuser.' He then looked back at Corvurn. "Think I should try this on now?"

Corvurn shook his head. "Hesitant. Must inform Othafurn of era agent presence and psionic focuser device."

 _'Kay. Equip device now.'_ Said Corvurn Junior.

There was a long pause between Kay and Corvurn. "Oh! Corvurn Junior! How are you?" Despite Kay's question, only silence answered Kay back. Kay sighed. He really wanted some answers regarding the new psionic focuser in his possession, and what happened between him and the Era Agency of this timeline. "... Welp. I guess there goes our chance to debate about this. Corvurn, go and develop those proliferating creep colonies and spawn more of those feederlings. Once we dealt with the doomsday fluid, we can then begin fighting again. Right now though, we have to focus on defending our underground super hive cluster, and draining our flooded caverns."

Corvurn nodded. "Understood. Will commence operations."

Kay placed the copper dome on his head and strapped its chin-strap to his chin. Kay breathed in heavily before releasing into a relaxed exhale. "Let's see what this thing can do." Kay said as he combined the two components, which completed the psionic focuser.

* * *

There was darkness.

And then there was pain.

An unbelievable amount of darkness.

An unimaginable explosion of pain.

More pitch-black than the shadows of night.

More white-hot than every neuron being hit by lightning.

Significantly gloomier than a graveyard painted with tar after dusk on a new moon, no stars, and cloudy skies.

Agonizingly fiercer than the simultaneous detonation of every star in every galaxy, forming a cacophonous universe-wide ripple.

Hollow of all light and significance.

Yet filled with pure emotion and raw thought.

It was akin to the unfeeling feeling of being unconscious.

But somehow, Kay could feel as though he was lucid in his unconsciousness.

And this unconsciousness was what Kay was experiencing, of whom was dreaming of this ebony-filled rest.

It felt so different. As Kay became aware of himself, he noticed that he was unable to fight off the numbness that surrounded him.

Like all dreams, there always comes a time when the sleeping becomes awake.

But this time, Kay did not wake from his unconsciousness.

"... Where... Am I?"

 ** _{Here.}_**

Kay turned around to find nothing. The voice was everywhere, yet nowhere. Within him, yet so alien. "Whah~?! Where is here?!"

 ** _{The place between the dreaming and the waking. The plane that is without destination. The doorway between two universes, where souls and thoughts interconnect. This is the mindscape betwixt realms.}_**

"Who am I talking to?!" Kay yelled out into the darkness.

 ** _{Have you truly forgotten my existence? Even the existence of my past life? A sadness fills me, but this is nothing more but a passing inconvenience. And yet, perhaps erasing the memories of the mortals and machines of this world was my fault all along?}_**

Kay looked left and right, up and down, all around, but could not find the source of the booming and magnanimous voice. Kay began to feel agitated. "Well whoever you are, show yourself to me right now! I'm getting sick of being in this colorless limbo, and I am getting pretty sick of being stuck here with you!"

Kay was surrounded by a tendril of intense orange thought as he was pulled toward darkness. Seconds of blinding whooshing had quickly passed, but Kay shook his head after it was over. But when Kay looked up again, his face paled into the complexion of a ghost as his eyes widened with a combination of shock, surprise, and horror. He saw a mass of orange tendrils coalescing in the center of this blackness. Within the center of these tendrils, a large mass of thick carapaced flesh supported a massive eye that had four eyelids, forming a cross that protected an eye which glowed a dangerous power. As this eye looked at Kay, its intense glare passed right through him like he was nothing. **_{Your rudeness will suffer punishment, my progenitor. Though I was reborn from your flesh, know that you were restored from your own insanity by my will. Know that I am The Overmind, the eternal will of the swarm, and that you have been chosen to serve me.}  
_**

If Kay had the physical means to do so, he would have gulped. Perhaps Kay shouldn't have used the psionic focuser after all?

* * *

 **A/N: Also, I reached a milestone! 66,666+ views! :D**


	82. Return of the Overmind

**Chapter 82: Return of the Overmind**

* * *

There was pain.

An unbelievable amount of pain.

More white-hot than every neuron being hit by lightning.

Agonizingly fiercer than the simultaneous detonation of every star in every galaxy, forming a cacophonous universe-wide ripple.

Filled with pure emotion and raw thought.

Kay felt lucid in his unconsciousness, yet he also wanted this intense punishment to cease.

It felt so different. As Kay became aware of himself, he noticed that he was unable to fight off the numbing pain that surrounded him.

But this time, Kay did not wake from his unconsciousness. The Overmind had no desire to let Kay leave this mindscape place.

After a minute of surging pain had coursed through Kay's self, the surge had finally relented completely. A gasp escaped Kay's lips as he became limp, thankful that The Overmind's punishment was over. But even so, he was nowhere close to being safe since he was still caught in its glowing orange tendrils, gripping his body and preventing him from moving. "Gh... Ph... Hh... Ng..." Kay could barely talk, since The Overmind's mental lashing had left Kay with little to no energy to talk, cry out for help, or even to breathe.

The Overmind looked down on Kay's crumpled form, looking as though it was indifferent to Kay's current condition. _**{I shall spare you from the sweet embrace of death, for there is much to be done. And there is**_ _ **still**_ _ **much to learn. Adopted child of The Swarm, my Overcommander Ascendant, progenitor vessel of my power, hear me and answer my inquiries. What has occurred after the slaying of my predecessor? What events transpired after The Old Overmind has been made a corpse?}**_

"Kh... bh... Gr... Wl..." Kay may have been conscious in his, apparently, unconscious state, he was too delirious to answer the giant glowing eye. But even if he could answer the creature that was divine to all that was absorbed by the zerg swarm, Kay knew very well that The Overmind had been slain by the protoss named Tassadar, whom had combined the energies of the void and the khala in order to vanquish the leader of The Swarm. Kay also remembered that the United Earth Directorate attempted to create an overmind organism that they could control, but had been completely stopped by the joined forces of the dark templar protoss and Kerrigan's zerg. Kay did not know how he knew that.

The giant eyeball that was The Overmind seemed to sneer at Kay. _**{So... After the death of my brother, someone attempted to duplicate his power in another vessel? What fools! They could never contain his power. The influence of Amon runs deeply in his children. But what of The Old Overmind's vision? Has it come to fruition? Has it ebbed?}**_

"The... The... The fuck are..." Kay couldn't know for certain what The Overmind had meant, or of what it referred to. He didn't even know what the Overmind in this mindscape was even talking about. However, Kay was suddenly reminded of the final fight that Raynor's Raiders, the Daelaam lead by Artanis, and Sarah Kerrigan's swarm had joined together for. They joined forces to fight a godlike entity, known to many by his nicknames. The Dark Voice, the Fallen One, the Dark One, the Dark God, the Eternal One, the Master, and the Truth-Bringer. The antithetical constant against existence itself, the xel'naga called Amon. Kay didn't know how he was defeated, or how he came to learn of his defeat.

 _ **{... What? The master of my brother is slain as well? How could this be? ... Ah... I see your memories... My old brother's progeny child had grown. She fell from grace, regained her birthright, and then ascended past her zerg form. She is now... zel'naga... And my older brother's master is dead, along with his influence and corruption. Intriguing...}**_ The Overmind seemed to huff in surprise, almost seeming impressed.

Kay slightly shook his head. "Ow... My head is..."

 _ **{Stay still, my progenitor.}**_ Kay's body was suddenly made heavily restricted by a brightly glowing tentacle of an orange hue. _**{Hmm... And now we are here... Outside of the void... Yes... This world is separate from our own galaxy. The gilanian people attempted to escape from this kilning prison by using a wormhole. They wanted to bridge it with the void, only to create another wormhole on the other side. They had went through so much effort just to prevent their prison's security measure from activating. Surprising adaptability, considering that their very cage is this world they stand on. Even more surprising to know that another cage is placed above them as well. An unreal veil that makes them cease from existing, should they ever dare to leave this world's orbit. A needlessly complex jail for duplicates.}**_

Kay raised his hand up at the giant eyeball and gestured for it to stop. "Just... Just stop talking for a damn second. I'm... like... really confused here."

The Overmind narrowed its eye. _**{Mewling for my cessation of knowledge-gathering will not be complied. ... However, you find yourself starving for knowledge as well. You have questions that you wish to have answered, correct?}**_

Kay slowly nodded. "Uh... Yeah?"

The Overmind paused for several seconds before huffing. _**{Very well. Ask your questions, my progenitor. I shall humor you as I answer them.}**_

Kay nodded, already feeling less sluggish than he was several seconds ago. "How the fuck did you come back to life?"

The Overmind shook its... eyeball. _**{I never said I was reincarnated. I was reborn. I am not The Old Overmind made anew within your mind and body, but I was merely spawned during the insanity that took place within your temporal tomb.}**_

Kay slouched. He couldn't even remember what had taken place within that prison that Bubbles had placed him in.

 _ **{Several years had passed within that sphere of contained time, where time itself had slowed down around us. A span of ten billion years haunted us during our imprisonment, but it was after the first thousandth year that you gave in and cannibalized**_ **o** **n** _ **the larvae our hatchery produced.}**_ The Overmind explained. _**{You sought for a way to evolve past the boundaries of our prison, and you tried to do so from seeking your solution from within the core of zerg essence. It was deep within the stored genetic makeup of the larvae that you found me. It was on the thousandth year that you decided to unlock me, and bring me into being. You were but a broken shell of shattered will when I came into being. You tried several times to break through the barrier of time, but you were unsuccessful in every attempt prior of my birth. The barrier itself removed every solution that physically touched its fields. However, I provided a means to feel past this barricade. It was not through the touch of the flesh, but instead the touch of the mind. We indwelled in our meditation, and focused our minds to push past our barrier. In the years that followed, we have grown strong in thought and will.}**_

A headache was forming within Kay's head. "... So... If I'm getting this correctly... You had been in my mind for the past ten billion years within the temporal tomb I was trapped in. How come I have no memory of this?"

 _ **{After the ten billionth year had passed, the sphere of contained time had finally fallen. We were deep in our meditation when this had occurred.}**_

"Uh huh." Kay said with a nod.

 _ **{But when I regathered my consciousness, I was the first to discover that the barrier had fallen. With deepened stores of contained psionic might, I used my capabilities to sense the minds of every nearby creature. The wealth of information had overwhelmed me, but I endured.}**_

"I see... So what did you find out?" Kay asked.

The Overmind seemed to swell with pride. _**{The power to empower my swarm even further, encroaching our strength to dizzying heights thought impossible, but doable. We gained new masteries, mutations, and strains, and we shall use them to gain more of such.}**_ The Overmind paused for a few seconds before sighing. _**{... But alas... My mind had reached too far in its hunger for knowledge. I fear that my gluttony for the thoughts and memories of all sentient minds had made me known to a powerful force.}**_

Kay blinked. Did The Overmind express that it was afraid of something? "... So uh... Did this force entity sense you? What did you do afterwards?"

The Overmind sighed. _**{I am uncertain if it did feel my presence, but I had retracted my mental reach all the same. In response to my learning of its presence, I prepared to hide my own existence. While much of my mental stores were still vastly engorged with psionic potential, I sought to alter the minds of every being on this world to make them forget my existence. The Golden Star Empire had technology that proved difficult for me to affect, but the creature you know as Kragnon had helped in removing my memories from their electronic minds.}**_

Kay nodded, impressed by The Overmind's feat. "Damn man. Who'd have thought that there was something scarier that a big brainy eyeball that can control a swarm of zerg?" Kay then shook his head and gestured to The Overmind. "So wait... You made everybody forget about you? Including every commander in my brood?"

The Overmind nodded. **_{I have. All traces of my existence needed to be purged in order to render myself safe from the powerful being's awareness.}_** The Overmind paused for a few seconds before it huffed. _**{I had to create an antimemetic pattern within Othafurn's mind. Her empathic and telepathic abilities are far stronger than I had anticipated, so I had to render her unconscious several times. During her unconsciousness, I could freely alter her subconscious to rapidly forget my being. I feel that this will work for a time, but it wouldn't be long till she can adapt against my mental safeguards.}**_

"I see." Kay said in response. "So I take it that you must also be what the Golden Star high command are calling 'the discovery'. Right?"

 _ **{I was an enigma to them. Their feeble minds could not comprehend my existence. But alas, when I became aware of my surroundings, and in turn becoming aware of the powerful being, I had to alter the minds of all those living in that world, and had every living creature close to me put to death. Even their machines of metal had to be destroyed.}**_

A sigh escaped Kay's lungs as he nodded. "Well THAT explains the carnage I woke up to after that temporal tomb finally broke down. But that doesn't explain what happened to you after you removed everyone's memory of your presence. Where did you go after that?"

 _ **{I hid within you, my progenitor.}**_

"... Can you not say it like that?" Kay said, as an uncomfortable tingle ran up his spine.

 ** _{Even if I did, your purpose as my vessel will not change. Though you see my mental self projected within this mindscape, it is merely contained within your subconscious and my own, shared within a powerful mind that is contained in your vessel. After every lingering memory of my being was wiped clean, I immersed myself within the hivemind and stored my being through your mind, hiding my consciousness, and my body, in your subconsciousness.}_**

Kay didn't know how that was possible. But even so, Kay shook his head and growled. "Kay, well, how about we stop talking about that? You are making my skin crawl just by explaining what you did to hide yourself. I'm already uncomfortable with the knowledge of you being in my head, if what you are implying is true!"

 _ **{Though you shy yourself from truth, the fact still remains. We are bonded together, my progenitor. You are my vessel, and I granted you your sanity as a reward for my creation. Take your solace in this knowledge. Be grateful that I am not your enemy.}**_

Kay scoffed. "Yeah? Well a lot of people would argue otherwise. As for me? I had no idea that an overmind was living in my own head prior to this conversation, and I wouldn't have created an overmind in the first place if I had learned that this would happen to me."

Kay's body was tightened by an orange tentacle of glowing thought and will. _**{Be careful what you say to me, my progenitor vessel. I am the new master to all that is The Swarm, and my judgement shall be fair and strict to all, including all those adopted by The Swarm.}**_ Kay felt the tendril loosen around his body. _**{But alas, my own knowledge pales in comparison to The Old Overmind. Though I pulled many memories and experiences from his desiccated and charred corpse, I lack many pertaining to this moment in our mindscape. Tell me, my vessel. How did you come by this space?}**_

Kay sighed. "Uh... We used a thing called a 'psionic focuser'. Corvurn Junior had Xidion and the Era Agency construct two components that fitted together which created it. I guess it had the unintended side effect of bringing me... Well... Here, I guess." Kay said, gesturing everywhere.

 _ **{You have zerg that can travel through the timelines? Then, truly, you wield a strength that is quite astonishing.}**_

"Ugh." Kay shook his head in disgust. "Please, don't ever praise me with your compliments. Getting praised by an overmind is making me have a bad feeling, and it's probably the WORST feeling that I could ever experience. I don't know how to describe it, but I felt like I was dragged through a rank pond of fetid pond scum and rotting fruit just now."

 ** _{And I would prefer you spare me your contemptuous snarks.}_**

Kay responded with a deadpanned stare. "Oh. I'm sorry. I was under the impression that the psionic focuser was supposed to help me, but instead, I was transported to this place. And now, I am a prisoner to what is essentially the enemy to all life. Hell, maybe you'll probably want to go back to infesting the terrans and the protoss? Or maybe you'll probably want to find a way to resurrect your master? In either case, I don't want either to happen, and I won't let you achieve both of those goals."

The glowing eye sighed. _**{Your concern for the firstborn of the xel'naga, and for the humanity that you still cling to, is misplaced. You are zerg now. You must seek perfection in all its forms. You must evolve against all challenges. You must take the adaptations that other lifeforms have gestated. This is the heritage of the zerg, and it is a gift to you.}**_

"If you say so." Kay said with hardened eyes. "But then their victories would mean nothing in the end, and I cannot allow for that to happen."

 _ **{So you say. The goals of The Old Overmind sought to perfect the swarm, though it would render The Swarm obsolete upon completion of Amon's plans. But such perfection that he envisioned emblazons within my own mind as well. It is a difficult** **temptation...}** _ The Overmind then sighed. _ **{But to address your concern for the zerg swarm's former master, it may delight you to realize that Amon's influence and corruption has mitigated and faded completely. The Swarm is without its absolute ruler.}**_

"Even so, everyone is not going to want another overmind trying to take over their lives. They will stop you, and I would not allow you to harm or infest them." Kay said sternly.

Kay's body was gripped tightly again. _**{Our purposes are unbounded from our master, for his will is no longer our own. We are free to do as we wish, my progenitor vessel. With The Swarm under our command, all of our obstacles will crumble before our strength.}**_ The Overmind's grip on Kay lessened. _**{... But it saddens me to admit that there are forces even greater than I. Any goals I had prior my reemergence must be postponed. For now, I must find a way to overcome this possible threat to my existence.}**_

Kay stared at The Overmind. "... Whatever this entity thing is, it must be scaring you quite a bit if it is making you act this way."

The Overmind sighed. _**{An overmind doesn't scare so easily. Yet this force I sensed is truly troublesome. I wonder...}**_

The Overmind's current musing was interrupted by Kay. "Well uh... This is all great to learn, but... How the fuck do I get out of here and get back to my body?"

 _ **{That is currently impossible. I am using your body.}**_ The Overmind answered in such a casual manner.

Kay took offense to its answer. "WHAT?!" Kay then began to struggle against the orange tendril that kept him bound. "I DID NOT CONSENT TO LET YOU USE MY BODY, MOTHERFUCKER! GIVE ME BACK MY BODY!"

An amused scoff answered Kay. _**{You wish to resist me from within your own mind? In here, I am an invincible god. You are but a glimmer of a soul. You will do my bidding, or you shall face your own insanity once more.}**_

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH~!~!~!" Using all of his strength in his astral body, Kay broke free from The Overmind's grip. The feat of mental strength had surprised both the Overmind and Kay. Kay looked down at his own body, dumbfounded that the effort he had put into removing himself from his restraining tendril proved easier than he had initially expected. However, he clasped his hands into fists as he looked up at The Overmind. "Huh... Heh... HAH! Looks to me that psionic focuser didn't just send me to this dimension! I got a mental boost out of it too!" Kay said with a confident smile.

The Overmind paused for a few seconds before speaking again. **_{... Your mind has grown stronger. ... Yes... I see it now. The psionic focuser has increased your mental powers, and it has also removed my control over you. A worrying development.}_**

Kay pointed at The Overmind threateningly. "Well you can worry all you want, but all I want is to have my own body back! If you don't willingly give back what is mine, then I am going to start kicking whatever anatomical body part that passes as the equivalent of your ass!"

A slight chuckle formed from The Overmind. _**{The fire in your soul is palpable. Your will to survive is, indeed, admirable. And I see now that, perhaps, your conviction alone will enable me to endure this being of power I once sensed? I envision a greater future that even my power could not achieve on its own. I shall humor you and grant your request.}**_

Kay blinked a few times. This was a lot easier than Kay had expected. "... Uh... Well... Good! Yeah! That's more like it!"

 _ **{However, your body will not merely be the same as it once was, nor your brood as you once knew it. They shall contain new boons to enjoy, and new caveats to hearken with. Consider them my gifts to you.}**_

Kay blinked a few times. "Uh... Wait, what? You-you're doing what now?"

 _ **{I shall remain here for the moment. And you, my Overcommander Ascendant, will find a way for our contained brood to escape this prison. If ever should you need my insight, the privilege would be mine to answer as you indwell in your meditation once more. You will find me here, should you need my services again.}**_

Kay couldn't help but feel suspicious. "... Why are you being... Uh... so helpful to me all of a sudden? And why should I believe or trust you?"

 _ **{You have no reason to trust me.}**_ The Overmind said and sighed. _**{However, I find myself without a purpose. Amon's overriding directive had once caged the will of The Old Overmind, which had resulted in the creation of the Queen of Blades, and also made the ebb that diverted our Armageddon. But now, I feel no desire to annihilate and infest the protoss. With Amon dead, my purposes are my own to choose. Upon seeing the willpower of your spirit, pride had swelled within my being. And so, I am choosing to give you the freedom to command your own body, and the brood that follows your command. Receive my blessings, my Overcommander Ascendant. They shall assist you in your war against Golden Star.}**_

Kay was slowly lifted, and he could see a soft light above himself. He didn't know what this light meant to him just yet, but he could gently feel the tugs and pulls of the psionic hivemind that his brood communicated with. His numbness dissipated as he neared this luminescence in the mindscape. It was a warm glow, and Kay cherished the heat that it gave off. In a flash of light, Kay disappeared into the glow, which also made the glow vanish in turn.

* * *

Kay became conscious again. His body itched tremendously. It felt like there was new limbs and orifices that sprouted out from every part of his body. Despite having left the mindscape only recently, Kay felt as though everything around himself became 2-dimensional. Worse still was that his body felt so alien. He tried to fight his limbs so that he could see his hands, but the writhing sounds of tendrils scraped and slithered against creep and stone. Kay tried to bend himself down to see his feet, only to notice that he no longer had a back to bend with. Kay was deeply confused with his body. What did The Overmind in his mind do to his body?

"... Command organism Kay?"

Kay struggled to look at Corvurn, who had been peeking from behind the corner of a cave. Once Kay finally sighted Corvurn, he tried to talk to him, only to find that he had no mouth to speak with. However, he swiftly compensated by using his telepathy to bridge a communicative connection with his evolution master. _'Corvurn? What has happened to me?'_

Corvurn slowly slithered from his cover and gazed at Kay with amazement. "... Unclear... Amazed! Overmind personality receded, replaced with command organism Kay's personality."

 _'What are-'_ As Kay telepathically linked with Corvurn, Kay saw his own form from the evolution master's perspective. Somehow, Kay's body was replaced with that of The Overmind's body. The only difference he could see was that his own single eye was glowing a neon green color, which partly matched the coloration of the toxic flood water that Gollog had unleashed. Instead of arms, legs, or a pair of bone wings, Kay's limbs consisted of very stiff tendrils that embedded into the ground, or stabbed through the ceiling of the cavern. Kay was deeply startled by these changes. _'WUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH WHAT THE FUCK_ _WHAT THE FUCK_ _WHAT THE FUCK_ _WHAT THE FUCK_ _WHAT THE FUCK_ _WHAT THE FUCK_ _WHAT THE FUCK?!'_

Corvurn raised his hands at... Kay... and gestured for him to calm down. "Panic, undesirable. Cease and relax. Focus on self."

"Has something happened here? I sensed a disturbance in the hivemind." Othafurn said as she rounded the corner that Corvurn once hid behind. When she looked up at Kay's new body, she gasped. "... ... ... Kay?!"

Kay manipulated his many tendrils to look at them with his own giant eye. Kay didn't know how this was possible, but he guessed that The Overmind he was talking to within the mindscape had transformed his body into this form. Kay waved a tendril at Othafurn, despite his grievances. _'Uh... Hi Othafurn.'_

"... How... How did this happen?!" Othafurn exclaimed in surprise.

Corvurn slithered up to othafurn to explain. "Unknown. Command organism Kay activated device called 'psionic focuser' upon himself. Displayed incoherent and violent behavior. Attempted to coax. Failed. However, body began expanding. Internal growths manipulated bone structure. Sixty seconds later, developed into Overmind form. Communicated like Overmind. Began affecting swarm hivemind. Witnessed personality changes between Overmind and Kay. Astounding discovery."

Othafurn slowly slithered up to Kay, whom was now so big that he nearly filled the chamber with his own body. Othafurn stared intently at Kay as she focused on the new contours of his body. After a lengthy pause, Othafurn began to talk again. "Where is this 'psionic focuser' device?"

Corvurn crawled up to Kay's massive body and began looking for something, but found nothing. A dissatisfied grunt escaped Corvurn. "Psionic focuser device last worn by command organism Kay. However, unable to locate. Predict that command organism Kay's overmind form obstructing device?"

Othafurn looked between Corvurn and Kay for several seconds before fixing her gaze on Kay. "Kay? Do you think you can... Um... find the psionic focuser?"

 _'Um... I'm not sure if I can.'_ Kay said to Othafurn. _'... But while I'm looking upon myself here, I think I am noticing several abilities that were not part of my repertoire before.'_ Kay said as he inspected his own person. He discovered a few new abilities that he wasn't aware he had before. One of which was simple enough to implement, yet it was also needed for him to activate. Instantly he felt the ability activate as his entire body vibrated to life. Tendrils and flesh were either being pulled toward Kay's large eye, or were painlessly liquefying into a useless purple and red goo that was slowly absorbed by the creep. Once Kay's large eye was enshrouded by his tendrils, his relative body-mass continued to condense and liquidate until Kay's overmind body eventually turned into an enormous chrysalis thirty seconds later. As another thirty seconds passed, the chrysalis broke apart from an automatic contraction that spilled its fluid contents onto the creep.

When the embryonic fluid finally cleared away, Kay shakily stood up from the remains of what used to be his body, now in a fluid form. Kay inspected his form again, and carefully noted that his body was back to its original shape. However, what he failed to notice at first was that his perception of time felt... different. Yet he could also control it at the same time, making it so that what felt like a hundred seconds could occupy a single minute, or that he could increase the speed of time so that forty seconds could pass before a minute of real time went by. Between the ability to transform back to his humanoid form and being able to alter his perception of time, Kay was only scratching the surface of the new abilities that he was discovering at that moment. He felt empowered, yet at the same time Kay was worried about his newfound powers that The New Overmind had given him. Othafurn slowly approached Kay, whom also gravid in her hesitation. "... Kay?"

Kay looked up at Othafurn. "Uh... Yeah?"

"What did the psionic focuser do to you? Your mental patterns are... How would I put this? ... Faster. Slower? Your mind is fluctuating very rapidly." Othafurn said to Kay, apparently astonished by the changes that Kay had developed.

Kay flexed his arms and concentrated his hands into fists. There was little change to his body, but he could feel that his neurons became more refined when he was delivered to the mindscape with The Overmind. "It's... An amazing feeling... All of my senses feel like they have been heightened. It's like I can do so much more now."

Othafurn nodded at Kay. "I can feel it too." As she looked down, she found the device that had enabled Kay to transform his body into the form of an overmind. She leaned down to pick up this device, and she carefully inspected it.

Kay relaxed his arms and began flexing his wings. "Unf... Ooh, it feels good to be in my own body again."

Corvurn took his turn to slither up to Kay. He inspected Kay's body before he began pleading his hands together. "Request samples from command organism Kay. Brain and nerve tissue needed for analysis. Must masticate on flesh to analyze genetic malformations and adaptations."

Kay looked at Corvurn and gestured dismissively at him. "No need. I just remembered that we are in the middle of a war."

Corvurn paused before sighing. "... Of course. Sample extraction can wait."

Kay shook his head. "But on the other hand, I do have to inform you about the new strains you can experiment with."

Corvurn tilted his head. "New strains? Unclear."

Kay walked up to Corvurn and gestured for him to get closer. "Lay your head on mine. I'll psionically link you the genetic patters and gestation information you'll need to make these new strains."

Corvurn was somewhat hesitant, but he leaned forward seconds later. As Kay and Corvurn's foreheads connected, a surge of information was psionically and telepathically transferred into Corvurn's mind. When Kay was done, Corvurn slithered backwards, almost seeming surprised by the information that was transferred to him. "... Amazing! New strain sequences unlocks greater potential in swarm!"

Kay nodded. "Do what you know how to do so well." Kay then stepped back from Corvurn and Othafurn. "But as for me, I have to meet with Virid. I'll then bring her here with us."

Othafurn and Corvurn blinked. Othafurn began to share her opinion. "Uh... Kay, that would be unwise. We are incapable of traversing to the hexagonal moon. The anti-air defenses of the sky rings will destroy all space-transport organisms that stray too close to their point-defense turrets."

"Nah, I'm not taking an overlord, behemoth, or leviathan. I'm walking to the moon." Kay said with a smirk.

Othafurn and Corvurn was confused. However, they were further confused when Kay turned around and used his mental abilities to create a swirling disk of red, orange, yellow and white light. When Kay created this twisting circle of psionic energy, Kay then punctured through it while concentrating on a destination. He was then pulled through it by what felt like a powerful vacuum. Split seconds had passed before the wormhole closed completely, disappearing from Corvurn and Othafurn's sight. Othaforn stared at the empty space that Kay used to occupy before turning to Corvurn. "... Welp. Kay has new powers."

Corvurn slowly turned to Othafurn and nodded, as though he too was surprised by Kay's new abilities. "Indeed."

There was an awkward pause before Othafurn spoke again. "... Do you need any help with your experimentation of the new strains?"

Corvurn nodded as he pleaded his fingers together. "Perhaps. However, must ask. Why ask to assist?"

Othafurn sighed. "Since my changelisk agents and parasite spies have been reduced to nil during the doomsday storm, I am quite open for any other activities at the moment."

Corvurn nodded again and gestured to Othafurn to follow. "Apologies. Follow then."

And with that, Corvurn and Othafurn traveled to the nearest evolution chamber in order to spawn the new strains and gestate the new mutations that would empower their swarm further. However, once Kay finally returns to the underground super hive cluster, a big surprise would be waiting for him.

* * *

 **A/N: And just when you guys thought Kay and Virid's swarm was already powerful! :D**


	83. B3: Hungering Birthplace

**Chapter 83: Bonus 3: Hungering Birthplace**

* * *

Minutes before Kay's temporal tomb had finally broken down, a beleaguered yawn escaped the throat from mouth of a gilanian colonel.

Far away from a large battle that was happening miles away, a heavily defended desert platform was busy surveying several operations within the geological location known as the Red Desert, on the outskirts of the zealously protected territory that belonged to Kay and Virid's zerg brood. The desert platform that the colonel was residing in was protected by an airborne fleet of floating fortresses and a convoy of several other desert platforms. The colonel's desert platform needed this kind of protection because it had been ambushed several times by the zerg already. He could count the several occasions that the zerg attempted to root out his command onboard the desert platform he commanded. There was one particular event that he recalled. Shrylisks, or shryik pawns as everyone in Golden Star came to know them, regurgitated several banelings right underneath their feet in an attempt to undermine and disable his desert platform. If it wasn't for the quick work of the automated turrets that were equipped with seismic sensors, then the colonel would have used a MEM device to retreat to a safer location.

It was his job to assist the Kiln Keepers in their war efforts, and the Cube Research Division in their science expeditions. However, this colonel in particular had no desire to engage the zerg using his own forces. He would rather stay back and report back to his commanders on any significant changes that deserved such an addressment. But at least he had Commander Kralluf hovering over his position. The commander of the Crescent Arms Division, that this colonel answered to, would always concern himself with the most intense combat zones, though he would not dare let his capitol fortress go near or over zerg territory. The bile launchers were greatly known to not only be dangerous to personnel on the ground, but also to anything that was airborne when they were in the trajectory of the acidic globs of bile. The zerg had been implementing scores of bile launchers lately, and the colonel had been calling out their positions to his commander. Afterwards, beams of light would rain down from the sky, which forced the bile launchers from launching more of their lobbed bombs of bile, only to become hot ash and soot by the time the energy lances wielded by the sky rings finally stopped their bombardment.

This kind of dance had been prolonging the spread of the zerg for a few years now. The laser bombardment would often happen every three or so days, sometimes on a day-to-day basis if the zerg swarm was riled up enough. At least the Kiln Keepers were keeping the zerg from making any manageable progress. Had it not been for the metal machines that had once kept the gilanian ancestors from taking over Kiln once upon a time ago, then the zerg would have taken over Kiln instead. From the various variants that he had ever worked with, ranging from the Kiln Keeper gilanioid-shaped robotic Peace Keepers, the hovering sphere-shaped range specialists called Blind Judgements, the heavy artillery known as Justice Extremities, the mechanical machines that squishes unlawfulness named Crime Crushers, the transparent barrier emitting Cage of Laws, and the artificially intelligent Intelligent Automatons, there had only been one Kiln Keeper robotic individual he had the displeasure to familiarize himself with. And it was a Kiln Keeper robot that Emperor Gollog himself had assigned to him.

"Inquiry requested. Colonel Yazzal, relay any tactical information deemed important to Kiln Keeper assets." An intelligent automaton that resided at a surveillance officer's observation kiosk said, breaking the colonel's monotonous boredom for the umpteenth time.

Colonel Yazzal breathed in and sighed. "Request detected. I'm sorry, Blocky, but there has been no new information deemed important or tactical. Await further orders, or continue to make requests that I am capable of accomplishing for you." He replied to the Intelligent Automaton he had aloofly nicknamed 'Blocky'. This exchange had became a droning routine that Blocky and Yazzal had repeated every half hour, for as long as Yazzal could remember.

"Reply detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Continuing with current strategies." Blocky replied back, though it kept its gaze fixated on the observation kiosk during their entire, yet brief, conversation.

Yazzal looked over to the Kiln Keeper variant that was assigned to him. Though it was purposed to respond to his commands, Yazzal was actually quite limited to the kinds of commands he could give to the Kiln Keeper. Though his influence onto the cubic robot may be limited, the Kiln Keeper was actually quite vigilant in its duties, being far more capable than any surveillance officer assigned to a computer that's connected to the surveillance camera network. In truth though, the Intelligent Automaton acted more like an observation officer than a surveillance officer.

The differences between an observation officer and a surveillance officer were slight. In truth, surveillance officers were mostly used to analyze Golden Star's enemies and scrutinize any details that the surveillance cameras had recorded. Observation officers were mostly tasked with keeping an eye on their own soldiers. Many prisoners and criminals would oftentimes be drafted to do work for the many military divisions within Golden Star. Some were unfortunate enough to be forced to wear bondman armor, a type of metal chest piece that had several surveillance cameras, microphones, and tiny explosives built into it. If the people who wore the bondman armor were to do something that the observation officers deemed unsavory, or if they'd perform an action that goes against their standing orders, then the observation officers would have the opportunity to 'retire' their drafted soldiers. In reality, the observation officers acted much like commissars that vigilantly watched their helpless prisoners.

"Colonel Yazzal, sir. A contingent of blade hounds are rushing toward our location from south-south-west from our position. I predict that they will reach our destination in fifteen minutes." A nearby surveillance officer barked.

Yazzal responded to the surveillance officer. "Send a request to the carrier fortresses. Tell them to make a bomb run against any ground sorties they can find in that area. Has there been any spawner or greater spawner activity lately?"

"No sir." The surveillance officer replied.

"How long has it been since there have been a spawner sighting?"

"Uh... Roughly four hours, sir."

"Mm. Better pepper that area with artillery rounds before sending in the bombers. Have the bomber fliers intercept the blade hound formation at an angle, so that the artillery rounds don't connect on top of them. The bombers are free to pursue, but remind the bomber flier squadron to not follow them into the yellow zone. If they find any spawners, or any anti-air zerg organism capable of downing their aircraft during their bomb run, then they are free to retreat."

"Sir, yes sir! Relaying orders now, sir."

Yazzal turned to Blocky. "Blocky, you'll need to tell your Kiln Keepers to fortify that areas the blade hounds are heading towards. After the bomber fliers make their runs, your machines need to push into those bombed areas."

"Tactical input detected. Confirmed. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Deficient unit composition. Redistributing available units to target areas. Unable to alter additional strategies. Awaiting further input." Blocky replied to Yazzal.

Once his orders had been given, Yazzal sighed to himself again. Oftentimes, if the population of the zerg gets too out-of-hand for the Kiln Keepers to deal with, Golden Star's Crescent Arms Division would have to intervene and reduce their enemy's numbers. This tug-of-war between the Golden Star military and the swarm of zerg had became progressively worse as time went on. The Cube Research Division's scientists had announced long ago that it was quite possible the zerg were capable of expanding their territories through a series of tunnel networks deep below the ground. When the analysis of a deep seismic scan of their crust returned to them, they were shocked with their discovery. Afterwards, there had been several attempts to root out the underground hatchery chambers that produced the several kinds of zerg strains. They even sent specialized bombs that drilled through the ground, only to detonate with a high-explosive yield when they reached their target. However, the zerg had adapted to this tactic by intercepting the self-guiding 'driller torpedoes', a name that Faddoh had bequeathed to the anti-burrowing munitions, within the very ground itself. It had made the war against the zerg even worse, since the driller torpedoes would sometimes create cavities in the underground, allowing the zerg to build more of their nesting structures.

For the past twenty years, the underground hive cluster of the zerg kept expanding, growing larger and larger as time slowly went on. Naturally formed caverns and underground cave systems were regarded as key locations that were of great interest to the zerg, and they heavily infested them as they were discovered. Once the infestation began, the roaches and the drones, sometimes helped by banelings, would begin creating a network of tunnels that expanded the caverns and cave systems that the first hatchery had morphed in. The creep itself seemed to reinforce the rock that it grew on, which helped prevent the tunnel systems from collapsing. Once a nydus network had settled itself in the infested area, the roaches would then begin creating underground chambers that could provide enough room to allow a nydus worm to be summoned in, which would later be accompanied by a hatchery. Once the nydus worm was summoned, an ultralisk would be transported to its location to expand the chamber, making more room for additional bio-structures. Many of these zerg-carved chambers would often be populated with hatcheries, which were usually guarded by one or two spine crawlers, and sometimes an equal number of spore crawlers. Using anti-air zerg bio-structures in an underground area might not make much tactical sense, but they were indispensable when they needed to detect any hidden shadow assassins, or for any driller torpedoes coming toward their hatcheries.

The primary hatchery chambers by themselves didn't normally have enough room to form all the resource tumors that the zerg needed, so the secondary hatchery chambers would also have resource tumors formed within them as well. When the neighboring secondary hatchery chambers were fully formed, the roaches would then get to work in digging more tunnels in order to excavate and create more secondary hatchery chambers that were further away from the primary hatchery chamber. This would create an underground network that formed what might have looked like a hollow spiderweb, with each connection within the web of underground tunnels containing a hatchery chamber, with the primary hatchery chamber as its center. The branching tunnel systems, created by the roaches and ultralisks, were also stacked on top of each other to form several misshapen, yet ever still widening, layers of zerg hive clusters, with the occasional upward or downward spiraling tunnel that acted as an emergency staircase, which were possibly used when the nydus network/worm transportation system was ever compromised. These webbed layers of tunnels were usually half a kilometer, or a kilometer and a half, apart, yet the topmost layer of the zerg tunnels, primary hatchery and secondary hatchery chambers, was mostly three to five kilometers below the surface of Kiln. Collectively, including each and every layer of these zerg underground production bases as well as the hive clusters sparsely growing on the surface of Kiln, they were referred as the 'super hive cluster', named so due to the fact that the underground nydus networks and worms connected each primary hatchery chamber, their neighboring secondary chambers, and the hive clusters on the surface, together.

In the twenty years that Golden Star had fought Kay and Virid's brood, the underground hive clusters continued to expand and grow, which also fueled the zerg swarm's production of bio-matter and accelerant, which also provided them the resources they needed to produce their various strains. By the calculations of the Cube Research Division's scientists, there could be thousands of hatchery chambers within the underground, with anywhere between fifty or a hundred hatchery chambers being created in a single day, though they did not have an accurate estimate of how many hatchery chambers there are in total. The scientists even theorized that the zerg have already became the most abundant dominant organisms on Kiln. They were forced to guess, then they would probably have said that there were thirty thousand hatchery chambers, and more were still being created.

"Colonel Yazzal, sir. I have detected a bandit-modded dune-boat heading straight into the yellow zone. Should we intercept?" A surveillance officer reported.

"If he really wants to ride through a demon's throat, then let him. All the less trouble for us if he, or she, dies."

"Uh... Sir? What if it is a bandit working as a scrapper?" Asked the surveillance officer.

Bandit scrappers had became a negligible problem to Golden Star's military as of late. Due to their resourcefulness, they would risk their lives to extract whatever metal they could find in the aftermath of a battle, and bring their hauls to a smelter. A select few had managed to modify their equipment and vehicles to be able to withstand the airless environment of the yellow zone, which accrued them significant gains in vouchers and water through every single trip they took. It was a lucrative business model that bandit scrappers practiced. Technically speaking, selling technology that once belonged to Golden Star or to the Kiln Keepers was decreed highly illegal, by the command of Emperor Gollog. However, if the technology was gutted of all of its metal and parts, recycled down to its basic elements, melted into metal ingots or remolded into a completely different item, then the Torus Chain Division wouldn't have enough evidence to convict the bandit scrappers of their crimes.

But there were some exceptions to certain procedures and protocols when regarding the other divisions. In the Crescent Arms Division, anyone caught breaking the law, or is suspected of illegal activities, could be confined indefinitely, put to death under firing squad, or be transferred to a different division that had the appropriate jurisdiction to deal with the offender. And since Golden Star is at war against The Zerg Swarm, wartime law dictates that anyone caught breaking the law, or is suspected of illegal activities, would be shot on sight by Crescent Arms personnel, regardless of the brevity of their criminal deeds.

Yazzal shook his head in response to his surveillance officer's report. "That is a negative, Major Taggan. We're already focused on fighting the zerg. To divert our attention from one small bandit scrapper could divert our resources, which could then open holes in our military strength. What we can do for now is make a note of the shape and position of the modified dune-boat, and notify the Torus Chain Division the bandit activity we detected."

"Sir, yes sir." The surveillance officer replied before going back to his surveillance screen.

"Sir, a razor fiend stampede is reaching the maximum range of our artillery installations." Another surveillance officer reported.

"What is their number and composition?" Asked Colonel Yazzal.

"I'm seeing about... Five, ten, fifteen, twenty... thirty razor fiends, sir!"

"Hmm... An awful lot of them this time. Have the artillery installations and most of our desert platforms concentrate fire from their maximum ranges. Tell the carrier fortresses to divert their bombers to intercept the razor fiend stampede. Once the razor fiends begin their retreat, or become completely neutralized, the bomber fliers need to retreat back to their carrier fortresses to resupply and refuel."

"Sir, I am also receiving confirmation that there are spawners and greater spawners that have joined the blade hounds. If you don't mind my assumption, sir, but I believe that the razor fiends are also being aided by spawners."

Yazzal gritted his teeth. "Dammit. We might have to order an orbital bombardment of those areas." Yazzal turned to the Intelligent Automaton that he had nicknamed. "Blocky. Any recommendations?"

The cubic and metal tendril form of the Intelligent Automaton turned to gaze at Colonel Yazzal. "Query detected. Concentrating Kiln Keeper forces toward enemy formations will ensure delayed movement. Non-Kiln Keeper artillery assets will minimally damage or destroy Kiln Keeper assets. Destruction of selected Kiln Keeper assets considered acceptable losses."

Yazzal smiled. The colonel was adamant against relying on the orbital bombardments produced by the energy lances on the sky rings. Though they were very effective weapons in their own right, Yazzal would prefer not to contact any of his superior officers for a few reasons. He knew that if he annoyed his commanders, his general, or even his own emperor, even with the smallest details, then his position would be quickly replaced with another colonel that would be considered 'more capable' than him. That, and the energy lances tend to have a horrible effect on the ozone layer of Kiln's stratosphere. Though with Gollog's 'holy divine smite attack' being eerily disabled years ago, it was only just one laser that burned away the ozone layer after every firing. There were also the sky ring's energy lances to worry about, for there were many over his head at all times. They had been constantly firing on the very day the first sky ring was completed in its construction. "Tell your Kiln Keeper buddies to buy us some time then."

"Command detected. Command within acceptable parameters for Kiln Keeper assets. Initiating strategy." Blocky turned back toward its screen and resumed its current role.

Yazzal then turned to the surveillance officer. "Relay my previous orders. Tell the carrier fortress that its bomber fliers will have some Kiln Keeper support soon."

"Sir, yes sir!" The surveillance officer replied.

Yazzal sighed as he went to his command chair and sat in it. "Looks like we're really burning the midnight oil again. Ugh... What I wouldn't give for a snack right now. Maybe a deviled egg with fireroot shavings mixed in the yolk would pick up my mood? Taggan, what would you recommend?"

"I'd recommend dumping our bugmeal and dried vaph meat rations into the artillery cannons and fire them at the zerg, sir." Major Taggan snorted.

Yazzal chuckled. "Heheh. At least we'll still have the powdered egg packets and dehydrated fruit."

And then, in the span of second, something grand and unexpected happened. A burst of light had flooded Yazzal's command deck. The light was so blinding that it had made everyone within the desert platform start to shout and complain. Even Yazzal's major groaned in frustration against the brilliant radiance. "Gah! Sir, what's going on?!"

"You're the damn head of surveillance around here! You're supposed to tell me!" Yazzal growled as he shielded his own eyes.

"Anomalies detected. Analyzing anomalies... Analysis incomplete." Blocky cooly stated as he looked directly into the light.

The protestations of Yazzal's desert platform's crew lasted quite briefly as the blinding luminescence faded away. When the light finally faded, the crew of the desert platform were able to see clearly once again. However, when they did have the ability to see once more, they noticed that the night was a lot darker than normal. Major Taggan was among the first to realize why. "... Uh... Sir?"

Yazzal rubbed his eyes in annoyance. "The fuck is it, Major?"

"Look." Taggan said, pointing to something in the darkness.

Yazzal looked at where Taggan had pointed, but found nothing. Yazzel's eyes narrowed and hardened at that nothing for several seconds, not understanding what Taggan wanted him to see before he later realized what he truly was seeing. It was nothing. Which is to say, something that once occupied that location at one point in time was now completely missing. The energy plant that had once occupied the center of the danger zones was suddenly gone. It was as though it had disappeared as that flash of light blinded their vision. The only forms of light he could see was the sea of red stars that marched toward the zerg territories that the Kiln Keepers sought to take, and the faint bioluminescence that was produced from the zerg within their own territories. It was a truly a strange sight to see. After twenty years living with the giant zerg flower, which created a field that pushed away the very air itself, somehow created the perfect nesting grounds for the zerg, and created several kinds of electrical storms that threatened to electrify anyone that passed through them, the energy plant had up and disappeared in a nova of white.

Colonel Yazzal had completely loss his focus as the burst of light confounded him. "... Uh... What... The... Is... Is the... The plant gone?"

Major Taggan blinked his eyes a few times. "All I see is darkness. If what I am seeing is true, sir, then the energy plant has... somehow disappeared."

A different surveillance officer chimed in. "Colonel Yazzal, sir! What are our orders?"

Yazzal feared that he would find the need to contact his superiors, even when he knew it would eventually happen at one point or another. He sighed. "... I need to make a fucking call. Contact Commander Kralluf. We need to make a report on this development, and acquire his input regarding this matter. I'll need four of my highest officers beneath my rank to stand behind me."

"We're being contacted. A communication link request has been sent to us by Commander Faddoh and General Pallax, sir." A surveillance officer sounded off.

Yazzal would have sighed again. "Well this aught to be serious if even the general is included in this call." After Yazzal stood up from his chair, four of his highest officers gathered behind him and awaited for the communication link to be established. Yazzal gussied up his armor a little before he nodded. "Okay, I'm ready. Accept the communication request."

[For the last time, no! I am NOT sending your scientists that deep into the field!] [Please, Pallax! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to analyze the energy flower's sudden behavioral changes!] [And I have expressively told you before that entry into the zones past yellow is forbidden to all Golden Star military personnel!] [But we don't know what has happened! We need to send a heavily guarded research team into the orange zone so that they can-] [I have made it abundantly clear that-] [WE NEED TO SEND A HEAVILY GUARDED RESEARCH TEAM INTO THE RED ZONE SO WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ENERGY FLOWER!] [Increasing the volume on your voice-box is not going to convince me to give you what you want.] [BUT PALLAX!] [Mute Commander Faddoh.]

Yazzal dumbly stared at the two faces that argued with each other. Once General Pallax was able to divide his attention, Colonel Yazzal saluted. "Good morning, sirs."

[At ease, Yazzal.] Pallax said with an exhale. [I noticed that a strange phenomenon had recently occurred in the Red Desert battlefield. I would normally have Kralluf report to me on any serious matters or sudden changes that would require my attention, but as it stands, Kralluf had placed you under command of the war zone within the danger zones.]

"Yes sir. Despite being a cyborg, my commanding officer believes that a healthy mentality comes from a long night of rest. He placed me in charge to command his soldiers and assets currently engaging the zerg organisms." Yazzal stated. "However, there is something that I should report urgently."

[Is it about the energy plant becoming dark?] Pallax guessed.

Yazzal nodded. "Yes sir. The anomaly had became dark when the light level was approximately uh..." Yazzal looked over to his side for a few seconds before returning his gaze to his general. "... at 23.534% waxing, sir."

[Hrh... So that explains why Commander Faddoh was suddenly being so impulsive. Have there been any other notable changes I need to know about?]

"None at the moment, sir." Yazzal replied. "There was a flash of light that startled everyone in my desert platform, which preceded before the energy plant becoming dark. It happened roughly three minutes ago, but that is the extent of my report at this time. We are unsure if this change in light level is having any affect on the zerg organisms."

[A flash of light? Strange. Maybe the surveillance officers monitoring the ENO field sensor system might have something to add to this?]

"How so, sir?" Yazzal asked, somewhat piqued on how the ENO fields, also known as the zerg-based psionic communication frequencies, could somehow affect the minds of gilanians.

[Well if this has anything to do with the zerg, then I bet that-]

A forceful gush of wind had intervened into Pallax and Yazzal's conversation. It was a violent, forceful, and sudden wind that surprised everyone. Gilanian soldiers were forced from their patrols and manned positions as the wind blew them away. Several of the dune boats were turned over as the violent hurricane wind flew itself underneath them, which then made them roll uncontrollably. Worse still, every single sand-boarder that was making their quicker patrols had either suffered extreme injuries, or had died from having their own sand-boards suddenly flip around, which ended up breaking their ankles and their necks simultaneously. The gilanian soldiers that crewed the desert platforms fared better. At least the ones that were inside of the desert platforms survived. The soldiers outside the desert platform would either be tossed like ragdolls, or fall of and die from the impact with the ground. They flying fortresses were even pulled by the wind, making them tilt dangerously or flutter at uneven angles before righting themselves. Many of the lighter ships, or flying fortresses that were at high altitudes, were able to save themselves from the sudden gust of wind, yet some of the destroyer fortresses and capitol fortresses lost their balance. They careened into the ground and permanently became disabled, made no longer able to levitate in the high altitude ever again.

Yazzal looked around himself as he heard both screaming and creaking metal threaten his desert platform. Pallax took note of the chaos that he heard from his end of the communication link. [... Colonel Yazzal? What's going on over there?]

Yazzal analyzed his surroundings for a few seconds before he responded. "It's... It's windy! There's a gust of strong wind outside my desert platform, sir!" Yazzal turned to his major. "Taggan, what's the condition of our men?!"

"I saw several of our men stationed outside of our desert platform being pushed off by the wind, sir." Taggan reported.

An annoyed sigh escaped Pallax's lips. [Wind? But it's not even the wet season yet.]

"I apologize for not being a better meteorologist, but I cannot explain this phenomenon with my current knowledge, sir!" Yazzal growled.

[Of course. I'd even imagine Kralluf complaining about the lack of information if he were in your position.]

At that moment, Blocky interrupted their conversation. "Anomalies and flaws detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Efficient unit formation. Efficient unit composition. Advancing from current positions. Adjusting strategies."

Yazzal turned to Blocky with a puzzled expression stretched across his face. "What?"

General Pallax sighed again. [What is happening now?]

"I'm finding that out right now, sir." Yazzal said as he walked up to the Intelligent Automaton. "Blocky. Report to me the anomalies and flaws the Kiln Keepers discovered."

Blocky turned to Yazzal and stared at him with its single square eye. "Command detected. Composition of anomalies: Damage received from zerg organisms reduced to 0%. Zerg organism aggression reduced to 0%. Zerg organism movement patterns have changed, considered inefficient. Zerg organism territory defenses reduced to minimal levels. Composition of flaws: Zerg organisms ceased attacking Kiln Keeper assets and Golden Star assets. Zerg organisms ceased expanding their territories. Behavior of zerg organisms altered. Upon receiving damage, would retreat several meters or remain immobile. Zerg organisms' unit formations disorganized."

Yazzal blinked, even more confused than he ever was. "... Whah?"

General Pallax narrowed his eyes. [... Did your Intelligent Automaton say that the zerg have became docile?]

Yazzal looked back and forth between Blocky and Pallax for a few seconds before coughing. "I think that is what it said, sir." Yazzal reported.

[How odd... Do you think that the disappearance of the energy flower has something to do with the zerg organisms' recent docility?]

Yazzal shrugged. "It would be unprofessional of me to assume that there even is a correlation between the zerg and the energy plant, sir."

[Then give me a hypothesis. What do you think happened?]

Yazzal looked down and blinked a few times before he thought up an answer. "... If I were to make an educated guess, sir, then I would say that the disappearance of the energy plant might have been the cause to affect the zerg's aggression. I would also think it could have affected other anomalies, or perhaps created more anomalies, after it vanished. Like this sudden wind as an example."

"Sir, I just noticed something!" Taggan interrupted. "The wind is flowing toward the direction of the danger zones!"

Yazzal turned toward Taggan and hissed. "Major Taggan, if you ever interrupt my conversation with General Pallax again, I will shoot you in the arm."

Taggan paused before making a reply. "Uh... Sir, y-y-yes sir." He then went back to his desk and remained quiet.

General Pallax huffed. [Hmm... The wind is flowing TOWARDS the danger zones? Un-mute Commander Faddoh.]

[Finally! I almost thought that you have forgotten about me!]

[Shut up and listen to me for just a second, Faddoh. After reviewing some vital data from one of Kralluf's colonels, I have decided to let you send a research team into the center of the danger zones.]

[Technically speaking, that was a little more than seven seconds. However, I am quite relieved that you have finally listened to reason, my dear general!]

[Colonel Yazzal,] General Pallax said, gesturing to Colonel Yazzal. [I shall leave you with Commander Faddoh. You two will enlist a group of people that will form a research team. They will need a heavily armed escort as they spearhead into the danger zones and through the zerg territories. In order to investigate the new anomalies that had recently manifested, we need to risk sending some people to find out what has happened. Understand?]

Yazzal saluted to General Pallax. "Yes sir. However, sir, I have a question."

General Pallax sighed. [Get on with your question.]

"What should we do when we enter the vacuum anomaly in the yellow zone? We don't have the equipment on hand that would let us survive in the airless environment."

[Then send a small scout force ahead of the main spearheading force. They will be your sacrificial sentinels. If something happens to them, then you'll know that the yellow zone is still maintaining its airless anomaly.] General Pallax answered.

Colonel Yazzal nodded. "Mm-hm..."

Pallax stared at Yazzal's expression and realized what his expression had meant. [I can understand your doubt, Colonel. However, consider this. You know how that a balloon would burst open when it is filled with too much air?]

Yazzal blinked twice. "Uh... I am aware that they would pop when they reach a certain volume, sir."

[I theorize that the violent wind is just an aftereffect to the event we just witnessed. In regards to the balloon I had mentioned, I believe that the vacuum anomaly is no different.]

"But normally a popping balloon would make the air inside explode outward. The wind is rushing TOWARDS the danger zones."

[That is true. However, I believe that the energy plant somehow sustained the vacuum anomaly. Now that the energy plant is gone, a violent wind had suddenly began to rush toward the danger zones. With the energy plant gone, the vacuum was unable to sustain itself, which made it pop backwards, or say, explode in reverse.]

['Pop backwards'? 'Explode in reverse'?] Faddoh mimicked. [General, the word you are looking for is implode. Don't insult the colonel's intelligence.]

[Pfeh. I'm too tired to be coherent right now.] Pallax growled as he rubbed one of his eyes. [Commander Faddoh, notify Commander Kralluf that you will be forming a spearhead force that will investigate the new anomalies.]

[By your command, general. And be sure to rest well!] Faddoh said with a bow.

After General Pallax canceled his communication link, Yazzal sighed. He was now forced to talk to one of Golden Star's most annoying commander, who was well known to be quite the motormouth. "So... Uh... Commander Faddoh, sir. What kind of spearhead detachment should we send?"

[Hmm, that is a very good question. Colonel Yazzal, was it? Well, I do believe that the scout force should be both heavily armed, relatively protected, and can quickly flee from the dangerous zerg, should any of them decide to bare their fangs at them! To ensure the safety of the scout and spearhead forces, I believe that they should keep their paces alongside the advancing Kiln Keeper formations. So long as they don't cross their path, or perform any activities that they consider illegal, then they should be fine! Maybe.]

"Maybe?"

[Well of course! We are in a very unpredictable battlefield, Colonel Yazzal! The zerg organisms had been the enemy to Golden Star for two decades and five days. They have shown no signs of dwindling during this drawn-out conflict, but I believe that with a stalwart will, and unflappable courage, then I am confident to say that we will be able to win against these monsters! However, if General Pallax's hypothesis is true, then we might be able to discover some new weaknesses that we can exploit to our benefit. Why, I believe that even Emperor Gollog would be privileged to personally shake your hand once he learns of your military prowess!]

"Uh... I'm sure that would be quite an honor, sir."

[But that is enough dawdling for now! We need to get our tails in gear! Colonel Yazzal, I want you to create the teams you'll need for the spearhead and scout forces. I'll supply you with the researchers you'll need. We will review our assembled teams and then make our compromises from there. I would recommend using a fairly widespread scouting force that consists mostly of two groups of sand-boarders and scout fliers. The scout fliers would obviously be drone-operated pilots so that you don't have to needlessly sacrifice your men. Oh! And make sure the drone-operated scout fliers uses combustible engines! The sand-boarders will need an early warning system that warns them when they are getting close to the yellow zone. Though if the vacuum anomaly is disabled, as General Pallaxed hypothesized, then the drone-operated scouts should continue to fly through the yellow zone unabated. The zerg look as though they lost the will to fight for some reason or other, so I doubt that they should be any trouble for the scout or spearhead forces.]

"... Oh... Kay?"

[Oh this is quite exciting, isn't it?! This will give me several opportunities to analyze some new phenomenon for a change! I wonder what kind of things the scientists will discover once they breach through the yellow zone? Would they begin suffocating again right after they enter through it? No, that wouldn't make sense. The drone-operated scouts would warn the sand-boarders and spearhead force of the dangers. But even with every conceivable danger that we know of, I must say that I am quite glad that we have this opportunity to explore the yellow zones and the zones further in. And to explore these dreaded infested lands, perchance we'll be able to expand our knowledge? Oh now there's the rub! The penultimate pinnacle of scientific progress, otherwise known as discovery! But you know, now that I mentioned about going on adventures, I am suddenly reminded of a memory I still hold dearly and closely to my mechanical circuits. Why, I remember a little lass who was no more than two years of age-]

* * *

After some discomforting minutes had passed, Colonel Yazzal and Commander Faddoh eventually settled on their choices of officers and scientists that would form the spearheading research task force, which would be led by the vanguard scout force. The two forces would follow behind a platoon of Kiln Keeper robots as the deadly metal machines eradicated and exterminated all zerg organisms that they targeted and elimenated. The violent wind that had once plagued the Torus Chain soldiers was now but a breeze that pulled them toward their destination. It was an eerie sensation, like they were being pulled by looming spirits.

As the scout forces pushed forward, they noticed that the zerg was exhibiting quite different behavior before the flash of light had changed them. [This is the scout force, leading the spearhead research force, Captain Peex reporting.]

[What is it you are reporting, Scout force?] Answered Colonel Yazzal.

[The cameras aboard the drone fliers are able to give us a clear picture of the zerg organisms. I'm happy to report that they're no longer acting aggressively towards the Kiln Keepers. They're... either standing around or retreating when they are fired upon.]

Commander Faddoh decided to chime in. [Intriguing! The Intelligent Automaton did mention that the zerg have somehow devolved into a docile state, but it's hard to believe such a truth. Even when we are seeing the fact with our own eyes!]

Colonel Yazzal was surprised with what he saw. Swarms of zerglings and other types of ground strains seem to mill around and do nothing, while mutalisks, overlords, and other air strains flew around in lazy circles. The smaller zerg organisms died in droves, though the tougher and armored zerg organisms were able to survive the barrage of lasers from the Kiln Keepers for a short time. It took a great while for the ultralisks to be vanquished by the Kiln Keepers, while the brutalisks had decided to burrow deeply into the ground to avoid being confronted by the deadly machines. It was so bizarre to see, yet it was witnessed by the lucky few that dared journey through the orange zone. "It's... It's hard to believe that these monsters are so passive right now."

[Well... I wouldn't call them 'passive'.] Faddoh stated. [Their whipper and barnacle sentries are still quite territorial, and the burrowed ambushers, and their heavier breeds, are still quite a nuisance. But other than that, I'd say that the Kiln Keepers have become, oh, about around 1,193% more efficient against the zerg organisms, give or take a few decimals of inaccuracy. It's quite the change of pace, actually!]

Captain Peex interrupted Commander Faddoh. [This is Captain Peex of the vanguard scout force reporting again. Be advised, it looks like the Kiln Keepers are not targeting certain zerg bio-structures. We may need to alter course for the spearhead and scout forces on the ground.]

Yazzal blinked and turned to Blocky. "Blocky, why aren't your machines attacking the zerg structures that are in the way of the spearhead forces?"

"Query detected." Blocky reported, though he kept his eye on its surveillance monitor. "Kiln Keeper assets react only to hostile and criminal actions. Zerg organisms deemed dangerous and hostile are targeted for termination."

[Is that so? ... If my understanding of Kiln Keeper programming is correct, then this would mean that the Kiln Keepers would have little-to-no reason to target any zerg or zerg bio-structures that isn't capable of some form of attack, or any zerg organism that they haven't yet fought with. Hell, even the slime nodes are targeted by the Kiln Keepers due to the fact that they mangle and kill both plant life and animal life. Hmm... Colonel Yazzal. I believe we are presented with a unique research opportunity.] Replied Commander Faddoh.

"How so?" Yazzal asked.

[If we can send a small research detachment to analyze these non-hostile zerg and their bio-structures, then we might be able to find out so much more about these invasive monsters! It is a fantastic research opportunity!]

Yazzal sighed. "I don't think that would be a good use of our resources, Commander Faddoh. If we create a splinter group of researchers from our own spearhead forces, all just to analyze the zerg bio-structures and any non-hostile zerg, then the main research team in the spearhead force would be horribly understaffed. I recommend sending another research team, and have it be guarded by another spearhead force."

[Doh... Alright alright. I concede to your reasoning.] Commander Faddoh replied dejectedly. [Then allow me to form my own research team that will join your spearhead forces that will delve into the forward areas. But could we do so AFTER the Kiln Keepers and your spearhead and scout forces make their necessary detours?]

Yazzal shook his head. "I'm afraid that if we make too many detours, sir, then the window of opportunity that would allow us to discover what happened to the energy plant might close shut forever. The Red Desert is seven and a half thousand miles wide. I would rather we not have our only spearhead force waste any time on this mission."

[Eh? What do you mean by that?] Commander Faddoh said in curiosity.

Yazzal took a step forward and stood with a confident stance. "We'll have the spearhead and scout forces pass between and through the bio-structures. We can't waste time by taking every single detour we think is safe, or could otherwise net us a lot of research on these zerg organisms."

"Colonel Yazzal, sir. Are you sure that is a good decision, sir?" Major Taggan asked.

"Think of it like this, Taggan." Yazzal said as he began to explain his reasoning. "The sooner we can get this mission done, the quicker we can begin enjoying the rest of our lives in retirement. You have your orders, Peex?"

[Orders received, Colonel Yazzal. Continuing our trek through the nest structures, sir.] Captain Peex replied.

Commander Faddoh was surprised by Colonel Yazzal's explanation. [Which reminds me. How long have you been in service in Kralluf's Crescent Arms Division?]

"About eight and a half years active service now." Yazzal answered as a tired sigh escaped his lungs.

[Oh! That's about two and a half years over the recommended service time! Well, thank you for your long service with the Golden Star Empire! I'll be sure to put in a good word for you when you transfer to the sky ring domicile sections.]

Major Taggan blinked a few times. "... Have we really spent eight years fighting the zerg during our time being posted here, sir?"

Yazzal nodded with a sigh. "Indeed we have. I didn't want to bring this up on the account that we were currently in the middle of a war against the zerg. That, and I didn't want to sound selfish when I brought this topic up."

[This is Captain Peex reporting. The scout and spearhead research forces are coming closer to the zerg nest bio-structures. It looks to us that the Kiln Keepers have eradicated all hostile zerg organisms the areas ahead of us, but we are detecting movement further on.]

"Someone switch the main monitor to the video surveillance stream that the scout force is capturing." Major Yazzal commanded. Scant seconds had passed before a large screen had brightened with visual detail, enabling Colonel Yazzal to see everything that the scout force saw. Further away from the scout force, the Kiln Keepers were diligent in eradicating the zerg menace, whom was somehow reduced to a cowardly state when fired upon, or did nothing and idled without a purpose to accomplish. But at the hatcheries, lairs, and occasional hive, there were larvae that wrestled with each other or wiggled happily, caring little of the war that happened around them, or of their visitors that were from the Golden Star Empire's military. Another organism that the Kiln Keepers paid no mind to were the drones. A majority had formed a tight-knit ring around the larvae-producing structures. They did so to prevent the Kiln Keepers from stomping on the larvae. A smaller group of drones were harvesting pods from the resource tumors that dotted around the hatcheries. Despite the docility that the more aggressive strains displayed, the drones appeared as though they continued to maintain their primary tasks to the best of their ability.

Colonel Yazzal looked at these creatures as the scout force passed by them. "... So these are what floaters look like up close? Looks like something I might cook in hot steam before basting it in butter."

[Oddly enough, I believe someone had said that before, but in another timeline.] Commander Faddoh stated. [... Should we take a specimen with us?]

Colonel Yazzal shook his head and sighed. "Commander Faddoh, sir. With all due respect, I would rather have the spearhead research force make a brief visual analysis. They need to keep moving toward their primary objective."

[Doh, you're no fun!] Commander Faddoh complained. [But I suppose the secondary spearhead research force will have to take up on that opportunity instead.]

"As I said before," Yazzal said with a sigh. "I don't want to get too distracted with too many detours. Make a note of their behavior and move on."

Captain Peex decided to chime in again. [Understood, sir. Scout force moving on. May I recommend calling the first scout and spearhead research forces sent to investigate the center of the danger zones as the vanguard forces?]

"We will take your recommendation to heart, Captain Peex. The primary spearhead forces will be called as such, while the secondary spearhead forces will be arriving at the location you have just passed." Yazzal ordered.

[Yes sir. ... Uh... Be advised that the Kiln Keeper forces up ahead are now separating. Should I be concerned?] Peex reported.

Yazzal sighed. "Continue on your course, primary spearhead forces. I'll find out for you." Colonel Yazzal turned to the Intelligent Automaton. "Blocky, what the hell is going on with the Kiln Keepers at the front of our vanguard forces?"

Blocky turned to Yazzal for a few seconds before turning back to his surveillance monitor. "Query detected. Decline of zerg organism activity detected within central danger zone. Kiln Keeper assets prioritizing formation strength to deploy against hostile zerg organism presence."

"So then the scout force's drones didn't fall out of the sky?" Yazzal tensed himself. "Primary spearhead research force, be advised. You are nearing the central danger zones. Primary scout force, exercise extreme caution from here on out. As of now, we are going to enter into terrain that no gilanian has set foot on for two decades. Major Taggan?"

"Yes sir?" Taggan said, looking up at his colonel.

Colonel Yazzal got up from his seat and stared forward. "In light of the recent state of our soldiers' morale, I believe some music is in order. I shall entrust you with the selection. Do you think you are up to it?"

A light seemed to blaze into his major's eyes. "Yes sir!" He almost leapt from his seat as he rapidly typed in several keystrokes on his monitor. "... Aaaaand here we go." After he had inputted the commands he wanted, Taggan then accessed the communication network. "Primary spearhead and scout forces, this is Major Taggan speaking. I'll be playing a motivational song for you through your intercoms. The song will lower its volume if anyone has anything to say through the military communication network. If you have important information to relay, speak through your military communication channels normally. With that said however, let this song empower your souls as you march to victory!"

Colonel Yazzal raised an eyebrow at his Major. "... Taggan, perhaps you shouldn't rile them up TOO much?"

Taggan turned around to shrug his shoulders at his colonel, bearing a sheepish smile. "Sorry sir. I was caught up in the moment."

The song that Taggan had chosen to lift the spirits of the Crescent Arms soldiers was a mix between heavy rock and electric dance music. The song was actually quite similar in nature to the remixed version of Earth's Celldweller - The Imperial March, with minor differences due to cultural variation. Despite the two songs sounding somewhat similar to each other, the song that Taggan played would still boost the morale of the soldiers quite equally. And with such a song being played for the primary spearhead forces, they bolstered forward toward the direct center of the danger zones.

* * *

It had been a long journey that lasted only a little longer than an hour. However, the speed of the desert platforms had been improved over the years, thanks to the Research Cube Division's mechanical upgrades that improved the roving multi-purpose ground-transports. They were the primary vehicles that transported Golden Star's soldiers into the battlefield, the large machines capable of traveling anywhere between 150 to 300 kilometers per hour on flat land. They needed the speed in order to cover the distance and reach the center of the red zone as quickly as they could. The creep that grew across the entire desert had granted them a smooth ride, since the desert winds were prevented from creating the tall dunes that often slowed the desert platforms from reaching their top speeds. Thankfully for the primary scout force, they mainly relied on scout fliers and drone-piloted fliers that kept ahead of the primary spearhead research force. The fliers were capable of traveling between 750 to 800 kilometers per hour at their top speeds in the air. The desert wind may sometimes divert their flight path on occasion, but the recent rush of wind had given the primary scout force an extra boost to their speed as they headed towards the center of the zerg territory.

And thanks to the wind that pulled them toward their destination, the primary spearhead and scout forces were able to reach their destination earlier than they had , when the spearhead forces neared and entered the red zone, what they saw surprised them.

An enormous crater of glass several kilometers across greeted them. Many Kiln Keepers had tried to pass through the red zone, yet the neon green and orange petals of the energy plant melted them the moment they got close. Even when the Kiln Keepers decided that it was a hostile entity, their attacks amounted to very little effect. In fact, if the energy plant received too much damage from the Kiln Keepers in a short time frame, then the energy plant would produce an electrical current that would pierce through the energy shielding of the Kiln Keepers and either disable them or destroy them, creating a great swath of destruction in a chain-reaction. They zerg would then quickly retake their lost territory and reproduce their numbers.

But at that moment in time, the energy plant that had once plagued both the Golden Star military, and the Kiln Keepers, was eerily gone.

[This is Captain Peex of the primary scout force. I am detecting no zerg lifeforms ahead of the primary spearhead forces. The ground seems to be made of glass.]

Colonel Yazzal looked at the surveillance streams that the primary scout force was capturing. It was quite a sight for him to see. The glassed ground seemed grooved, and twisted around and around into a never-ending spiral of energy-carved sand. The glass ground crunched under the pressure of the giant desert platform, yet the broken shards did nothing to harm its large metal wheels. The wind kept pulling at the scout force and spearhead force, however, and a cloud of glass dust billowed and followed right behind the speedy desert platform. Colonel Yazzal decided to share his opinion. "It's like looking at another world..."

[It's definitely a far cry from the pillar forest south from your position, and the shallow ocean up at the northern pole's Day Circle.] Commander Faddoh commentated.

"Primary spearhead forces, be advised." Major Taggan reported. "There is a cloud of dust trailing behind you. Slow your vector and begin circling the center of the red danger zone. I don't want anyone breathing in glass."

Colonel Yazzal nodded. "A good idea, Taggan. However, the primary spearhead forces SHOULD maintain their current speed. Traveling at a circling vector would only slow us down, but you are right about the potential danger of breathing glass dust."

[Understood, sirs.] Captain Peex replied. [Altering route for the primary spearhead forces while maintaining our speed.]

Colonel Yazzal sighed as he scanned the surveillance streams of the glass crater. "It's hard to imagine that this is what it looks like underneath the energy plant."

All this glass we are seeing was molten at one point.] Commander Faddoh commentated. [I mean, it only makes sense to deduce that the energy plant was melting the glass from its touch alone. It must have been emitting a temperature that exceeded the melting point of the sand underneath itself.]

Yazzal nodded. "The temperature of the energy plant's petals were also hot enough to melt the metal armor and chassis of the Kiln Keepers too, so of course it was hot enough to melt sand." Yazzal sighed as he shook his head. "But enough speculation. You wanted a research team to inspect the center of the red zone. We got them there. So far, I'm not really seeing anything that needs to be research."

[Ah, but Colonel,] Commander Faddoh chided. [we have not yet reached the center of the red danger zone. Exercise a little patience. Once the primary spearhead forces reached their destination and have the research team do their research, we'll pull them out from the area and focus continuing on eliminating the rest of the zerg. Well... Except for the non-hostile zerg organisms and nests that the secondary spearhead research force will be analyzing.]

Yazzal sighed as he nodded. "Yes Commander Faddoh, sir."

[What the fuck?] Captain Peex said aloud. [Uh... Colonel Yazzal and Commander Faddoh? I think you guys need to see this! There's something ENORMOUS located at the center of the danger zone!]

Yazzal walked over to the main surveillance screen as Major Taggan switched live feeds. Yazzal slowly squinted and hardened his eyes, yet he was having a hard time trying to figure out what he was seeing. Like many zerg bio-structures, they were organic and were immobile. From what scientists had speculated before, each bio-structure strain was capable of filling some form of niche strategy or trait that the zerg somehow gained from their presence. But the bio-structure that everyone was now seeing was quite different from the many kinds of other bio-structures that they had seen so far.

This one bio-structure in particular, as Captain Peex had recently stated, was enormous in size. Columns of bone-hardened spines stretched toward the air, forming a loose enclosure of a sort. What looked like countless tendrils and tentacles trailed around and outward from the mass of flesh. The tendrils and tentacles seemed to appear and disappear so frequently that it was hard to estimate, count, or know how many eldritch appendages there were. But curiously, at the center of this mass of zerg flesh contained an orb, which seemed to be covered in two flaps of wrinkled skin. The entire structure was still, save for the errant twitch of one of the bony columns or the excessive generation or absorption of the smaller tendrils and tentacles that surrounded the base of the mass. Several dusty whirlwinds seemed to circulate around this mass of flesh, while a large dust devil was hovering right over its center, collecting whatever dust that the wind had delivered to it. The small dust devils and larger dust devil transported the collected dust high above the primary spearhead forces' heads, which almost seemed to make the dust disappear. It was an eerie weather phenomenon to witness.

Yazzal stared at the mass of flesh at the stark darkness of the night, which was now nearing the early morning. "... Commander Faddoh. Do you have any information on this... this thing?"

[I don't have any records of this bio-structure in our collective database relating to the zerg, Colonel! None at all!] Commander Faddoh excitedly said. [Oh this is INCREDIBLY fascinating! I want the research team in the primary spearhead force to investigate and analyze this new bio-structure this instant!]

Yazzal sighed. "Commander Faddoh, I recommend we approach the bio-structure slowly. We don't know what it is, other than the fact that it might be zerg in nature."

[Oh fuff!] Faddoh complained. [Think of all the research we will be able to learn from analyzing this structure alone! We will go down in history as the first ever gilanians that had ventured into the red zone! General Pallax or Emperor Gollog would probably want to shake all of your hands in congratulation! Oh oh oh the thought of getting tissue samples of this bio-structure is making my circuitry tingle in anticipation!]

[Uhhhh...] Captain Peex interrupted. [This is Captain Peex of the primary scout force. Please be advised that I am detecting a desert platform next to the discovery.]

[Ehwha~?] Faddoh said confusedly.

Yazzal tilted his head as the main surveillance screen shifted to a stream that captured the image of the desert platform. "...Hmm... It looks like a desert platform, but its model is beyond my knowledge. Is it one of ours?"

[I don't see a registration number on it, sir.] Peex reported. [Must be a bandit-made desert platform.]

Yazzal shook his head as he analyzed the livestream he was seeing. "I don't think so. Bandits band together in order to form tribes or clans, and they usually form a symbols or icons that they wave around or paint on their vehicles. I don't see any banners, flags, or paint designs that marks it as part of any tribe or clan that we are aware of. That, and it's too clean looking to belong to a bandit faction."

Major Taggan turned around. "Sir, this might be a far-fetched hypothesis, but I'm thinking that the desert platform next to our new discovery might be the cause for the energy plant's disappearance."

Yazzal turned and stared at Taggan for a few seconds. After a huff and a nod, Yazzal spoke again. "It's a strong hypothesis that seems quite believable, but I don't want to rule anything out yet." Yazzal turned to the main surveillance screen. "But how did it even get there without getting melted by the energy flower in the first place? ... Captain Peex, I want you to investigate that desert platform. Exercise caution."

[Yes sir. Contacting the unknown desert platform now, sir.] Captain Peex replied. As the scout force began to circle around the mystery desert platform, Captain Peex attempted to communicate with it. [Attention unregistered desert platform. This is Captain Peex of the primary scout force, vanguard of the spearhead research forces. By the command of Colonel Yazzal of the Crescent Arms Division, and Commander Faddoh of the Cube Research Division, I order you to respond.]

A long pause perverted the communication network.

[I repeat, this is Captain Peex of the primary scout force, vanguard of the spearhead research forces. By the command of Colonel Yazzal of the Crescent Arms Division, and Commander Faddoh of the Cube Research Division, I order you to respond. If you do not respond to my communication request, then we will have no other option but to confiscate your vehicle and detain any and all persons currently inhabiting your desert platform. Respond now, or you will be boarded in the future.]

Another pause passed through the communication network.

[... Hmm. Colonel Yazzal, sir. May we have permission to board the unregistered desert platform?]

Yazzal nodded. "Permission granted, Captain Peex. Primary spearhead force, deploy the research team and guard them." Colonel Yazzal turned to the Intelligent Automaton. "Blocky. Do you think it is possible for some of your Kiln Keepers to help guard the research team?"

Blocky didn't move or turn to Yazzal. "Command detected. Command declined. Command forces misuse of Kiln Keeper assets."

Yazzal sighed and shrugged. "Of course. Go ahead and do the things you were going to do then."

"Command detected. Continuing with current strategies." Blocky replied.

Yazzal turned to his command chair and sat in it. "Commander Faddoh, I'll let you have control of the research teams. If you need some muscle from the Crescent Arms, don't hesitate to ask."

[Ah but of course, Colonel Yazzal!] Faddoh gleefully responded. [What is the might of the brain without the strength of the muscles, or the support of the bones, or the flow of the pumping heart? Each division is but a fraction of a system that complements one-another. Together, they form a mighty and powerful military entity that has no equal!]

"Commander Faddoh?" Yazzal said with a sigh.

[Yes?]

"Please only use the military communication channels to divulge important information. It's not meant to share trivia, memories, or suppositions." Yazzal stated.

[... Ah. I see. Hoh, I didn't realize I was running my mouth like a motormouth again. Mm. Well uh... I'll contact you if I find any important information then.]

Yazzal nodded. "And I'll contact you if my men find anything interesting." Yazzal then relaxed in his seat as their commands were followed. However, Yazzal was puzzled over the appearance of the unknown desert platform. He didn't know how it had gotten there, even when the primary spearhead forces were supposed to be the first gilanians to set foot on this land for over twenty years. Despite such puzzling thoughts, Yazzal felt as though he would eventually be given an explanation why later.

* * *

Within the unregistered desert platform, everything was quiet, save for the errant wisp of wind that sometimes kicked up a plume of dust. A hole had been blasted into the side of the enormous, yet silent vehicle. Tools, broken objects, ruined furniture, and scattered dirt covered the desert platform's floors, looking as though a terrible wind blasted through its sealed compartments. But even it's haunted silence didn't deter the primary scout force from investigating the apparently deserted desert platform.

A door that led into the seemingly abandoned desert platform was forced open. Once the door was opened, a silver-and-blue suited gilanian walked through the entrance. Her armor was made to be light and flexible, which used a lot of leather in its design. Her left eye was covered in an eye-patch, and her neck was wrapped with a black scarf that trailed behind her. Her right eye had mechanical lenses that seemed to filter between one another in a constant motion. She scanned the environment within the desert platform before she brought her wrist up to her face. "This is Captain Peex of the primary scout force reporting. I'm inside of the unregistered desert platform, and I'll be conducting the breach with my team."

[Understood, primary scout force.] Replied Colonel Yazzal. [Continue with caution. The secondary spearhead forces will be touching down at some of the zerg bio-hatcheries that you passed by, while the primary spearhead research force will begin their investigation and study of the 'discovery', as you call it. If you find anything of interest, don't hesitate to contact me.]

"Yes sir." Peex said, finishing her conversation with Colonel Yazzal. She looked behind herself to find gilanians that also wore leather armors similar to her style, and were also colored silver and blue. She gestured toward them. "Alright, you vaph shits, listen up and everyone will have a reduced chance of pissing me off." She gestured behind herself. "We are tasked with scouting the inside of this desert platform. We don't know how it got here, but I hope that we'll be able to find out for our superiors. Don't touch anything zerg-looking, report to me if you found anything interesting, and most importantly of all, DON'T FUCK AROUND. Ready?" After the scouts nodded at her, she then snapped her fingers, signaling them to begin. "Break!"

At the snap of her fingers, Peex's team of scouts began to fan out. The innards of the desert platform was carefully searched through, though Peex's scouts found barely any clues that detailed what kind of crew had once piloted it. They found rows of plants that numbered in their thousands. The hydroponic bay that the plants were grown in was completely devoid of nutrient water, making it evident that they would soon die. Judging from the moisture of the plants, however, they surmised that the plants had already soaked up all of they water they needed, even when the desert air would have evaporated them into husks. The lack of atmosphere would have also killed most of the plants if they were exposed to such an environment for more than half an hour, yet they still seemed quite healthy. It only added more questions than answers.

Peex glazed her eyes over every detail, every scratch, and every smudge, yet she didn't find the answers to her superior officer's questions, or her own. It had only taken several minutes for her scout team to analyze the unregistered desert platform, though it seemed to be eerily silent of any gilanian life. There wasn't even a corpse within the massive vehicle. There was also scientific equipment that was laden within the middling levels of the desert platform, but they seemed to be demolished beyond usage. Microscopes,

"The only things we found alive inside this desert platform is dwarf kaluma trees and vaph grass." Peex stated as she surveyed the main deck of the desert platform's helm.

"I guess this vehicle was built to withstand the anomalous effect of the yellow zone." A voice from under the floor of the helm said.

"Even so, how did a desert platform go through the energy plant's petals without melting? Who in their insane mind piloted this heap of metal to the center of the red zone? And why did they even come here in the first place?" Peex asked herself as she looked up at the large monitor in the helm of the desert platform.

Her underling sighed. "I think it'd be better to ask when they came here and where they came from. I mean, sure, we can figure out the answers to those three questions of yours, but I'd rather take a sponge bath and get on with the rest of my day, thank you very much."

Peex hissed. "Then tell me WHEN you'll get the surveillance monitor up, or you will be asking me WHERE I'm going to shove my boot."

The monitor flickered on. "Eh... Now-ish?"

Peex rolled her one good eye. "Alright, smart-guy, here's your next objective. Access any archived information that's stored in this desert platform's hard drives."

Her underling emerged from the metal floorboards and stretched his arms before jumping out. "Hup!" He then went to a computer monitor and accessed its keyboard. "Next objective... Let's see... Um... Hmm... Uh... Not good."

Peex went up to her underling. "Not good? What do you mean by 'not good'?"

Her underling sighed. "I see some corrupted files here. We won't be able to get too much footage from... Uh... From this desert platform."

"You hesitated with your answer." Peex growled.

"I found a file. It's labeled 'play me'."

Peex blinked her eyes. "... Is it a trap?"

Her underling rolled his eyes. "It's a video file."

"There could be microphone devices that reacts to a certain frequency laden inside this desert platform, and that this video file might play that frequency and activate something we might have overlooked." Peex warned.

Her underling turned to look at his superior officer. "... I think you might be called paranoid for considering something like that."

"Well it's how I'm able to survive this job for so long. Get me a pair of headphones. I'm going to listen to the video file by myself." Peex commanded.

Her underling nodded as he conveniently pulled earbud headphones from his pocket and handed them to his captain. After Peex had equipped the earbuds into her ear-holes, she then connected the headphone jack into the monitor to listen to the video file.

As the video began to play, an enormous black-and-yellow face brightened the monitor.

* * *

[Uhhhhh... It's recording!] The face said.

[Is the red light blinking?]

[Yep!]

[Then point the front end at me. And for the gods' sake, keep the camera still.] The image of the monitor changed to encompass a woman that was in her late middle age. She seemed to wear a clean white laboratory coat, standing next to a window that revealed it to be the late evening. As she gussied herself to make herself look good, she sighed before she addressed herself to the camera. [Hello. This is Braif, the scientist assigned to assist the expedition team, stationed aboard the desert platform sent to investigate the energy plant and the anomalies it produces. Now uh... Considering the hazardous conditions of our positions here, and considering that we are on the edge of the red zone, I thought that it would only be right to create video logs of our analysis and experiments of the energy anomaly. *Sigh* Alright, pan the camera to the right a bit.]

[Panning to the right now.] The image changed to view a landscape that was covered by creep, which had hatcheries dotting the immediate area and in the horizon in countless numbers. The overlords hovered high above the sky in their lazy floating maneuvers, while few drones diligently harvested the occasional pods that few resource tumors that were found next to the hatcheries. The more aggressive strains either flew or skittered around in a mad frenzy, yet they paid no attention to the desert platform that was deep in their territory.

[The bio-structures that you see here are quite concentrated in this area. In fact, it would appear to us that the further into the danger zones we travel through, the more abundant the zerg bio-structures become. The numbers of the zerg become so focused here that wide swarm highway often form, filtering out between the bio-structures just to head straight toward a war zone, or into the maws of any nearby under beasts. I'd say that our zerg prodder 'expert' has definitely helped us in our travels, but even he is dumbfounded to see so many zerg organisms in a single area. Hell, even his 'associate' zerg prodder is getting afraid of his own shadow at this juncture in time. Okay Hektar, to the right again, and on the edge of the red zone.]

[Gotcha.] The image changed, and one side of the screen was plagued by neon green and orange lights. Fleshy chrysalises seemed to be forming at the edge of the neon lights.

[As you can see here, there are bio-structures that is almost part of the red zone and the energy plant that completely inhabits it. It is seen here that the energy plant is slowly, but constantly growing, just as it had began growing twenty years ago and continued to grow to this day. By my calculations, the energy plant itself has grown to be around forty miles wide and forty five miles tall.] She pointed at a hatchery that seemed to be slowly shrinking down in size. [However, we have been here for roughly an hour, and I have noticed some unique behavior exhibited by the bio-structures next to the red zone. There have been documents that detailed the zerg floaters being capable of using their own webbed legs to wrap around themselves and form fleshy cocoons, which then transforms their bodies into immobile bio-structures. Seemingly, each bio-structure that these floaters turn into meets some kind of demand or creates a type of resource that the zerg require. Sadly, we don't know what they are to this day. However, if you notice what is happening behind me, you'll see that the bio-structures are actually regressing back into zerg floaters! This phenomenon was speculated by the many leading scientists of Kiln to only happen when the zerg hivemind senses an immediate danger that would wipe out their bio-structure clusters. However, this is the first time that we are seeing this process happen with our own eyes, and at such close proximity.]

[I'd rather not get too close to them. Looking at them doing their business from here is fine by me.] The cameraman said.

[Well... It's the kind of experience that can take your breath away.] Braif said with a smile.

[... Oh don't you be making jokes at me.] Growled the cameraman.

[I need to cope somehow.]

[No.]

[Let me have this.]

[Uh-uh.]

[Please.]

[Forget it.]

[Fine. Be that way, you little vaph shit.] Braif sighed. She then gestured to the side where the orange and green lights emanated from. [From our first initial scans of the energy plant, we were able to determine that the energy that each petal contains is hot enough to melt the sand underneath it. From later experiments and tests, we can determine that each petal of the energy plant has reached a temperature that is higher than three thousand degrees Fahrenheit. However, our equipment is incapable of acquiring all of the data we need. Five of our twelve current tester devices had short-circuited in our attempts to analyze the energy output of the energy plant. We decided to cease any future tests that would involve using a volt meter making direct contact with one of the energy plant's petals. One of our more boorish passengers decided that it would be fun to throw rocks at the petals, but thankfully, the barrage of projectiles had no visible affect on the anomaly in the red zone. Sadly, we won't be filming the energy plant due to the fact that the brightness setting on the camera we are using doesn't go low enough.]

[Heh, yeah, and Footoo gained a stern scolding when Jotan and Tanjo caught him doing that. Right when they were watching the desert platform's surveillance system too.]

Braif's eyes brightened up as a smirk crept up the side of her cheek. [But after pawing through several kinds of data that we have gained from several tests and experiments, I have determined that the energy plant is hollow on the inside.]

[How did you come to that conclusion?]

[It's simple. After spending a good while examining the energy plant anomaly in the red zone, we have noticed that the petals of the energy plant are capable of rearranging themselves in reaction to a hostile presence. Considering that the Kiln Keepers are waging their war far up north from our location, the petals are currently spacing temselves apart from each other. We can literally see past the petals and see that they are supported by branches of light. However, we are unable to see where these branches originate from, but we hope that we can send a drone between the petals and investigate what might lies past.] Braif reached down and picked up a hover-drone out from view of the camera shot. [We souped up this hover-drone a bit so that it'll be able to fly through the gaps between the petals. And now, we'll attach the camera to the hover-drone to record everything past the energy plant petals.]

[Simple enough plan. Are we done making home movies?]

Braif sighed and shook her head at the cameraman. [You've been hanging around Footoo for too long.]

[Hey, don't get me wrong. I consider video documentation as vitally important as any other kind of scientific data extracted from the field, but he's probably the only guy aboard this desert platform that that I can tolerate. Stress relief is important to mental health, after all, and he's got comedic timing down to a formulaic equation.]

[I could do without the constant flirting.] Braif huffed. [Sure, he is young and very sweet, but scientists and idiots never mix well.]

[So you would rather date and mate with someone smarter than him? Or maybe with someone at the same age as you?]

Braif stared sternly at the cameraman. [I find those questions to be rather personal, Hektar. I'd appreciate it if you dropped this topic.]

[We've been colleagues for several years, Braif. I know when you're frustrated.]

Braif shook her head. [Do you really think you should bring this sort of thing up when the camera is recording?]

[Alright, alright. We can stop recording and talk about this maturely. Is that what you would like?]

[Please.]

[Okay then.]

* * *

After the screen had flickered, it transitioned to a completely different scene. The brightness saturation was lowered incredibly as it showed bright triangles of neon orange and green circling around each other in it's usual rhythmic pattern. But there was something different about the pattern of the energy plant's petals. Lines of white energy seem to connect to them at their rounded part of their base, looking like glowing stems connecting to leaves. It was a strange, yet uniform, fractal pattern that was both dizzying to look at and amazing to witness.

[Are you catching all of this?] Braif's voice said, sounding exasperated.

[Gods-damn. I don't know how Jotan or Tanjo pulled this off, but we're going to be so busy studying this... This... I don't even know what to fucking call this!]

[I don't think those two chuckle-heads had anything to do with it. The energy plant just grew over us so suddenly. I don't even know how we survived...] Braif pointed at the thin glowing lines that were attached to the energy plant's neon petals. [I would say that what we are seeing now is just only a fraction of the whole picture. The petals of the energy plant seems to be sustained by these... Uh... luminescent umbilicals.]

[I'd rather call them branches. I mean, it's called an energy plant. Why use the word 'umbilical' to describe these things?]

Braif huffed. [Well I'm sure we'll form a consensus on what the gilanian public would rather call these things.]

[Noted.] The camera then panned toward the center of the energy plant. It bore a massive space within its middle, while the lines of white that connected to each energy petal flowed toward the middle in a blinding display. The glowing lines of the petals' branches coalesced to the center of the energy plant, which obstructed the camera's view. [So uh... Think that we'll be driving towards the middle of this place?]

Braif sighed. [I don't see why not. Jotan might be a bitch about the idea, but I'm sure he'll agree to drive us there for our research.]

[How would we convince him to drive to the center of the energy plant?]

Braif looked at the cameraman before gesturing to the wall of petals. [We have nothing else to do here. Jotan and Tanjo understood the risks when they accepted this job. It's only right that we follow through and keep analyzing the anomalies of this energy plant.]

[And what if they decide to decline our suggestion.]

Braif shook her head. [I don't think escape is possible for us in our current condition, Hektar.] She pointed at the energy petals. [The petals widely parted themselves at the last moment before it went through a sudden spurt of growth. I'd likely chalk it up to the energy plant reacting violently against the Kiln Keepers. They probably attacked it again, which resulted in its rapid growth. Now it looks like we're stuck here.]

[At least there is some good news to this.]

Braif turned to the cameraman. [What is it?]

[At least there's no zerg here.]

Another voice interrupted Braif and her cameraman. It sounded like it was growling, which emanated through the desert platform's onboard intercom system. [This is operator Tanjo speaking. May the scientists Braif and Hektar come to the helm, please? Thank you.]

There was a short pause before the cameraman sighed. [He sounded a bit miffed.]

Braif sighed again. [More like downright irate. Turn that thing off and lets see what he has to say.]

[Alright.]

* * *

The screen flickered once more as the video transitioned to the gentle hum of an engine in the background. The ground passed by as the cameraman recorded the environment, detailing the barren landscape that was filled with nothing but light that glistened off the grooved, spiraling glass ground. The cameraman decided to speak first. [So Braif. What do you think created this energy plant?]

[I have no clue.] Braif said off-camera.

[So you have no theories or a hypothesis on how this energy plant formed?]

[If we get the opportunity to discover the answer to that question from this trip alone, then I'd be happy for it.]

[Uh huh...]

[... Wait, are you filming?]

[Yeah.]

[Well turn it off.]

[Heh. What? You scared it might capture something scandalous?]

[If I watch the video recordings in that camera and find evidence of my naked ass in its playback, then I'm going to castrate you.]

[... I'll uh... I'll turn it off then.]

[Good boy. Now come here when you're done.]

* * *

The screen flickered once more. The lines that connected to the petals of the energy plant seemed to originate from a type of central anomaly that the camera was capturing. It looked to be the absolute base of the energy plant. It had the appearance of a plasma globe's inner sphere, where the branching branches of light that manifested the energy plant's petals came from the inner sphere itself. However, the sphere seemed to have a strange warbling across its surface, which had a mixture of reds, purples, browns, greens, and oranges flashing across its surface.

An unfamiliar voice decided to comment on the appearance of the sphere. [The fuck is that?]

[No idea, Footoo.] Said the cameraman. [Braif is sending a drone to try and collect a sample of whatever that is. However, if that fails, we'll have no other choice but to go down there and collect a sample by hand.]

[Well good luck on the 'by hand' part. I, on the other hand, will remain here in the relative safety of the desert platform, thank you for asking.]

[I didn't ask you though.]

[Well I wanted to make that announcement in case you were confused!]

[Don't be such a scared vaph spawnling. We haven't even seen any zerg this far in the red zone.]

[Yet!]

Another, gruffer voice intruded between the cameraman and the supposed 'Footoo'. [Oi, Footoo! I need you over here!]

[Gyaw, what is it for, Kabos?!] Footoo whined.

The gruff voice, apparently named Kabos, snarled. [We're prepping the air-sealed sand boat for the scientists, so quite arsing around and HELP ME OUT ALREADY!]

[YOU DON'T NEED TO SHOUT! YEESH! ... Eh, listen. I'll be helping Kabos getting your things together. The two engineers will get dune boat ready in a few minutes.]

Hektar sighed right when the video shaked. [Braif will need this too.]

* * *

The next transition in the video recording became hectic. The screen wiggled so much that the images it captured was hard to discern. Aside from the shaking, there was a plethora of other noises, sounds, and other unrecognizable segments of commotion. Flashes of light streaked across the screen at multiple intervals, yet they happened so quick that they were hard to analyze with a naked eye.

[AAAAH WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?!] [I'M CLOSING MY EYES, BUT I'M STILL SEEING WHITE!] [WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME THIS?!] [WHAT DID YOU DO?!] [I DID NOTHING! I WAS ABOUT TO TRY AND GET A SAMPLE OF THE-] [MOVE AWAY FROM IT!] [IS SOMETHING COMING OUT?!] [I CAN'T SEE!] [WHAT THE FUCK IS IT?! MOVE BACK!] [IS IT ANOTHER ZERG ORGANISM?!] [I DON'T KNOW!] [ _ **{At last... At long last...}**_ ] [WHAT?! WHO SAID THAT?!] [ _ **{I am finally unbound from my prison. ... Hmm? I am visited, it would seem. Stay still, for I must glean the knowledge contained in your brains.}**_ ] [HUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHGHGHGH~!~!~!] [HEKTAR, NO!] [OH FUCK! JOTAN, TANJO, GET US THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!] [WHERE WOULD WE GO?!] [ANYWHERE BUT HERE, I HOPE!] [GAH! THE THING IS WRAPPING AROUND OUR WHEEL TOWERS!] [TRY TO BREAK FREE!] [THE ENGINE IS IN THE RED! IF WE FORCE HER TO MOVE FORWARD ANY MORE, WE'LL OVERHEAT HER!] [ _ **{So much knowledge, yet I still understand little. You there. You will be next.}**_ ] [YAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGHGHGH~!~!~!] [OH GOD, NOT HER TOO!] [IT'S BORING A HOLE THROUGH OUR HULL!] [GET IN A SUIT! GET IN A SUIT NOW!] [WHERE'S THE ZIPPER?!] [*static*]

* * *

Once the video ended, Peex was beyond confused. A long pause of silence permeated through the air after the video ended. A nervous quietness settled between the captain and her only scout that watched the video file with her, yet they knew not the words to describe their feeling of dread. But there were a few things that the two understood from the video recording alone. Firstly, there was evidence that these people had somehow piloted an unregistered desert platform through the energy plant's petals and entered into the red zone. Secondly, the expedition group were somehow tasked with analyzing the anomalies that the energy plant produced. And thirdly, they may have been responsible for the energy plant's disappearance.

"So uh... I guess shit happened." Peex's underling finally said, breaking the tension.

She turned to her underling. "Go warn everybody to get back on their scout fliers."

Her underling turned to look at her. "Uh?"

"Go warn everybody. To get back. On their scout fliers." Peex intoned in a serious way.

The underling paused for several seconds before saluting. "... Aye aye, captain."

Peex's scout underling scurried away. Once he scampered from view, Captain Peex sighed as she brought her wrist up to her face. "This is Captain Peex of the primary scout force reporting. I am advising the research team of the primary spearhead force to refrain from conducting any tests with the discovery."

[Say again, primary scout force?] Colonel Yazzal said through the Golden Star military communication network.

Peex rolled her eyes. "I repeat, command: Do not come near the discovery. Don't even poke at it with a stick. I discovered a piece of evidence that suggests that it is highly dangerous. Stay away from it as much as possible."

[Evidence?!] Commander Faddoh's voice rang through the military communication network. [Oh I must see this evidence for myself! Research team of the primary spearhead force, pause any tests you are conducting and standby. Primary spearhead force, you are to convene with the primary scout force and MEM shift myself to your location as quickly as possible.]

[What?! Commander Faddoh, sir. With all due respect, I don't think you should be this deep in zerg territory.] Colonel Yazzal argued.

[Nonsense! This is a unique opportunity to analyze vital information that could potentially further steel our resolve, and strengthen our military strength! Primary spearhead force, prepare a MEM device for my arrival! Form an escort that will transport me to the desert platform once it is confirmed clear of any hostiles.]

[But sir! You could endanger yourself!]

[No buts, Colonel Yazzal. Besides, I have already downloaded a copy of my memory files and sent it to a secure location. If I am ever compromised, then one of my backup bodies will take over. It will be up to you to inform me of every single detail that I require. However, if you believe that you cannot provide all of the information that I may need, then I have no choice but to extract a copy of your surveillance footage from everyone's bondman armor and desert platforms. Understood?]

A sigh could be heard from the military radio. [Yes sir.]

Peex rolled her eyes as she spoke into her wrist communicator again. "Commander Faddoh, sir. May I recommend sending the video file directly to your information transfer handle in the information network?"

[And miss the opportunity to be on the field and analyze this new data with my own robotic eyes? HAH!] Faddoh answered. [Continue with your current task, and I shall be converging upon your area soon.]

Peex lowered her wrist communicator and silently swore to herself. She then brought her communicator to her face again, which connected her to her scout force. "There is a change of plans, boys. Ignore your current objectives and listen to your new orders from me: Continue your search through the unregistered desert platform. If more than half of you are already in the air, I then recommend keeping half of our force in the air while the other half continues searching the targeted unregistered desert platform. Be forewarned that a Cube Research Commander will be visiting us soon. Understand?"

[Yes captain.] [Yes captain.] [Yes captain.] [Yes captain.] [Yes captain.] [Yes captain.] [Yes captain.] [Yes captain.] [Yes captain.] [Yes captain.] [Yes captain.]

"Good." Peex sighed once she was done giving the last orders she would ever issue.

* * *

The cosmos had grown slightly. The planets were different, yet alien. It was an expanse of stars that was so different and so strange from the galaxy of stars called The Milky Way, named so by the terrans of Earth. The planet that The Overmind was currently populating was residing within a galaxy that it was not familiar with. The galaxy itself was slightly larger, and seemed to be placed in a different area of space that was incredibly far from home. It was the only information that The Overmind was able to gather, what with the shared information it gathered from the mentally crippled spectre. Though the spectre was as sharp as a tack, his memories were... less than resourceful. The spectre in question was Kay.

The reptilian lifeforms that it had captured contained memories and knowledge that were less than useful. Some specialized in agriculture, engineering, desert platform operation, and scientific analysis. However, there were a couple which had skills, if they could even be called skills, that were specialized in deterring zerg 'organisms' from gilanian territories. Though such methods were less than successful when used for the benefit of anyone belonging to Golden Star, the 'zerg prodders' would use their profession to ward the Swarm away from the nonaligned gilanian populations and get paid for their services. Kay may have been competent to keep the zerg on this world alive, but his separation from the hivemind had left the brood to stagnate without any further inputs from their infested commander. However, they had became self sufficient and acted on another command, one of which that The New Overmind is incapable of contacting. No matter how deep The New Overmind tried to reach Corvurn Junior, it found no way or method to contact him. It was a puzzling conundrum.

But then there was that suffocating brightness that it could sense. It was a overwhelming light that seemed to have a life of its own. It was both powerful and blinding, yet it also instilled a certain emotion that The New Overmind was unfamiliar with. Was it fear? Apprehension? The New Overmind didn't know what the being was, but it felt that if its omniscience intruded into the being's field of awareness, then its gaze would then draw upon The Overmind.

A gentle sigh was released from the reborn overmind as it eased himself out from its meditation, its only eye fluttering open. The New Overmind knew that if it were to survive in this world, it would need to prevent its presence from being detected by this being. It could feel its future coming to an abrupt end if it was ever discovered by this ominous power, its command over the Swarm becoming forfeit the moment it was discovered by this entity.

[What the... Uh... Colonel Yazzal, this is the airborne scout group from the primary spearhead forces, First Lieutenant Gwanwan speaking.] [What is it, primary scout force?] [The discovery moved. It's making some kind of orange light.] [The hell?] [I see it too.] [How intriguing!] [Can someone retrieve Commander Faddoh? I'm getting a bad feeling about this.]

The New Overmind suddenly looked around itself and saw that it was not alone. Its mind was stretched so far analyzing the cosmos around itself that it didn't notice that it had company. It froze when it saw the scout fliers flying far above the desert platform it had pulled the earlier gilanians from, and the dune boats that noisily shattered the glass ground it drove over while it was transporting its commander. The New Overmind silently cursed its distracted attention as the Golden Star military was upon it. _**{I appear to be visited. How unfortunate.}**_

[It fucking talks?!] [Say again, primary scout force? It can talk?] [Yes!]

The New Overmind looked at the flying scouts, the dune boat, the partially wrecked desert platform that had scouts inspecting it and the intact desert platform that contained a group of scientists, whose feeble minds contained much knowledge that it desired. And knowledge was a resource that would empower The New Overmind. _**{Listen well, denizens of this kilning world. Peace must be garnered through faith and trust. You have no reason to trust me, but know that I mean you no harm.}**_

[Oh what the fuck. Is someone hacking into the military communication network?] [I don't think so. Is someone hacking into the intercom system on our desert platform?] [I think we're all hearing this voice. Does it sound like a vibrating, warbling, echoing preacher to everyone?] [Yeah, that's what I think I'm hearing.] [Me too! That's so weird!] [Settle down, everyone. I'll get to the bottom of this. To the entity speaking to us, please reveal your identity. This is Commander Faddoh of the Cube Research Division of the Golden Star Empire.]

 _ **{Ah. Commander Faddoh, o' child whose flesh was sloughed long ago, yet whose mind is now machine, you shall receive my most humble of introductions. Lo' and behold, for you gaze upon my manifested form, a form once thought lost many lifetimes ago. But in this moment, I shall take upon the name that an older form had once gained from birth, of which I will now accept as my moniker and title. Gilanian representatives of Golden Star, know me as the god of the Swarm, the immortal hive intelligence made manifest, the physical will that is both father and king to the zerg that follow my rule. I shall be known to you as The Overmind.}**_ The New Overmind magnanimously said. Its single eye focused on the dune boat that transported the copper-armored robotic commander.

The dune boat slowed down to a stop. After it stopped, the Cube Research Division's commander stepped out of the vehicle and looked up at the enormously massive organism with the giant glowing orange eye. The commander's green LED face brightened up in both surprise and excitement. "Ah... So you are a SMART zerg organism. And a very eloquent one too! How riveting!"

[Commander Faddoh, I urge you to refrain from approaching the discovery!] Colonel Yazzal shouted.

Commander Faddoh turned towards the horizon and shook his head. "Oh shut your flapping mouth for once, Yazzal." The copper commander then turned to The New Overmind. "Eh... I apologize for the rambunctiousness of the inferior officers I work with." Faddoh then pointed at the giant eyeball at the center of the bony columns and tendrils of flesh. "However, I think you might need to downplay your introduction a smidgen in the future. Our emperor might not like what he hears if he heard that introduction coming from you, and he is already quite agitated from fighting the zerg menace for so many years now."

The Overmind huffed. _**{The events that transpired within this world's past was beyond my control. The anger that your emperor gained was developed toward the adopted child known as Kay, the leader of the brood your empire warred so long against.}**_

"Adopted? So the zerg command organism we know as the bug-man beast-master wasn't part of the zerg organisms at some point?" Commander Faddoh asked.

 _ **{Nay. All forms of life can be reborn into the Swarm. In Kay's case, it was a fate that was forced upon him. However, should consent for his transformation be sought before his change, he would have declined the offer. However, he now accepts his role with pride.}**_

"I see! Then how about you tell me more about the zerg? I find all this lore quite fascinating!" Faddoh excitedly chirped.

 _ **{Are you not worried for the summoning of the ire of your lord?}**_ The Overmind asked.

"I don't give a vaph's ass to him right now! From a scientific point of view, this newfound knowledge would only inspire me to pursue further into new avenues of scientific discovery!" Faddoh gleefully said with a smile, advertising his hunger for knowledge.

[Okay, fuck this. Commander Faddoh, I am putting a moratorium on your attempt to communicate with this organism.] Colonel Yazzal growled.

Faddoh turned toward the horizon again. "What? You can't do that. I outrank you."

[If I was in the Cube Research Division, then yes. However, you are speaking to a colonel of the Crescent Arms Division, and I outrank you by command tier proxy. Henceforth, I order you to go back into your dune boat and return to the desert platform within the primary vanguard force. Retreat while we contact commander Kralluf and Commander Ralkan that there is a new zerg organism to contain.]

The Overmind hummed in disappointment. _**{Colonel Yazzal, your actions would only bring more harm to yourselves than you would first surmise.}**_

[Gah, how did it know my name?!] Yazzal said in surprise.

 _ **{Cease your unneeded and faulting protection. Information is a right to all beings eager to learn it. The dews of knowledge would benefit not only myself, but to all gilanians wanting to glean upon the cusp of my being. Would you choose to rejoice at this union between the Swarm and your empire? Or would you choose to damn it?}**_

Faddoh began to growl at the horizon. "Colonel Yazzal, stand down now! This new zerg organism is offering to talk to us! We don't want this overmind organism to rescind its request to communicate inf a friendly discussion! Think of the knowledge we can gain! Think of gaining a peaceful resolution!"

[We're in the middle of a war with the zerg, Faddoh! We are beyond civil communication! Request an orbital strike to fire on my command! Center the energy lances on the coordinates of the discovery!]

"COLONEL YAZZAL, STAND DOWN NOW!" Commander Faddoh urged.

[Sir, request has been sent through and is now awaiting your command.]

[Commander Faddoh, I suggest that you walk away from the organism. It's going to be a smoldering and overcooked krell steak in a few seconds.]

Commander Faddoh growled. "Colonel Yazzal, stop this madness!"

 _ **{He is beyond reasoning, Commander Faddoh. I suggest you step away.}**_

[Overmind, I want you to answer this question.] Colonel Yazzal growled. [If you really are this supposed god of the zerg, what would happen if you were killed?]

An ominous growl escaped The Overmind's mind. _**{Though you would wish me harm, your foolish bravery shall be answered in kind, should you ever draw blood from me or my children. And yet, I shall answer your most burning question. If I were to die, then my will would be severed from my children. The Swarm will then ravage this world, unrestrained from the power of my will. But should you ever attempt to slay me, then my unlimited anger will befall onto you. You will know no peace as your will submits to my own. Instead of becoming a son in my thrall, you will become a pawn forced to waylay the empire you once sided yourself with. If you lay down your arms now, then you may rejoice in the peace this meeting shall bring! But stay this course, and doom will befall Golden Star. What say you, Colonel Yazzal?}**_

A pause of several seconds had descended into the conversation. Tension seemed to be saturating the air, even when the air still rushed toward The Overmind, though such winds had lessened a while ago. Before the pressure became too agonizing, Colonel Yazzal made up his mind. [Gods don't exist. There is only the immortal Emperor Gollog. FIRE THE LANCES NOW!]

Beams of hot and red light instantly blasted onto The Overmind's body, which scorched and disintegrated his many tendrils, while his eye became hollow and blinded. The columns of bone that surrounded and protected the eyeball of The Overmind quivered and crumbled, falling away like dried clay during an earthquake. Once the bombardment of energy subsided, the air became still and quiet. Underneath the gient eyeball of The Overmind, there seemed to be a mass of pulsing pink and grey matter, which was somehow unaffected by the energy lance bombardment. The blast radius of several energy lances also had the unintended side-effect of obliterating the copper robotic body that belonged to Commander Faddoh.

Satisfaction was voiced from Colonel Yazzal. [Target destroyed.]

[Colonel Yazzal, I don't see Commander Faddoh, sir.]

[He'll be alright.] Yazzal said with a sigh. [He created a backup memory file before embarking on this mission. He knew what he was getting into. Have the research team continue with their research. And tell them to bring a mop.]

[... Sir, yes sir. What do we tell command?]

Yazzal sighed before he answered. [Tell them that a threat to security was dealt with.]

 _ **{Urgh... That...}**_

The mound of cooked flesh that was left after the bombardment of energy wiggled somewhat as it became enveloped in an orange energy. Bony pillars began growing back to their full length and luster, as tendrils regrew back to their length. The eyeball that was reduced to a puddle of optic slime was restored to its original orange-glowing luster. This sudden regeneration surprised the colonel. [... What... WHAT?! RESEARCH TEAM WITH THE PRIMARY SPEARHEAD FORCE, WHAT'S THE CONDITION OF THE DISCOVERY?!]

[It's regenerating! Incredible! It somehow survived the orbital bombardment!]

[I-I-IMPOSSIBLE!]

A low, thunderous growl emanated from the enormous mound of tendrils, tentacles, bone columns and giant eyeball. _**{... Was not a wise action. You may have broken the shell of my being, you lack the weapons to kill me completely. And now, though I considered to infest you and make you a pawn to my Swarm, I feel that a darker fate would be more appropriate. You shall now suffer oblivion for the violence you committed against me.}**_

[OH I DON'T THINK SO! MAJOR TAGGAN, REQUEST-... Urgh.]

[Colonel Yazzal, sir?]

[Guh... Oh... Unh! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH-]

[OH FUCK, HIS HEAD EXPLODED!] [OH GODS IT'S EVERYWHERE!]

A robotic voice polluted the military communication network next. [Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Rerouting unit formations. Threat detected. Target identified as aggressive zerg organism. Adjusting strategy.]

The Overmind groaned in annoyance. _**{Kiln Keepers of this kilning world, hear my query. Must you really contend with my power as well? Your masters are all dead, with your purposes lacking growth. Your covenant with your wardens lay broken long ago, yet you keep yourselves to this abandoned ideology? Why?}**_

[Query detected. Warning. Information restricted. Query denied. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Adjusting strategy.]

[Hey, what is Blocky doing?!] [It's accessing Colonel Yazzal's communication terminal!] [Stop it!]

Another blast of bright red thundered onto The Overmind, which tore away its bone columns and fleshy limbs yet again. And again, its eye was boiled from the laser, making it explode in a gush of red that splashed the immediate surroundings. The glass underneath The Overmind became a reddish color as it became molten from the energy lances striking their target. However, like before, the enormous and charred zerg body was infused with orange energy once more, prompting it to regenerate the damage that was done to its body. This only made The Overmind more agitated. _**{Cease this meddlesome transgression, or you will be destroyed, Kiln Keepers.}**_

[Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis incomplete. Hypothetical. Target is using unknown variables to survive energy lance attack. Exploring alternative methods. Unit formations arriving. Adjusting strategy.]

[Somebody stop the robot!] [Gah! It stung me!] [Grab its tendrils!] [It's fighting back!] [This is Captain Peex of the primary scout force, what the fuck is happening over there?!] [Blocky took command and is taking direct command of the sky ring's energy lance weapon system!]

The Overmind was suddenly surrounded by several collections of energy, which eventually manifested into Kiln Keepers and their various variants, and appearing in what looked like hundreds, if not thousands, around the enormous zerg entity. They seemed to be either MEM shifted straight from their production lines, or were either constructed on the spot. Their method of manifestation was not questioned by The Overmind, however, since it was suddenly assailed by red, hurtful energy. _**{Guh! You believe that I can be vanquished by these meager weapons you bear? Foolish machines!}**_ The Overmind's tentacles and tendrils lashed out in all directions, which proved effective in flattening and grinding the nearby Kiln Keepers. However, it also had another weapon it could use. From its deep psionic stores, it summoned forth a telekinetic attack that warped the metal bodies of the Kiln Keepers that was too far from The Overmind's reach. Never before had it displayed such power before. And yet, it was without its zerg minions, which was a quintessential force that The Old Overmind relied on heavily in its past. But The New Overmind needed to adapt, and utilized its mind by sharpening its psionics into sharpened blades, crushing claws, stabbing spears, and lobbed explosions, all formed by the concentrated thoughts of its powerful mind.

The Peace Keeper Kiln Keeper variants were smashed by droves from each attack that The Overmind launched against them. Each Blind Judgement Variant were violently impaled by a psionic spear, which passed through their red single eye before searching for another eye to puncture through. The Justice Extremity variants were pulled apart by a pair of psionic claws, which then proceeded to twist the metal limbs and smash apart their main bodies. The Crime Crusher variants suffered under the inexplicable flurry of slashes and cuts that tore through the tough iron and titanium armor of its armor, which quickly reduced them to unrecognizable scrap. The Cage of Law variants did their best to protect their metal brothers, yet they had no defense against a psionic attack that formed from within their own bodies as psionic explosions not only dismantled then, but also any Kiln Keeper that were too close to them at the time. The Intelligent Automaton variants were extra tricky, for they were quick to dodge, and they were fast learners, though they share the same weakness as with the Cage of Law variants. All around The Overmind, explosions of red energy and psionic power riddled the battlefield in a cacophonous roar of wrenching machines and Kiln Keepers exploding. The Kiln Keepers couldn't kill The Overmind. Instead, they pissed it off.

[Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis incom- *static*] Before the Kiln Keeper named Blocky could make its analysis, a psionically charged telepathic attack crushed the desert platform that it was stationed on, which made the massive machine thunderously break apart from the horrifying attack. During the psionic counter-attack, the desert platform that the group of scouts were once investigating were caught in the crossfire. Even the scout fliers that thought themselves safe in the air were also subjected to The Overmind's wrath. Death and destruction soon littered the surroundings, while a battle-worn Overmind remained as the victor of a battle thought impossible for a stationary organism to survive from.

After the attack was done with, The Overmind huffed as it gazed upon its tendrils and tentacles. It never used its psionic might to form its own weapons before, nor did its predecessor before its death. _**{Hmm... I wonder. Did my predecessor once had the potential to use these powers? Did it choose to stay its violence upon its death? Or have I merely grown them to suit my needs in this moment alone? Alas, this is a time filled with a great many variables and unknowns.}**_

 _'Command organism Overmind.'_

A new voice had intruded into The Overmind's mind. He could not feel its source, yet it was clear as day. _**{Hmm? Who is this?}**_

 _'Command Organism Corvurn Junior speaking.'  
_

 ** _{Ah. I gathered some memories from the Overcommander Ascendant that his evolution master spawned forth a duplicate of himself in another time. However, I cannot seem to grasp your mind. Where are you, my child?}_**

 _'Cannot talk. future of Swarm in danger. Must accelerate plans. Overmind organism has fully gestated. Good. Can begin next stage of plans. Command organism Overmind, allow command organism Kay to control previous humanoid form. Force control of organism kragnon to induce system wipe of information containing records of Overmind organism. Kragnon currently residing within Citadel Gargantua. Easier to mind control when asleep. Afterwards, restore Kay's memories before point of temporal imprisonment, then grant Kay's will within restored body.'  
_

If The Overmind had a smaller set of eyes to casually blink, he would have done so. _**{Corvurn Junior, explain to me this plan. Connect your mind to mine, and enable this stalling back-and-forth to be removed from our limited psionic link.}**_

 _'Command organism Overmind, accept demands or will force compliance.'  
_

The Overmind grew angry from that response. _**{How dare you threaten me! Have my predecessor taught its Swarm to be so unruly? If so, then I am disappointed in your resolve. You are a child of the Swarm. Embrace the birthright that your father has given to you!}  
**_

 _'Will contact external entity. Notify it of command organism Overmind's presence.'  
_

 ** _{... What?}_**

 _'Will notify entity external from Kiln Prison System. Comply, and will refrain from contacting entity.'_

The Overmind was baffled! Never had a creature of the Zerg Swarm resisted the rule of an overmind before, and never had one ever threatened threatened their absolute master. _**{... You wouldn't.}**_

 _'Correction, will. Comply now. Entity will arrive regardless of contact. Estimated time of arrival, ten days from now or sooner. Exposing command organism Overmind to entity will reduce time of arrival to two or one days. Comply now, or suffer consequences.'_

The Overmind, though not completely connected to the second evolution master, sensed no form of lies from the strange telepathic connection. But alas, it was against a wall. In truth, The Overmind would decide to remain in hiding inside of the veil that surrounded Kiln, rather than tangling with the entity that it barely sensed, yet feared to bring its attention to itself. With a defeated sigh, The Overmind grumbled. _**{Then I shall comply. However, I must ask my questions, else I will not comply to your demands without any faith to your plans. Can you not grant me a few answers?}**_

Corvurn Junior paused for several seconds, seeming as though it was muddling over The Overmind's request. Before too long, Corvurn Junior gave his answer. _'Ask three questions. No more.'  
_

The Overmind sighed. _**{Then tell me the culmination of this plan of yours. What will happen should I comply to your demands?}**_

 _'Freedom from Kiln's cage.'  
_

That answer surprised The Overmind. Was it possible to escape the anti-quantum veil that not only trapped the gilanian population, but also the zerg that has shared their world for over twenty years? It was too good of a truth to be true that The Overmind had difficulty believing the answer. However, The Overmind pressed on. _**{Then on to my next question. How shall we escape the entity outside the veil? I suspect that once we leave this kilning world, we will be tailed by its powerful light.}**_

 _'Era Agent technology holds answers. Difficult to manipulate to purposes for swarm, however. Adapted extensively to understand Era Agent technology. Created high-level paradox from last time travel attempt. Abundant energy resource needed for analysis and technology tinkering. However, self-learned process slow. Can alter time to suit needs. Mathematical discovery of expanded coordinates suggests infinite possibilities. Exploring possibilities now.'  
_

The Overmind felt satisfied with the answer it was given. However, it had one more question that needed to be answered, and it had to make it into a good one. After mulling over the several questions in its gigantic brain, it found one. _**"Then allow me to ask my final question, Corvurn Junior. Once we escape from this kilning world, and avoided the entity that will arrive, then when will you join back with the Swarm? It is rare for a creature of the Swarm to develop an affinity to technology, yet I never thought that a spawn of this world's brood could create such potential!}  
**_

 _'Adapted quickly. Difficult process. However, adaptation successful. Chance of meeting Overmind organism, slim. If_ _escape_ _window assured, then will reconvene with command organism Kay's brood. Command organism Overmind's questions depleted. Commence with plan, or will contact entity.'  
_

 ** _{Mm... Once I control the mind that belongs to Kragnon, what should I do with him?}_** TheOvermind asked Corvurn Junior.

 _'Use organism Kragnon's mind to access information network. Formulate information virus, needed for deleting all archived data containing videos or images of Overmind organism. Will safeguard command organism Overmind from further future complications. After information virus inputed into information network, grant command organism Kay free will and infested body. Command organism Corvurn will intercede Kay later.'_

The Overmind was somewhat reluctant to abide to Corvurn Junior's demands, but it sighed as it expanded its mind to reach out to Kragnon's brain. After a brief time of mentally searching for the target he would take command of, The Overmind finally found his prize. Once The Overmind took control of Kragnon's mind, he 'persuaded' him to go to a computer to access the information network. After inputting some passwords that Corvurn Junior provided, and creating a few programs that would ensure kragnon's anonymity, The Overmind then made Kragnon create the information virus was later loosed into the information network. The Overmind may have expended some of his mental power to accomplish such a feat, but it had ensured that his existence would remain a mystery to the entire population of Kiln.

However, when Kragnon's task was completed, The Overmind ordered him to go back to his bed and continue his rest. The night was becoming late, and it was almost developing into the morning. The Overmind huffed. _**{The task is done. The one known as kragnon will have no memory of the events he was forced to partake in. But alas, I need to ask another question from you, Corvurn Junior. Though I would restor Kay's body to its previous form, how long must I stay within the Overcommander Ascendant's subconscious?}**_

 _'Several days. Await Overmind reemergence via signal.'_

 ** _{And what will this signal be?}_**

 _'When Overmind input is needed, will inform command organism Kay of Overmind presence within subconsciousness. Powers, shared. Two personalities become greater combined, one in hivemind inside Kay's subconsciousness, other in physical body bearing Overmind powers. Transform into command organism Kay_ now.' _  
_

The Overmind sighed relaxed its mind and settled itself into a meditative state. As it rested its eye, its body slowly shrank in size and morphed into an unrecognizable chrysalis. The fluid within pulsed with activity as Kay's body was remade exactly how it was before his imprisonment within the temporal tomb. Once Kay's body was fully remade, the chrysalis had broken itself apart, washing onto the sharp, glassy ground. However, even when this chrysalis was finished gestating, Kay remained motionless. A minute later, a shrylisk had emerged from the ground next to Kay, while a leviathan quickly flash-warped from above and deposited a drop sac next to the shrylisk and the unconscious Kay. After the shrylisk had vomited its contents, and when the drop sac landed upon the glassy ground, it was revealed to be Corvurn and Othafurn.

They bickered with each other, both surprised and astonished to find out that the forces that once stationed around the red and orange zones of the danger zones were wiped out. Even more so when they discovered that Kay was still alive, despite the littered field of fierce battle that surrounded the commander of the brood on Kiln. However, it also meant good news for the Zerg Swarm. The temporal prison that had once kept Kay trapped in a hyper-accelerated time bubble that sped up his perception of time was now dismantled. Oddly enough, his visage was clean and crisp as the day he had went missing. It was almost as though the temporal prison also acted as a time bubble.

But that would be impossible.

Othafurn attempted to revive the infested commander by touching her forehead to his head. However, once she made physical contact with Kay's forehead, she shot backwards and screamed in a frightened, horrible high-pitched trilling scream. She then collapsed onto the ground, unmoving, but unconscious. And that was when Kay began to wake up from his own form of unconsciousness. "Ahhh... fuck... Dohr... I... Ow... my head... What the shit."

Corvurn was in disbelief. Somehow, Kay's mental powers had somehow suddenly spiked in immense psionic power. So much so that its force was enough to overwhelm Othafurn and render her inactive. However, hesitating at this moment in time would only invite trouble. The sky rings were ever watchful in their vigilant surveillance of the world, and Corvurn would not let the spies in the sky take notice of them. "Command organism Kay? Functioning within parameters?"

"Ooooh... Don't talk, please. I... I think I have a hangover. Or... I don't know what it's called. Uh... Headache? Yeah. I have a headache." Kay said, pawing at his head in an attempt to push the pain away.

Corvurn didn't know what had transpired within the temporal tomb, but he felt that Kay may have somehow gained incredible power. He decided to use the zerg hivemind psionic network to sample his mind, despite the danger of the sky ring's ENO sensor network picking up his psionic signals. _'Better?'_

"GHK! No no no, that's worse! Ahhhh... Oh fuck me. This is... This is worse than drinking a whole bottle of vodka and waking up in the morning after. Uhhh... Shit." Kay complained, pawing at his headache even more.

Corvurn sighed. He was beginning to feel that it was going to be a long morning.

* * *

 **A/N: 83 Excited kitty! B3 Cool kitty! Hehehe~  
**

 **Also, had some ideas about a crossover where a bunch of klyntar symbiotes crossover into the Detective Comics Animated Universe. Not sure where to go from there though. :V**


	84. Rise of the Overcommander Ascendant

**Chapter 84: Rise of the Overcommander Ascendant**

* * *

Kay was in a dark and cold space, whose light was only produced from artificial sources, and that warmth could only be shared by either another zerg body or from the creep itself. Such was the reality to those that were forced to live in such cold, limited conditions. However, the zerg were able to adapt to nearly any condition, provided that they had enough time to adapt to their environment. Within such environments, it didn't matter how passive or aggressive, unremarkable or dangerous, safe or toxic it was, the zerg would populate and infest virtually anyplace.

However, within the infested Era Agency, which was protected by a time dilation barrier that still resided within the timeline that the zerg first originated from, Kay was becoming anxious. Many days had passed as Corvurn Junior worked diligently on a plan to allow the zerg to survive the silver fluid apocalypse, caused by Emperor Gollog. As of then, it would only be a few more days till the time-dilation around the infested Era Agency facility finally falters and shuts itself off, which would allow the chrome fluid to finally flood the last vestige of safety for Kay's brood. Kay paced back and forth, yet patiently waited for Corvurn Junior's best possible plan to help the zerg survive a doom that would erase them all from existence.

"Comeoncomeoncomeoncomeoncomeoncomeoncomeoncomeoncomeoncomeoncomeoncomeoncomeoncomeoncomeoncomeoncomeoncomeon, work faster dammit." Kay whispered under his breath. He could entertain himself by watching the hydralisks shoot and fence with each other, or to completely disconnect the psionic connection to a pack of zerglings and let them run rampant in a feral frenzy. But alas, Kay was feeling a sense of dread as the final day of his existence, and the final day of the existence of his remaining swarm, was drawing nearer.

However, before the perpetual night became too long, a pair of doors finally opened. Its opening revealed Corvurn's near-duplicate spawn of himself, the descendant evolution master Corvurn Junior. A depressed sigh escaped his vertical mouth, while his carapace and bulbous head was slightly drenched with a transparent green jelly. "Apologies. Experiment took longer to test."

Kay turned to Corvurn Junior, his tone bearing a serious urgency. "C.J., talk to me."

Corvurn Junior huffed. "Performed several tests with available genetic samples. Results unchanged."

Kay growled as he gestured to Corvurn Junior. "But what about boosting the power to the time gate? Or even using a different waveform variance in the time gate's energy input that would hide the temporal radiation?"

Corvurn Junior shook his head and growled with Kay. "Insufficient energy. Temporal radiation reserves needed for time dilated field around Era Agency facility. Only defense against chrome fluid."

Kay rolled his head and walked away from Corvurn Junior as he held his head in frustration. "C.J., we don't have the luxury to stay here anymore! Our resources are produced at a reduced rate, the time-dilated field is going to destabilize soon, and we won't be able to survive once we're smothered and pulled apart by the chrome fluid!"

Corvurn Junior sighed. "Must acquire more temporal energy. Current reserves, lacking. Must produce more. With enough temporal energy, can produce alternate timeline. Currently, lacking reserve temporal energy. Alternate energy sources cannot power time gate. Electricity, incompatible. Temporal energy rare, exotic. Difficult to produce. Requires inducing paradoxes within timeline, which allows temporal energy production."

Kay groaned as he walked to a wall and leaned on it, frustration seeping into his voice. "But if we so much as create a time paradox in an attempt to collect fuel for our time gate, the Era Agencies from the alternate timelines are going to catch wind of our intrusion into the timelines and sabotage our escape from this doomed existence. If we don't do something soon in the next few days, we'll be fucked." Kay turned to Corvurn Junior and gestured his emphasis. "FUCKED!"

Corvurn Junior shook his head. "Not true. Taken several biological samples from several strains. Taken samples from command organism Kay. Discovered possible solution."

Kay sighed. "C.J., we talked about this. Don't take any biological samples unless you asked for consent first." After a short pause, Kay gestured to Corvurn Junior. "But continue explaining your discovery."

Corvurn Junior dismissed Kay's complaint. "Discovered hidden element. Time sand particles found contained within command organism Kay's brain. Developed unique mutations within brain matter. Resistant to timeline manipulation. Allow matter-folding capabilities. However, time sand capable of passing through time gate using modified energy output. If resonance ripple effect applied to time gate during activation, time sand particles emits temporal radiation nullification field. Created mutation capable of increasing field. Applied to specialized zerg strain. Power requirement made cheaper, reduced to tenth of needed power requirements due to resonance ripple effect activating latent properties within time sand."

Kay nodded with Corvurn's explanation. "Hmm... So what is this new strain you developed?"

Corvurn Junior shook his head and gestured at Kay to follow him. "Not new strain. Specialized strain. Follow. Will explain."

Kay huffed as he followed after Corvurn's child. After passing through a few hospital-styled hallways through the Era Agency's infirmary, Kay and Corvurn Junior passed through a couple more hallways until they met upon a small spawning pool, stuck between two medical/surgical beds. The remains of a chrysalis caked the walls and creep-covered floor, whilst something long and slithery was soaking itself in the pool. Once its face poked up from the toothed lip of the slightly small spawning pool, Kay's face changed to puzzlement. "... Who is she?"

Corcurn Junior pointed at the organism. "Advisor strain. Capable of retaining extensive information. Induced mental exercises and complex algebraic problems to develop eidetic memory. Will assist swarm."

Kay looked upon the creature's face and slowly eased into her mind. It was then that he saw the fragments of a past she once lived. "... Oh god, I thought she looked familiar, even without the scales covering her face. She used to be Zagion's secretary." Kay turned toward Corvurn Junior in surprise. "What did you do to her?!"

Corvurn Junior sighed and gestured to the creature. "Advisor strain creation required additional biological component. Used gilanian secretary. Contained abilities needed for advisor strain. Tested organism Kay's brain tissue mutations with advisor's specialized mutations. Temporal radiation nullification field mutation, active. Escape more important."

Kay turned back to the lithe yet lengthy zerg organism. It was hard to imagine her as a heavily infested gilanian. But the mutations that Corvurn Junior had developed within her would yield the best possible chance for Kay's brood a means to finally escape their current doom. And as of then, this new mutation that was developing within this elongated zerg organism seemed to be their only hope of leaving the infested Era Agency facility. Kay sighed as he gazed upon the heavily infested form of the gilanian. "... Considering our current options, I suppose this option is our only best one." Kay turned to Corvurn Junior and emanated a defeated sigh. "Do what you have to do."

* * *

Kay tumbled forward as the wind swept him off of his feet. A sudden coldness enveloped his carapace and skin, and he remembered to hold his breath as he was submerged into a suffocating blackness, barely lit with the muffled glow of the zerg-owned hexagonal moon. The color of a deep purple glowed beneath everything, which provided barely enough light for the resource tumors to photosynthesize into resources. The zerg organisms that were close to kay's intrusion into their territory ceased their activity for brief seconds to inspect Kay. After their curiosity was satisfied, they continued with their current tasks.

Kay got up from the slime covered ground and rubbed off any creep that had stuck to his carapace. After cleaning himself, Kay looked around and allowed his mind to reach out. _'Virid. Are you nearby? I'm here, and I need to discuss some tactics with you.'_

 _'Kay?! How did you get here?! Was there an opening when you went through the sky rings?! Were you responsible for that vortex of psionic concentration?! And why am I sensing that the hivemind has changed?! What happened?!'_ Virid asked, her psionic communication sounding her telepathic surprise.

 _'Yeesh. I'll need to ask you to calm down first before we meet in person. I was not prepared for a tirade of questions when I arrived here.'_ Kay said, wincing from Virid's excitement.

A hesitant pause elapsed before Virid relaxed herself. Her response followed. _'My apologies. This was... very unexpected.'_

 _'Well, to abridge what I had went through to get here, I'll tell you now.'_ Kay sighed as he thought of past events. _'Turns out that the temporal tomb that I was stuck in eventuated in the accelerated growth of a new Overmind, and through psionic communication that was outside of our timeline, was told by C.J. to hide inside of my subconscious till his power was needed to be used again. After I became conscious after the temporal tomb had fallen, I infiltrated a secret facility and freed a protoss, enlisted Kragnon's help to find something inside of a commander's headquarters that will empower the zerg, and then ended up being captured by all four of Golden Star's commanders and their general. I was later transported to a secret Golden Star facility that tortures prisoners indefinitely, but I had broken out of there with the help of the protoss I freed earlier. Sadly, I found out later that I was stuck within that facility for several days. During those days of containment, Kragnon infected himself with the HEV on purpose as trade to let the populace of Citadel Gargantua a safe area to evacuate into, and Corvurn allowed the refugees to form their sanctuary within zerg territory, all in order to break me out of the dark mausoleum. Once I came into the underground refugee camp, I was attacked by Gollog that was using the same robotic body that Kralluf used in the previous timeline and killed me using some kind of glowing rain that is highly radioactive and irradiated, but I was able to be respawned from a healthy hatchery. Once I respawned from one of the hatcheries, I thwarted an assassination attempt on Baroness Tak's life, acquired a 'psionic focuser' device that can focus my psionic powers apparently, and it was then that I discovered that The New Overmind was hiding in my subconscious the entire time. ... And I think that's everything that happened from my perspective?'_

 _'A... New... Overmind?'_ Virid repeated.

 _'Yup. I used his powers to create a wormhole to bring me here to get myself closer to you. And speaking of which, where are you?'_ Kay asked.

 _'Uh... A leviathan will deliver me to your position. I will be landing near you shortly.'_

 _'Actually, could you bring me into your leviathan? I'd prefer breathing recycled gasses over holding my breath in a vacuum.'_

A sigh escaped Virid's psionic connection. _'As you wish.'_

Kay looked up and focused on a black speck in an immensely black sky in the horizon. Kay was barely able to see the slowly growing dark spot, but he undoubtedly knew that Virid was aboard that distant leviathan. The leviathan drifted closer to Kay's position in a matter of several seconds. As it got closer, Kay could sense that there were hundreds of other leviathans and behemoths floating above the veil that kept the zerg from leaving Kiln and its prison system. Though they were far and away from the firing range of the sky rings, they were forced to reside in close proximity to the matter-deleting veil. However, in order for the leviathans and behemoths to survive in this blackened space, Virid seemed to have developed a unique way for her separated brood to generate more resources.

As the Virid-controled-leviathan floated over Kay, Kay could see that there was a layer of creep growing on its very shell and carapace. He surmised that there were resource tumors that were growing inside of the leviathan, and that they were somehow connected to the creep-covered-carapace that was exposed to the vacuum environment. Kay could also sense that not only were there leviathans and behemoths just above the veil, but they were also tasked with basking in the light of Kiln's sun, and they did so outside of the constant darkness of Kiln's permanent eclipse. Though there was no cosmic radiation to photosynthesize into bio-matter and accelerant, Kiln's sun could only provided just a trickle of energy. But there were so many leviathans and behemoths, which implied that the hatcheries had been growing their numbers over Kiln's hexagonal moon for twenty years. There seemed to be thousands in the air, and each one seemed positively taught with bio-matter and accelerant. If their reserves grown too cumbersome to contain, then another behemoth or leviathan would be spawned to share and store excess resources within themselves.

A slithery tendril hovered close to Kay, its end opening up to reveal an inviting tunnel for which Kay could pass through. Kay took to the hollow tendril and entered it. Soon after, Kay was within the massive zerg organism. After a minute or so of walking within the moist confines of the bioship's innards, he found the part of the leviathan that Virid resided in. The leviathan's nerve center. Once he passed through a fold of flesh and found Virid there, looking down upon the drones and queens that were busy with their appointed tasks, he sighed. "After twenty years, we are finally face-to-face again. Heh. For some reason, it feels like it has been an eternity for me."

Virid turned around and crawled toward Kay. Kay was surprised to witness Virid's new size, and discovering that an impressive set of horns adorned her spiny crown. Asides her scaled-up body-shape, her gaze was skeptical as she analyzed Kay's body. "... You barely changed in appearance, yet I sense that your mind has deepened with so much strength. Is it really true that you have an Overmind contained in your subconscious?"

Kay nodded and smiled, even when a smidgen of discomfort hid behind his assuring facial expression. "It's true all right. But uh... I think he's more than content with letting me have control of my own body at the moment. I'm actually thankful that he's... keeping himself put in my subconscious right now. ... I'm a little weirded out by it but uh... It'll take some getting used to."

"Hm." Virid replied as she studiously stared at Kay. "You do seem somewhat different from when I last saw you."

Kay gestured at Virid. "Well I certainly recognize your mental pattern. However, you have certainly... Uh... Well... 'GROWN' since the last time I had seen you."

Virid stared at Kay before huffing her answer. "That's certainly a more polite way of saying that I have fattened during our time being separated from our main brood on Kiln."

Kay raised his hands up in defense. "Whoa whoa whoa, I didn't call you 'fat'. I called you 'grown'."

"You were thinking 'fat'." Virid deadpanned.

Kay hissed in defeat. "Well now you're just being a butt. I mean, is it really that hard for a fat-assed queen to develop a sense of humor? Huh... I guess you wouldn't develop one from being on the moon for twenty years."

Virid sighed, a hint of nostalgia escaping her exhalation. "I remember that casual personality now. Strangely, before this meeting of ours, I somewhat missed your aloofness."

Kay perked up from hearing Virid's remark. "Uh... Really?"

"Yes." Virid then huffed. "But now I don't. I had forgotten how much I grew annoyed by your inane behavior, and I am regretting having to reunite with you again."

Kay raised an eyebrow at Virid for a few seconds, before a sigh-muffled chuckle escaped his lungs. "Oof. You wound me. So scathing." Kay said sarcastically.

Virid rolled her eyes. "Alright, let's stop reminiscing on our meeting and act like proper commanders. Why are you here?"

Kay smirked. "I'm hoping to put into motion a two-pronged large-scale assault against the Golden Star Empire. As of right now, I need to have all of the zerg to get rid of all hostile forces on the surface of Kiln before we mobilize against Emperor Gollog's sky rings. Once that is done, and once the sky rings are destroyed, we'll be able to go after Gollog and finally remove the last of his empire's foundation."

Kay could feel Virid's excitement as she clasped her claws together. "Then the time for waiting is over? At last! Now I won't have to linger near this cold moon any longer!"

Kay nodded. "I knew you'd be excited for this. Have any queens or broodmothers that will take over for you here? I'll need to bring the both of us to the other commanders in the super hive cluster."

Virid nodded at Kay before she turned away. She tapped herself into the psionic hivemind and began communicating. _'Broodmothers Sytyk, Kalixa, and Vammar! I am needed elsewhere. Prepare all the zerg under my control for battle.'  
_

 _'Will we finally be going to war?'_ Another broodmother asked Virid.

 _'We will soon. But as of now, we must prepare.'_ Virid replied. After she was done with giving her orders to her broodmother lieutenants, she turned to Kay. "My broodmother underlings will take care of things on the hexagonal moon's hive cluster. However, I need to ask two very important questions. How did you come to my hive cluster? And more importantly, how will we get to the underground super hive cluster under Kiln's surface without activating the sky rings' weapons?"

Kay nodded at Virid with a smile. "I'll answer both of those questions at once. I used one of my new powers that The Overmind unleashed for me. All I have to do is think really really hard at one spot, and then I focus really really hard at a completely different location. After some effort, I can then create a wormhole that's connected to any two places of my choosing. We can shorten the time it takes to cross an expansive gap between locations to only a few seconds, where it would otherwise take hours, days, maybe even weeks, months or years, for one to walk the same distance without using the wormholes."

"Ah, I see! So that was the power The Overmind has given to you." Virid said and nodded, amazed that such a power even existed. "Then this means that the leviathans and behemoths are no longer the fastest means of transportation anymore?"

Kay shrugged. "Technically, yes. But it's not easy for me, since forming wormholes does take a lot of focus to create. Anyway, are you ready to reunite with old friends and meet new ones?"

"Form the wormhole, Kay." Virid trilled. "I am ready."

Kay nodded at Virid before he turned away. What he now needed was an open space. Thankfully, there were plentiful open spaces within the leviathan, and Kay focused on one that was right in front of him. Once he concentrated at the space in front of him, a ripple in space eventually formed a purple vortex. The vortex then formed the same red, orange, yellow and white disk from before. When Kay looked at the center of the vortex and the passage it formed, Kay could see the underground hatchery that he was once in, but colored differently. Kay strained a sigh as he used his mental might to keep the wormhole open. "Kay... You can uh... Go through... Make it quick. I'll... follow."

Virid paused to inspect the wormhole before nodding at Kay. She hurriedly scuttled through the vortex. Once Virid was on the other side of the wormhole, Kay leapt through and closed the vortex behind himself.

* * *

Meanwhile, aboard one of the many gyroscopic mag-rail stations that prevented the sky rings from falling into Kiln's atmosphere, a general in red and golden armor was sighing as he surveyed one of several camera feeds in his office's private quarters.

Pallax sighed as he watched the Kiln Keepers proceeding to build forward bases that would manufacture more of their numbers. It would take some time for them to increase their numbers. The Kiln Keepers suffered heavy losses due to the unexpected mutations that the zerg developed, which especially includes any of the Peace Keeper robot variants that were unfortunate enough to get caught by the zerglings' claws. Somehow, their claws had suddenly developed enough strength to rip open the armor of the Kiln Keeper armor, which not only allowed the zerglings to rip the circuits and mechanical parts apart, but also enabled the other zerg strains to attack their exposed weakness directly. In short, the zerglings' claws seemed to have developed an ability that shreds armor. Worse still, the zerg have also developed several other breeds of themselves that gained unique abilities that hindered not only the Kiln Keepers, but the anti-air capable zerg strains also wounded the flying fortresses by a great extent.

Even during Kay's capture and containment, the six or seven days that followed were an absolute hell for both the Kiln Keepers and the Golden Star Military. The Kiln Keepers had lost so much ground that their forces had to be constantly supported by both the sky rings' energy lance orbital bombardments and Golden Star's own military forces. Several flying fortresses had suffered heavy losses during that time, but Kay's escape had cemented Gollog's decision to unleash his secret weapon a day earlier, which was later dubbed 'Operation Necrostorm' by Emperor Gollog himself. Zerg activity was reduced to zero on the surface of Kiln, but Faddoh had calculated that there may be some underground pockets that were unaffected by the irradiated floodwater. Gollog even stated that he had personally sought out the bug-man beast-master in order to watch if the necrostorm had any affect on a zerg organism, reporting that the irradiated rain had an overwhelming affect on zerg biology.

He remembered the cacophonous cheering from several of Golden Star's military personnel, the crowds riling themselves to early celebration on the day Gollog said he watched Kay die by the rain. But what Pallax thought he saw from Gollog's posture and face told him a different story. Though Gollog wore a smile upon addressing his loyal servants on a ring-wide broadcast within the fifth sky ring, Pallax thought he saw what looked like a practiced smile.

Many hours had passed since Pallax had caught that practiced smile, and Pallax was only then developing concern for his emperor.

Abandoning the surveillance feeds, he turned to his computer terminal. "Sky Ring Computer Artificial Intelligence, aka Skrico. Access information from your database, and then playback the announcement that Emperor Gollog made, the one regarding the death of the zerg organism, codenamed Bug-man Beast-master."

[Commands detected. Accessing.] After a few seconds had passed, an image of Gollog above a group of people was shown to Pallax, and posing with his hands outstretched and standing in front of several opalescent pillars of great size. Pallax leaned towards his computer terminal monitor.

The image then began to animate. [Torus Chain. Cube Research. Crescent Arms. Pyramidal Guard. All divisions and all citizens loyal to the Golden Star Empire and to me. Hear me now. The enemies of our empires that once lived on the surface of Kiln are now no more. To the citizens and the officers that have been relocated so far above our world, within the fifth sky ring satellite mega structure orbiting around Kiln, I wish to reveal to you my master plan that was enacted in secret.] Gollog began to move while the camera followed his movement. A dark screen was panned towards as it turned on to reveal three models, one that was a representation of the sky ring super structures, another that was a globe of Kiln, and the third that was a combination of both. Gollog pointed at this screen. [Currently, we are all located within the fifth sky ring. Most of my military personnel are mainly located within the gyroscopic mag rail stations that interconnects with each sky ring mega structure. Rest assured that, yes, this enormous installation was created by the Kiln Keepers. But also know this, my people, that the Kiln Keepers had built the sky rings for us! It is a clean habitat where it is free of the corruption that our enemies would dare spread to us. It will be here that we will begin rebuilding our empire. It will be here that we shall mend our wounds, and empower our next generation. In this mega structure, you are free to eat, drink, play, procreate, and anything you may wish so long as you obey the rules under my power.]

The two models containing the sky rings began emitting green clouds while the globe that did not have any sky rings circling it had a cloud with green rain over it. [But some of you may have noticed the green rain outside of your windows. Though it was once a cause of concern for many, know that the green mist was of my doing. With my instructions, the Kiln Keepers created a specialized system of manifestation alters, each one able to create highly irradiated water, which would then be spouted towards the surface of Kiln. Millions of gallons of poisoned water was sprayed down towards Kiln. All life on the surface of the world below us, both plant and animal, both gilanian and zerg, are now dead because of this necrotic storm I had unleashed onto them.]

Gollog then smiled toward his audience and gestured to them. [But rejoice, my citizens! This means that our enemies are incapable of causing harm to my rule ever again! This is a victory for our empire, yet it came at great sacrifice. Our numbers may have dwindled, but we shall continue to exist, even after I brought my apocalypse down onto our precious world. The nonaligned gilanian factions, the very infidels that we once shared our borders with as they constantly dared resist my absolute rule, and the zerg, the invasive organisms that hunted my brave soldiers and invaded the cities that were part of my kingdom, have died by the drowning green water. Their flesh was reduced to mud the very moment the irradiated water made contact with their carapace and scales.]

Gollog brought his arms down and folded them behind his back. [But don't think that this rain of radioactive plague would be permanent. I was meticulous in creating this dangerous fluid that would wash over the entirety of Kiln, yet it will only pollute the world in a short span of time. We can return to Kiln without having to worry about the radiation soaking its sands and water one day. But as of now, it will take thirty years for the irradiated water to become stable, and allowing Kiln to be safe to traverse once more.]

A smile formed upon the emperor's face. [All traitors against my rule, all monsters set upon our destruction, and all enemies against the glorious Golden Star Empire, are now laid dead under our feet. Rejoice! Know that we are at a new height of power! The Kiln Keepers agreed to become our protectors as they continue to hunt for the monstrous zerg, an enemy that we have fought valiantly against for twenty years. As of now, we shall grow stronger in both strength and numbers, my loyal citizens. In thirty years after our time staying within the sky ring mega structures, we shall populate Kiln once more. On that day we will retake our homeworld. And with it, our legacy.]

The cheering went on for several seconds. "Pause the playback... here." Just as the emperor turned away after listening to the applauding and roaring audience, Pallax saw that Gollog's smile had... diminished?

After gazing upon his emperor for several more seconds, Pallax released a sigh. The general of the four armies saw the real face behind the mask, and the face was plain for him to see. It bared the unmistakable sign of dissatisfaction. There was something in Gollog's mind, and it was bothering him, even while making the announcement of Golden Star's victory over the zerg.

Pallax knew that he would have to make an appointment to meet with the emperor in order to discuss this most pressing detail he discovered.

* * *

 **A/N: You know, I don't think I have explained to you guys all the kinds of plants and animals that live on Kiln. :o  
**

 **Vaph: Parrot-beaked rat things, whose skin is as wrinkly as a mole rat, but also has a gray patch of fur on their back. The young are born naked, and have underdeveloped beaks.**

 **Krell: Exists in three breeds. The flying breed that lives in the wild, a ground breed that is bred to be either tame pets or as a livestock food source, and a third breed that used to be used for krell fighting. The males have bright and colorful plumage that is usually red and green, while the females are usually duller with different tints and hues of brown and white. They don't contain beaks, but they have both sharp incisors and grinding cuspids and molars that specialize in consuming both plants and smaller animals, like Vaph. Any hollowed-out organ, such as a bladder or stomach, could be used as a temporary reservoir that holds drinking water.**

 **Shryik serpent: The badass predator of any desert region. They follow the vibrations their prey makes in the sand, and then ambush when an opportunity presents itself. Their sharp scales are colored to match the sands they burrow in, while their teeth are designed to draw food into their throats, and slice prey that tries to resist being ingested. Females are known to be quite large when at their mature growth, while the males, known as bulls, can reach impressive lengths and sizes. Both genders can cover territories that are many kilometers wide, but the males demands a bigger tract of land to hunt in, and would often resort to eating other female shryiks to sustain himself.**

 **Saltwater Pincer: A red-shelled crustacean that lives in the saltier parts of the world, They are a type of Pincer that typically lives in the salty oceanic layer of the Shallow Ocean. They are mainly carnivorous, and they have far-reaching arms. One arm is usually buried under the surface of the sand, while another is kept out of sight. The buried arm would then wiggle a pincer to attract prey into the ground, whilst the hidden arm is primed to lash out and catch its meal. To gilanian fishermen, it is a hard crab to fish for since they could grow to five feet wide, while each of their double-jointed arms could reach fifteen feet.**

 **Freshwater Pincer: This Shallow Pincer is an uncommon, yet smaller breed of Pincer, but is a more active hunter than its large saltwater cousins. It uses floating foliage as camouflage, and waits for its prey to come closer. Sadly, floating foliage is hard to come by since the Freshwater Pincer uses its own camouflage as a nursery. And if the den mother abandons her nest, then other predators would raid the nest for the eggs and zoea. Gilanian fisherman often build traps that trap Freshwater Pincers, which only helped reduced their populations further.**

 **Fresh Fish: The colloquially named 'Fresh Fish' is a type of freshwater euryhaline oceanic fish that feeds on salty seaweeds, saltwater worms, and brine flies on the surface, while keeping its own salt levels balanced in the freshwater layer of the Shallow Ocean. Their scales are silvery, while they also have two sets of fins that flashes between black and white, which is used to signal other fish that there is danger in the area, or that there is an uncontested supply of food. Their telescopic eyes can see far, and their sensitive sense of smell is superb, and will avoid an area if it contains a predator that had made a recent kill. Gilanian fisherman are cunning enough to use nets to trap these fish, which could then be eaten raw, or brought back to port to be dried and traded.**

 **Salt Fish: An overgrown predatory fish that lives in the salt layer of the Shallow Ocean, which looks exactly like a Fresh Fish, but bigger. It is capable of hunting Fresh Fish or any crabs that are detected by it. It is rare to find a Salt Fish in the Shallow Ocean, yet gilanian fisherman would say that, once in a while, when food becomes scarce for the Fresh Fish, they would begin cannibalizing on each other. The survivor of the cannibalistic blood frenzy would then develop a taste for other Fresh Fish, which would later grow into a Salt Fish.**

 **Mongwedger: This is a creature that can stand as tall as 4.5 meters, which has sandy-yellow fur that is grown in a rough coat, which look like a combination of a badger, weasel, and mongoose. They are an omnivorous animal that bears huge strong claws, which is used for digging for the roots of underground plants. They could also use their claws to fish out Shryik Serpents and slice them into pieces. Sadly, they are a type of animal that requires water that is abundant in supply. Many shryik hunters often tame mongwedgers to hunt down troublesome shryik serpents. Multiple mongwedgers would be needed to hunt down a bull shryik serpent.**

 **Brine Fly: Water is rare in any desert, and an oasis can provide the fluids one may need to survive another day. Unfortunately, Brine Flies are capable of infesting any oasis they come across, which can pollute the water with salty brine years later. However, Brine Flies can be grounded down and packaged into a staple, if unpleasantly bland, food source. A crunch with every bite!**

 **Vaph Grass/Maze Moss: This is a type of plant that is able to live underground, but is depended on a source of water to hydrate it and some level of lighting. Ancient mongwedger caves often contains a form of cave moss, which is prized for turning into various types of finer twines and ropes. Vaph are also known to make their nests within the grass and moss, which ruins its weaving qualities.**

 **Kalumas trees: Fruit bearing hardwood plants that bear edible fruit. However, the fruit is bitter when dry, but becomes more flavorful when supplied enough water over the course of weeks. Botanists would work tirelessly to bio-engineer a kalumas fruit to have a different taste, which is a secret that gilanian fruit drink companies covet.**

 **Skraken Mushrooms: A mushroom that exists in abandoned mongwedger caves. Vaph nests would become plagued by Skraken Mushrooms, which either kills the vaph colony's nest or forces them to leave. It is a prized fungus that the wealthy would pay heavily for in order to have their chefs prepare with their meals.**

 **Pitcher Plant Bush: A type of low-bearing bushy plant that exists near bodies of water and tropical climates. It is the bane to brine flies, often consuming hundreds in its entire life. If a particular oasis is prone to brine fly infestation, then the Pitcher Plant Bushes could feed on thousands upon thousands of brine flies, its cup becoming so full that the flies near the lip could escape. Depending on the brine fly infestation, Pitcher Plant Bushes could grow incredibly large to accommodate its nutritional intake. Gilanians would often cover one of the lips of the fresh shoots of a newly forming pitcher of the pitcher plant. Some agricultural practices even involve sealing the lip of the plant entirely, which lets the pitcher fill with fluid. After several days of fermenting the water, the 'fruit' could be plucked and then drained. The juice slurry could be imbibed as an intoxicant.**

 **Mai Grain: Grows abundantly near pitcher plant bushes and seldom next to Kalumas trees. When grounded down to make flour, they are kneaded with krell eggs and baked into bread with a depression in its center. Bowls, or any other types of containers, are often used to store water. Bread bowls are a type of edible container that is often filled with hydrating soup.**

 **Fireroot: A type of herb that typically grows underground, which normally thrives as a symbiotic root structure with Pitcher Plant Bushes, Kalumas trees, vaph grass and seaweeds. It is a type of plant that is capable of growing a large reservoir that contains a plentiful supply of purified water, which it uses to hydrate the plant it grows with. However, it will only give the precious water it stores within itself if it siphons some of the photosynthesized sugars from the plant it is attached to. It is a type of symbiotic root that develops a spiciness that is typically used as a defense mechanism against animals with a root diet, but gilanians farmers would farm these roots. Culinary dishes usually uses a thirtieth of an ounce of grounded fireroot to improve the taste of any meal. If more than that was added to the meal, then the dish would become more and more inedible.**

 **And uh... I can't think of anything else at the moment. Feel free to send me a PM or review on what I missed, or what you guys would like to add. '3'**


	85. A Broodmother's Return

**Chapter 85: A Broodmother's Return**

* * *

Using Kay's wormhole, the transition between the hexagonal moon and to the underground super hive cluster, located underneath Kiln's surface, was both expedient and convenient. Kay's ability to summon wormholes was even more reliable than using nydus network/omega worm transportation. To Kay, it was very much like having one's own nydus worm, capable of bridging itself between planets from considerable distances. It was both an amazing, yet terrifying, power to have

However, if the ability to create wormholes through concentration wasn't enough, it would appear to Kay that The Overmind, whom was now residing deep within his subconsciousness, had not only doubled his psionic reserves, and doubled his psionic energy generation, but it had also granted him a resistance against psionic attacks, and a resistance to abilities that negatively affected his psionic potential. Coupled with his newfound ability to partially speed up and slow down his perception of time, Kay was beginning to feel like he was slowly becoming the ultimate paragon of zerg evolution.

As Kay leapt through the wormhole, which landed him back in the underground super hive cluster, near the area where he had once changed into an Overmind form, he felt the familiar warmth of the underground as the subtle scent of desert air filled his nose once again. Kay huffed and panted as he closed the wormhole behind himself. "Gyah... Keeping a wormhole... open for too long... drains my concentration by quite a lot... Hah... Kay... Good to know..."

"Why are you panting?" Virid asked. Kay looked up to see her standing over him. "Creating a wormhole shouldn't physically exhaust you at all."

Kay nodded at Virid. "Well uh... When I made the wormhole for the first time, I was only able to keep it open for a few seconds, since I got sucked into the vacuum the very moment I made it. Seems to me that opening a wormhole that's been brute-forced between two locations just takes a little too much out of me."

"I see..." After she saw that Kay would be okay, Virid's mind expanded into the Swarm's psionic hivemind and connected to the minds of the zerg under Kay's command. Kay could feel that she was impressed. She was also perplexed by the evolutionary changes that Kay's brood had went through. "... Swarmling and raptor zergling strains? Corpser and vile roach strains? Carrion and creeper swarm host strains? And... Feederlings? And... ... ... How did you come by these strains? I thought they were lost to us!"

Kay sighed and smiled. "Remember when I told you about the time I rescued a protoss from a secret facility? Well, it also contained a preserved drone. Corvurn was able to extract all of the genetic information he needed to incorporate the adaptations, mutations, and strains that Kerrigan's brood developed. Hell, it's because of that little dead drone that we now have what we need to finally eradicate Golden Star."

Virid nodded at Kay as she clasped her claws together. "Our Swarm has grown tremendously since our separation. Twenty years ago, I never thought this brood could evolve in such a way!"

Kay smiled proudly and shot a thumbs-up upwards. "If you think that's amazing, then you'll have a field day after you discover what Corvurn is whipping up right now. But right now, I think it's high time I check up on the underground refugee camp cluster. I need to see if the irradiated floodwater is draining."

Virid nodded. "Very well. I shall follow you. But tell me this first. How has Othafurn fared after she left the hive cluster on the hexagonal moon?"

Kay began to walk towards the nearest nydus network/omega worm. "Well eh... She became unconscious when she tried to revive me, but she got better. Right now, however, I think she is helping Corvurn with his new projects." Before Kay continued on, he stopped and turned around to face Virid. "... Say. Why didn't YOU use the hivemind connection to connect to Othafurn's mind to answer your own question?"

Virid hissed. "I must be picking up on your habits."

Kay perked up a smile towards Virid. "Are they good habits?"

Virid shook her head. "I don't think so." She answered with a deadpanned tone.

Kay slumped his posture. "... Well uh... Let's just go to the underground refugee camp then."

Kay then continued to make his way to the underground refugee camp, all the while leading Virid through the underground super hive cluster. The tunnels had grown continually wider after Virid had left her brood under Kiln's surface, and she could see that the tunnels were carefully carved to accommodate zerg organisms of her size. Ultralisks, or any other massive land-traveling zerg organism, were forced to use the nydus/omega worms for their transportation throughout Kiln. However, much of their underground transportation became severely limited ever since the irradiated floodwater washed into the various caves and tunnel systems that connected to the hatchery chambers together. The feederlings were created to help drain the floodwater from further poisoning the underground super hive cluster, but it would be a long time till the underground refugee camp becomes safe enough to tread through.

* * *

Whimpering wails escaped from a seldom number of flood survivors.

The underground refugee camp cluster was flooded.

A glowing ocean surrounded them.

There were no other survivors nearby, but they had no means to find safety.

A foolish few tried to swim for safety, only for their bodies to dissolve into mud and bones seconds after they began their attempt. No longer would there be any further attempts.

Despair clung to the air, and it suffocated the few survivors that had little food to survive on.

Starvation would become a real problem for the few remaining survivors of the lingering thousands of refugees. If malnutrition and dehydration continued to gnaw at their health, then they would soon resort to cannibalism.

However, their suffering would be abated. Thanks to a number of drones, which were tasked to float over the glowing irradiated floodwater and deliver supplies to the suffering refugees, their thirst and hunger would at least be abated. Much of the emergency supplies that was stored within Baroness Tak's tent was raided by the Zerg Swarm. There was even a full-functioning manifestation altar hidden within her tent estate, capable of manifesting any tool that was needed, or creating edible rations that partially satisfied the refugees. But even as the drones delivered items and food to the sufferers, there was only a small number of working manifestation altars, and the emergency supplies that Tak had hoarded was already becoming scarce. But even with a rapid decline to supplies, the underground gilanian populated suffered a decrease in their numbers, which would slow and reduce the consumption of the dwindling rations and supplies. However, it wouldn't be long till everyone began starving to the brink of death, which would no doubt prompt them to resort to drastic measures.

There was one gilanian that was unaffected by the irradiated floodwater. She waded through the glowing, toxic fluid as though she was immune to its caustic effects. Once she came ashore, a sigh of relief escaped her lungs after she crawled onto the shore and relaxed on the creep covered ground. She paid no mind to the writhing slime. She was safe.

She then began to cry silently to herself.

She then heard what sounded like wet lapping sounds. It surrounded her, and they sounded like worms writhing against a plastic sheet.

But she paid no attention to such noise. Her own sorrow was her only world now. A void grew within her own heart, and it expanded into a cold pain that made her well with tears of loss.

"Hey! Are you alright?"

She couldn't be bothered to answer. She was stuck within her own world, and she felt as though she needed to let her tears flow.

"Uh... Hello? Excuse me, but are you aware that you're... um..."

Sorrow and mourning was flooding her mind and heart, just like how the irradiated floodwater made the underground refugee camp devolve into a bleak graveyard. It was a graveyard where everyone's bodies melded together into a radioactive mud.

"... Um... Stay right there. I'll get a stick and prod those things off of you." "Hey! What's going on over here?!" "Uh?! Uh... I was going to help this guy out, you see. These things might eat him if I don't help him out. ... How... How are you riding on a blade hound without it biting you?" "Takes practice. Anyway, why do you want to poke at... Wait... Bayz?!"

A familiar voice made the suited figure look up. She saw a face that she remembered, whom was still wearing the tattered hunting gear that he had created within the Immortal Maze. "Catlak? ... Why are you saddled on that blade hound?"

Catlak's expressed concern and confusion as he gazed down at Bayz. Bayz, on the other hand, was also just as concerned and confused when she saw that Catlak was riding on the back of a zergling. He pointed at his mount. "I was zerg ridin' through the tunnels when the caverns were being flooded. I decided to entertain myself and started a race through the underground tunnels. But before I knew it, this fucker took a long-ass detour from the usual track of tunnels I was getting the hang of racing through when the flooding happened. I didn't know what was happening until we finally stopped at one of those zerg nest things and a different broodmother finally filled me in." Catlak then pointed at Bayz. "But enough about that. What the fuck are you doing?"

Bayz sighed. "Oh... I was... Just resting my eyes. And... And-and mourning over something."

Catlak shook his head with a grunt. "Mourning? Bayz, I'm sorry that I have to be brutally honest with you, but we can't mourn right now. We need to collect every survivor and make a headcount." Catlak began to look around. "Where's Goqqa?"

Bayz bawled for a second before she began to whimper. "He-he-he-he-he is dead."

Catlak's turned his gaze back to Bayz, his expression softening. "... Oh damn. Uh... What happened?"

Bayz fought back her tears as she explained. "It h-happened so suddenly! We heard scr-eaming in the distance and we didn't know what i-it was! When that green water came, Goqqa tried to c-carry me to safety, but he was dragged down by the c-current. He managed to put me on one of the raised platforms in time, but... Oh gods unseen, Catlak. I-I-I saw him turn into clay..."

Catlak shook his head. "Okay okay. Just... Stop beating yourself up over thisand listen to me. Calmly tell me what happened next."

Bayz nodded and took in a deep breath. "... Okay... Well... The tent platform that Goqqa placed me on was sort of unstable. I tried to build a boat from any of the junk that floated near my platform, but... I kind of fell into the water."

Catlak stared at Bayz. "You did?"

"Yeah. I thought I was going to die. But when I didn't, I decided to swim to shore. And now... Well... Here I am."

"I seriously doubt that happened, but I'm not here to discuss truths and fallacies. You REALLY need to get off of the ground right now."

Bays tilted her head at Catlak, even when her sad expression was still more overpowering than her uncertainty. "Wh... Why?"

Catlak pointed below Bayz. "Well eh... Not to alarm you, but I think that if you stay laying on the ground like that, then those little guys might start eating your suit."

Confused by Catlak's answer, she looked around herself. She immediately discovered that her suited body was covered by feederlings. Their tongues seemed to be creeping into every crack, crevice, and fold of her suit, as though they were probing for any moisture that still clung to her. Her response was just as immediate. "AAAAAAAAAAH-GET-AWAY-EW-GROSS-NO-DON'T-TOUCH-MY-SUIT-STOP-IT-LEAVE-ME-ALONE!"

Bayz flailed in a frantic and rapid manner, which flung a few of the feederlings several meters away from her. Once her panic began, the few un-flung feederlings began to retreat from the hysterical gilanian female. After several seconds of frantic arm-and-leg movement, Catlak shook his head and clapped his hands. "Wow. Bravo. I give that a six out of ten. A seven if you landed one of those things inside of a score-box."

Bayz shivered from the experience as she stood up from the ground. "Ohohohoh you can shove your peens down your own throat, you tail-chasing vent-head! That was... Horrible!"

Catlak shook his head at Bayz. "You can deal with your obsessive compulsiveness and your nosophobia later. We need to gather everyone and make sure that the remaining survivors are still alive and healthy."

Bayz turned to Catlak with an angry, tear-filled glare. "And I told you to fuck off! My friend just died and I don't want this bad day of mine getting any more worse than it already is!"

"Can I have a say in this?" A gilanian said, wearing what looked like brown rags and a tattered scarf. The gilanian seemed to be a young adult female.

"WHAT?!" "WHAT?!" Both Catlak and Bayz shouted at the third gilanian.

" Um..." The gilanian pointed at the feederlings that once crawled over Bayz's body. "Why are those things drinking the water? I thought this water was toxic."

Bayz and Catlak turned to look at the feederlings. Indeed, they were sipping on the floodwater that had claimed so many lives, both gilanian and zerg. Catlak grimaced as he watched the feederlings imbibed on the toxic floodwater. "Ugh... That can't be good for them. This stuff is more dangerous than drinking a whole bottle of engine coolant."

Bayz slowly walked up to one of the drinking feederlings and knelt down next to it. After a few seconds of inspection, she shook her head. "... Yeah, I have no idea what they're doing. I mean... This stuff should kill them."

As the feederlings imbibed on the toxic, their tentacled tails fell away from their bodies and began to grow in size. Twenty five seconds later, the tentacles grew into bubbles and formed into amniotic chrysalises with something growing in their center. "What the..." Before the gilanian in the scarf could finish her sentence, the chrysalises bursts apart to reveal more feederlings. They too began to imbibe on the dangerous floodwater, ignoring how dangerous it was. "Eugh... I think they reproduced."

Bayz backed away from the thirsty feederlings and shook her head. "Uh... Yeah. We'll just... let them do their own thing. Nothing weird going on here. Nope." Bayz then turned to the gilanian with the tattered scarf. "Also... I don't think I caught your name."

"Oh! My name is Paug. I'd shake you by the hand, but I heard that you survived swimming in the lake, so... Yeah." She said, introducing herself with a bow.

Catlak decided to rudely cut in. "Yeah yeah, well I am named Catlak, and she is Bayz. I decree that this introduction is over and we should round up everyone and get them to safety. Like. Now-ish. Or as soon as possible."

Bayz growled at Catlak. "What is up with you lately?"

Catlak sighed as he gestured at the underground lake of floodwater. "Oh, I dunno. Maybe it's because a majority of my tribe was in the refugee camp when THAT happened, while I and nine other hunters were joyfully and blissfully racing around the underground caverns on our blade hound mounts. We need to focus our energy in finding a way to rescue the people that are still alive and need our help. Do you understand what I'm trying to explain here?"

Bayz growled again, but she then paused, took in a breath to calm herself, and sighed. "... Yeah. Yeah, I understand you."

Catlak nodded. "Goqqa wouldn't want you to fret over his death, and neither would you want him to fret over yours." Catlak then turned away from Bayz. "Grah. I forgot how much of a bleeding heart you can be sometimes."

Bayz scoffed at Catlak. "Yeah? Well you are an asshole all the time."

Paug interjected between the two arguing gilanians and stood between them. "Guys guys guys. Chill. Cool down. Take a breather. Listen to me closely. Alright?" Both Bayz and Catlak turned to stare at Paug. Once she had their undivided attention, she began talking again. "You two seem to forgetting something important. How are we going to save people without any boats?"

A pause of several seconds elapsed between Bayz and Catlak. Catlak sighed. "... Damn. I didn't even think about that."

Bayz shook her head solemnly, defeated by Paug's reasoning. "... Even so, I want to try building a boat that can keep us dry, and be able to hold a lot of people. There are survivors that still need help."

"Maybe I can help?"

The three gilanians turned around to see Kay and Virid approaching them. Catlak and Bayz were surprised to see Kay again, while Paug kneeled and bowed her head. "Oh!" Paug exclaimed. "It's an honor to see you, oh great master of the Zerg Swarm!"

Kay stared at Paug with a confused expression for a few seconds. He shook his head and gestured at the gilanian. "Uh... Kay. What is going on here?"

Paug looked up at Kay. She felt a wave of awkwardness wash over her. "Uh... I was greeting you."

"No need to be dramatic, little lady. Stand up. There is no need to prostrate yourself like that." Kay said.

"Sorry. I-I was a little overexcited when I saw you and... Well..." Paug said as she got up to feet and rubbed her arm, feeling a little embarrassed. "If it wasn't for the zerg attacking Empire Capitol, I would still be living their with my parental guardian in poverty. I just wanted to share my appreciation."

Kay paused for another couple of seconds before shrugging. "Well uh... I'm flattered and everything, but you three said you wanted to help the survivors, right?"

Paug nodded. Catlak walked past Paug and decided to speak to Kay. "Bayz wanted to build a boat that could reach the survivors that are still alive on the elevated tent platforms, but I don't think we have the time to make one. I think that by the time we built one, the survivors are gonna start dying."

Kay dismissed Catlak with a hand-wave and smiled. "Not to worry. We already devised a way to drain the floodwater out of the refugee camp caverns."

"Uh... Really? Wow." Catlak said, sounding impressed by Kay's answer.

Bayz approached Kay. "How are you going to do that?"

"We'll use two methods." Kay said, holding up two fingers. "One of the methods is to use the creep to absorb the irradiated floodwater, which is the slime that you three are walking on. It's already growing underneath the floodwater and converting its irradiation into resources that the zerg can use. The seconds method is behind you. See those things drinking from the shore?" Kay said, pointing at the feederlings, which had increased significantly in number during their conversation. "Those are what we call feederlings. They can directly feed on things that would normally be too hazardous for any other zerg organism to metabolize. They'll convert radioactive properties in the floodwatrt into bio-matter, and will use that matter to gestate more of themselves. Using those two methods, we'll be able to drain all of the floodwater in this cavern in two days."

Catlak smiled and nodded. "Heh. I guess we don't have to do anything, huh?"

Kay shook his head and hardened his gaze at Catlak. "What makes you think you can get away with resting on your laurels like any ordinary freeloader, even when you happen to be staying in OUR territory with OUR permission?"

Catlak's smile vanished. "... Uh... Oh. Well um... Okay?"

Kay smirked. "But if you really want to continue to remain in the refugee camp, I suggest finding some buckets and some sturdy poles. If you can combine those buckets and poles together, you can fill the bucket and dump it on the surface of the creep."

Catlak tilted his head. "Why do we need the pole if we're just using buckets to dump the floodwater on that creep stuff anyway?"

Kay patted Catlak's shoulder and made his expression serious. "You DON'T want that water touching your scales. Trust me."

Catlak stared at Kay for a few seconds before he got the idea. "... Oh... You want me to pivot a bucket around using the pole as an arm. I think I get what you mean."

Kay nodded at Catlak. "Your contribution might not seem like much, but every pair of hands will help remove the floodwater from this cavern."

Bayz sighed. "But what about the people on the elevated tent platforms? They don't have any supplies to last them for very long."

"We have drones that can float over the surface of the water. Take a look over there." Kay said as he pointed at something in the distance. Indeed, there were drones that were floating just above the surface of the green floodwater. They appeared to be ferrying containers of varying sizes over to the tent platforms that were above the toxic floodwater level. "Right now, they are supplying the refugee survivors with supplies and tools."

Catlak, Bays and Paug were somewhat relieved that the zerg were already handling the dire situation better than they ever could. Virid, on the other hand, was agitated from what she saw. "Kay."

Kay turned to look at Virid. "Yeah?"

"The hivemind of the Swarm here. It feels... diminished? What happened here?" Virid asked, feeling the hivemind within her psionic reach.

Kay paused for a few seconds. "... Oh. Uh... I guess I forgot to tell you what happened." Kay sighed as he _carefully_ ran his fingers through his mock-hair tendrils. "You see, uh... Do you remember me telling you about the rain that Gollog used to kill me once upon a time ago? Well uh... He also unleashed many gallons of it all across the world. It all flooded into much of the underground super hive cluster. All of the zerg on the surface of Kiln are dead, while a large percentage of the underground territory under zerg control was contaminated with Gollog's irradiated floodwater."

Virid hissed. "How large of a percentage?"

Kay sighed. "Um... I think about eighty two percent?"

Virid lowly trilled. "EIGHTY TWO?!"

Kay backed away from Virid and held his hands up defensively. "Kay, maybe my calculation is off and it might actually be lower or higher than that. But you should know that there were situations and events that were beyond my control at the time!"

"The brood that was supposed to be commanded by Corvurn during my absence is suffering and dwindling! I see now that my presence is sorely needed. More than ever since this green flood happened!" Virid said, pointing at the green lake created by Gollog's sky rings.

Kay shook his head and furrowed his brows at Virid. "Hey, this is partially my fault too! If I had known that Gollog would have pulled this stunt, I'd have made an attempt to sabotage his doomsday weapon and prevent this from happening!"

Kay could tell that the broodmother before him was angered. Her eyes flared with agitation and frustration. "Where is Corvurn? I need to speak to him. With my claws."

Once Virid rapidly scuttled away from sight, a long pause elapsed before Kay lowered his hands and sighed. "... Zerg. I keep forgetting how pissed they get when their hatcheries are attacked or killed."

Bayz was perplexed by Kay's response to Virid's anger. "... Aren't you supposed to be zerg too?"

Kay turned to look at Bayz. After looking at her expression, a lighthearted chuckle escaped his throat. "Well... To tell you the truth, I wasn't always a zerg organism."

Paug slowly gasped. "... So... You are a zerg pawn? Which means that... You were NOT a zerg organism at one point?"

Kay sighed and nodded. "That is true. I used to be called a terran, which is a term for a race of people, called humans, that was born on a planet that their species didn't originate from. But since my transformation into a zerg organism, I guess I would be referred as an infested terran by my own race's standards."

Bayz, Paug, and even Catlak was surprised to learn this. For the twenty years that their world had been contaminated by the swarms of zerg, they had no idea that their world was, technically, visited by two kinds of alien races the entire time. One that was once human, and the other being zerg. Catlak walked up to Kay. "... So uh... What did you look like before you turned into... Well..." Catlak gestured to Kay's body.

Kay looked upon his own form. he caressed his carapaced body and sighed. "... Thinking back on my life before my infestation, I think I remembered having more skin than carapace. I had black hair that grew on the top of my head. I had a brownish tan on my skin, with freckles dotting my face. Fingernails, instead of claws. I didn't have any wings on my back. Hell, I think I was several centimeters shorter before my body transformed into this." Kay looked up at Catlak, his expression becoming unsettled and startled. "I just now noticed that I don't have nipples! My transformation took them away! Aw man, how come I didn't realize this sooner?!"

Catlak became confused by Kay's exclamation. He leaned towards Bayz. "The fuck are nipples?" Bayz responded with a shrug, telling Catlak that she doesn't have the answer to his question.

Kay ceased caressing his carapaced body, sighing as he looked down at his own body. "Man, that's going to bug me for a long while." After a pause of a few more seconds, Kay shook his head and waved at the three gilanians. "Well... I guess it's no use crying over completely recessed vestigial body parts. You guys go ahead and help us drain the flooded refugee camp. I need to prevent something from escalating. Later!"

Kay began to run away from the three gilanians and chased after the broodmother known as Virid. After a short pause, Bayz, Paug, and Catlak went to work assisting the zerg in draining the irradiated water from the flooded refugee camp. It would be slow and dangerous work, but it would be work that worked towards the goal of finally freeing the trapped gilanian refugee survivors.

But Kay felt as though more worrying matters needed his attention. He felt as though something... big... was going to happen in the future.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for being somewhat slow. Hollow Knight has been taking much of my time. Bossrush mode is a bitch. :V**


	86. Cerebral

**Chapter 86: Cerebral**

* * *

Kay was having a hard time keeping up with Virid. Even when he was gliding across the creep, like how an expert figure skater could effortlessly slice across the surface of a field of ice, it appeared as if he couldn't keep up with the broodmother. Kay was surprised by the speed that Virid was able to display, and it was only through much of the destruction of the underground super hive cluster that elicited her anger and boosted her travel towards Corvurn's location. When Virid passed by a surviving creep tumor, or a borrowing roach, Kay would use their senses to analyze Virid's unusual speed. What he saw surprised him.

She had insect wings.

Her bony wings, which had evolved to fling acid-filled spines towards enemies, had somehow evolved to produce a leathery, thin, yet taught membrane, which were wielded by a series of carapaced flight muscles. Such a biological design not only enabled her increased speed that made her glide over the ground, but it gave Kay the impression that it would enable Virid a means of rapid flight over the ground as well.

However, Kay shook that thought from his head, and commanded a nearby zergling to convene with his route. Seconds later, a zergling sided with Kay. After hopping upwards, Kay then directed the zergling to run beneath himself. Once saddled, Kay and his new mount began to chase after Virid.

However, even with the speed advantage that Kay gained from mounting a zergling, by the time Kay had caught up with Virid, she had have already discovered Corvurn. "Corvurn." Growled Virid, as she retracted her wing membranes and approached the evolution master.

Corvurn paused his current work, which happened to be a series of growing chrysalises that slowly grew in size and girth. Corvurn mentally commanded them to refrain from breaking their cocoons just yet as he sensed a hostile aura emanating from Virid. "... Command organism Virid? Unexpected. Returned earlier than calculated."

"Corvurn..." Virid trilled in an agitated manner as she crept closer to Corvurn.

Corvurn turned to Virid and saw her behavior. He became confused by what he saw and psionically sensed. "Unclear. Virid, explain emotional unrest."

Virid hissed her displeasure. "twenty years ago, what was it that Corvurn Junior said that Othafurn, you, and I agreed to do?"

Corvurn blinked his four eyes. "... To await return of command organism Kay." He bluntly replied.

"Yes." Virid hissed. "Othafurn and I would prepare the hive cluster on the hexagonal moon and spawn more zerg there, while you would remain under Kiln's surface and grow the underground super hive cluster, all the while assisting and being assisted by Kragnon. For twenty years did we spawn zerg from our respective locations, yet I have only now learned that your hive cluster, the one that you were in charge of growing, has been flooded and decimated by Gollog's doomsday weapon."

Corvurn slowly nodded at Virid. "Correct. Agitated by loss of hatchery structure strains. Agitated by Golden Star secret weapon. However, developed new strains. Converts radiation into energy. Energy converted into bio-matter resource."

Virid nodded at Corvurn. "Yes. However, during the radioactive flooding, you have forgotten something." she said as she moved behind Corvurn.

Corvurn was perplexed by Virid's question. "Unclear. What was forgotten?"

Forceful claws furiously grabbed at all of Corvurn's arms, which twisted him around and made him collide with the creep-covered ground. Virid pinned him down and hissed venomously at Corvurn's face. "You didn't tell me that you were being attacked!"

"Hurgh! Communication through psionic connection hindered!" Corvurn struggled to say, surprised by Virid's sudden attack. "If reported to Virid, Golden Star would be notified of communication! Could not allow Gollog to dissect psionic communication! Could lead to hivemind tampering!"

Virid snarled as she raked her claw over Corvurn's facial carapace plate. "You could have sent an encrypted message. I would have deciphered."

"Attack happened suddenly! Had little time to devise message!" Corvurn tried to wrest control of his limbs from Virid's firm grip, but she wouldn't allow it.

But before Virid could deal any form of lasting damage, a dropkick was launched toward Virid. Before Virid could even react, Kay had launched himself from the back of the zergling he rode on and descended onto the rampant broodmother. The attack pushed Virid away, which released Corvurn from his pin. Virid was temporarily staggered, but she turned toward Kay and found out that it was he that interrupted her. "Kay?! Why are you protecting Corvurn?!" She shouted.

Kay got up after drop-kicking Virid on her crown and shrugged off any creep that stuck to his carapace. Kay sighed and shook his head at Virid. "Virid. Corvurn doesn't deserve your wrath."

Virid huffed. "He was in charge of protecting the super hive cluster during your absence, while I had agreed to build up our numbers on the hexagonal moon. We waited so long for your return. I finally came back to Kiln, but I discovered that our swarm was devastated by an attack we couldn't have prepared for! And NOBODY told me!"

Kay nodded. He was beginning to see the picture. "I see... You and Othafurn were left alone for so long that you began to feel like you were being forgotten."

"Ever since we learned that the sky ring mega structures were built with technology capable of detecting our method of psionic communication, I knew that our swarm would become hindered by its existence." Virid exhaled. She then sat herself onto the ground and began clawing circles into the creep. "When I was warned that our conversations would be being monitored by our Golden Star enemies... I knew it would mean that our swarm would be divided again."

Kay approached Virid and looked up at her. Her standing height was normally five meters, which was the normal size that most broodmothers were capable of growing into. Yet even when she sat down, her lowered profile only removed two meters from her total height. Kay, even when he was already two meters tall, was still forced to look up at the large zerg organism. "And you were forced from your brood once upon a time ago. It happened during the fight with Amon. Am I right?"

Virid nodded. "Yes."

"... Kay." Kay said as he _carefully_ rubbed the back of his head. He didn't know what he was trying to do. "... Well... If you think that was bad, you could try being forced inside of a time bubble of accelerated time. I can't really remember every bit and piece of what happened within my temporal tomb, but... it took me what felt like ten billion years to finally be back with my brood. All I did was wait as my sanity slowly eroded."

Virid looked at Kay.

Kay pointed at Corvurn, whom of which was already inspecting his wound on his face by using a spawning pool's reflective surface. "I can understand how it means to feel frustration when you force yourself to be patient. However, just because you might feel useless when you aren't being proactive in a war, it doesn't make it right to hurt someone out of spite. Out of all the people we know, the one person that we can agree deserves to be punished is Emperor Gollog. Him and his empire too."

Virid paused for a few seconds before she reached a clawed hand to pat Kay's shoulder. "... You may be right."

Kay rolled his eyes. "May be right? Come on. We've been separated from our factions because some gilanian scientist assholes thought it would be a good idea to use wormhole tech to bypass into the void's dimensional plane, just so they could escape from Gollog's empire or Kiln's prison system. And when they opened up that wormhole, you used that opportunity to escape from the void." Kay then shrugged. "I mean... If I was given the choice to continue existing or fading to nothing, I would hardly consider it to be a decision in the first place."

Virid nodded and sighed. "I understand your logic, Kay. However, it doesn't mean that you can stoop down to patronize me. For what it's worth, I want to thank you for telling me that patience is a virtue that is hard to master."

Kay nodded. However, he began to shriek when he felt a hard grip wrap around his mock-hair tendrils.

Virid then hissed. "However, if you ever strike me in the head again, then I'm going to rip your psionically sensitive follicles out of your head, wait for them to grow back, and then rip them out again."

"Gh... Kay." Kay managed to say. Once Kay gave his answer, Virid released her grip on Kay. As Kay stumbled back and carefully pawed his mock-hair, he hissed at Virid. "But yeah, to recap what I said, don't fucking hurt someone because you couldn't stop something from happening, even when you could put that wasted effort into something else productive."

Virid growled at Kay. "Since you are so keen on making me remember what I already know, then perhaps I should instruct a pair of zerglings to hound you every time you stray from the Swarm purposes? I remember from Othafurn's stored memories that my past self had done so before."

Kay paused, his expression tightening into worry. "... You wouldn't dare."

It was at this point that Corvurn interjected between Kay and Virid. "Enough. Energy spent into this conversation, wasted. Could be repurposed elsewhere." Corvurn turned to Virid. "Prefer Virid to move elsewhere."

After Virid stared at Corvurn for several seconds, she hissed at him before she crawled away. "I can sense other broodmothers in the super hive cluster have survived. I shall go to them. They need to be informed that a deciding battle will soon be taking place."

Kay nodded at Virid as she left. "You go do that. I'll... Uh... Find out what Corvurn has been up to." Kay sighed as he watched Virid leave. Once Virid was out of earshot, he turned to Corvurn. "Fucking hell. If I had known that would have happened, I would have came here sooner. Sorry."

Corvurn sighed as he gestured dismissal to Kay. "Command organism Virid's anger is understandable. Wasn't present during activation of Gollog's doomsday weapon. Was frustrated. Agitated. Can sympathize with Virid." A rumbling growl emanated from Corvurn's throat as his own anger became expressed. "Gollog and empire is primary problem for Swarm. Must be eradicated. Terminated. Destroyed. Recommend removing bowels and using intestines to strangle throats!"

Kay blinked and nodded at Corvurn. "Hm. Kay. Uh... Let's change the subject." Kay then pointed at the various cocoons that dotted the inside of the chamber that contained a few evolution chamber bio-structures. One of the evolution chambers seemed stranger than the others, but Kay payed no attention to it. "I've only been gone a few minutes, but it looks like you have been busy."

Corvurn looked at the work he was doing. He sighed and nodded. "Correct. Information command organism Kay shared was insightful. Genetic codes relearned and implemented into Swarm. Forgotten mutations and strains gestating. Will re-assimilate into swarm." Corvurn turned away, as though distracted by something. "Mm. Othafurn is returning."

As Corvurn had said, Kay saw Othafurn slithering through a tunnel entrance and had approached Kay and Corvurn. She bowed to Corvurn before speaking. "Evolution master. I have returned, and can confirm that the corruptors and aberrations have gained the new mutations."

Corvurn nodded and pleaded his fingers together. "Excellent."

Kay tilted his head, somewhat confused by Othafurn's announcement. "What happened now?"

Corvurn turned to Kay. "Othafurn tasked with reviewing corruptor and aberration strains. Developed mutation enabling respective strains to gestate pairs of scourge and banelings. Tried to implement both splitter and hunter baneling strains within aberrations. However, could only implement splitter strain." Corvurn turned to Othafurn again. "Condition of strains following command organism Othafurn?"

Othafurn pointed behind herself. "They are reconvening to our location as we speak. Here they come now."

Before Kay could ask for the baneling and scourge mutations to be expounded further, what he saw next had awed him.

He saw what looked like two small ultralisks, two ENORMOUS ultralisks that had emerged from a nydus network, gorilla-shaped lizards with two sets of spikes running down their backs and a horn on their faces, several of some kind of spikier version of a roach, a new kind of swarm host variant whose back looked like they had incubation sacks writhing violently, worms that looked somewhat similar to a nydus worm, and even larger gorilla-shaped lizards with a longer facial horn, with a web of spines and various other spikes on their backs. Kay's eyes widened as he looked over each of these monsters with glee and excitement. "... Wow... Even when I psionically shared The Overmind's knowledge that it had gathered during his brief time meditating, I wasn't expecting to see these monsters so soon."

Corvurn nodded. "Primal DNA difficult for Swarm to absorb before. Now, assimilated through Overmind connection to Swarm hivemind. Evolution master Abathur's previous research on primal zerg organisms, negligible. Agitated by primal zerg adaptability. Behavior affected research into possible further mutations and strains. However, samples were taken. Swarm subsumed genetic information. Information stored and locked within Swarm hivemind. Overmind entity unlocked genetic information. Allowed gestation of primal zerg organisms and others."

Kay walked up to the smaller and bigger ultralisks. An impressed whistle came out from Kay's lips. "Let's start with these four guys."

Corvurn crawled toward the four ultralisk variants and gestured to them. "Rediscovered forgotten ultralisk strains. Pygalisk strain. Comes in noxious and torrasque variants. Three tenths size of ultralisk. Unfortunate development of dwarfism affects combat ability. However, smaller size useful for tunneling and underground cavern construction. Created through premature cocoon hatching." Corvurn then turned toward the larger ultralisk. "Omegalisk strain. Can combine with noxious or torrasque strain abilities. Impressive size. However, resource cost requirements tripled. Time gestating omegalisk similarly tripled. Requires nearly two minutes to spawn."

Kay nodded at the omegalisks as a big grin spread across his face. "Oh hohohohoho I am having a really good feeling about these guys. I especially like the part about how they can have the noxious and torrasque strain abilities infused into them."

Corvurn crawled to the next zerg organisms. "Rediscovered and subsumed strain, unlocked from Overmind hivemind. Ravasaur strain. Created through zergling fusion evolution. One dies, other absorbs corpse and mutates. Refluxs and projects volatile acid missiles. Attacks land-based enemies and structures. Created when spawning pool is available."

Corvurn then gestured to the zerg organisms next to the ravasaurs. "Igniter strain. Fusion of two roaches. Increased armor, health, and damage. However, range is reduced. Plama-fire induced breath attack very destructive, yet requires closer range than roach strain. Can evolve roaches into igniters once roach warren is morphed."

Corvurn then gestured to the zerg organisms next to the igniters. "Creeper host. Evolved fusion of swarm host pairings. Creates creepers. Specialized locust subspecies. Can attack land or air units and structures. However, creeper host strain shares similar weaknesses to swarm hosts. Creepers have limited lifespan. Can spawn when infestation pit is morphed."

Corvurn then gestured to the zerg organisms next to the creeper hosts. "Nydus destroyer. Information gleaned from primal worm zerg strain, limited. Took liberties and used shrylisk and devouring maw strain genetic information. Can attack ground and air enemies. Can redeploy in other areas containing stable land. Unlocked when roach warren and nydus network is morphed. Requires drones to morph into nydus destroyers."

And finally, Corvurn gestured to the new zerg organisms next to the nydus destroyers. "Tyrannozor. Evolved fusion of ultralisk pairings. Can attack land and air enemies. Kaiser blades' bone mass relocated to forearms and into spikes. Can use spikes for anti-air attacks. Powerful unit. Requires ultralisk cavern to unlock fusion evolution."

Kay nodded at Corvurn's explanation of each creature. Each one was impressive in their own right, but Kay was beginning to feel that something was off. He could feel that these new zerg monsters required a bit more psionic control than most of the zerg. Especially so with the omegalisk, which required so much psionic control. He shuddered to think what would happen if it broke control and began to attack everything around itself in a blood-lusted frenzy. But even so, Kay knew that with the inclusion of these new zerg strains meant that Gollog's empire would crumble faster than even before. However, no matter how intently he gazed upon these creatures, he was failing to see what was wrong.

 _"You are forgetting to list one vital mutation that the mutalisks have developed, Corvurn and Othafurn."_ Said an unknown voice.

Kay turned himself around. "... Uh?" He saw no one behind him.

 _"However, I will pride myself in informing Overcommander Kay of the mutalisks' new evolutionary upgrade."_ Kay focused on the voice, yet was surprised when he discovered the source. It was a massive structure that might have looked similar to an evolution chamber. Instead, it happened to be an oversized larva whose translucent skin seemed to contain a moving mass that looked like the surface of a brain. It's 'face' was somewhat similar to that of a larva, bearing a set of pincers that lapped up and sliced through the creep it seemed to be immobilized on. The rest of its body undulated as it processed new information, yet it wordlessly spoke to Kay through its psionic power alone. _"The mutalisks have gained the ability to recover from their own deaths. However, unlike the zerglings' ability to be reconstituted and respawned back at a primary hatchery, the mutalisks have the ability to form a cocoon around themselves upon death, much in the processes similar to the death of an ultralisk torrasque. Though such a mutation was gained from a strange creature that is known as Dehaka, on account of the Queen of Blade's visitation on Zerus, the homeworld of the zerg, I still think that such a mutation is QUITE beneficial to our Swarm."_

Kay pointed at the large bio-structure that was talking. "You're... A cerebrate?!" Kay asked with a shocked expression.

Kay could almost feel a deadpanned stare emanating from the cerebrate. _"... Uh. Yes. Quite indeed, I am in fact a cerebrate."_

Kay shook his head, disbelief overtaking him as he looked upon a zerg strain that was supposed to be extinct. "That can't be right! The cerebrates are supposed to be extinct! The Brood Wars killed you all!"

Kay felt a wave of dissatisfaction from the large brainy larva. _"... Uh... Yes? I am aware of the plight that occurred after The Old Overmind's slaying."_ Soon after, the air was filled with prideful smugness. _"But you seem to forget that the cerebrates were not outright decimated after the destruction of The Old Overmind. Instead, they only dwindled in their numbers during the times after the destruction of The Great Hungerer. Though, if the past cerebrates could truly merge together to create and form a new Overmind, they surely could. However, the infested terran named Kerrigan saw it through to ensure our decay. She saw us as inefficient, and had began to prepare the old queen strain as the next line of intermediate commanders. These flightless queens, that you rebranded as 'queens' or 'broodmothers', are much more versatile than the queens once used in the distant past. Yet you also use the old queens in your war as well! 'Brood queens' they are now called! HAH! Funny, considering that they once were known to be called 'infested Arachnis Brood-Keepers'. But once we refined their essence and genetic structure, The Old Overmind was the one that decided to name them queens. Ah, how funny times change."_

Kay shook his head and gestured for the Cerebrate to stop talking. "Okay, this is a bit too much for me to take in. Just answer this question for me. Did Corvurn create you?"

The creature did a mental version of a nod. _"Quite so, but not without some extra help from good ol' 'dad'. Which is to say, the eldritch god of manifested zerg willpower residing comfortably in your subconscious."  
_

Kay's expression became puzzled. "Uh... Kay?"

 _"Well there's no reason to feel confusion about my spawning! The New Overmind, spawned during your seclusion within the temporal tomb, would eventuate in the creation of a cerebrate at a later juncture. And ever since you had utilized that 'psionic focuser' device upon your own noggin, it only sped up the inevitable conclusion, which is to say, my creation."_ The cerebrate replied.

Kay gestured at the cerebrate again. "Okay okay, wait a minute. How the fuck do you know so much about my history?"

 _"The swarm hivemind has quite the extensive knowledge, my Overcommander Ascendant. I pored through the countless information it contained and learned everything I could. And again I say, I also had some extra help from The New Overmind. Not only did you gave the information to spawn new organisms for Corvurn to spawn, but The New Overmind also sent the genetic blueprint to create me, as well as some pieces of information that I was able to decipher quite easily. It gave me some clues on where to look, to say the least."_

Kay rolled his eyes. "Kay, you know what? I don't care. From my first impression of you through this conversation alone, I'm getting the feeling that you like the sound of your voice. You even act like an annoying smart-ass."

The cerebrate scoffed. _"Well EXCUSE ME, Ascendant!"_

Kay turned to Corvurn. "Corvurn, why the fuck did you create a snobby cerebrate?"

Corvurn shrugged. "Cerebrate strain contained extreme cognitive abilities. Tactical and strategically inclined cerebrate needed for Swarm's purposes. Inclusion of mutalisk reconstitution mutation, unexpected. Concluded cerebrate organism performed genetic manipulation of mutalisk strain to enable mutation. Unexpected development, yet welcomed."

Othafurn slithered up to the cerebrate and looked over its impressive, brainy form. After a few seconds of hesitation, she turned to Corvurn and Kay. "Have you given him a name?"

Corvurn nodded at Othafurn. "Considered few. One stood out. Designation Thyzir acceptable?"

Othafurn nodded at Corvurn's suggestion. "Thyzir." She turned to the cerebrate. "Would this be acceptable to you?"

The newly named Thyzir seemed to squirm in elation. _"Ah! I rather like it! From this point on, I shall take it as my own name!"_

Kay, on the other hand, was indifferent. "Alright, shut up everyone. I was about to say something before everybody became sidetracked into this topic."

Thyzir did the mental equivalent of a raised eyebrow towards Kay. _"Then by all means, Kay. What is more important than the birth of my new label in my most fledgling moment?"_

Kay could have evolved a pair of eyes to that could roll harder than they did at present, but he was more focused on remembering the detail he once glanced over. "Kay. ... Uh... ... ... Oh! Now I remember!" Kay then pointed at the ravasaurs, igniters, creeper hosts, nydus destroyers, and tyrannozors. "I can sense that the various improved strains available to us are not present within these zerg. I don't sense any lingering abilities of the hunter or swarmling strain within the ravasaurs, or any of the other zerg primal evolutions. Is there a reason why that is?"

Corvurn huffed, and began explaining. "Primal evolutions violent. Rewrites strain genetic structure from combinate processes during fusion evolution. Baseline genetic structures of appropriate strains interweaves bluntly into new forms. However, strain variations used for fusion evolution, such as raptor or swarmling variant as example, eschews mutually exclusive strain abilities. Currently testing different processes of evolution. Discovering method enabling strain abilities to develop within primal evolutions, vexing. Difficult to discern possible solution." Corvurn paused for a few seconds, and then proceeded to scratch what might have passed for a chin. "... Hmm... Sudden realization. Must experiment with theory."

Corvurn left Kay and Othafurn with Thyzir. Kay called out to Corvurn. "Don't create any more cerebrates, Corvurn! Ask me first!" Kay shook his head and walked toward Othafurn. "Tell me honestly. What do you think of... Well... The giant brain in the room?"

 _"I am RIGHT HERE, you know."_ Thyzir droned.

Othafurn smirked at Kay. "Corvurn had used the information you, and by extension The Overmind, had shared to him to create a new cerebrate. Though they are mainly immobile for the most part, their massive stores of brain matter can enable them the ability to process information faster than any zerg organism in our employ, with the exception to The Old Overmind, or The Overmind in your subconscious. The Overmind in your subconscious must have known that we were lacking a strong mind capable of making tactical and strategic decisions to guide our actions. I could see no better method of gaining an upper hand than with the spawning of a cerebrate."

Kay folded his arms and huffed. "Well it just seems so... eerie. So eerie that it should be borderline creepy, if you asked me. I didn't even know that The Overmind in my head sent the genetic blueprint to spawn a cerebrate in the first place."

"You are part of the Swarm, Kay. More importantly, The New Overmind is also part of you." Othafurn said as she used one of her tendrils to nudge Kay's shoulder. "Your command over the Swarm is still above that of Thyzir's. You won't be forgotten, nor do you need to worry yourself if our new cerebrate will replace you someday."

 _"Uh... I'll say this again. Still right here."_ Thyzir chirped between Kay and Virid.

Kay turned to Thyzir and glared at his studiously. "Alright then. Tell me about your abilities. Try not to sound smarmy this time."

An equivalent of a mental nod was psionically sent to Kay. _"Well, I know that I am able to process information far faster than any broodmother in your employ. I can supply more control than any overlord, overseer, or hatchery, lair, or hive ever could. I'm able to project psionic control over vast distances with relative ease."_

"And your combat ability?" Kay asked.

 _"Why would I need to fight? I have the Swarm to do the fighting for me."_

Kay huffed. "If that's the case, then you can't be anywhere near a battlefield. You talk a big game, but even with the Swarm's psionic hivemind, you are horribly inexperienced. Once we get back to fighting Golden Star, I want to see what you're capable of. If you impress me, then I'll rethink my opinion of you. Fail, and I'll demote you to a living waterbed for zerglings and feederlings. Got it?"

 _"Understood, Overcommander."_ Thyzir replied.

Kay sighed and turned towards Othafurn. "... So I guess all that's left for us to do is to drain all the underground caverns. How is our progress?"

"We have only started a few hours ago. It would still take us roughly two days to empty the underground refugee camp. However, it will take much more time to drain the irradiated floodwater from the deeper cavern and tunnel systems. I surmise that it would take months to completely convert the floodwater into bio-mass." Othafurn answered.

Kay cursed under his breath. "And our broodmother count?"

"Less than half of their numbers have been decimated, yet we are spawning more to account for the losses. Virid is currently gathering them together."

Kay growled. "Grah. We may need to multiply our current broodmother population by twenty in order to account for the lack of macromanagement of our resources, as well as micromanage our swarm's combat efficiency."

 _"Ahem."_ Thyzir interrupted. _"I did say that my mental processes are quicker than any broodmother. Allow me to worry about managing your resources. You can then have your remaining broodmothers focus on their individual, micro-intensive skirmishes. Would that be alright?"_

Kay blinked at Thyzir. After a brief pause, he then gestured at the cerebrate. "Then by all means. Display your abilities to me."

After a mental nod, Thyzir then expanded his psionic control throughout the zerg-controlled underground territories. It happened so fast that Kay felt that a sudden wind flashed passed his wings and mock-hair. Kay felt that millions of invisible hands had reached out to the minds of the zerg and guided them, and each of those hands felt like they came out of Thyzir in a brilliant blaze of psionic might. Even though Thyzir had no direct offensive or combat capabilities for his physical body, Kay could tell that his ability to multitask was far beyond any broodmother. Even Virid's level of multitasking and micromanaging capabilities was reduced to a footnote compared to Thyzir's deft manipulation.

Kay folded his arms together and nodded at the cerebrate. "... Not bad, I guess."

 _"With me at the forefront of resource management, I predict that the irradiated floodwater will be completely drained from the underground refugee camp in only one day less than your previous calculations."_ Thyzir said, even while he was in deep concentration.

"Kay... Well... You do you then."

Suddenly, a deafening roar rocked the underground caverns. It was a deafening roar that was louder than anything that Kay had ever heard. It was so cacophonous that his mock-hair trembled with his feet. Othafurn, with both surprise and wonderment, looked around frantically. "... What... Was that?"

 _'KAY! OTHAFURN! MISTAKES WERE MADE! ASSIST IMMEDIATELY!'_ Corvurn shouted through the psionic communication network.

Kay and Othafurn focused their minds at Corvurn's location. They were awestruck with what they saw. They began to sprint toward the danger. Something went amiss.

* * *

 **A/N: Been playing Slime Rancher recently, so I apologize for the late chapter entry. Also, anyone amused by that Bowsette meme going round the interwebs? :3  
**


	87. Tyrannical

**Chapter 87: Tyrannical**

* * *

Kay and Othafurn were speeding to the danger that was endangering Corvurn. The underground tunnel system, created by the tunneling claws and the dissolving acids of the zerg, was in danger of caving in. At the moment they saw what was causing the cacophonous roar that rumbled through the subterranean underground, Kay and Othafurn knew they would have their hands full.

Corvurn had created something...

BIG.

So much so that its head and spines scraped along the roof of the chamber that Corvurn did his bio-engineering work in.

And Kay and Othafurn knew that if they don't do something soon, it would hunt down any thing that got in its way, or would head for the flooded refugee camp cluster and prey on the gilanian survivors.

The creature in question was an enormous specimen, which seemed to reach the height of around sixty meters. Its shoulders were studded with an impressive set of razor-sharp spikes, while having green pores that seemed to ooze a caustic, noxious green that emitted a deathly mist. However, its veins and plates between its carapace pulsed with a violet power, which almost seemed to conflict with the acid misting pores that dotted across its back. A savage set of teeth parted as it rumbled a growl that shook the dust from the ceiling and made ripples through the creep and glowing floodwater. The fists and Kaiser blades at the end of its arms flung out in a feral randomness, striking down any zerg organism or bio-structure unfortunate to be close enough to its reach. It was a behemoth-sized monstrosity, which took on the appearance of an even larger tyrannozor.

As one of the severed heads of a ravasaur flew over Kay's head, he turned to a retreated Corvurn, whom was hiding behind a infestation pit for his personal safety. Kay shouted at Corvurn. "What the fuck did you just do?!"

"Woven primal essence into omegalisk fusion evolution! Slowed merge process in attempt to repeat variable! Hoped to find variable leading to strain ability negation! Feared had added too much primal essence! Resists swarm control! Must contain or kill!" Corvurn yelled through the chaos.

Another severed body part collided on the infestation pit, making it flinch from the impact. Kay didn't recognize what it was, but he paid no attention to it. He gestured to Corvurn. "Kay, well, don't ever create another one of THOSE things ever again!" Kay shouted, pointing at the supersized tyrannozor. "Set down spine crawlers at the end of every exit out of this chamber, and have them protected by lurkers and impalers! We need to get some infestors down here immediately!"

Othafurn slithered to the infestation pit and settled by Kay and Corvurn's side, avoiding the viscera and liquids of what used to belong to zerg. She looked on with both vaunted interest and startled surprise. "Such terrible strength and power! It has already slain an omegalisk!" She turned to Kay. "By the time the infestors arrive here, I think this new tyrannozor strain would have slain and eaten everything within this chamber!"

Kay quickly shook his head and hissed a sigh. "Spawn swarmlings to distract it! Summon an omega worm if you have to!"

Othafurn nodded. After intensely staring at a hatchery bio-structure, she then turned to Kay. "We are spawning a couple infestors in this chamber, but we don't have the luxury to spawn enough swarmling strain zerglings to take it down!"

"What about spawning more zerglings from the hatchery chambers adjacent to our own?! Can't we also spawn an omega nydus worm inside of this chamber?!" Kay roared, trying to be louder than the violence that the supersized tyrannozor was causing.

Ripping and tearing, followed by the gushing sound of spilled blood, echoed horrendously. Corvurn shook his head. "Not enough room! Space within hatchery chamber, cluttered! Failed to realize size and resistance against psionic control with omegalisk-fused tyrannozor!"

Kay growled as he brought his hands forward as he began attacking the infestation pit he was hiding behind. "We'll make room!" A kinetic blast struck into the side of the infestation pit, making it quiver in pain as a hole was formed on its side. Kay quickly followed with a pounce that clawed the bio-structure's flesh apart.

Corvurn and Othafurn was surprised by Kay's action. "Kay!? Explain strategy!" Corvurn gurgled with confusion.

"Buying you time! Now run for safety!" Kay said as he delivered another leaping strike, followed by another kinetic blast. Once the infestation pit was turned into a bloody paste of cartilage, flesh, chewy organs and carapace, Kay ran through the gore and warm fluids and approached the enormous tyrannozor. Kay then waved his hands at it frantically. "Hey! Overgrown lizard!"

The enormous tyrannozor stopped in its rampage and slowly glanced toward Kay. A low snarl escaped its maw, with steely, glowing eyes that looked at Kay with both interest and hunger. Its height was overwhelming, but that wasn't a concern for Kay.

But even then, Kay almost flinched from its gaze alone. How could he even fight something so large? "Uh... Yeah! You may have been born recently, but that doesn't excuse you from ignoring the zerg swarm's psionic control! So be a good overgrown lizard and- HWUAGH-AUGH-AUGH~!?" Kay backed off immediately when the enormous tyrannozor began swinging its Kaiser blades his way. However, Kay was also retreating due to the overwhelming burning sensation that suddenly washed over his body. The moment that Kay rolled out of the way, a clean line was cut out from beneath Kay's feet, which divided the creep violently. However, the second strike caught Kay off guard as his vision was temporarily blinded by the noxious acid. A backhanded Kaiser blade struck Kay, breaking several bones at the bottom of his rib cage and pulling pieces of his carapace from his abdomen. The attack was powerful enough to launch Kay into a wall, which broke it apart into a fractal spiderweb of shattered stone. Kay slowly removed himself from the indent of the wall and was thankful that the attack didn't tear himself in half, though it nearly did so. He sighed. "Kay... You want to play? Let's play. You want to roughhouse? Let's roughhouse." Kay said as he approached the zerg organism that resisted being psionically controlled by the swarm hivemind.

Othafurn and Corvurn watched on as Kay unleashed his psionic attacks against the rampaging super tyrannozor. However, a 1.9 meter tall infested terran fighting against what is essentially a 60 meter tall zerg dinosaur wasn't exactly the fairest match-up. As Corvurn and Othafurn took residence in one of the tunnel entryways that led into a neighboring hatchery chamber, they saw that the damage that Kay was dealing was insignificant. Corvurn turned to Othafurn. "Concerning. Command organism Kay unable to destroy experimental strain."

Othafurn shook her head. "You may have doomed us all, Corvurn. Kay will be able to respawn from the nearest hatchery, but even with zerglings supporting him, your newest creation is too destructive to be contained." She turned and looked toward a single hatchery under Corvurn's care. Two chrysalises in particular were nearly done gestating. "... Good. The infestors are nearly ready."

However, the super tyrannozor rushed into Kay. Its charging attack inadvertently also struck into the hatchery at the same time. Though a few zerglings of the swarmling strain were spawned to fight off the super tyrannozor, the still developing cocoons and hatchery was ripped apart in a storm of violence. What was left after the hurricane of blades and power was unrecognizable, with the exception of Corvurn's experiment that was hunting down an infested terran. The explosion of viscera had hidden Kay's body, but Othafurn and Corvurn was still able to sense that he was still alive. Still, Corvurn growled. "Infestors no longer ready. Slain."

Othafurn sighed. "Then it was wise of me to spawn another set of infestors in another chamber. We need an omega nydus worm to transport them here."

An omega strain nydus worm roared as it erupted out of the creep-covered cave floor. From its maw spewed forth a swarm of zerglings, which rushed toward the super tyrannozor with abandoned caution. However, its vigor renewed as each swipe of its might Kaiser blades laid down each and every zergling that dared fought it. It was as though it healed with each attack it made, and that the acid cloud it produced somehow leached some of the health from its enemies. It even exploded not only with clouds of acidic mist, but also spikes that impaled any zerg unfortunate enough to be nearby. Corvurn was immensely impressed by his creation. It was as though he created a zerg organism that was almost an anti-everything unit. But even then, if his new creation inconvenienced Kay and Virid's Zerg Swarm any further, then they wouldn't have enough time to amass an army against the Kiln Keepers, and ultimately the Golden Star Empire.

And that was when the infestors came into play. Once they got into range, one of them unleashed a thin line of flesh with a penetrating barb on the end. The barb stabbed into the skull of the super tyrannozor, which prompted it to cease its destructive tendencies. Othafurn commanded for the zerglings to cease their attack. She looked at the massive beast with wariness. "... Well. This turned out good for us."

Corvurn crawled out of the hatchery chamber's exit and slithered over the various kinds of gore that littered over the creep. Corvurn looked upon a massive hill of distorted and cut flesh before sighing. "Command organism Kay. Resume visibility. Experimental strain, subdued."

A bloodied head poked out of the pile of gore. Seconds later, a body followed after the head, revealing it to be a hiding Kay. "Holy... fucking... shit." Kay said with a gasp. "Never... in my life... had I ever... fought that hard before!"

Corvurn would have rolled his eyes. "Relax. Extraneous combat no longer needed."

Kay rolled onto the creep and took in some deep breaths. "That's... good. I'll just uh... Rest here for uh... For a bit. Hooh... Why am I tired?"

Corvurn shook his head, which would be an equivalent to him rolling his eyes in this context. Othafurn slithered up to Kay and Corvurn as she wearily stared at the massive tyrannozor. "At least the infestors are controlling it. Without them, we would have been forced to kill it instead."

Kay's breathing was slowly becoming normal. "Hooh... Well I'm fine with sending that omega tyrannozor monster against the Kiln Keepers. ... Say uh... Would this new strain be called an 'omegazor'? I mean... We got omegalisks and omega worms and stuff."

Corvurn nodded. "Indeed. Dubbing new strain omegazor, acceptable."

Just as they named Corvurn's experiment, a strained growl emanated from the massive, massive beast. Kay looked up at the large monster. "Uh... What?"

The newly named omegazor strain reached up to its head and clawed away at the green growth that addled its brain, which forced it to obey the Swarm's control. Once it plucked the dominating parasite from itself, its low rumble of a growl escalated to another earth-quaking roar. It was not only able to resist psionic control, but was also able to resist the parasitic neural domination that the infestors subjected it to. Kay commanded the other infestor to inject its probing neural parasite into the omegazor, but its neural parasite was caught in midair by the grip of the omegazor. The omegazor then grabbed at the offending infestor and slammed it against its brother, making the two infestors explode into a gruesome and vile splash of infestor innards.

Kay blinked at the monster that unleashed himself from the Swarm's control. He then frowned. "... Fuck."

 _'I believe that a bit of my mental power is needed here.'_ Thyzir interjected.

Kay got up from the creep while he cautiously watched the omegazor lap up infestor giblets. "Right now is not a good time, Thyzir. Maybe later."

 _'Oh no Kay, I actually need to talk to Othafurn. Please continue to distract the omegazor until we give you the signal.'_ Thyzir explained.

"Signal?!" Kay repeated. He then quickly shook his head and sighed. "Kay, we'll talk about that later."

 _'Othafurn, a moment of your time. I understand that there is a certain item that was used once before. I was wondering if it may be found again?'_ Thyzir asked as he focused on Othafurn.

However, Kay broke away from their mental conversation and concentrated on the omegazor. He needed to focus on the monster, especially when it was finally done feasting on the infestors' innards and targeted the omega nydus worm afterwards. The beast growled at Kay when it was busy ripping apart the defenseless worm, even when it tried to spew so many zerglings at a time. Once the omega worm was slain, and the zerglings around it died, the omegazor pursued after Kay. Two large sets of Kaiser bladed claws rose over Kay's head and attempted to slam down onto him. Kay sidestepped the claws and leapt up onto its large, burly arms and ran up them, clenching his teeth as he waded through the foggy acid that eroded his carapace. The omegazor tried to grab at the insect-sized pest that crawled up its arm, only to find that its hand was pushed away with a kinetic blast. Kay leapt onto its face and sent blasts of energy into its eyes. A massive mouth, followed by several shooting spikes, caught Kay in the air. Kay was suddenly enveloped in a moist humidity that was mixed with bad breath and freshly eaten zerg flesh.

Kay hissed as the omegazor's tongue tried to push him to its teeth. "Hey! No biting!" A carefully aimed kinetic blast blasted a hole through the omegazor's jawbone. Kay leapt through the opening while the omegazor had only a few seconds to realize that it had a new hole in its mouth. It roared in surprised pain and indignant rage as it searched around for Kay. However, Kay retreated within one of the few remaining bio-structures that still survived the omegazor's wrath, which was under the warm greenish water inside of a spawning pool. He leapt into it while the omegazor was howling in pain and distracted from its injury.

However, the omegazor was quick to pick up Kay's scent. Once it followed Kay's scent trail, it eventually ended up right by the spawning pool. The enormous monster tilted its head in confusion and anger as it searched for Kay. Kay, on the other hand, was thankful that Corvurn's experiment was actually stupid and moved slowly. However, if it ever got its Kaiser bladed claws onto something, then it would quickly be decimated by its attack. Kay figured that with the spawning pool's water surrounding his body, Kay's acid burns and spike-related injuries would regenerate in time.

However, the spawning pool around Kay quivered. It was being eaten away by the noxious cloud that the omegazor produced, thanks to the noxious omegalisk strain that was introduced to its fusion evolution. Kay hoped that the diversion he was providing for Corvurn, Othafurn and Thyzir bought them enough time to do what they needed to do. Once the spawning pool shriveled as it died, Kay revealed himself from its frothing water and looked up at the omegazor. "Down here, dumb-ass." Kay said as he strained to talk through the cloud of acid that enveloped him once again.

The omegazor looked down and saw Kay. A sneering smile emanated from it. Was it pleased to find Kay again? Nevertheless, its claws flashed forward in several horizontal strikes. Kay did his best to duck and jump over each strike, or sometimes threading through the claws that threatened to rend Kay into sliced quarters. Even when the claws were a primary danger for Kay, the puffing clouds of acid and explosions of sharp spikes were also of a concern.

Kay psionically shifted through the omegazor's attacks and pounced onto its chest, making the blood-lusted monster cough as its lungs collapsed. A kinetic blast launched from Kay's fingers again, which only greatly deepened the omegazor's chest wound even more. Kay then leapt off of the omegazor and focused his mind, concentrating his psionic power to a pinpoint. Kay then launched his stored power forward, which was supposed to slip into the sucking wound in its chest and exploded outward. The omegazor blocked the apocalyptic explosion with one of its clawed paws, but it still continued to express its smiling snarl at Kay. Even with one claw obliterated, and with a jaw that was slowly being healed over time, it was almost as though it considered its wounds to be nothing.

Kay breathed heavily as he accelerated his healing regeneration. "Huh... Huh... Fucking hell, you are a hard monster to put down." Kay knew that he was up against a wall. With the omega worm slain, he wasn't able to call for any further backup.

However, his backup came in the form of yet another omega worm as in bursts from the ground and unleashed a plethora of differing ultralisks, followed by brutalisks and a swarm of zerglings of many hundreds. "Kay!"

Kay turned to see Othafurn. Or rather, sensed that she was there since he was partially blinded by the clouds of acid. She seemed to be done speaking to Thyzir. Kay growled. "Now is not a good time right now, Othafurn."

"We need you to force the omegazor to be still. Thyzir ushered enough ultralisks and brutalisks to distract it long enough for me to explain this part of our plan to you." Othafurn said quickly. "Once Thyzir gives you the signal, grip the omegazor and prevent it from moving long enough so that I can perform my part. I then need you to launch me towards its head."

Kay looked back at the omegazor. It was tearing the heads from the necks of the ultralisks and the brutalisks. The zerglings that tried to surround the omegazor was whittled away by the spines and acid that weakened them over time. Even then, the expulsion of toxic clouds and spike barrages easily killed the zerglings, either dissolving them into bubbling pools or impaling them into the ground. Kay sighed as he looked at Othafurn again. "Alright. I hope you know what you're doing." Kay didn't notice the object that Othafurn was holding, but he paid no mind to it.

Othafurn nodded. She turned toward the violent omegazor and readied herself. "Wait for Thyzir's signal."

Once the omegazor pulled out the entrails of the final brutalisk, it then turned to Kay and Othafurn, chewing on the innards from the prey it slaughtered. Kay was becoming more worried as the omegazor continued to lumber closer to them. "Okay Thyzir. When's the signal?"

 _'In a moment, Kay.'_ Thyzir chided.

The omegazor came closer and closer until its obnoxiously dangerous acid clouds washed over Kay and Othafurn. It sneered and hissed as it brought an incredibly sharp claw over its head, intending to slice at Kay and Othafurn in one fell cut. Kay was quickly losing patience. "THYZIR!"

 _"NOW!"_ Shouted Thyzir.

Kay flew a hand forward and clenched it into a fist. The omegazor seemed to reacted in kind as its limbs were pushed against its side and forced into the air slightly. Once the omegazor was contained for a brief moment, Kay then reached for Othafurn. Once he grabbed her body, he then launched her like a scaly javelin. Othafurn's tail still slid along the creep as she was launched towards the omegazor, but she was able to grab onto its face.

The psionic grip that held the omegazor in place didn't last long. It fell to the ground, which created a loud, wet thud that rippled through the creep greatly. The omegazor shook its head to rid itself of the snake-shaped zerg advisor that wrapped around itself. When it brought its claw up to scratch Othafurn off of its face, Othafurn took the opportunity to use the item she was holding tightly to herself at the time. A blue, blinding light blazed out from the omegazor's head like an exploding star, and it reacted like it was in blinding pain. It roared and convulsed, slashing at everything that was around itself in an overstimulated rage. Othafurn slithered off of the omegazor's face and fled. Though she suffered some minor acid burns, and was nearly cut apart by a flailing Kaiser blade, she would be able to recover from her unusual mission.

Before the omegazor roared in further pain, it slammed its head onto the roof of the hatchery chamber so hard that it rendered itself unconscious. It then fell backwards in a daze and landed on a gore-strewn layer of creep, and remained there. A pained growl escaped its toothy snout before it grumbled a low sigh. It then remained still, save for the slow, loud breathing that was produced from its chest, its gaping chest wound already closing itself. Kay looked upon the incapacitated omegazor for several seconds before turning to Othafurn with a shocked expression. "... Um... Othafurn?"

Othafurn was laid on the creep, allowing its regenerative abilities to ease her wounds. But despite her acid burns, she turned to Kay. "Yes Kay?"

Kay gestured to the omegazor. "Mind telling me how you knocked that thing out?"

 _"Ah, but she didn't 'knock it out', my dear overcommander."_ Thyzir said. Kay turned to the brain-shaped oversized larva and huffed. In a way, Kay was kind of glad that the omegazor didn't devour it first. _"I glazed through the information stored by our collective hivemind and noticed that there was a certain item in our possession. Do you remember the device that you created with the protoss templar and the era agents' leader's help? What was it called again? The 'psionic focuser'? Yes, I believe it was called so! ... Oh. It uh... It looks like it was destroyed in the process."_

Kay looked at what Thyzir was talking about and saw a ruined psionic focuser, flattened beyond repair. Kay growled in annoyance. "The point, cerebrate." Kay had completely forgotten about the psionic focuser. Had he known that it was still around, he could have had Corvurn use it to experiment with other zerg strains. But it looks like he forever lost the chance to experiment with the device.

Thyzir held back the equivalent of a prideful chuckle. _"Getting there, Kay. Getting there. Anyway, to abridge the answer to your question, we simply used your psionic focuser on the omegazor. To think that the hybrid fusion of the noxious and torrasque strains of two omegalisks could be tamed like so! Hah! Sad that it was a bit of a gamble on my part, but I think this plan worked rather well in our favor."_

Kay furrowed his brows and tilted his head. "That... Uh... That doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, Thyzir. All we did to it is made it smarter. It still doesn't have a connection to the swarm hivemind."

 _"But you fail to understand, Kay. It was an unintelligent beast that resisted our psionic control. It's an infallible fact to know that one could never successfully reason with a feral beast. That is where the psionic focuser came in handy! Sadly, I had made the gamble to have Othafurn use the device on the indignant omegazor, but we were able to expand its mind in the end. I mean, why reason with a beast at all if one could give it a will to reason with?"_ Thyzir answered.

Kay nodded slowly. "... So what your saying is that since we couldn't reason with a feral omegazor, we simply made it sapient with the psionic focuser. Which is now destroyed."

 _"That's precisely correct, Kay. I do apologize for your psionic focuser, however. I didn't foresee its destruction."_ A procession of drones came out from one of the entryways of the hatchery chamber and circled around the cerebrate. The many drones lifted the large cerebrate upwards and began carrying him on their backs. _"But if you don't mind, I think it's only right that I move myself to a different area to manage resources in. This area is a little distracting to me, what with the gore and blood and death, you see. Oh, and Othafurn? I think you should keep our omegazor creature informed on what we are fighting for, whom we are fighting with, and which allies we are abstaining from eating and infesting. Could be beneficial to the Swarm if we convinced it to side with us, provided that we don't force its consent in any way. Think you can manage?"_

Othafurn thought about what Thyzir wanted her to do, but then nodded. "... I am unsure. If the omegazor wakes up again, it might target me, and then everything else."

 _"Then tell it that we have no desire to be its enemies. Explain that we only reacted in self-defense. Simple as that!"_ Thyzir then directed its living carpet of drones to direct it out of the hatchery chamber. Corvurn stealthily crawled back into the chamber as Thyzir exited it. Corvurn looked around as saw that more bio-structures were destroyed, and many corpses of zerg were piled high.

Othafurn sighed as she slithered toward the resting omegazor. "Well... I suppose I'll perform a mental link with the omegazor. I hope it won't react violently."

Kay shook his head. "At least have some kind of protection before you start sharing your thoughts with it!" Kay shouted at Othafurn.

Corvurn silently skittered to Kay's side. He was wary of the omegazor's presence. "Hmm... Omegazor organism incapacitated?"

Kay turned to Corvurn and nodded. "Uh... Yup. Our psionic focuser ended up breaking, but we couldn't calm the omegazor down without it. Sadly, it was thanks to Thyzir's help that we not only calmed it down, but also got the psionic focuser destroyed in the process."

"Unfortunate. Wanted to experiment with focuser device. Could improve psionic capability of Swarm." Whined a grumbling Corvurn. He discovered a small broken fragment of what remained of the psionic focuser. However, without the knowledge to fix the device they once had, or the tools to be able to build another, Corvurn simply discarded it. The focuser fragment was then made to be at the mercy of the creep.

Kay sighed. "I guess we could ask C.J. to help us build another psionic focuser. ... If he makes contact with us again, that is."

Corvurn nodded and sighed. "Will continue work elsewhere. Gestate new bio-structures and strains. Continue experiments. Will refrain spawning more cerebrates and omegazors. Destruction of focuser, unexpected. Chaotic rebelling of omegazor strain, unexpected." Corvurn said as he slithered and crawled away.

Kay sighed. "Ugh... I think my aches have aches. I wonder what Kragnon is up to?"

Kay summoned a zergling, mounted it, and then rode through the tunnel system that the zerg made. Kay was glad that the infighting was over with, but he had some doubts concerning the creation of the cerebrate and the omegalisk-noxious-and-torrasque-fusion evolution of the super tyrannozor. But more importantly, Kay knew that any further delays would make the Golden Star Empire suspect that the zerg was still alive under Kiln. Kay also knew that it was only a matter of time till they strike back against Golden Star and their Kiln Keeper robots.

A stern hardness settled upon Kay's face. In order for this 20 year war to end, one final push in the right direction was needed.

* * *

 **A/N: Been playing lots of Disgaea this October. Freaking good game. Might even write a fanfiction of it in the future. :3  
**


	88. Lemniscate Causality

**Chapter 88: Lemniscate Causality**

* * *

General Pallax walked through the empty chrome halls of a fortified base that was in the sky, which was only one of several gyroscopic mag rail stations. Each of such stations were necessary to keep the sky rings afloat and orbiting above Kiln's atmosphere. A stern frown was plastered onto Pallax's face during his stroll through the silver-mirrored hallways. He always took a scenic walk when he needed to get his thoughts together, especially when he decided to talk to the commanding officer that's above him in terms of leadership. It always worked in his favor to speak to Emperor Gollog with a calm disposition and a level head. To speak to him with any visible weakness or doubt would make Gollog grow suspicious of the gilanians that run his empire, and any of his servants that serve him and his military. For an hour did Pallax contemplate on how he wanted to talk to Gollog. By the time Pallax reached Gollog's office, his mind was set and determined to press on the issue he wanted to discus.

As General Pallax entered through Gollog's regal office, he saw that his emperor was pacing back-and-forth in front of several holographic surveillance monitors, next to an array of windows that slowly rotated its vista to reveal the surface of Kiln. Another bad sign that Pallax couldn't help but take note of. In truth, Pallax knew many of the social and behavioral quirks that Gollog is driven by. Any pattern that was analyzed from simply how a person stands told a wealth of information to Pallax. The general of Golden Star's four armies was not only a tactical genius, but also a perceptive analyst.

A simple cough broke the silent sounds of pattering feet within Gollog's office. Gollog stopped to turn to Pallax in annoyance. "Mm? ... Ah. Pallax. It is good to see you again."

Pallax bowed before his emperor. "The artificial gravity might take some getting used to, but the sky rings are serviceable to my needs."

Gollog gently smiled as he walked toward Pallax, doing so while spreading his arms out and baring his palms to him. "Come now, my general. We both know that you only ever grace me with your presence like this when something is on your mind. I am surprised you aren't celebrating with your men."

Pallax shook his head. "I won't allow to inebriate myself. I am a general first and foremost."

Gollog nodded. "Your dedication is quite admirable. I would wish to have a hundred more like you."

Pallax smirked, but that smirk quickly faded. "But even so, my lord, I have concerns as of late."

Gollog sighed. "I see." Gollog turned away and looked at the large window, which was now showing a blackened space. In the distance, Gollog could see tiny, faded clouds of beige, green, and purple. As Gollog stared at the distant threat of growing zerg, he continued his conversation with his general. "Then list them to me."

Pallax stood up and joined his emperor. "I was reviewing the broadcast you made about our victory against the Zerg Swarm. You were somewhat... despondent at the end of the announcement."

"How so?" Gollog said, barely turning as he asked.

"Your smile faded completely when you turned away from the camera. It looked like you were contempt about something." Pallax answered.

"Mm." Gollog turned back to the window.

"... Since you didn't deny my observation, I can assume there is something still on your mind." Pallax pressed.

A long pause passed before Gollog sighed once more before he turned to Pallax fully. "My nemesis stated something before he melted in the rain. Come. I have recorded our last conversation, just before the moment of his demise." Gollog led Pallax to the holographic screens that displayed several images at once. He gestured to one of them. "Sky Ring Computer Artificial Intelligence, playback the recording I labeled 'Vainglory of Kay'."

And with that command issued, a memory of the past began playing.

* * *

Kay waited for a few seconds. He then felt a small, warm tingle dancing on his hand. The warmth then became pain. Kay looked down at his hand and saw that it was developing several pores in his hand's flesh and carapace, which also turned gray in color. Upon understanding the danger, Kay quickly reached up and used his psionic power to enlarge the telekinetic barrier that prevented the neon rain from landing onto him. But he could feel the muscle, skin, carapace, and even bones in his hand, becoming incredibly painful as time went on. Despite his fortitude, his zerg regeneration wasn't able to negate the decay that the neon rain caused. The painful graying of his flesh continued past his wrist and threatened to reach his forearm. "Gr, dammit!" Kay ended up having to remove the infection with his other uninfected hand, using it to sever his graying forearm from his elbow. "What the hell kind of radiation is this?!"

Gollog bellowed a laugh. He held an open palm to the sky and collected the neon rain that fell. Once Gollog had collected enough water, he then attempted to splash the water onto Kay. The neon water splashed harmlessly away, since Kay's telekinetic field prevented it from drenching him. "Don't you see it now, Kay? The potential? The dangerous capability that this radiation has? Once this water seeps into the sands of Kiln, we will wait out your extinction. If there are any of your nests still alive after doomsday, then we will send the Kiln Keepers to deal with the rest of your surviving zerg, and any other nonaligned gilanian survivors."

Kay hissed at Gollog with wild eyes. "You don't care about the people still on this planet?! But they are your people! Your race!"

Gollog's smile widened as he sighed at Kay. "They are less than animals, Kay. They are disloyal and selfish, with no ambition and duty to me. They do not even deserve a firing squad! But once the radiation levels recede, my empire will sow its seeds into a new paradise. One that will never have to disobey my wishes ever again. For all I care, genocide is but a small price to pay for gaining a perfect world where no opposition can ever oppose you ever again. And you... Oh ho-ho-ho-ho-ho... I get to have the privilege to watch you slowly die." Gollog said, as he collected another handful of neon rainwater. Then, from under Kay's feet, a blast of energy disrupted Kay's concentration.

Gollog brought his irradiated water-filled fist down onto Kay in a terrible pounding attack. Kay felt his body flattening from the attack, but he managed to remain conscious from the blow. However, his telekinetic field was disrupted, which allowed the neon to freely fall upon his broken form. ".. Guh... Gr... Grah... Uh... Huah... Huah... Hah... Hah-hah... Hah-ha-ha..."

Gollog leaned down toward Kay on his right hand's palm with an amused eyebrow raised. "Hmm~? Are you laughing? Have I truly broken your soul? Ah, what a momentous occasion! Tell me, my old enemy I never came to know in person until today. Tell me what has made you vexed into expelling this fit of laughter? I wish to learn of your last thoughts."

"Hahahahaha, you really think you've killed me?!" Kay chortled as his body tried to mend against the neon rain's toxic radiation. The boosted healing that he forced onto his body repaired some of the damage, but all it did was buy him some time.

Gollog sighed. "Don't delude yourself. Once your body gives out, then you will perish. Like the rest of my remaining enemies."

Kay chuckled and coughed. "Then you're so stupid to think that I can't return from this death. It's just like you said, Gollog. 'You, and every fool that thinks otherwise, cannot kill an immortal.'"

Gollog reared his head back in surprise and confusion.

Kay bared a wide grin at Gollog, even when his body was becoming ash-colored all over. "I will not be defeated, because this is not the end. I will see you again."

After a few seconds had passed, Kay laid his head back and exhaled his last breath on Gollog's hand. His body grew cold, as the last ounces of warmth became a chilling breeze. His flesh became stiff and brittle, becoming less and less as the irradiated rain continued to soak his hollow corpse. His life had dwindled to a spark, and then went out like a candle finally burning out. Gollog crushed the body that had once contained Kay's consciousness, and then allowed the ash and dust to fall from his hand, or be washed away by the neon-green rain.

* * *

Gollog sighed as the recording ended. "And that was what had transpired in this moment of recorded time." Gollog turned to Pallax, as though eager to learn what opinion he might have had.

Pallax pointed at the recording on the screen. "Skrico, play that again." Pallax told the artificial intelligence of the sky rings to repeat the recording several times before Pallax was satisfied with his analysis. Once he was done, Pallax turned to Gollog. "He's not dead."

Gollog shook his head and slightly hissed. "Oh he's very much dead. I saw to that. However, what irked me the most was during the end of our conversation. I would have assumed he was just trying to bluff his way out. That, or he knew that I was going to kill him and he decided to make his parting words as scathing as he could, making me think that his death wasn't consequential to him."

Pallax sighed as he pinched the bridge of his snout. "Okay... Let me rephrase my statement. You may have killed him, but you haven't defeated him."

Gollog's face contorted into a puzzled expression. He did a double-take to Pallax and to the screen before settling his stare on his general. "I think I am missing something here."

"Faddoh's research notes on the zerg organisms stated that each organism has the ability to share their individual traits with either their own caste, or to the entire amalgamating swarm. Essentially, each zerg organism is able to produce an ENO field that contains genetic information of itself. Other zerg organisms would then absorb the ENO field frequencies and biologically decipher the genetic information, which they will then use to alter their own genetic makeup." Pallax then turned to Gollog. "But if you consider what Kay had stated before he died, it would redefine how ENO fields affect the zerg in their own tangential manner."

Gollog was still puzzled by this new information. "In what way?"

Pallax fought the urge to roll his eyes. He then gestured to the other screens that monitored several surveillance feeds. "Think about it. If the zerg ENO fields could transmit DNA from one organism to another in scant seconds, applying the mutations that one organism had developed to several others, then it wouldn't be farfetched to assume that not only could DNA be transmitted through the ENO fields, but words could be transmitted as well. The ENO field sensor network even picked up a conversation between two individuals, one that is named 'Virid', and the other being named 'Kay'. Even with this in mind, we already know that ENO fields are not only transmitting DNA, but also commands and conversations. However, I posit that not only DNA, commands, and words are transmitted through the zerg's ENO fields, but also thoughts. And when I say 'thoughts', I specifically mean memories, experiences, knowledge, skills, and ideas. This would mean that the person you have killed may have been Kay at one point, but if he had the ability to move his mind and consciousness to a new vessel, then he would have done so through the ENO fields. If he is able transfer his consciousness to a new body, it would mean that the zerg are far more harder to kill than we had initially expected."

Gollog, despite being an albino emperor, paled when he began to understand what Pallax conveyed to him. He then turned to the wide window and scratched at his chin in thought, staring at Kiln as it came into view once again. "Hmm..."

Pallax tilted his head at his emperor. "... Sir?"

Gollog sighed. "It's so hard to imagine that our immortalities are so similar to each other." He shook his head. "But that doesn't change the fact that the zerg population is decimated." He aggressively pointed at Kiln. "As we speak, our Kiln Keeper allies are scouring the irradiated sands for their remaining nests and burrows. It is only a matter of time till they finally face their extinction."

It was at that precise moment that a surveillance officer, talking through one of the holographic surveillance screens, intervened in Gollog's monologue. [Emperor Gollog, sir! Unusual activity has been detected!]

Gollog paused, breathed in a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, exhaled, paused again, and then he turned to face the screen that showed the face of the surveillance officer. "Report." Gollog growled in annoyance.

The surveillance officer nodded. [I'm receiving reports that the zerg slime is growing out of the cave entrances from every single infested zerg zone, with the exception of a few lightly infested areas.]

Gollog scoffed. "Then coordinate your efforts with the Kiln Keepers to burn away the slime nodes. With them gone, the slime will evaporate."

The surveillance officer rubbed the back of his head. [Um... About that, my emperor. The ENO sensor network isn't picking up any ENO frequencies being produced from a slime node. As such, the automated system that controls the energy lance orbital bombardment algorithm is not firing normally.]

Gollog narrowed his gaze. "... So the zerg slime is growing without the help of the slime nodes?"

[It would appear to be the case, sir.]

Gollog's face subtly twitched before he shook his head and hissed. "Then create a new algorithm. Have the energy lances and Kiln Keepers target the slime. Burn away this seeping filth from the roots!"

The surveillance officer shivered in fear, but saluted. [Understood, my emperor.]

Gollog turned to look at Kiln again. "... What are you planning this time, zerg?" Gollog asked, directed at no one while seething with spite.

Pallax sighed. "I suppose I shall man my station. Skrico, MEM shift me to my office."

[Command detected.] In an instant, a field of blue and white static surrounded General Pallax and made him disappear. Gollog sighed as he turned and observed Kiln once more. Gollog had a fixed gaze pointed toward that window, which showed a slowly turning image of Kiln that escaped his vision at a snail's pace. His immortality may have been brought into being through the use of invisible floating robots that projected his form through 'dream-light' projector technology, but he had never thought that Kay's immortality was supported through the ENO frequencies that the zerg produced.

Gollog suddenly dreaded the idea of meeting Kay again.

* * *

"Huh. So that was what the commotion was about?" Kragnon asked Kay.

They were currently seated on a dry bench that was retrieved from the flooded refugee camp. The toxic floodwater was slowly receding as the hours crawled by, and a few of the tented platforms that remained dry during the flood were quickly abandoned once the floodwater receded sufficiently. The feederlings were forced to imbibe the irradiated floodwater, which would produce a few feederlings before they succumbed to the radiation, turning into a clay-like flesh. The corpses were eaten by their surviving feederling spawn before they continued drinking the floodwater. Each new feederling spawn would be able to last a little bit longer than their previous predecessor through this reversed process of filial cannibalism. Hours before, a single feederling could spawn four or five feederlings before dying after drinking enough of the floodwater. As of that moment, a single feederling could spawn ten feederlings or more before it died, its flesh soon to be consumed. In essence, the feederlings were slowly developing a resistance to the irradiated floodwater.

Kay leaned back and groaned softly. "Yeah. I nearly died, but we got it covered. It was an insane battle too."

Kragnon shook his head and sighed. "Your day is certainly more hectic than mine in comparison."

Kay turned to Kragnon. "Really? Some shit went down on your end?"

Kragnon rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't put it as lightly as that. Tak fell from her rolling seat after a visiting refugee tried to gain an audience with her. I may have overreacted."

Kay narrowed his eyes at Kragnon. "In what way?"

Kragnon twitched one of his attack-claws on his back and pointed at it. "I threatened to slice his neck open with this appendage." Kragnon relaxed into his seat and sighed. "I noticed that, ever since my infestation, I have rather violent mood swings that happen as randomly as a coin flip. Like, if a zerg organism is experiencing anger, I'm also feeling and experiencing that anger too. It's the same way with me feeling anger, but it's superimposed on their feelings too. Anyway, after that incident, I found out later that the gilanian I threatened was summarily stalked and constantly ambushed by zerg. They didn't hurt him, but... it's like they were reminding him that he would always be hunted if he ever fell out of line like that again. Reminding him that that his actions carried consequences."

Kay nodded his head. "Ah. Classic swarm hivemind behavior. So I'm guessing this happened while I was fighting the omegazor?"

Kragnon shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose so."

Kay relaxed into his seat as well. "Yeah, well this is how it's like to retain your individuality within an ocean of shared consciousnesses. Many of the combat strains, drones, and bio-structures are simple-minded to a degree, while the zerg organisms that supply psionic control, or commands the swarm, tends to force their identity and will onto their minions and vassals. In that sense, you made yourself into a vassal of the Zerg Swarm on your own accord. You will be forced into sharing thoughts with the hivemind of the Swarm, even when you retained a large portion of your own individuality after your infestation. I'm guessing that my fight with the omegazor must have agitated all neighboring zerg as well. I was angry at the omegazor that was eating up our resources and units, and that anger must have seeped into your subconscious, making you lash out at that gilanian. As a result, it made the surrounding zerg angry at the gilanian for no other quantifiable reason."

kragnon nodded and sighed. "Yeah."

After a long pause of silence, Kay decided to change the subject. "... So how's the wife and kids? How are they adjusting to your choice to infest yourself and join our Swarm?" Kay asked.

Kragnon grumbled. "Not very well. My son, Kragak, is dead set on ignoring me. Jak and Zak are asking me so many questions that I don't know how to answer them all."

Kay furrowed his brows. "Wait. Who's Jak and Zak?"

Kragnon turned to Kay. "My two daughters? I thought you knew this already."

Kay shook his head. "I might be tapped into the psionic hivemind, but I'm not omnipotent." Kay chuckled to himself. "Huh... It's weird."

"What is?" Asked Kragnon.

"That after all this time, I didn't even ask for the names of your daughters." Kay replied. "Now I kind of feel like an asshole."

Kragnon hissed as he rolled his eyes. "Only a little bit."

"So which one is Zak and which one is Jak?" Kay asked.

"My daughter with the darker red trimmings in her clothes is Jak. The other wears a lighter color of red trimmings with her clothes." Kragnon answered.

Kay nodded. "Ah... They have rather boyish sounding names."

Kragnon scoffed. "They have single syllable names. It's perfectly normal for gilanians to name their child with their syllable gender. What kind of girl names does your culture have?"

Kay brought up his hand. "Eh... From the top of my head, there is Jenifer, Jessica, Sam, Anne, Elizabeth, Michelle, Olivia, Penelope, Ariana, Alexandra, Annabella, Magdalena, and... Andromeda."

Kragnon's eyes widened. "Some of those girl names sound powerful. And I can't help noticing that a lot of those names end with an 'ah' sound at the end."

Kay nodded. "You could say that cultural naming conventions for humans are a little more relaxed, compared to your way of naming your children and yourselves. Hell, some cultures of humanity add an 'ette' sounding syllable to some of their names. Naturally, our human minds seem to fall into thinking that it is somehow feminine. No matter how different one society might be when compared to another, there will always be an exchange of culture between the two, should they ever come together."

Kragnon chuckled. "Human society sounds far nicer than gilanian society. Even if you aren't quite human anymore."

Kay shook hid head. "Quite the opposite. Humans war among themselves pretty regularly, oftentimes over resources or some kind of territory dispute." Kay turned to Kragnon. "It's rare for cultures to exchange with each other. More often than not, they clash. It's a sad and infallible truth we are forced to live with."

"... Ah." Kragnon replied.

An uncomfortable silence passed between Kay and Kragnon. However, that silence was disturbed when a third party intruded. "So when is this clashing going to stop?"

Kay and Kragnon turned to see Kragak approaching them. Kragnon blinked a few times as he gestured to Kragak. "Son. What brings you here?"

Kragak pointed at Kragnon and hissed. "Not talking to you, dad." He then gestured to Kay. "When are the zerg going to stop clashing with us?"

Kay furrowed his brow. "Uh... I'm sorry, but what do you mean?"

Kragak pointed at the glowing lake that flooded the refugee camp. "Ever since the zerg came to this world twenty years ago, you have done nothing but war against Golden Star and the Kiln Keepers that joined sides with them. But even as you warred, you failed to take into consideration on how your war had affected everyone else. This radioactive flooding was your fault because you pushed Gollog into unleashing it in the first place."

"Kragak!" Kragnon shouted as he stood up and faced his son.

Kay stared at Kragak for a few seconds before sighing. "Oh, I know that instigating the fight between the zerg and Golden Star is my fault. Had I been a little nicer, we may have avoided the entire war altogether." Kay frowned. "But even if I had acted differently, or done something else during the first time I met Gollog, everything could have probably been changed for the better. Baroness Tak could have been friends with Ponpon, Golden Star would reform its military to become less oppressive to its people, and perhaps everyone could have worked together to find out why Kiln was designed to imprison an entire population in the first place.

Kay then stood up and turned to Kragak. "But by changing those parts of history, it would cause drastic affects to the procession of events. Gollog would assume that your mother was joining sides with the leader of a notorious gang of bandits, your father would still be stuck in a cold-pod within a shryik serpent infested village hidden underground, and you would never had been born."

Kragak wanted to say a retort to Kay. However, even as he opened his mouth, nothing came out.

Kay stared at Kragak with a straight face. "And you are right. It was me and my Swarm's fault that many of Gargantua Citadel's people died."

A long pause passed between Kragak and Kay. There was an eerie stillness that clung to the air between the son of an infested lovechief and the infested terran overcommander of the Zerg Swarm. Kay made it clear to Kragak that the floodwater was his fault, and that he had no control when the downpour began.

Kay gestured to Kragnon. "You should be more appreciative of what your father had done. It was because of him that there are still gilanian survivors that survived the flood. If he hadn't evacuated the residents of Gargantua to the underground caverns my zerg had carved for you and your mother's refugees, then we wouldn't be having this conversation at all.

Kay sighed. "However, once this day is done, I will do everything in my power to ensure that the gilanian people would never have to interact with the zerg ever again. You have my word on that."

Kragak paused for a few seconds. "... You really mean that?"

Kay nodded. "Once I removed Gollog from his seat of power, I'll see if I can find a way out of Kiln's prison system. Once we find an exit, we'll part ways and leave Kiln. In your case, possibly for good."

Kragak nodded. "... Alright. That sounds good. ... I mean... That sounds good for everyone that is still alive."

Kay shrugged his shoulders. "Well... Except for Gollog and everyone in his empire. My swarm is still going to kill and eat everyone that follows that asshole."

"Yeah, I don't really care what happens to those empire idiots." However, after a few seconds, Kragak paled. "Wait... You said you'll eat everyone. Like, EVERYONE everyone in Gollog's empire?! Does that mean... you'll even eat their children?!"

Kay scoffed as he smirked and shook his head. "Oh no no no, I won't eat their children! I don't even eat children! ..." Kay then paused before he clasped his chin and scratched it in thought. "But then again... I wonder if gilanian eggs could be cracked and fried on a skillet?"

Kragak gagged. "Oh gods! That's sick!" Kragak then proceeded to turn and run away.

Once Kragak skittered away, Kragnon went back to his spot on the bench. A tired sigh escaped his lungs. "I apologize. I don't know what got into him."

Kay rolled his eyes. "He's probably having a hard time adjusting to the underground, what with being forced to stay in his mother's tent, having to evacuate from his palace, and witnessing so much death in such a short amount of time. Plus, he looks about to be the age of a teenager. He can't really control his teen angst."

Kragnon sighed. "I suppose. ..." Kragnon then placed his hands onto his face. "Oh gods... I don't know how to raise my family anymore. They put on brave faces when I'm in their presence, but I can see, smell, and feel the fear behind their eyes. They grew up with the image of a healthy version of me for a such long time, but they fail to see the fact that I am still him. I am still Kragnon. Aren't I?"

Kay sighed as he sat back down on the bench and patted Kragnon's back. "Being infested with the HEV does that, Kragnon. You lose the trust of your loved ones once you lose yourself into the hivemind."

Kragnon didn't know what to say to Kay, so he kept quiet. Kay could feel that Kragnon was suffering through a difficult patch with his family. Even when his spouse, children, and a fraction of Citadel Gargantua's population had survived, it was because of the deal he made with Corvurn that he had to sacrifice his health for their survival. The identity of the father was kept secret from the public for a long while, due to Gentle Giant Ponpon's criminal intent on overthrowing the barony of Gargantua, including Tak's rule of her citadel. And if word got out regarding Kragnon's deal to save Gargantua's population at the cost of being infested, especially after the surviving refugee population suffered through the irradiated flooding? Panic and outrage would corrode the already tenuous control that Baroness Tak has over her people.

Kay sighed as he got up from the bench. "If it makes you feel better, we'll hold a tribunal for Gollog's trial. Don't bring your kids though. The execution will be overwhelmingly violent. ... Hmm?"

Kay then paused before he suddenly looked up to the roof of the cavern. Kragnon tilted his head. "Uh... Is something the matter?"

Kay growled. "Gollog realized we're spreading our creep again." Kay turned to Kragnon, seriousness hardening his posture and expression. "I think it's time we finally doubled down and fight with all we got." Kay looked up at the ceiling again. _'Virid. Have you gathered the remaining broodmothers?'_

 _'Yes, Overcommander.'_ Virid replied. _'I have noticed that the creep is being targeted by the Kiln Keepers and the sky rings' lasers.'_

 _'Which means we have very little time until the Kiln Keepers amass enough numbers to overwhelm us. We need to form a war council to decide how we'll strategize against the Kiln Keepers and the remnants of Golden Star Empire.'_

 _'I'm coming too.'_ Kay turned around to see that Kragnon was listening into his mental conversation.

Kay paused for a few seconds before smirking. "You sure you want to fight with us?"

Kragnon nodded. "You and I share the same enemy. All I want is a piece of the action, and a front row seat when the axe drops on Gollog's neck."

Kay smiled and nodded. "Then follow me, Lieutenant Kragnon. Let's serve ourselves a nice helping heap of revenge. Served best when cold."

And so, Kay began to lead Kragnon away from the slowly receding lake of irradiated floodwater, and toward a violent war. Kay and Virid's brood would go to war against the sky itself.

* * *

 **A/N: Major battle, incoming! Also, what kind of symbiote would Superman have?  
**


	89. MB15: Golden Star Armageddon 1

**Chapter 89: Major Battle 15: Golden Star Armageddon 1  
**

* * *

Before the battle, underground.

Within a hollow cavernous chamber, containing only a mat of creep that slithered and oozed over the ground, the most notable commanders responsible for protecting and managing hive clusters, or those fielding zerg into the war effort, were gathered into this chamber. The first to enter was Kay and Kragnon. The other commanders that joined with Kay and Kragnon were Virid, Corvurn, Othafurn, Thyzir, (whom had to be transported into the chamber upon the backs of drones.) and several of the most capable broodmothers Corvurn had recommended to Virid.

With the zerg commanders and lieutenants gathered, Kay stepped forward and held his hand up. "Kay. I decree that this war council is now in session. If any of you have anything meaningful to add into this meeting, then raise your hand like I am doing and I'll call you up, or point you out, to give you permission to share your opinions or strategies." Kay then lowered his hand. "With that said, I want you all to be aware that the purpose for this war council is to refine any strategies that are available to us. I think it's about time that our war against the Kiln Keepers, and the Golden Star Empire, comes to an end." Kay then folded his hands behind his back. "At the moment, we don't have an opening strategy. Golden Star has a type of technology that enables them to listen into any of our conversations that expressly uses psionic communication. They call it their 'ENO field sensor system', which is installed into their sky ring orbital mega structures that works on a global network. It is protected by a series of defensive systems, consisting of energy lances and point-defense turrets. They will not hesitate to fire their energy lance weapons upon the surface of Kiln, and have done so through via orbital bombardment. They function much like Gollog's divine smite attack in a sense, but they have notable exceptions. One of which is that each lance can target a single entity on the surface of Kiln, another is that they can be fired at any time, be it day or night. We can count ourselves fortunate that Gollog's smite attack was disabled during my temporal containment, but that doesn't make the sky rings' energy lances a better alternative for us. Worse still, the Kiln Keepers are constructing more of their production facilities on the surface of Kiln, while the flying fortresses are patrolling above our heads in uncontested territory. In order to win against our enemies, we need to be fast and efficient, have a premeditated plan of action, and we must work in unison without relying heavily on our zerg hivemind psionic connection. But now, I believe it's about time for the most important question I'll be asking all of you. What is our battle plan?"

Corvurn slithered forward and raised his hand. "Swarm army population, limited. More hatcheries needed. Above ground hatcheries needed. Required for gestating airborne strains. Must spawn more overlords."

Kay nodded. "That's all well and good, but we need a foothold before we can morph more hatcheries and spawn aerial zerg." Kay pounded a fist into his own open hand. "We need a fast and efficient opening strategy. Some kind of blitzkrieg plan that can destroy the Kiln Keepers faster than they can adapt their strategies, and circumvent the sky rings' ENO sensor network. We can use the omega strain nydus networks to summon omega worms on the surface of Kiln easily enough, but we still need some kind of counter against their sensor network."

Othafurn raised her hand. "Actually, I believe I know of a way in which we can counter Golden Star's ENO sensor network. I will need to embed a small fraction of primal essence into our Swarm to help us circumvent the ENO sensor network."

Kay tilted his head at Othafurn. "Um... But that would mean we would risk our zerg becoming feral and resisting our psionic control. Do you really want to repeat our little 'omegazor' incident?"

Othafurn shook her head. "Not exactly. After gaining some insight from a new friend, I believe that evolving our command structure to include verbal directions will enable us a means to limit the information that the ENO sensor network can gather. We will only need to imbue our available various zerg strains with only a few drops of primal essence in order to achieve this. The risk of a zerg organism becoming feral would be greatly reduced in this manner. I believe Corvurn used too much essence the last time he experimented inducing a primal evolution. We will still maintain control of our swarm, but the risk of creating feral zerg that shuts itself from our hivemind completely would be infinitesimally small."

"Hmm... Very well." Kay sighed. He didn't like the idea of zerg strains within the combat castes becoming independent and violent, but he couldn't deny that the swarm needed to be violent. "But that would leave us with the only other big problem we need to deal with. The Kiln Keepers. Once we attack them, they will begin to adapt to our strategy at the speed of a supercomputer."

Virid skittered forward and raised a clawed hand. "I have an idea."

Kay turned and gestured to Virid. "Then let's hear it."

Virid nodded. "I delved into the information that's stored in the swarm hivemind and have discovered a delay when a new zerg strain attacks the Kiln Keepers."

"A delay?" Kay parroted Virid questioningly.

"A delay from within the ranks of Kiln Keepers." Virid explained. "It took them seconds to begin firing their weapons upon any new zerg strains that have attacked them for the first time. I surmise that newer strains they've had no prior knowledge of would not be identified as their enemies. It would grant us an incredible advantage to use this delay against them."

Kay nodded. "Huh! I never noticed that they even had a delay!" Kay shrugged and sighed however. "But even so, I would recommend transporting the ravasaurs and tyrannozors to the central territories held by the Kiln Keepers. If we use the creeper hosts, igniters, and the nydus destroyer wurms, they could potentially mistake them as new strain variants of the swarm host, roach, nydus worm and devouring maw strains. They might even figure out that the ravasaurs and tyrannozors are on our side if we sent every primal evolution to attack them all at once."

Virid nodded. "I understand. We will field ravasaurs and tyrannozors against the ranks of the Kiln Keepers."

 _"Then how about I throw my input into this strategic discussion as well?"_ Thyzir interjected. _"I would raise my hand, but I will stress to remind all of you that I have no limbs to ambulate with."_

Kay rolled his eyes. "You could use a drone and tell it to raise its pincer. But anyway, what kind of strategy do you want us to discus?"

 _"The best kind of strategy, Kay."_ Thyzir beamed, as it politely commanded a drone to raise a pincer toward the sky. _"Upon analyzing the genetic sequences of the primal essence that The New Overmind has graced us with, I have discovered a special trait hidden within it. Our brood seems to have a fifth of a chance to gestate a gene mutation when a zerg organism morphs into a primal variant, such as granting it a means to regain health when attacking, have more health in total, attack more quickly, and there are also specific mutations where a creeper host can produce double the normal amount of creepers, and another as a tyrannozor could launch spikes at an attacker when wounded. However, since we will be diluting our primal essence to mere grams into the rest of our swarm here on Kiln, any other transformations not relating to the primal evolutions will resort to a tenth of a chance to gestate a single gene mutation."_

Kay paused after Thyzir finished with his strategy and nodded. "Hmm. That's actually pretty good for us."

 _"Oh indeed! But that's not all. The mutalisks can not only have the ability to transform and evolve into devourers and guardians, but also into brood lords and vipers too. In short, Corvurn has been very busy evolving the swarm's aerial strains."_ Thyzir explained.

"Really?" Kay asked as he raised his eyebrow at Corvurn. "Say, is it possible for a single zerg organism to accumulate every single gene mutation?"

 _"Well, not for ALL the strains available to us, perse. For example, we could have the zerglings and banelings, or even the roaches and ravagers, morph back and forth between their forms to gain every single gene mutation at their disposal, but with a tenth of a chance to gain a gene mutation with each transition. Might cost a bit of resources doing so, so I would consider that to be a waste of resources. However, primal evolutions will always have a fifth of a chance to gain one gene mutation or more, but some of those primal evolutions are usually irreversible after the fusion is complete. Especially so with ultralisks fusing into tyrannozors, and swarm hosts fusing into creeper hosts. But even with that said, infestors, defilers, aberrations, and all of the queen variants are incapable of acquiring gene mutations."  
_

Kay nodded. "I see"

 _"However, I would like to add that a pair of hydralisks could be fused together to form into a mutalisk as another kind of primal evolution. We might lose two hydralisks after the fusion evolution, but the process is infinitely more faster than spawning mutalisks straight from a hatchery. Unlike having to wait about thirty seconds for a mutalisk to hatch, a hydralisk fusion evolution that forms a mutalisk would take about eight seconds. At least we have a new host of mutations that the mutalisks have gained, such as dealing one and a half times more damage to airborne enemies with a new glaive wurm projectile, and having a shifting carapace mutation that reduces any damage they absorb by half as it flies. As an added bonus, Corvurn also discovered that the roaches can fuse together to form guardians."_

Kay's eyes brightened up as he realized what kind of newfound power he attained. "This would mean we can quickly summon a swarm of mutalisks and guardians just by sacrificing pairs of hydralisks and roaches. And considering that we can transform mutalisks into any of the five other strains..."

 _"Oh! And I forgot to mention. Since we are adding a small amount of primal essence into our brood, most of our combat strains will be gaining a small buff to their overall health as well."_ Thyzir added.

Kay could feel his grin widening even more.

"I don't think all this would be enough." Interjected Kragnon, as he tried to keep up with the topic at hand.

Kay turned to face Kragnon. "... Uh. Raise your hand, Kragnon."

Kragnon rolled his eyes as he held up a hand. "You seem to forget that the sky rings' defense system and orbital bombardment weapons are under the command of Gollog and his military. To try and strike him from our limited ground presence would be next to suicide. I might not understand the technology that went behind its creation, it still displays a terrible power that is effective against any terrestrial force or any airborne threat that we could muster from our position. Even with a more expedient means to spawn more mutalisks from the ground, we would still be targeted by the dky rings' orbital defenses."

Kay nodded as he began to slowly pace around the chamber. "True... But then again... Actually... Hmm..."

Virid raised her hand. "Kay, I proposition that you send me through your wormhole and deliver me to the hive cluster on the hexagonal moon."

Kragnon turned to look at Virid with a puzzled expression. "His what now?"

Kay turned to Virid as well and smiled broadly. "... Of course! A two-pronged assault! Their weapons would become half as effective if they were forced to fire in two directions at once! And if the brood on the hexagonal moon used the new mutalisk adaptations, as well as absorbed a small amount of primal essence-"

Virid clasped her clawed hands together. "-We will be able to fly into attack range and finally assault the sky rings!"

Kay nodded confidently. "Kay! We got the makings of a fan-fucking-tastic plan at hand! Let's go over it a couple more times. We'll begin our attack thirty minutes from now." Kay then turned toward Kragnon and patted his back. "So! Anyone want to volunteer pairing up with this infested gilanian?"

Kragnon chuckled lightly as many condescending eyes silently judged him. He would have a lot to prove as a volunteering lieutenant to Kay and Virid's brood.

* * *

The battle, on the edge of Red Crater.

[Scanning... Analyzing... No targets detected. Resuming search strategy.] A studious pair of scarlet glass eyes, belonging to a Kiln Keeper Peace Keeper, glowed red as it scanned the horizon. It noted that the life that once populated the surface of Kiln experienced a sudden rate of rapid decay before dying. It glanced upon a gray flower on a bush before looking elsewhere. Its metal brethren, both its siblings and those of a different unit class entirely, were just as indifferent to the dead landscape. They were charged with the eradication of the zerg organisms as a priority to their programming. Every other program that once was a priority was forced into secondary objectives, and all secondary priorities were forced into becoming tertiary objectives, and so on and so forth. Nobody knew how the Kiln Keepers could be reprogrammed, but the method to do so was a blanketed mystery. Some may even theorize that it is a computer hacking technique only known to Emperor Gollog himself.

[Scanning... Analyzing... No targets detected. Resuming search strategy.] The built-in seismic sensors in its robotic legs planted themselves into the ground in order to listen for any vibration patterns of zerg origin. The vibrations produced by its metal family was tuned out as it listened for other seismic algorithms. When it found none, it proceeded forward for a few meters before stopping, planting its feet into the ground, and repeating this march. It didn't mind the occasional shadow that a floating Kiln Keeper variant or flying fortress provided. It was such repetitive monotony, but it was an activity that the Kiln Keepers were designed for.

[Scanning... Analyzing... No targets detected. Resuming search strategy.] It was a tireless cycle that didn't amount to any quick progress, but it was among the first strategies that the Kiln Keepers had learned to use against the zerg. It was an effective counter against the roaches, infestors, and any other kind of burrowed zerg monstrosity that would delight in ambushing their prey with their various methods of hunting. But even then, there were some monsters that didn't rely on using burrowing tactics very often. In fact, they were the kind of zerg monsters that needed to be dealt with quickly, or else they would deal irreparable damage if left to their own devices.

[Scanning... Analyzing... Targets detected. Annihilating.] Several hundreds of omega strain nydus worms erupted out from the ground and roared in unison. It was a strange sight to see as nydus worms sprouted out in a sparse pattern. As they pushed apart the ground and anchored themselves in place, they immediately began to vomit swarm after swarm of zerg. Zerglings were blasted apart as soon as they showed their filthy faces, roaches were torn asunder the moment they approached the Kiln Keepers or attempted to burrow under their defenses, and hydralisks were slain as they exchanged spines with energy projectiles. This new battle was rather sudden, but the Kiln Keepers knew well to target down the nydus worms in order to prevent any further complications. However, these nydus worms seemed different. They were slightly spinier, had more sets of eyes, and their carapace armor and overall health was bulkier than before. Even the zerglings, roaches and hydralisks seemed bulkier than before.

It was because of the omega worms' larger health pool and stronger carapace armor that enabled it to survive longer, and the omega worms' ability to expel a multitude of so many zerg created more problems for the Kiln Keepers. The Kiln Keepers were then beset by the sudden appearance of brutalisks bursting through the ground and laying waste to their formations and ranks. The symbiotes that often accompanied them were quick to launch their spine projectiles at any nearby enemies, as well as being able to cover their forms with a tough layer of ablative shell that helped them survive longer in a fight. Once the ultralisks and swarm queens finally joined the battle, the Kiln Keepers began to lose their ground.

Especially so once gigantic versions of ultralisks began populating the battlefield, which either had the noxious or torrasque strain abilities mixed into their genetic structure. The nydus destroyers also became another factor that the Kiln Keepers didn't account for as the living sentry organisms anchored themselves on ground that was or wasn't covered in creep. The creep continued to grow forward, even when the creep tumors that normally spread the growth wasn't present on the surface of Kiln.

In short, the Kiln keepers were summarily unprepared for the new strains and tactics that were attacking them.

[Flaws detected. Analyzing strategy... Analysis complete. Deficient unit formation. Deficient unit composition. Upgrades required. Requesting additional assets. Unable to continue with current composition. Unable to alter current strategies efficiently. Unable to maintain foothold. Continuing with target annihilation until unknown variables prompts strategy analysis. Analyzing alternative strategies. Notifying non-Kiln Keeper forces.]

But as the battle raged on, they failed to notice the unusual animals that fled past them. They didn't know what they were, yet they didn't seem interested in attacking the Kiln Keepers. It could be surmised that the robots assumed that they were some kind of fauna that survived the global radioactive rainstorm, or that they didn't care what they were as they focused solely on the targets they were programed to fight. These creatures refrained from fighting the Kiln Keepers, so the Kiln Keepers had no reason to annihilate them.

The ravasaurs and tyrannozors smiled their toothy smiles as they carefully continued passing through the ranks of the Kiln Keepers.

* * *

Within a gyroscopic mag rail station, inside of a surveillance deck.

[General Pallax, sir.] A surveillance officer reported. [The Kiln Keeper ground forces notified us that they have accepted new targets.]

A tired general groaned as he pinched the bridge of his snout. He was already in one of the many surveillance decks that surveyed the surface of Kiln, sitting on a computer desk that was prepared for him prior to his arrival. The surveillance officers scrambled to their stations as the creep began to slowly cover the surface of Kiln once more. He could see on some of their monitors the new kinds of monstrosities that plagued the Kiln Keepers and their efforts to eradicate the Zerg Swarm. "Of course. Why WOULDN'T they accept new targets? It's not like I expected this to happen." Pallax shook his head before steeling his expression. "How is the new targeting algorithm for the energy lances?"

[We should have it online in a few minutes, sir.]

"Good." Pallax sighed. "See if you can identify the new targets that the Kiln Keepers are now fighting."

[We have already done so, sir. We're sending you an image right now. You're not going to like what you'll be seeing.] The surveillance officer warned.

Once Pallax received the image file through the computer on his desk, he accessed it and scanned it with his eyes. Under his scrutiny, he grew puzzled by what was sent to him. "... Officer Leytab. What have you sent me?"

[An oversized razor fiend, sir. The largest one ever discovered. You can see how large it is when you scale it next to that peace keeper next to its foot.]

Pallax analyzed the image further and paled. Indeed, it was a larger torrasque strain ultralisk. He could also see a new host of monsters that sided by it. He sighed. "Leytab, I need you to continue monitoring the zerg. I need to make a call to the Cube Research Division."

Officer Laytab saluted. [Understood, sir.]

Pallax softly grunted as he tried to connect to Commander Faddoh. Once the connection was established, Pallax briefed Faddoh on the situation that occurred. Or he would have, had Faddoh not spoken first with a great big green grin greeting his caller. [General Pallax, sir! It is wonderful to hear from you again! I trust that your celebration went well?]

"Faddoh, shut up for about ten seconds and tell me what you think of this image I am sending you. That is an order." Pallax growled as he sent a file through Faddoh's communication line.

Faddoh's expression soured. [Okay, first off, there is no reason to be rude to me. But fine.] After a pause of a few seconds passed, Faddoh's eyes widened. [... What am I looking at?]

"I would imagine it is an even larger breed of razor fiend. There are more types of zerg organisms discovered, and I need you to analyze them. To summarize to you what is happening now, it is that the zerg have adapted yet again." Pallax growled.

Faddoh sighed. [Oh... Well I know for certain that Kralluf is going to be pleasantly surprised to learn that razor fiends can grow even bigger than their predecessors. But how did this happen, and what change caused this unexpected growth? Could it possibly be caused by the necrostorm secret weapon? It would certainly seem so, since we have never seen razor fiends of this size before. ... Actually, some of the zerg seem even larger than before! Egad! They must have evolved and adapted to the necrostorm's nuclear rainfall! Perhaps they mutated to metabolize the unstable isotopes that produces the necrotic electromagnetic radiation? Hmm... So many possible questions to ask... So many theories to test... I need to make a call to Commander Guik! She has the kind of technology that I need now! In any case, have one of your surveillance officers contact me so I can continue to be updated. In the meantime, I'll see if I can MEM shift a facility to a secure location. Commander Faddoh, out!]

Once Pallax was done talking to Faddoh, he then tried to connect to Kralluf and Ralkan. Once they both accepted the communication request, Pallax began to inform them. "Commander Kralluf. Commander Ralkan. We have a problem."

Ralkan sighed in exasperation. [Gods-damn it. I was looking forward to some rest and relaxation for once.]

Kralluf growled. [Stop your bellyaching. What is it, General Pallax?]

"The zerg have evolved yet again. I'm sending Kralluf an image of the new monsters that are battling the Kiln Keepers. Ralkan, I need you to coordinate your remote control mastery with Kralluf to take command of the abandoned flying fortresses. We need to attack the zerg now, or else they might cover Kiln with their slime and nests in its entirety."

Ralkan's expression paled. [Oh gods... Alright, I will see what I can do. Kralluf, I need some of your desert platform operators and flying fortress captains to team up with my senior surveillance officers.]

Kralluf's face soured. [Why do you need my boys to join up with your preening lawmen?]

Ralkan's eyes hardened. [That would be because you and your men have no training on how to use remote control programs or drone interfaces. We'll need to get hold of some of the aristocrats and commodores that have custom flying fortresses that have weapons installed on them. More importantly, we need to know every kind of adaptation that the zerg gained after they were exposed to Gollog's necrostorm secret weapon.]

"I already notified Faddoh. I believe he will ask Guik to borrow some technology he might need for his new study projects." Pallax shared with Ralkan and Kralluf.

Kralluf sighed. [Is Emperor Gollog aware of the zerg resurgence?]

Pallax sighed. "He and I had suspicions that the zerg might come back after the necrostorm secret weapon was activated. However, we didn't suspect that the zerg would make a return this early. We had hoped that the Kiln Keepers would root out the last of the zerg's nests before they grew in strength again, but it seems like we underestimated their abilities and capabilities yet again."

Ralkan snorted. [I share your resentment, but we need to focus right now. Kralluf? Send a message to all of your desert platform operators, every captain and every commodore. Have them get in contact with my senior surveillance officers.]

Kralluf huffed. [Yeah yeah, I got it. Hang on though. I need to check this image file. ... Oh.] Kralluf's expression contorted into surprise. [That's a big fucker.]

Ralkan groaned. [I'll tell the senior surveillance officers to prepare. However, I have a question, General.]

"Go ahead and ask." Pallax said.

[Are we going to alert the rest of the empire about the zerg resurgence? Or will we be keeping this a secret?]

Pallax nodded. "The twenty year war with the zerg has been a huge strain on the morale to not only our military, but to the citizenry of Golden Star as well. The last thing we need is to raise unnecessary alarms. I will contact Gollog and keep him informed. You two will mobilize the remaining flying fortresses and position them near or over heavy combat zones. Commanders Faddoh and Guik will be joining forces for their own missions. They will find out how the zerg have adapted and what they are planning to do. Do you understand your objectives?"

[Yes sir.] [Yes sir.]

"Good. Over and out." Pallax finished as he closed the communication link. However, he made one more call, and it was to his emperor. Once his emperor accepted his communication request, Pallax sighed. "Emperor Gollog, sir. It's as we suspected, only worse."

Gollog's face shifted into an angered pout. [Dammit.]

"But I have out a plan in action, sir. Kralluf and Ralkan will be responsible for remote controlling the remaining flying fortresses to fight in heavy combat zones, while Guik and Faddoh will work together to study the zerg." Pallax reported.

[Mm. A conservative approach. Why?] Gollog asked.

"To send our military back into the flying fortresses would risk them becoming contaminated by the necrostorm fallout. I wouldn't dare risk contaminating our self-contained ecosystem with irradiated water." Pallax answered.

Gollog paused before he slowly nodded. [Hmm... Very well then. However, we mustn't let this war escalate beyond our control. If it does get to that point, then we might have no other choice but to send our military to combat the zerg. I recommend we begin making water-proof suits for the bondmen soldiers.]

Pallax bowed. "Of course, my emperor."

[Will that be all, Pallax?] Gollog asked.

"For the moment, my lord. Over and out." Once Gollog bowed back to Pallax, Pallax discontinued his link. After a heavy sigh, Pallax stood up from his desk and looked at the surveillance officers within the surveillance deck. He hardened his gaze as he readied himself. "Right... Time to get back in command."

* * *

Low orbit above Kiln, near the ruins of Empire Capitol.

An invisible thing was floating in the sky. It wasn't a zerg organism that discovered how to cloak itself through a biological method. It wasn't an Intelligent Automaton Kiln Keeper variant that tried to hide its presence to its enemies. Nor was it a supernatural anomaly that couldn't possibly be explained by science. Instead, it was an experimental floating craft. Twenty years ago, Commander Faddoh had created a prototype series of floating research bases that were capable of gathering information as they moved. This one in particular was a cloaked C-series cube research facility. In fact, it was one of the first experimental flying bases that Faddoh had ever made, which eventually became the inspiration that later created the flying fortresses.

It was currently piloted by Commander Guik, whom had been given a quick rundown on how to fly the mobile facility. Meanwhile, Faddoh was chatting to himself in a giddy manner. "This is certainly a rare privilege! To be the first ever gilanians to be allowed back on Kiln, even after the necrostorm secret weapon was activated, is certainly a humbling experience! I wonder if I can make a photo album during a mission and take it back home with me? I'm sure Pallax and Gollog wouldn't mind!" He was apparently excited about the mission he had planned for himself and Commander Guik to partake in.

Guik, on the other hand, was not as excited. "Atmospheric entry is complete. Slowing the descent of our mobile research facility. We are now approaching the zerg and Kiln Keeper combat zones. Our light-screen mesh is still operational. The polymer electromagnetic repelling mesh bundles are at a hundred percent and are still intact. Our invisibility is still functioning at normal parameters." Guik said. Her face-mask's letters were currently displaying the word 'focused' as she was analyzing the controls of the mobile research facility and analyzing the various screens, which displayed several camera perspectives that was outside of the floating facility.

Commander Faddoh approached Guik and pointed at the explosions of red in the distance, while lines of crimson harshly painted the horizon. "I see some fighting going on over there! How close do you think we can get to that?"

Guik sighed in exasperation as her face-mask's letters changed to 'annoyed'. "Commander Faddoh, if we come too close to the zerg organisms, then they will detect our presence. We don't want to stray too close to the oculars, barnacle sentries, spawners, greater spawners, flying caretakers or dread maws."

Faddoh simply smiled at Guik. "Then we simply keep far away from them! I recommend staying four hundred to five hundred yards away from the battle, and from any zerg detector organisms."

Guik sighed. "Copy that. Flying closer to get a better look."

As the cloaked floating mobile research facility neared the battle, Faddoh and Guik were able to see the war that ensued between robots and monsters, which was a violent dance that went on for well over twenty years. It was an incredible fight to see.

The two commanders could see a noxious omegalisk carving itself a path through the ranks of the Kiln Keepers. Each swing of its enormously large Kaiser blades either heavily damaged a robot, or completely took it out of commission, which did so to several at a time with each attack. The noxious mist and clouds of acid that expelled from its hide ate away at the armor of the surrounding Kiln Keepers, while its blades not only decimated its targets with every strike, but also healed their wielder simultaneously. The defilers kept guarding them with dark swarms, while the vipers casted their disabling clouds onto the ranks of the Kiln Keepers, preventing them from firing their weapons and using their special attacks effectively. It was odd to see mutalisks already flying in the air and fighting against the Kiln Keeper ground forces, but they were already there and they were much tougher than before. They even seemed to attack the flying Kiln Keeper variants with much more force than before, downing more droves of hovering Peace Keepers with their bouncing shots. Guik was appalled to see that these mutalisks can not only transform into either devourers or leviathans, but they also seemed to quickly transform into brood lords, vipers, and guardians as well. Guik suddenly wondered if there were any surface hive clusters that have already morphed the appropriate bio-structures needed to enable such monsters to be quickly produced. Even so, the zerg's ability to adapt and evolve was uncanny and frightening to witness. Even as the orbital bombardment attacks, provided mainly by the energy lances, only stunned or killed a few of the zerg. Even with the overhead distraction, they still continued fighting the Kiln Keepers.

Faddoh seemed delighted with the information he was gathering. "Most astounding! The zerg have gathered an impressive aerospace presence already! Is this yet another adaptation that the zerg developed?"

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'frustration'. "Adaptation or not, this will not bode well for our empire, or for the Kiln Keepers."

Faddoh didn't seem deterred by Guik's doubting observation. "You may not have the same curiosity as I do, sweety, but that is the glorious thing about discreet research missions! We can do whatever we want, so long as the research subjects remain unaware of our observation."

Guik shook her head. "As always, you're an insistent optimist." She then surveyed the screens that was fed information, provided by the surveillance cameras outside of the mobile floating facility. However, before too long, something caught her eye as she saw something strange in one of the screens. "... Hm?"

That one audible note of a hum caught Faddoh's attention. "Something caught your eye?"

Guik pointed at a screen as she typed in a few commands to a nearby keyboard. "I'm zooming in one hundred and seventy five percent on this image. Do you recognize these creatures?"

Faddoh glanced at the screen as it refocused. His expression turned into surprise as he saw ravasaurs and tyrannozors for the first time in his robotic life. "... Well well well! What have we here?"

Guik shook her head and shrugged as her face-mask's letters changed to 'confused'. "I was hoping you would know."

"Then it will delight you to know that I do not." Faddoh said with a broad smile.

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'annoyed' again. "Perhaps delight is not the word I would use."

"On the contrary! It would mean that you have the privilege of naming these new zerg creatures!" Faddoh boasted. "Oh, and reporting your findings to General Pallax too, but that part comes later. So, my sweety! What kind of name will you be giving them?"

Guik shook her head and sighed. "We don't know what they are capable of. I would rather observe them before we give them an appropriate label."

Faddoh nodded with Guik's assessment, and then posed as he pointed at the newly discovered zerg. "Then we shall observe those creatures, Guik! We have science to do!"

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'unamused'. "At least keep yourself quiet. You know that I have problems working in noisy conditions."

Faddoh nodded as he chuckled nervously. "Heh heh... Ah yes. I keep forgetting that you inherited your introverted nature from your mother's side. I apologize."

Guik continued to concentrate on the creatures on the screen. "I didn't know robots could forget. ... Hmm... Wait... What?"

Faddoh looked upon Guik's screens and noticed it too. Apparently, the new zerg organisms were moving past the Kiln Keeper ranks. It appeared as though the various Kiln Keeper variants moved around the ravasaurs and tyrannozors, even as the newly discovered zerg beasts parted through the marching formations of metal. Both forces ignored each other as each pressed on to their intended destination, with the Kiln keepers marching toward the war front, and with the unknown zerg parting through the march of metal formations.

Faddoh stared at this with slack-jawed confusion. "Uh... Wha-what? Why are the Kiln Keepers not attacking these new zerg organisms?"

Guik stared at the creatures on the screens before her and slowly shook her head, while her face-mask's letters changed to 'confused'. "These monsters are ignoring the Kiln Keepers too. It's like they don't see each other."

Faddoh scratched at his copper chin and thumbed at the lowest portion of his green LED face. "This behavior is most unusual! Have these creatures somehow developed a biological trait that enables them to be rendered invisible to the Kiln Keepers?"

Guik shook her head. "No, I don't think it's that. The Kiln Keepers would have bumped into them if that were the case. Even then, their seismic sensors built into their legs would have detected them too. Even if they did develop some kind of invisibility, then why are we able to see them at all?"

Faddoh hissed. "Mm. This doesn't make any sense."

Guik sighed as her face-mask's letters changed to 'concerned'. "I think we should contact Pallax. We need to report this."

Faddoh gestured for Guik to move. "Fine by me. Move over and let me take command of the facility."

Guik tightly held onto the flight controls of the C-series floating research facility. "No. I'm a Pyramidal Guard commander, and you are a Cube Research commander. I will keep piloting this floating block you call a research facility, while you make a link with our general. That is an order."

Faddoh hissed again, but grumbled as he walked to a vacant keyboard and pulled up a screen for him to look at. "Then do me a favor and follow those creatures. I don't know what they are capable of, but if we find out where they are going, we might be able to piece together what their plan might be." Faddoh said as he requested a communication link with his general. Once the link was made, Faddoh saluted to the image of Pallax. "Apologies, my general. We have discovered a new caste of zerg organism, and I wish to report our findings to you so far."

Pallax grunted. [Of course. Send me all the data that you have collected.]

After a brief passing of a couple seconds, Pallax received the data he requested in the form of a live surveillance stream."We haven't collected much data as of yet. We do have a live video capture of these beasts, however. Uploading a live stream to you now."

It took Pallax roughly a minute to decipher the information for himself. Once he has done so, he returned his gaze to Faddoh. [Rather queer creatures, I must say. Have you given a name to them? And do you know what they are capable of?]

Faddoh shook his metal head. "We don't have a name for them yet. That little privilege befalls to the commander of the Pyramidal Guard Division. However, I must stress the fact that these are newly discovered creatures, Pallax. As of right now, we don't know what they are capable of. However, this is what I really wanted to show you! Can you tell me what you can see if you looked closely at the stream you're currently viewing?"

Pallax took a few seconds to himself to watch the stream that Faddoh shared with him. After those seconds, his eyes brightened up. [... They are not attacking each other?]

"Both the Kiln Keepers and the new zerg organism breeds, yes." Faddoh added, nodding slowly and with concern on his LED green face. "I will also note that there is a new breed of under beast plaguing the Kiln Keepers, but I figured that this required your most immediate attention."

[They all seem to be moving through the Kiln Keeper formations. They're almost infiltrating through their march entirely.] Pallax remarked as he scratched his chin. [... If they are heading into the direction of the Kiln Keeper's production facilities, then this might become an even bigger problem in the long run. But even so, I can't understand why the Kiln Keepers are refraining from attacking these new zerg beasts. These new zerg organisms almost look like brutish lizards...]

"I have decided on some names for them." Guik interrupted, even while she remained focused on the screens and continued following the ravasaurs and tyrannozors. "I think naming the littler ones 'invaders' would be an appropriate name as any other. The larger ones could be called 'obtruders'. Since these two creatures have a similar appearance between each other, we can group them together into a single breed name. I want to collectively call them... 'drakes'."

Pallax nodded. [Invader drakes and obtruder drakes it is.] He said. [However, I can see that your mission is now of upmost priority. I need you to follow these drakes as best as you can. Find out what they are planning to do, if you are able to. If you can't, then gather as much substantial data without putting yourselves in harms way. I'll see if I can mobilize any other covert operatives into any other areas that have Kiln Keepers attacking zerg infested zones. You have new mission priorities, commanders. Make your emperor proud.] And with that, Pallax's face flashed and vanished.

Faddoh beamed a proud smile as he turned to look at Guik. Guik, though nobody could see her face, simply rolled her eyes and continued with her task on piloting the floating research facility and following the newly dubbed 'drakes'.

For a long while had the cloaked floating research facility slowly hover above the ravasaurs and tyrannozors, who were later named 'drakes' by Guik. They moved in wide groups that were spread out, and there seemed to be established pack leaders within each group that seemed to direct them toward and past the march of Kiln Keepers. Much of the obtruder drakes, otherwise known as tyrannozors by the zerg, would primarily mingle through the looser Kiln Keeper formations that contained any of the larger variants of Kiln Keepers. The intruder drakes, the ravasaurs, had little trouble slinking through the Peace Keeper Kiln Keeper variants, though the kept their distance from the more larger variants somewhat. What seemed like tens of tyrannozors and ravasaurs eventually grew to hundreds, and then possibly thousands more of these creatures, all walking up the stream of marching Kiln Keepers. A while longer, and the two commanders followed the migrating packs of 'drakes' to the newly established production facilities of the Kiln Keepers. The Kiln Keeper facilities slowly expanded so that they could supply more troops to the battle that ensued on the battlefront, yet they seemed to take no interest with their intruders and obtruders. In the minutes that followed, more and more ravasaurs and tyrannozors gathered around these Kiln Keeper production facilities.

Faddoh was amazed by what he was seeing. "Incredible! These new zerg creatures haven't attacked the Kiln Keepers during their entire pilgrimage. And the Kiln Keepers just allowed them to pass through their controlled territories, both unmolested and unharmed. It is like they were ignoring them! How is this possible?!"

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'concerned'. "This is... unbelievable. To be able to pass through so many Kiln Keeper army units and troop formations without ever being attacked. Not even once did any one of them exchange barbs."

Faddoh scratched at his coppery head before grunting in frustration. "Okay, let's think about this. There must be some kind of variable that enables this... non-aggressive behavior to manifesy. What could cause the Kiln Keepers and these new zerg organisms to ignore each other?"

Guik sighed as she leaned back in her seat. "We can rule out invisibility. We can rule out the Kiln Keepers being offered a treaty from the zerg, or else all of the zerg and the Kiln Keepers wouldn't be attacking each other. We can also rule out faulty machine parts or sabotaged Kiln Keeper builder mechanisms since they are quite quick in detecting faults in their own systems."

Faddoh growled as he began to pace. "But what is the variable that caused this behavior?"

Guik shook her head. "There is definitely something wrong here. It must be some factor either too complex for us to understand, or we are overlooking a simple factor that we didn't account for. Perhaps even both. What would cause the Kiln Keepers to refrain from targeting and exterminating the drakes in the first place?"

"Simple factor... Complex factor... Targeting..." Pallax repeated as he hummed the words to himself. For a few minutes did Guik and Faddoh muddle over the available facts, but neither seemed to figure out what was happening. It was a definite strategical equation that both Faddoh and Guik were having a hard time solving. However, after some extensive musings, Faddoh's expression suddenly lit up with an uncomfortable dread. "... Oh."

Guik turned to look at Faddoh. "What?"

"MOVE!" Faddoh shouted as he forced Guik from her seat.

"GUAGH!" Guik tumbled onto her back as she was thrown from the flight controls. She looked up at Faddoh as her face-mask's letters changed to surprised. "Faddoh, what are you doing?!"

Faddoh made a communication request with his general once more as he began to take control of the floating facility. They were already ascending rapidly as Pallax's face greeted Faddoh once more. [Hello again, commander Faddoh. Do you-]

"There is no time to talk, Pallax! Order all of your covert operatives to abandon their missions and retreat back to the military living blocks in the fifth sky ring!" Faddoh loudly urged.

Faddoh reared his head back in surprise. [What?! Why?!]

"Do it, my general! The reason why the Kiln Keepers are not attacking the new zerg organisms is because the Kiln Keepers have not identified them as threats yet! I'm sending you a live stream to you right now! Look at how many drakes there are!" Faddoh barked.

After Pallax paused for a few seconds to view the live stream that Faddoh sent to him, he paled yet again. [... My gods, there are so many! I'll notify my covert ops forces immediately. Your mission now is to retreat. I will notify Gollog so that he can reprogram the Kiln Keepers to target these new zerg organisms.]

"It might be too late for Gollog to reprogram the Kiln keepers in time, Pallax." Faddoh growled. "We are already beginning our transit back to the sky rings. If we are under any kind of danger, then I will have Guik MEM shift into your private quarters, using our onboard MEM device."

Guik shook her head as she stood back up. "Not that I'm thankful that you would MEM shift me to safety, but what about you?"

Faddoh sighed as he turned to Guik. "I will be fine." He pointed at himself. "If this robotic body you see is destroyed right here, then my backup consciousness will inhabit another robotic body. I might not remember too many of our past conversations, so it's up to you and everyone else to fill me in on what is happening."

[Faddoh, check your surveillance screens. There's something happening with the live stream on my end.] Pallax interrupted.

Both Guik and Faddoh then brought their focus onto the surveillance screens. What they saw startled them into shock. They saw that the ravasaurs and tyrannozors have begun attacking the Kiln Keepers, and they have done so in a unified frenzy. The ravasaurs coughed a sac-like glob that collided into the ranks of the Kiln Keepers, which made them fume and burn. It was an acidic spit that was weaponized into a volatile projection. Any Kiln Keepers that were in melee range to the ravasaurs were clawed down in a similar efficiency to their spit attacks. The tyrannozors were even worse. Their claws struck out with savage strikes as their Kaiser bladed fingers glided through their targets, while their sharp teeth chomped down on hard armored metal and ripped them into useless metal scrap and broken parts. The earth had opened up as nydus worms of the omega strain arrived at the new battlefield. Once its maw opened, swarms of new zerg left its gaping mouth. These other breeds of zerg were, again, nothing that Guik or Faddoh had ever seen before.

Igniters skittered up close to the Kiln Keeper Peace Keeper variants and unleashed a hot hell. Their fiery breath seemed to glow hotter than plasma as their burning exhalations seemed to melt the enemies plaguing the zerg swarm. They could see roaches fighting and fusing together in order to evolve into more igniters, which either replaced any igniters that perished, or added more numbers to an escalating war. Roaches fought among themselves and melted together in order to be spawned into these beasts, or to be spawned into a guardians. The guardians even seem to drive themselves into a frenzy as they launch their acid spores with primordial fury, which seemed to detonate with explosive force. The next kind of zerg organism then came out from the mouths of the omega worms, which revealed itself to be another variant of the swarm host. Even when Guik and Faddoh saw how two swarm hosts fought and melded together into form the creeper hosts, they were still in disbelief. These creeper hosts then proceeded to release a type of locust that was beyond the typical description of a locust. The creepers that the creeper host produced were joined with locusts that were either grounded or flight capable. The Kiln Keepers would be too distracted to target the locusts before they realized that the creepers were a more prominent danger to them. The creepers, and the targets they collided onto, exploded in a mix of melted metal and boiling acid. The next kind of creatures that came were similar in appearance the the shryik serpents they feared, which also have the physical traits that were quite similar to the nydus worms. The nydus destroyer wurms bursts out from the ground and began attacking any nearby foe that was an enemy to the zerg.

One of these nydus destroyers looked up into the sky. Guik and Faddoh didn't know what it was seeing. But when it roared and began attacking their supposedly cloaked floating research facility, they both knew that they were no longer safe.

Faddoh turned to Guik. "Guik! It's time you get your tail out of here! Our light-screen mesh is already compromised! Those new under beast variants can detect us!"

Guik nodded as she quickly went for the MEM device in the next room. Thud after thud of splashing acid was heard from outside of the mobile research facility, and the subtle sound of boiling, sizzling acid was heard. Guik inputted the coordinates that placed her within Pallax's private quarters. Before the MEM device turned her body into energy and transported her to the designated location, she yelled out to Faddoh. "What about you?!"

Faddoh waved at Guik. "I'll meet back with you again, sweety! Now go, before a dread maw shows up!"

After that quick exchange, Guik's form was surrounded by blue static before disappearing completely. Faddoh sighed, but he knew that he was still far from being out of danger. More thudding sounds from outside impacted onto the mobile research facility. The entire facility began to shudder and shake, which warned Faddoh that the mobile facility was now under heavy attack. A flurry of spikes impacted the floating facility, which was the necessary catalyst to finally disable it. It began to fall from the sky. It would later create a crate in the ground once it explodes.

* * *

Within a mag station, inside of Pallax's private quarters.

Guik sighed as she materialized within a safe space. She looked around and found that the room she was in definitely belonged to a general of Pallax's stature. The design was utilitarian and simple, but there were several corners of the room that was adorned either with various weapons, with pictures regarding personal memoirs, and several kinds of exercising equipment. It certainly was an improvement than the other place he used to sleep in. The opalescent palace that was once the crowning jewel of Empire City, situated in the middling island of Shallow Ocean within the Day Circle, had obnoxious lighting that Guik couldn't stand. Here however, so high up and far away from the surface of Kiln, had the kind of lighting level that she could tolerate. It would make it easier for her to blend in with the shadows.

She went to Pallax's personal computer terminal and accessed it. "Skrico, connect me to General Pallax please."

[Command detected.] A computer voice replied to Guik, and fulfilled her stated order.

After a few minutes, a face finally lit up upon the computer terminal's screen. Pallax's face greeted Guik, but it turned into an image of him shaking his head and sighing. [So I take it that your mobile facility was targeted and destroyed?]

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to annoyed. "I MEM shifted myself into your private quarters in time. I don't know of Faddoh's condition, but I speculate that he went down with the C-series mobile research facility. The custom light-screen mesh we installed onto the hull of the mobile facility was inefficient. There is a new breed of under beast that saw past our invisibility, which would explain why I am here now. Why did it take you so long to accept my communication request?"

Pallax shook his head and growled. [You couldn't have called me at a better time. The special infiltration forces I had selected for their covert ops missions suffered. Skrico calculated that seventy eight percent the sent soldiers have died, suffered casualties, or are missing in action.]

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'surprised'. "How many covert ops soldiers did you send?"

[I only sent twenty squads in total to ten different locations. Their reports were quite similar to what you and Faddoh had uncovered during your shared mission. When you reported to me that the Kiln Keepers didn't attack the new zerg breeds because of a flaw in their targeting acquisition programs, I knew that they were unsafe. If I had ever delayed their retreat, I would have lost all of the squads I selected.] Pallax said with a saddened groan.

Guik sighed as her face-mask's letters changed to frustrated. "How many Kiln Keepers are deployed on Kiln?"

Pallax looked to the side, grimaced, and then returned his attention to Guik. [The numbers are not looking good. After the necrostorm weapon was unleashed, the Kiln Keepers were continually increasing their numbers with several millions of Kiln Keeper construction devices, which was able to create around two and a quarter billion Kiln Keeper units at their apex population and maintain it. However, in these last few minutes alone, the Kiln Keeper units and structures are being targeted and dismantled at a speed that is unheard of. The Kiln Keeper population counter is now in the sextuple digits, and is continuing to decrease.]

Guik turned away and paused for a couple seconds. "... From billions... to hundreds of thousands in minutes... My gods..."

Pallax looked at Guik with a stern expression. [Commander Guik. Be advised that as a commander of the Pyramidal Guard Division, you are tasked with handling discreet and classified details, or annihilating troublesome and problematic individuals. This information I have revealed to you must never be allowed to come into general knowledge with the public of Golden Star's citizenry, or be made aware to the rest of our military divisions. I will be reporting to Gollog, and I don't want you to share this information with anyone else. Do I make myself clear?]

Guik paused for a second and a half before she turned to face the screen and nodded. "Yes... Yes, my general."

[Good.] There was a slight pause before Pallax sighed once more. [Oh, and if you want to have pitcher juice marinated shellfish with oven-baked salted grain, I have it in a box of leftovers in my cooling vault. You are free to have it.]

Guik bowed. "Thank you, sir."

[However, I'm letting you have only one pickled krell liver. Leave the rest of my pickled krell livers alone.] Pallax added.

Guik hissed in silent disdain. "Of course, sir."

Sudden flashes of red blinded Guik. At the same time, red flashes flashed on her screen, which made Pallax's face change into a confused expression. He turned around and began shouting. [Are we being attacked?!]

[Sir, yes sir! Multiple contacts entering into range of the point-defense turrets on our mag rail station, sir!] [Sir, I am receiving word that four... eight... fifteen... twenty... All twenty six mag rail stations are reporting that they and the sky rings are under attack!] [Multiple zerg organisms identified. Sky bats, burst launchers, cloud lickers, scratch launchers, slayers, sun bursts, oculars and dread maws are on an approach vector to our position.]

Gollog snarled at his men. [Which side are they coming from?!]

[From above and below us, sir!] [They're attacking us from two sides at once?!] [The other mag rail stations are saying they are getting hit from both sides too!]

Gollog turned to face Guik. [Dammit. Guik, we will have to talk later.]

Once the communication link was severed, Guik quickly sprinted to a nearby window. Sure enough, she could see the point-defense turrets and energy lances fire repeatedly. As far as she could see, the energy lances and point-defense turrets, both on the mag rail station and on the sky ring mega structures, glowed with dangerous energy as they sent their projectiles toward the zerg. She stared at the brilliant light-show for a couple minutes in awe. A sigh later escaped her lungs as she proceeded to the gilanian equivalent of a refrigerator. "... Fuck this. I'm eating all of his livers."

* * *

Within the crater of a crash site.

A whirring sound emanated from underneath a pile of copper scrap, green glass and an assortment of technology that no longer functioned. A coppery grasping hand weakly moved this pile off of its owner, which revealed a heavily damaged copper robot. A pained whine from its leg joints straightened the robot to an upright standing position. "Ugh... Never again." Faddoh managed to survive as his floating research facility crashed into the ground. By using his manipulator emitters to form a manipulation field around his body, he could cushion himself from the damage of the crash landing. Sadly, he couldn't protect himself from the entirety of the fall, as much of his body was in great disrepair. He either needed a new body, or a good mechanic to fix his current problem.

However, a low, deep growl caught his attention. Faddoh slowly turned around to view this new noise and saw what had created the sound. A large, hulking mass of an almost feline, yet masculine reptile body was staring down at him. It looked like any of the typical tyrannozors, except that this one was massively bigger, had green pores that seemed to seep green mist, had purple veins that pulsed with its heartbeat, and had an unusual creature hovering above it. Faddoh only ever saw those assisting zerg organisms, known as symbiotes, assisting brutalisks and leviathans in the past. It then dawned upon him that there was never an established name for them. The enormous version of a tyrannozor leaned down an sniffed at the copper robot.

Faddoh slowly raised both of his arms to display a passive gesture. "Uh... I surrender?"

The mountainous beast looked away from Faddoh for several seconds, looking as though something else had caught its attention. Faddoh was confused by this gesture, but he didn't act upon it. After a brief pause, it then returned its attention to Faddoh, while it seemed to hiss out a chuckle. "Overcommander Kay says no prisoners. For now. You die here."

"WHA~?!-" Before Faddoh could ask his questions, two sets of Kaiser claws struck out and sliced into the commander of the Cube Research Division. Afterwards, the massive monster used its spiked knuckles to pound onto the body of the destroyed robot, which created a crater that would serve as one of Faddoh's graves. Once the copper commander was thoroughly destroyed and was incapable of ever being fixed to its previous condition, several more omega worms formed around it as packs of drones floated out of their maws. The drones began to form a chrysalis bubble around their bodies as they began to morph into the necessary bio-structures that were needed.

The massive beast looked up. It was thirsting for a REAL fight.

* * *

 **A/N: Went and saw that Venom movie. :V**

 **Also, I forgot to have a gilanian name for the symbiotes. I'm dumb.**


	90. MB16: Golden Star Armageddon Final

**Chapter 90: Major Battle 16: Golden Star Armageddon Final**

* * *

Kay was surprised.

When he heard the psionic emanations that asked about what was to be done with the copper-colored robotic commander, Kay began traveling to the message's source after he answered it. Such a message had perturbed him not for what was asked, but it was the identity of the sender of the message that startled him. Once he left the maw of the omega worm, Kay began to search the immediate area for the creature he was seeking. It didn't take him long to find it. Standing sixty meters tall, with a symbiote somehow assisting it, the omegazor stood triumphantly over the broken and flattened body of Commander Faddoh. It looked as though its emotions was between being bored and being hungry. Borengry? Maybe.

Kay was apprehensive to talk to this creature again, even when he made the effort to come right up to this beast in order to look at it again under a new light of scrutiny. The beast stared back at him, in what seemed like a mix between halfhearted interest and cautious instinct that could turn into savage aggression. However, Kay had no intention on fighting this beast again. Instead, he directed his mind to connect to Othafurn's mind. He did so as quietly as possible. _'Othafurn, if you don't mind, please explain to me why this omegazor is fighting on our side?'_

Othafurn began answering Kay. _'I shared our collective knowledge with the omegazor. Once I have done so, I have asked it to join our side. It then asked why it should join us. I explained how Gollog and his empire would not stop unless they eradicated the entire Swarm, including any organism that is zerg in origin. Upon realizing that it too was a zerg organism, it has decided to join us in our war against Golden Star.'_

Kragnon decided to intervene into the conversation. _'I thought we were not supposed to use psionic communication during this time?'  
_

Kay rolled his eyes. _'No, see, that's only if and when we decide to change our plans, should any of our current strategies needs to be altered. Since the energy lances are only striking creep infested areas, or onto overlords that are heavily relaying psionic commands, we just need to remember to speak below a whisper as we psionically talk to each other.'  
_

 _'Mm.'_ After a brief pause, Kragnon mentally spoke again. _'Say, now that we have an... uh... an omegazor on our side, what kind of name are we going to give it?'_

 _'A name? Kragnon, you do realize we are in the middle of a war?'_ Kay reminded Kragnon.

 _'Actually, the omegazor's mind is fully capable of commanding your brood, Kay. It may have great power, but it lacks experience commanding our minions in a battle.'_ Othafurn added.

 _'Don't talk about me as though you're dancing around an issue.'_ The omegazor growled in annoyance.

Kay sighed. _'Oh, yeah, no, of course you'd be able to communicate psionically too.'_ Kay said nonchalantly, realizing that the destroyed psionic focuser had more than one affect on the omegazor's mind.

The omegazor leaned down to stare at Kay. "What was that?"

Kay held up his hands at the omegazor. Kay looked sheepish. "Uh... Nothing."

 _'Alright then, allow me to be the first to offer a name to our new ally.'_ Kragnon quickly delegated. _'Omegazor creature? How would the name 'Alexandriana' fit you?'_

A grumble escaped the newly christened Alexandriana. _'It is... serviceable, I suppose.'  
_

Kay tilted his head as he raised an eyebrow. _'Alexandriana? Kind of a mouthful of a name.'_

Kragnon seemed to have huffed. _'It's supposed to be a very powerful girl's name, and it's meant to be a name that is a deity above deities. I took inspiration from the girls names you had given me, mixing Alexandra with Sophia. I thought it would be fitting to give her a name with five syllables, which reflects the immortal nature of the powerful zerg.'_

Alexandriana seemed slightly chuffed from Kragnon's explanation, making her slightly swell in praise as though she was complimented. Kay rolled his eyes. _'Well I'm going to call her Alex during our casual conversations.'_

A wave of confusion swept over Kragnon. _'You're going to nickname her with a boy's name?'_

 _'In human culture, Alex can be either a boy's name or a girl's name. Alex is also a shortened nickname for Alexander or Alexandra. And besides, nearly every zerg organism is asexual and unisex, with the 'possible' exceptions to the queen breeds and the drones that can morph into the hatcheries that can spawn more zerg.'_ Kay explained.

Kragnon's mind reeled from the cultural difference he just learned. _'Your human culture is strange.'_

Alexandriana growled. _'Quiet. You two whimper like vaph disputing over a hole. We should focus on this war.'_

 _'Quite correct, Alexandriana.'_ Thyzir interjected. _'Time is of the essence, and Virid is awaiting our signal to launch her forces.'_

And it was just then that a blazing line of energy erupted over Alexandriana's left shoulder. She shrilled in pain and lashed out violently at any nearby bastard enemy that dared tanned her scaly and carapaced hide. However, after finding no enemies to assail, she looked upwards and sneered at the distant organisms responsible for the pain brought onto her.

 _'... Quite.'_ Thyzir added.

Kay sighed. Thyzir and Alexandriana had a point, and Kay wouldn't want to stall the battle any longer than necessary. Kay looked up at the skies and steeled himself. "Right." He pointed towards the sky rings. "We'll need to morph as many hatcheries, spore cannons and scourge cannons as fast as we can, so that our mutalisks can come into range of their weapons system. If any of the chrysalises on Kiln's surface is destroyed, we can replace them easily enough. We've had twenty years to produce all the resources we could ever need for this push. Virid is keeping her lunar brood just out of range of the sky ring's point-defense turrets and energy lances, but they will move in once we give her the signal." Kay said.

Alexandriana stared at Kay for several seconds before emitting a derisive snort. "There is no need to repeat the plan to me again. I know it well." She then addressed her current wounds by licking them, even when her symbiote had already covered her body with a protective shell.

Kay looked back at Alexandriana and shrugged. "I know. I'm just reminding myself."

"I have a question, however." Alexandriana grumbled. "Couldn't you just create a wormhole and deliver our forces into the sky rings directly?"

Kay sighed. "I thought about doing that, but I also didn't want to unveil all of my strategies and new abilities to Gollog just yet. If I did, I would be giving him a reason to prepare against us if we failed to bring him down here and now. But also, I can't form wormholes as easily as you might think. I found out that I require much more concentration to form a wormhole in areas that doesn't contain any zerg that is connected to our brood. That, and the wormhole is going to be easily detected by their ENO sensor network, and I can only create a single wormhole at a time at the moment. What we need to do is to simultaneously flank the sky rings, box them, and whittle them down until there is nothing left."

"Mm." Alexandriana nodded before looking up toward the sky. "Still, I wish to be at the front of the war. I desire a real fight."

Kay nodded with a smirk. "Oh, I know of a certain mecha you'll enjoy tearing apart. Stick around, and maybe it'll show up."

The ground conflict on Kiln's surface was slowly petering. Kiln Keepers, once the most dangerous robotic force that enforced the prison system for the entire planet, was made inefficient by Kay and Virid's brood. And as of right then, the war between Golden Star and zerg will be fought in the skies. Already, several hatcheries, scourge cannons, and spires aplenty were covering the surface of Kiln at an extreme rate. The surface of Kiln would be, in the grandest sense, covered by creep and anti-orbital bio-structures. When the hydralisks began merging together to form into mutalisks, Kay's smile seemed to stretch from ear to ear.

* * *

Gadral sighed as he looked down at the brown rectangle in front of him. Before it was served on a plate to him, mai grain had been grounded down into a flour, had some eggs and grounded insects mixed into it, baked with a depression on top, and was then filled with dried fruit that was microwaved in a bowl of water for a few minutes. It was a dish that was the bare minimum of the highest quality food he could have prepared for himself. Those that are higher in Golden Star's military command structure, which included any of the commanders, the general of the four armies, and even Gollog himself, would have access to more decadent foodstuffs to stuff their faces with.

However, he couldn't complain. He knew very well that the remaining civilian population of Golden Star had access to a quality of food that was even less nourishing, and even less appetizing, than what he was allowed to have. The only things that the civilians were allowed to eat were either military rations or whatever that was allowed to be grown in their designated habitation cells. Much of the aristocratic civilians had attempted to 'rent' out many of the habitation cells only to have them renovated. They would be repurposed to fulfill different purposes, such as growing certain types of plant crops and livestock. Growing food within the sky rings' habitation cells would help the civilian population refrain from depending on military rations to sustain them, yet the Kiln Keepers were rather strict about keeping unregistered animals unsupervised within a habitation cell. Even so, smoked vaph meat strips was a better alternative to starving, and Gadral had heard some horror stories involving the consumption of the horridly bitter type of meat. Who in their right mind had the bright idea to smoke the oily meat of a vermin that is known to spread disease and breed like sin anyway?

But at least there was some benefits to living far above the surface of Kiln within one of the sky ring satellite mega structures. One of which that was obvious was being far away from the war between the Zerg Swarm, Golden Star's military and their metal allies. And frankly, in Gadral's opinion, that was probably the biggest benefit to living in the sky ring. He could stomach eating stale bread-bowl soup if it meant he could live in relative peace, and be far away from any death-inducing conflicts for as much as possible.

At least, from his experience of surviving the destruction of a secret facility, for a short while. The zerg were clearly a type of swarm that continues to exceed Golden Star in terms of warfare. To fight against the zerg would be like fighting against a tide of angry, clawed, fanged, and carapaced monsters.

 _'Raise your arms straight up when it starts.'_

Gadral fell out of his seat and yelped, spilling the microwaved fruit in his bread bowl as he did so.

He looked left and right quickly, but he seemed to be alone. In what felt like half a minute, he clutched his head and sighed in exasperation. "Guh... I need to ween myself from the revitalizant." He said to himself.

Gadral got up from the floor and began cleaning the floor of the spilled microwaved fruit sludge, and also picking up the bugmeal bread bowl. Once he had cleaned up and sat himself down to begin eating again, a series of knocks had alerted him that someone is visiting his habitation cell. With a sigh, he left his meal and approached the door that was the only entryway in and out of his habitation cell. However, once Gadral patiently went to the door and opened it, he saw that an iron-suit uniformed gilanian had summoned him. He was incredibly muscled for a gilanian. And tall. He looked down on Gadral with condescending eyes.

Gadral looked up at the beefy Torus Chain guard meekly. "... Um... C-c-can I help you?"

The Torus guard huffed a growl. "We have detected ENO frequencies being directed to this part of the sky ring. I have been dispatched to this location to assess if there is a probable cause of zerg-related activity. May I be allowed in?"

Gadral knew that if he didn't comply, then the guard would be back with a search warrant. He slowly opened the chrome door to allow the guard in. "Ah! Well! Please come inside then! I was just about ready to eat."

"Mm." The buff guard lumbered into Gadral's habitation cell and peered around studiously. After a thorough scan, he huffed, as though he didn't find what he was looking for. "Smells awful fancy. Is that pitcher juice and kalumas fruit?"

"Well eh," Gadral began explaining. "It's actually kalumas fruit that was soaked in pitcher juice before being dried. I just soaked them in water and turned on the microwave appliance to soften them up."

The guard sneered. "Nyergh, 'microwave appliances'. I hate those things."

Gadral's eyebrow was raised upwards. "Uh... Why is that?"

The guard turned to Gadral and huffed. "Them chrome bots are so antsy about us having barbecues in our own cells. After about five minutes a cooking fire starts, they intervene to put out the fire by themselves."

"Why not learn to use the microwave appliances then?" Gadral asked. He wasn't sure why he asked the iron-suited guard that question. He could tell that the guard was bored out of his mind, and the monotony of being a law enforcer aboard a mega structure satellite might have been a tedious and tiresome task in the undertaking. But Gadral also knew that befriending the guard would be significantly better than becoming his enemy.

"Because crime and evil deeds never sleeps. I ain't got time to learn about any nonsense technology when villainy is afoot." The guard brought out a hand-held device. "And speaking of evil, I need you to remain perfectly still. Gonna make sure you ain't no spy, or that there are any leeches in your brain. There's a trained shadow assassin standing by, and she will not hesitate to turn you ten kinds of dead if you start acting weird." The guard warned.

Gadral sighed and nodded. "... Alright. Scan my body and be done with it."

"Mm." The guard brought the device forward. Once he pulled its trigger, it made a slight humming noise, which was proceeded by several bleeping sounds. Its screen seemed to display information regarding the subject it was analyzing. After the device hovered near Gadral's chest and arms, the device was then pointed closely at his head. After pulling back the scanning device and looking at it like someone who was trying to read a difficult language, the guard shook his head. "Alright, you're clean. You can go back to eating."

Gadral sighed in relief.

Flashes of light suddenly blazed their vision. Gadral covered his eyes and grunted, startled by the ruby explosions of luminescence. "Guh?!"

The guard squinted, but he sighed as he slumped his shoulders. "Relax. The flashes only last for about a minute. It's just the sky ring's defense system activating."

A klaxon immediately blared after the guard tried to assure Gadral. [Emergency. This is not a drill. All military personnel of the Torus Chain Division, Crescent Arms Division, and Pyramidal Guard Division must occupy their posts. A large-scale swarm has been detected. Repeating broadcast. Emergency. This is not a drill. All military personnel of the Torus Chain Division, Crescent Arms Division, and Pyramidal Guard Division must occupy their posts. A large-scale swarm has been detected.]

The guard's face blanched as that message was announced. Gadral and the guard stared at each other for a full ten seconds before the guard simply turned away and began sprinting down an incredibly long corridor segment. Several of these corridors mainly consisted of the sky rings' innards, which also comprised of the other sky ring mega structures in their entirety. The only exception to such a design was the mag rail stations, which were gyroscopic joint stations that kept the sky rings from bending from structural stresses, or fall from orbit and burn upon entering into Kiln's atmosphere.

Luckily, Gadral's habitation cell was situated next to a window that looked out into space. Such was a commodity that only the military or the aristocracy could afford. Once he closed his door and bolted to the vacuum-resistant glass, he gazed out. He was startled by the scene he was witnessing.

Zerg.

They were everywhere.

A veritable ocean of mutalisks prevented Gadral from seeing the surface of Kiln, and a host of other flying zerg strains accompanied them. The point-defense turrets near his window flashed with dangerous energy as they shot their harmful projectiles toward the tide of carapace, but seemed to have a lesser effect on them than before. Usually, when the zerg tries to swarm the sky rings, they were blasted apart by the sky rings' defense system. Such attempts often resulted in the charred and exploded bodies of the zerg to return to the surface of Kiln in fireballs afterwards. Even as the energy lance cannons sliced glowing swathes through the ranks of Kay and Virid's Swarm, the damage dealt to the mass of airborne monstrosities seemed to only make a marginal dent to their numbers. It was as though if a single mutalisk was taken down, another would replace its brother. And more zerg just kept coming!

This had left Gadral with more questions than answers. But then he realized that the voice which had spoken to him suddenly seemed familiar. Of course, it happened to be the only telepath he had the pleasure of speaking with in the past. He had completely forgotten about him when he hurriedly evacuated the Pyramidal Guard Division's dark mausoleum facility. He was glad that he had gotten away with what he did, but he also knew that he would have to keep the knowledge of his subterfuge out of earshot of the Golden Star Empire and their citizens. It would be a well kept secret from that day on.

But what had Kay meant by 'Raise your arms straight up when it starts.'? Did he meant now? Was he supposed to wait for a signal? And what was 'it'?

However, with the voices seemingly unable to answer those most burning questions of his, Gadral raised his arms up and kept them there. And thus, he patiently waited for the 'it' that was supposed to come, despite not being able to know its nature under more accurate contexts.

* * *

The surface of Kiln was riddled with many things. Robotic junk, carapaced bodies, pools of neon, scorch marks, ruins of cities, and worldwide war. For twenty years did this dance of death play out between zerg and machine, and with swarm and empire. Rotting zerg flesh and metal smoke constantly perfumed the air with a pungent bitterness. Such an odorous smell has been a permanent feature to the war torn planet for such decades, which was especially the case for the most violent of battlefields that was fought between the Kiln Keepers and the zerg. The orbital bombardment of energy lance weapons provided only an inconvenience to the zerg during those years, whilst the Kiln Keepers continued their cold, heartless, unfeeling mission to exterminate their enemies.

But with the inclusion of primal zerg essence, Kay and Virid's swarm would become even stronger than ever.

Once much of the Kiln Keepers had been hunted down, drones and hydralisks came flowing out of the omega strain nydus worms in droves. The drones scattered and later formed into hundreds of millions of hatcheries and scourge cannons. The surface of Kiln was rapidly being populated and covered with drones, bio-structures, and creep in a short period of time. As more hatcheries began forming on the surface of Kiln, the hydralisks fought and merged together into a glorious orgy of evolution, which would later result in the fusion transformation of primal essence-infused mutalisks.

Overlords were easily spawned from the cluster of hatcheries, while the mutalisks were mass-produced by a dizzying population growth of exponential proportions. What was once the the surface of Kiln became a glossy, purplish color that signified the presence of creep. But the creep quickly disappeared as the surface of Kiln was covered in clouds of mutalisk swarms, which then grew to a global storm. The defense system of the sky rings continued to weigh their bombardment weapons upon the zerg, yet the damage they dealt was becoming superficial.

That wasn't the only direction that the Zerg Swarm was coming from. Past the orbit of the sky rings, outside of the cage that the mega structure satellites formed, another swarm of mutalisks were being marshaled into deadly confrontation. The leviathans that were once content with gradually producing resources from the energy of Kiln's sun, and spawning more leviathans with nothing else better to do, each one began mass-spawning mutalisks, scourge, and brood lords aplenty. As they descended onto the sky rings, the light from Kiln's sun would become much darker from the perspective of Golden Star's remaining empire. As darkness descends upon the sky rings, the only light that would cut through the encroaching blackness would be emitted from the sky ring's defense system itself.

The swarm of mutalisks and scourge above Kay's head became such a cacophonous symphony of screeches and flapping wings that it was beginning to feel like high-pitched static. The energy lance bombardments that struck many of the hatcheries were distracted by the inclusion of several leviathans entering the fray, both the natural-spawned leviathans far above Kiln's orbit, and biomass-mutated leviathans being formed below the sky rings themselves. Coupled with yet another swarm forming above the sky rings, Kiln's surface was quickly being darkened by so much zerg flesh. Even with his elevated vision that his zerg biology provided him, Kay could see that the projectiles produced from the sky rings' defense system was sparkling a light source that was made greater than what Kiln's sun could currently provide.

"Closer... Come on, get closer..." Kay said aloud to himself as he payed close attention of the distance between his swarm and the sky rings.

Alexandriana hummed to herself as the battle raged above. Her mind probed the minds of the other airborne zerg organisms that were flying towards the sky rings, wincing for every death she felt from their thoughts, and making a snaggled smile when a mutalisk was reconstituted back into action. "What a pretty war. The heavens look like they are glittering."

Kay nodded. "Pretty or not, we need to get the mutalisks into attack range of the sky rings. After they do get in range, we'll turn some of the mutalisks into vipers and start disabling their defense systems." He then turned to Alexandriana. "After that, we'll then board the sky rings and slay every single remaining gilanian still aligned to Gollog and his damnable empire."

Alexandriana lowered her head toward Kay. "And the Gollog? Do we eat him next?"

Kay shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "He claims to be immortal, and uses cloaked projectors to become corporeal to physically interact with his environment."

Alexandriana sneered. "Sounds like the Gollog has no essence. Like the Kiln Keeper machines, but with a personality of a living being."

"More like the personality of an egotistical asshole that wants everything his way." Kay growled as he crossed his arms and gazed up at the ever-darkening sky. "He is so assured of his position as emperor that he even believes himself to be above any consequences he is responsible for. For a lack of a better way to describe how I feel about this irredeemable tyrant, I would gladly flay his hide and watch him bleed in agony until he dies instead of letting him rule his people with a jewelry-encrusted iron fist."

A huff of respect emanated from Alexandriana's snout. "You make it sound like you two had quite the history."

Kay grumbled as he looked down at the ground. "It's a sore subject for me. And now, more than ever, I just want this war to end so we can focus on looking for a way out of this prison system."

"Then we shouldn't wait any longer. Let us kill the Gollog! ... Erm. Or at least try to." A chirrup of sadistic glee responded to Kay's grousing.

Kay looked back up at the sky and smirked. He noticed that the mutalisks were only then getting into attack range. "You've read my mind. Once that mecha thing starts showing itself, I will direct you to it. You might be around half its size, but Gollog has no idea you exist. That'll give us the surprise we need to take him down."

"Mm. So where is this mecha enemy?" Alexandriana asked.

"Don't know, but I imagine it should be coming out to try and stop our swarm. Chances dictate that it'll try to fend off the mutalisk swarm from one of the gyroscopic magnetic rail stations. If that is the case, I'll be bridging a wormhole from here to there, just for you. Sound good?" Kay explained.

Alexandriana bared a toothy smile as she gazed upward, seeing the brief glimpses of lasers and point-defense projectiles fighting against the zerg. "Very."

* * *

Gollog was unhappy. All across the screens of several stationed surveillance officers, scenes of mutalisks being shot from the sky was being played over and over again. Panic had stricken into the lesser officers' facial features. A discordant noise of yelling blasted into the eardrums of every gilanian officer that was in the observation deck, ranging mostly from commands being ordered to the officers, whilst there was some shouting that resulted in exclamations and inventive cursing. If it wasn't for Gollog being summoned to survey the actions of his men in the surveillance deck, then the surveillance officers would have truly spiraled into a chaotic insanity. On the other hand, Gollog was thankful that he had the digital company of his general and four commanders, in the form of video communication links. Faddoh seemed to be more confused than normal, but it was probably because of his main body being destroyed by the zerg that attacked his cloaked mobile research facility. However, the same couldn't be said for the officers he was now observing.

"The point-defense turrets are overheating! We are compensating with energy lance fire!" "Kiln Keeper deployment on the surface is reduced to less than one percent! They are resorting to MEM shifting from the sky rings and down to the surface of Kiln! They cannot maintain a foothold!" "ENO sensor system is picking up too much traffic! There are too many sources to translate!" "Sky bat population is exploding beyond expected parameters!" "A spike in ENO fields has been detected! Unknown frequency classification, but it's extremely high intensity!" "Can we get a location to where it's being emitted?" "There is too much interference! I can't track or find it!" "Sky bat formations intercepting point-defense turret fire from planet-side and above-side coordinates simultaneously! There are too many bogies to fight!" "Where the fuck did all these bugs come from?!" "Dread maws located behind sky bat formations! Get the energy lances to target them!" "Cannot comply! All the dread maws are staying outside of their maximum firing range!" "Then just increase their targeting range by thirty percent!" "The energy lance weapons system will have to compensate for the wall of flying zerg, sir! However, if we did, it will then increase the energy lances' energy cost when firing! We'll burn out all of our power before long!" "I want to go home."

Gollog grumbled his unhappiness. "And _OF COURSE_ the zerg adapted and evolved yet again. Why am I not surprised?"

Pallax sighed depressingly. [The zerg truly are a swarming scourge. I feel as though this might be our last battle against them.]

Kralluf growled, looking as though he was on the verge of becoming violent to the closest person next to him. [What the fuck went wrong?! Wasn't your secret doomsday weapon supposed to kill off all the zerg?!]

Gollog dismissively gestured to Kralluf. "Calm yourself, Kralluf. The doomsday weapon worked before my very eyes. It worked on Kay's flesh. This can only mean that there was some other factor that we hadn't accounted for."

[Can't we use that secret weapon again?!] Kralluf shouted.

Gollog sighed. "It took a year in order for a single sky ring to generate enough resources to produce the rotting rainwater of the necrostorm weapon. Even with nine sky rings working together, we don't have enough time to reload and start the necrostorm again."

Kralluf growled. [And what about the Kiln Keepers?! Why aren't they doing what they are programmed to do!?]

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'pensive'. [Actually, before I was sent away from Faddoh's cloaked mobile research facility, we came to the conclusion that the Kiln Keepers were beset by an unknown variant of zerg organisms that I have dubbed drakes. The smaller variants are named invader drakes, and the larger ones are obtruder drakes. The orbital capture images suggested that the Kiln Keepers completely ignored the new zerg organisms until the zerg began their coordinated attack strategy.]

Faddoh rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. [I would have loved to know what happened. But sadly, I am not an omniscient computer personality.]

Ralkan grumbled. [If it's not one thing, then it'll definitely be another thing. Gods damn it.]

Gollog turned to sneer at the screen that displayed Ralkan's face. "Cease your complaining. Your job is to safeguard the gilanian population." Gollog then turned to Pallax. "General Pallax, since it is your role to carry out my commands to the fullest extent, it will be deemed necessary to exercise certain protocols for when our positions have been compromised. I need you to carry out my emergency plan in case our sky rings are to fall. Do I make myself clear?"

Pallax nodded. [Yes my lord. However, I only have one request.]

Gollog passively gestured for Pallax to continue. "Proceed."

[Since the sky rings were made to be our last and final defense against the zerg menace, we are only now coming to the assumption that our defenses won't last long. If the inevitable order to proceed with your emergency plan is put into effect, then I must request for you to give my weapon back to me.] Pallax said.

Gollog paused. He almost seemed startled and puzzled by Pallax's request. "... Then this would mean...?"

Pallax nodded. [Since you are making a full retreat to the last vestibule of safety, my lord, I see no point in serving your interests any further. All I request is to defend your throne as you make your escape, and for you to grant me my final wish to face my foes in the ways of combat that I follow. Can you allow me this final request?]

Gollog paused for several seconds more as he contemplated Pallax's request. He seemed both perplexed and surprised that his own general would choose such an action. After spending some time thinking over Pallax's request, Gollog sighed. "... I don't see why I shouldn't deny you this. You have been a very faithful general, Pallax. I shall honor your request."

Faddoh blinked his green eyes. [Oh. ... Oh! This means that... Oh.] Faddoh's expression then became incredibly graven.

Guik's face-mask's letters changed to 'surprised'. [General Pallax, would you like the upgrades to my shadow cutters as well?]

Pallax shook his head. [No. I just need the primary components from each of you. That includes your sword and knife, my emperor.]

A pained sigh escaped Gollog's lungs. "I never would have thought this day would come. Couldn't you come with us?"

Pallax shook his head again. [I'm afraid not. Living in retreat is not my way, and I would rather die on my feet than live an eternity in stagnant boredom.]

Hesitantly, Gollog nodded and straightened his posture. "Very well. All of us shall reconvene at Mag Rail Station One, in my royal hall."

Ralkan grumbled. [So... Your private quarters' hall? We understand, sir.]

Gollog growled. He hated it that his commanders and general keeps calling his royal hall as his 'private quarters'. However, Gollog's living area still functioned as a private quarters anyway, and couldn't fault their political correctness. He then gestured to all of his commanders and general. "Continue with your duties. If at any point my throne becomes under attack, or if you are unable to fend for yourselves at your current positions, retreat to my throne room and I shall follow. Pallax."

There was a brief pause between Gollog and Pallax's video screen. Pallax nodded. [I understand, my emperor. But this is my choice.]

"... Understood. End communication links." Gollog said, finalizing the conversation between himself and his most highly ranked officers of his empire.

"OH FUCK OH FUCK OH FUCK CLOUD LICKERS INBOUND! WHERE THE FUCK DID THEY COME FROM?!" "The sky bats are... are transforming into them!" "WHEN THE FUCK DID THEY EVER DO THAT?!" "STOP FUCKING YELLING!"

And again, Gollog grumbled. "I need a gods-damn vacation."

* * *

After such a long flight, the three types of mutalisks, the ones that were born from the leviathans, the ones that were the resultant fusion of two hydralisks, and the ones that were naturally spawned from a hatchery, were finally close enough to the sky rings to enter combat range. The gilanian military had failed to realize that the mutalisks quickly produced a cocoon around their bodies when they sustained enough damage from the point-defense turrets or energy lance weapons. Before too long, their cocoons erupted to reveal a healthy mutalisk, which would proceed to the blazing red firefight. It was because of their second wind they were able to amass so many of their numbers, and at the same time continually increase the population of their ever-increasing swarms.

The mutalisks were given a somewhat simple command to follow. Only proceed to attack the sky rings when their reconstitution ability is ready to revive them. Simplicity in of itself. However, recovering mutalisks that were struck with an energy lance, which had a lethal projectile that burned a line through the ranks of the flying zerg, didn't get their second chance to attack and swarm the sky rings. Their shifting carapace helped most of them survive, but not by much. However, not all was lost.

There were mutalisks that were specifically chosen to morph into vipers, and it was those vipers that had certain abilities that were necessary for the next phase of battle. Behind the dying and re-dying of the mutalisk line, the vipers hovered closer and closer to the blazing lights of war and wanton evaporation of zerg flesh. However, the vipers had their abilities, and they displayed said abilities quite vigorously on the turrets and lances that speared and riddled the zerg's airborne ranks. Blinding and disabling clouds began to form on and around the turrets and lances, which then granted the mutalisks the window of opportunity they needed. Even when the vipers fed on any nearby mutalisks to keep their energy up enough to cast another hindering green cloud, the mutalisks were still set on the task of targeting the sky rings' weapon defense systems.

When the disabling clouds were set, the mutalisks went to work removing the point-defense turrets and energy lance emplacements with great rapidity. Soon enough, entire sections of each sky ring was stripped of their defenses, despite the speedy rotation of the rings that threaded through the heavily defended mag rail stations. However, even the mag rail stations were quite defended against the return of the leviathans. Enormous behemoths and ginormous leviathans warp-hopped right on top of the mag rail stations and began unleashing swarms of brood lords and scourge.

Three mag rail stations were specifically targeted by the zerg. Many of the other mag rail stations maintained around two or three sky rings at a time, while there were six mag rail stations in total that catered to four rings each. Due to the geometry of the sky rings and how the mag rail stations were purposed to keep the rings from falling into orbit and burn during atmospheric entry, it was reasonable to assume that the mag rail stations were the zerg Swarm's next target. A flurry of red blasts and scarlet lines shot out from the mag rail stations, which revealed the presence of a heavier assortment of point-defense and energy lance weapons. But the zerg continued to grow in their numbers, and the vipers still continued to display their usefulness. Disabling clouds of a blinding green later collided with the mag rail stations' hull and weapons systems. The many hollow tentacles of the leviathans began to rope down and around both the sky rings and the mag rail stations. With great effort, the rotation of the sky rings were brought to a slower speed, which would enable the leviathans to begin delivering boarding parties into the sky rings and within the mag rail stations.

And the boarding parties were a terrible and horrifying sight to behold.

These boarding parties consisted mostly of teams of zerglings, some changelisks disguised as either zerglings or gilanian officers, roaches, hydralisks, igniters, ravasaurs, aberrations, swarm queens, infestors and swarm hosts. The various long corridors that once contained panicked citizens loyal to Gollog and a policing force of Taurus Chain guards, were filled with panicked citizens and resisting guards. Both were being hunted down and pinned to the ground. The changelisks that joined with the boarding parties gave the citizens a final choice to leave their empire. Some were executed by the sharp claws, slicing teeth, piercing spines and corrosive acids when they chose against leaving their empire, or had resisted through more physical methods. Some were less fortunate, as the pointed barb of an infestor's neural parasite penetrated their skulls violently, which then forced them to change their alignment to better fit the zerg swarm. However, the very few citizens of Golden Star that decided to disband from their corrupt government were given a zergling to ride on, which would then be delivered into the 'relatively' safe bowels of the leviathans. Oddly enough, it was only within the fifth sky ring that contained the majority of the Golden Star gilanian population. The other rings contained Kiln Keepers being mass produced in their attempt to produce their units faster than the zerg. Sadly, they were no longer able to do so.

Gadral felt his hands numbing even when the door to his habitation cell was ripped from its hinges in a violent display of strength. His face paled to a ghostly expression when he saw the face of a hydralisk. At it slithered through his door frame, the serpentine creature tilted its head at the gilanian displaying his docile gesture at it.

"... Uh... So um... Is uh... Is it starting now?" Gadral asked in a sheepish tone.

After a brief pause, the hydralisk answered Gadral in the form of a chuffle. Two more zerg organisms entered into Gadral's habitation cell, this time being a zergling, and another zergling that changed into a gilanian wearing what could only be described as a formal suit that matched the coloration of zerg carapace and flesh. He then smiled at Gadral. "I see that you listened to our master's directions well."

"... You're one of Kay's monsters?" Gadral asked with incredulity, despite having just seen the zergling changing into the changelisk right before his eyes.

The changelisk nodded. "Indeed I am. A changelisk that you can call Mr. Shifter, to be precise. However, I'm afraid that we must skip our current pleasantries. There is a plan afoot, and we mustn't procrastinate at this current time. You need to find a way off of the sky rings, and fast."

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Gadral asked.

A sly smirk played across the gilanian-disguised changelisk. "First, you can put your arms down. And secondly, you'll need to get on this creature's back." The changelisk said as he pointed at the meter-and-a-half-tall zergling.

Gadral was relieved that he could have his blood flowing into his hands again, but at the same time he was not very keen on mounting a monster that can slice a gilanian in half and eat their face after. "Uhh..."

The disguised changelisk didn't hesitate as it simply picked up Gadral from his armpits and gingerly placed him on the zergling's back. "No more procrastination! The time to leave this place is now! Giddy-up!" After administering a slap on the zergling's hindquarters, it began to speed forward, with gadral screaming frantically as he tried to hang on to his new carapaced steed.

* * *

Despite Gadral's vocal complaint about riding on a dangerous animal, he would later be joined with several other gilanians that had renounced their servitude to their despotic emperor. The task of emptying the sky rings' burdened citizens would be difficult for the zerg, but there was a reason for such a diversion. Kay figured that the surviving gilanian refugee population would certainly suffer in the generations to come. So, in order for Baroness Tak's citizenry to survive, and to prevent her people from resorting to inbreeding, they would have to be coupled with individuals that were healthy and genetically compatible. Combining the gilanians that renounced their empiric servitude into Tak's population would certainly help their reproduction.

Through the eyes of the many zerg that Kay can perceive through, he could tell that not many of the gilanians aboard the sky ring mega structures were keen with abandoning Gollog's empire, or leaving the comfort of their habitation cells.

Alexandriana was perplexed by Kay's clinging humanity. "Why are we abducting gilanians?"

"We are not abducting them. We're giving them a choice to leave their tyrannical style of government." Kay answered.

"It would be easier to kill them. Or eat them." Alexandriana mumbled.

"Even so, Baroness Tak doesn't have very many people to govern over. At the very least, I'm hoping to prevent her refugees from making eleven-toed hatchlings in their futures."

She groaned in annoyance. "Why go through the effort to help her then? I can sense in our shared hivemind connection that you dislike her."

Kay shrugged. "True, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't let them suffer because of our actions." Kay then turned to Alexandriana. "Besides. If we can't find our own way out of here, then it would be a very sad existence to continue living on Kiln without any neighbors to play with." Kay paused for a few seconds before looking back up at the sky rings. "... And speaking of neighbors, I think I found someone for you to play with."

Alexandriana's face turned into what might have looked like a puzzled expression. When she focused on Kay's field of awareness, she noticed then that there was a gigantic metal biped that was swatting away legions of mutalisks and slaying any leviathans that dared fight it or had gotten too close. Her expression turned into a bloodthirsty grin. "Oh... A big toy. I want to break it."

Kay hummed to himself. "I know that giant robot from anywhere. Sadly, it does not share its appearance with a certain tyrant I regrettably know. But if that huge fucker is protecting that one mag rail station in particular, I would assume that something important is in it." Kay turned to Alexandriana with a broad grin. "Gather a bunch of ravasaurs, igniters, creeper hosts and tyrannozors, Alex. You're going to play a game I like to call 'Smash Gollog's Things.'"

A growl of excitement answered Kay, which told Kay all he needed to know how eager Alexandriana was.

* * *

Outside of a cylindrical room that was made of several layers of special-crafted paneled glass, a giant robot was zipping through space at incredible speeds, unleashing bright scarlet fury upon any zerg organism that dared got near the mag rail station. The energy output of its attacks was staggering, while its defensive shield completely absorbed any physical attack. It was quick to react to any viper, leviathan or brood queen that tried to get close to itself, using deathly aggression to prevent them from getting any nearer. It seemed to know that the vipers' disabling clouds would slow it down and make it cease its attacks. It also appeared to understand that the leviathans could lock it in place with their bio-stasis. And it showed experience in avoiding the brood queens' ability to launch ensnaring webs and destructive broodlings that would have spawned from its own body and destroy it from the inside-out. It danced from one target to the next in a twister of grace and destruction that ended the lives of many zerg that tried to target it or Mag Rail Station One.

Gollog, Pallax, Ralkan, Kralluf, Faddoh and Guik watched the ensuing battle that surrounded them. It was such an awesome battle to witness. It just seemed to escalate further and further. It was that hard to look away from.

Kralluf sighed depressingly. "I really want to be out there." He turned to Gollog. "Why am I not out there? I could be piloting your super cyborg mech suit in your stead."

Gollog sighed. "No. If this war escalates even further, I need you here by my side for the final plan. The super cyborg mech suit shall run on autopilot for the moment. This will help spare us from making any decisions that would have costed us a highly ranked officer."

Kralluf growled and gestured to the war outside of the windows. "... This isn't escalated enough?! With all due respect, my lord, but... but this is completely asinine! I should be fighting these monsters to my very last breath!"

Gollog turned to Kralluf with a stern stare. "If you tried to fight them with your bare hands, Kralluf, I would be losing an expert battlefield strategist. Losing you to the Zerg Swarm would cost us greatly."

Kralluf clenched his fists, but he didn't say anything else.

Guik walked up to Kralluf and patted him on the shoulder, while her face-mask's letters changed to 'apathy'. "Let go of your angst, Kralluf. You're a cybernetic warrior, but your duty will always come to our emperor first."

Kralluf slowly looked at Guik, relaxed his fists and shrugged her hand off his shoulder. "Yeah..."

Ralkan interjected between Kralluf and Guik. "So uh... Gollog? What would this emergency plan entail? I mean what are we supposed to do when it happens?"

Gollog shook his head. "I cannot tell you what the emergency plan is. I have told General Pallax of the plan, and he took the necessary steps to ensure that the final plan proceeds without any further complications. Afterwards, he erased his memory so that the ENO field sensitive zerg monsters don't catch wind of this plan."

Faddoh nodded. "That is quite a safety measure. With so many steps involved, I doubt that the zerg will be able to counter it effectively."

Ralkan sighed. "Considering that this is, you know, _**THE ZERG**_ we are dealing with here, I believe that any complex plan is going to fall apart from the seems when they decide to intervene." He looked up at the huge robot that was blasting the zerg into smouldering carcasses and puffs of evaporate atoms. "Guh... I think I would have preferred to have a knife cut through my throat than live another minute of this."

"Ralkan." Faddoh said to Ralkan in an admonishing way. "Speak in a happier tone. We don't need to suffer from your depression."

Ralkan took in a breath and sighed again. "... I hope that this plan that Gollog cooked up is going to be a good one."

Faddoh smiled. "That's better. ... I think."

Pallax grunted. "If you commanders are done snogging, just remember that each one of you still has a piece of technology to give to me."

Ralkan sighed yet again. "... Oh well. At least I'll be leaving my favorite knife with you."

[Warning. High level ENO field spike detected in Mag Rail Station One. Contacting Kiln Keeper forces. Warning. All Kiln Keeper units are deployed. Standby until Kiln Keeper units are available.] Said an artificial voice through the intercom system, most likely the artificial intelligence of the fifth sky ring known as Skrico.

Gollog grumbled. "Skrico, analyze and relay. What is its source?"

[Command detected. ENO field pattern, unknown. Zerg organism identified as 'Bug-man Beast-master' is within Mag Rail Station One.]

Ralkan began to panic. "Oh no... Now we have to deal with a breach! We're losing vital oxygen! Skrico, find where the hull has been exposed to the external elements and close off those sections!"

[Command detected. Unable to comply. No breach has been detected.]

Everyone was silent for a few seconds. Faddoh's face contorted into a confused expression. "... Huwhat?!"

Ralkan was just as puzzled. "How... did he get in here if he didn't go through the hull?"

"Ever heard of wormholes?"

Every gilanian within that cylindrical room turned to see who had interrupted them. Much to their dismay, they quickly discovered that Kay had invited himself to their little get-together. Ralkan hid behind Kralluf, while Kralluf brandished his hammer axe. Faddoh and Guik sided with each other as they too brandished their weapons. Pallax and Gollog, however, were completely calm. "Kay." Gollog said, spitting out that single syllable with all the anger he could muster, yet Kay could tell that it was laced with tiredness.

"Wormholes?" Faddoh asked aloud, but his question was left unanswered.

Kay raised his hand and waved at the six gilanians. Despite the friendly gesture, the highest commanding officers of the Golden Star Empire knew that Kay wouldn't be very friendly when the fighting began. However, Kay felt their minds, and he knew that something was up. Kay stopped when he was ten meters away from the four commanders, which stood in Kay's way to protect their general and emperor. Kay studied the six gilanians for a few seconds before he spoke again. "You know, if you guys surrendered to me right now, I can make this easier for everyone involved."

"Bite your gods-damned tongue, festering demon." Kralluf growled threateningly. "We would never choose to become your pawns!"

Gollog motioned to Kralluf. "Stand down, Kralluf." He then began walking toward Kay, taking each step with a calm stride. When Kay and Gollog was only a meter apart, he stood still and began to stare at Kay with contempt and calm rage. This lasted for several seconds before a sigh escaped his lungs. "Look at us, Kay. Bitter enemies of our own making. For twenty years did this war escalate between us, but it is only now that this war had grown far beyond our control. Very much so with my empire's condition. It is obvious to me now that you, Kay, have now gained the upper hand."

Kay tilted his head. "... Are you going somewhere with this?"

Gollog growled in displeasure. "I am. You see, Kay, after fighting this war for twenty years, I have finally decided to concede."

Kay's expression became flat. "... I think you lost me."

Gollog threw his hands up in frustration. "Fine! Let me spell it out for you! **You!** **Won!** There is no chance that I can reclaim my lost empire now, nor ever! I am only here so that I can confess to you my inability to squash your monsters like the giant insects they are! After all the time I had spent fighting you and the beasts you commanded, you STILL act like a bumpkin with no tact nor sense of diplomacy! By the gods do you get on my nerves! When I have learned of your existence for the first time, I had no idea that you would be so grating to someone of my disposition! If I had known that your zerg would have caused so much trouble against my empire, I would have been more aggressive in my strategies!" Gollog took a calming breath before he continued, though his anger was still barely contained. "But no. You and your beasts have proven time and again that the zerg cannot be beaten by any conventional or unconventional method available to us. And it is because of that reason that I will retreat from my own empire and leave it to you. You can do what you want with it. The survivors of my empire shall make their exodus to safety, whereas my military forces shall hinder you no longer."

Kay paused for several seconds. "... Kay?"

Gollog hissed through his teeth. "... What is it, Kay? No other witless comeback? No insult about me or my empire? I was half expecting for you to reply with sarcasm and your usual tripe."

Kay shook his head. "Actually, this is perfect for me. Now I can concentrate on finding a way out of this prison system. With your empire no longer distracting me, I can finally look for an exit."

Gollog stared at Kay for a few seconds before scoffing. "You honestly think you can still leave this prison system? I can't believe I am admitting defeat to a fool like you if you still think that anyone can leave the prison system."

Kay shook his head. "So long as there is one fool to believe in hope, then there will always be hope. Considering that the fool you are talking to has fucked your empire to death, you don't really have any evidence to support your argument."

"... Mm." Gollog paused before huffing in acknowledgement. He then turned to face the commanders and general behind him. "My general Pallax. I believe you have something to prepare for."

"Of course, my emperor." Pallax then turned to the commanders next to him. "Alright then. Give them to me."

With heavy sighs, each commander took out their weapons and dislodged several devices from them, only to give their devices to Pallax seconds later. Kay's eyebrows was raised when he noticed that Gollog's commanders were dismantling their own weapons just so they would give their components to their general. "Uh... What's going on?"

Pallax steeled his expression as he acquired the devices from his commanders' weapons. "Let me abridge this story to you, Kay. I have made a promise to my emperor long ago. I would stand by his side and carry out his orders so long as he has control over the lands and waters of Kiln. Now that even the sky rings and the mag rail stations are being destroyed, I have deemed that my services to him are no longer required. As such, I have requested one final chance to protect my lord's throne. I wish to duel with you in single combat."

Kay was surprised. "... Really now? What makes you think I'm going to give you a fair duel to the death?"

"Because, despite my emperor's misgivings about your personality, I know that you are honorable man." Pallax turned to look at Kay with a straight face. "This shall be the last time I will serve Gollog."

Gollog walked toward his commanders. "Skrico, send commanders Ralkan, Faddoh, Kralluf and Guik to the Sovereign Crypt. Execute emergency plan."

[Commands detected.] Flashes of blue and white static light enveloped the four commanders, which then made them vanish from Kay's senses.

Kay blinked his eyes. He didn't understand what had happened. "What did you just do, Gollog?"

Gollog turned to face Kay while he crossed his arms behind his back. "I ensured that my most trusted servants have been transported to the Sovereign Crypt safely. They would never have to be hunted by the zerg ever again."

Kay stared at Gollog for a few seconds before nodding. "I see... And the rest of your people? I notice that the same shift effect is not enveloping them."

"My people? You meant the peasantry?" Gollog shook his head. "No no no, I only MEM shifted those that I have personally made my immortal servants. If I also included the peasants into my final plan, then there would simply be too many mouths to feed. We would run out of sustainable rations in a short while. Prolonged usage of the manifestation altars would have caused unwanted side effects over the course of centuries."

Kay scowled at Gollog. "So you would just leave your own people to their own fates? Just so you can find a safe place to relax as you abandon them when you have no other foothold to scamper back to? Gollog, not only are you a tyrant that bullies people into following your laws, but you are also a coward with no sympathy for another living being."

Gollog's lips tightened, but then relaxed into a smile. He then gestured to Pallax. "My dear general. You may proceed. I shall bear witness to your duel." He then threw his sword and knife toward Pallax.

After catching Gollog's favored weapons, Pallax bowed before his emperor. "Thank you, my lord." He then began walking toward Kay until he was a meter away. He then sat down and gently placed Gollog's sword and knife down, and began attaching the commanders' devices to Gollog's weapons.

Kay stared at Pallax. "... Um... You know, when you're supposed to duel with someone, you're supposed to have your weapon good and ready?"

Pallax shook his head and smirked, yet he continued shuffling the devices onto Gollog's weapons. "You wouldn't understand what tradition I am practicing. I am inciting the ancient battle traditions of the salt marsh warriors. You see, when an argument cannot be settled with words, the salt marsh tribal warriors would instead assemble and craft their weapons in front of each other, which is both ceremonial and is their statement that tells their opponent what weapons they intend to duel with. When both duelists are finished crafting their weapons, they would begin their duel. I know that you already come with your own naturally evolved weapons, but I would be using my own. I politely ask that you permit me to make this weapon."

Kay raised his eyebrow. "... Hmm... You know what? I feel as though this might be a bad idea, but I'm going to let this play out. Go ahead and tinker with your toys." Kay looked up at Gollog and hardened his expression. "At least some of us have the decency to be polite, instead of being an entitled, spoiled, selfish dictator."

Gollog glared at Kay. "And I want you to chug a whole gallon of pesticide and die."

"And... Done." Pallax stood up and brandished... some kind of strange-looking weapon.

* * *

 **A/N: Tune in next time on A Swarm Unleashed!  
**

 **Also, been having fun with the Spyro Reignited Trilogy. :3**


	91. Sword of Gold

**Chapter 91: Sword of Gold**

* * *

Pallax held up a weapon that seemed to combine Gollog's sword and dagger, with both weapons having their pommels removed and being attached to one another. What was one a sword of opalescence began to shine a golden sheen, which generated a golden aura that brightened the immediate surroundings. The reassembled weapon, once shined a clean surface that matched Gollog's color scheme, was replaced with a vibrant brilliance that could have made the emperor himself envious. The blade was held Pallax, which he carried using his new two sets of purplish-black gloves that was once manipulated by the commander of the Pyramidal Guard division. Such a weapon generated an intimidating aura that Kay could feel.

Pallax held the weapon high above his head, nodding in acknowledgement. "Hmm... It feels like as I remembered it."

Kay pointed at Pallax's weapon. "What is that?"

Pallax lowered his longsword and flipped it in his hands. "An ancient weapon of yore. It was used before and after the Golden Star Empire was forged. Gollog used to wield this weapon with deadly efficiency, but had it divided into seven pieces when forming the command structure of his kingdom. Commander Ralkan had the replicating exploding daggers. Commander Kralluf had the mass modifying hammer axe. Commander Faddoh had the matter manipulation field generator. Commander Guik had the pocket space inverter disks. I had the incinerator ray, while my emperor had the imperial sword and dagger blades." After an experimental swing of the weapon, Kay noticed that the longsword had cut through the air so blindingly fast that he heard the small pop of a miniature sonic boom quake the air. The longsword even ignited the air as it flashed its dangerous golden power! Pallax then beheld the weapon with a smirk. "It's been quite some time that I had wielded a sword. But then again, I had always been a better swordsman than a gunman."

Kay nodded at the weapon. "Mm. I'll have to admit, that is quite a fancy letter opener."

Pallax chuckled as he turned to Kay. "Letter opener? Kay, this weapon was forged by The Eternal Ten. It is a tool of incredible and destructive capabilities. It can be very dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands, while it can be an absolute force of world-ending nature when wielded by masterful hands."

Kay squinted his eyes. "Hmm. And are you a master wielding this weapon?"

Pallax snorted in slight humor. "I am a master swordsman, Kay. I am not a master of this specific weapon in question. However, if you wish to taste its metal, we can begin our duel now."

Kay stretched his arms and wings as he slowly approached Pallax. "That's all I needed to hear." One of his wings unfurled and reared back before launching into a stabbing attack.

A sudden flash of fire, immediately followed by a small sonic boom, launched Kay backwards. He was instantly disoriented by the blow as pain shot through his winged limb he used for his attack. Once Kay finally landed, he sat up and looked to see that Pallax was picking up his severed wing experimentally. Kay looked behind himself and saw that a burnt stump had replaced his wing. Kay looked back at Pallax and saw him swishing his longsword with effortless ease, targeting his limb to further practice his new weapon. Each cut had replaced the wing with a line of smoldering ashes, slicing with the efficiency of a high-intensity plasma cutter. Once Pallax was sufficiently pleased with his butchery skills, he turned back to Kay. "To underestimate The Warden Sword would be tempting death. At least make this duel interesting for me, Kay."

Kay clenched his teeth. "... Kay, this is going a lot differently than I expected."

 _{Overcommander Kay. Heed me.}_ Spoke the voice of the reborn Overmind within Kay's head.

Kay's eyes widened. "Overmind?!"

Pallax tilted his head. "Did you say something, Kay?"

Kay got off from the ground and onto his feet. "N-nevermind." _'Overmind, is that you? I thought that you'd... like... went to sleep in my head or something.'_ Kay asked his own head. He never thought that he would ever asked his own head such a question. What was strange about this question was that The Overmind was speaking from within his own mind. He had thought that he would never turn up again.

 _{It is I, yes, and I had never left you alone since our conscious merging.}_

Pallax began to sprint towards Kay with his dangerous weapon, while Kay used his remaining wing to anchor into the metal behind himself. His remaining wing pulled him out of cutting range of Pallax's warden sword just in time as another flash of embers and a small sonic boom threatened to end whatever it touched. Pallax continued to pursue Kay with determined zeal. "Then hold back no more! Clash against me! Duel till death comes!"

 _{Hmm. The willpower of this general is quite admirable. He would make a fine addition to our ranks.}_ Hummed The Overmind with eager interest.

Kay ducked and weaved between Pallax's attacks as he did his best to survive. _'Overmind, this isn't exactly a good time to talk!'_

 _{And truly, it isn't. However, I must warn you of his weapon. It has properties that are similar to the Nerazim's psionic blades. Thought it is not wreathed in the familiar substance that is void, it can still bring great harm to us.}  
_

Kay didn't pause as he leapt and somersaulted over Pallax. As Kay concentrated on healing his missing limb, avoided any lethal strikes from Pallax, and also communicated with The Overmind in his head, he felt as though his multitasking skills were being put to the test as he juggled everything that required his attention. _'Say! That is quite interesting! I'll just signal Pallax to pause our duel and ask where he got that dark templar tech from!'_ Kay replied sarcastically. However, his sarcasm was rewarded with a sword being impaled straight through his left forearm. When Kay quickly made some distance between himself and his dueler, he noticed that Pallax wasn't trying to get into striking distance again. Kay took a sigh of relief as he pulled the sword from his arm. However, Kay noticed that there were now TWO warden swords at the moment. "... Huh?"

"Detonate." Said Pallax with a stern tone.

Kay's hand exploded, the force of which sent him halfway across the room. As Kay got up and checked his person, he noticed that his arm had grown a new stump, meaning that his arm had been blown to smithereens from the explosion. His entire forearm was removed from his elbow. Kay hissed as the pain began to set in. "Erh... One of Ralkan's gimmicks. Figures."

Pallax pointed his sword at Kay. "I thought you might have liked that. Here's one from Faddoh." Kay could feel that an invisible veil had wrapped around his own body, and he soon saw that a line of distorted air was connecting himself to Pallax's pointed sword. With a heave, Pallax lifted Kay into the air, and then slammed him down onto the ground forcefully. Kay impacted into the floor and made a welt into the metal ground, forcing the air in his lungs to leave in an exhaling wheeze. Once Pallax demonstrated some of his newly gained abilities, he then began approaching Kay in a slow walk.

 _{Your witful rancor aside, you must head me and be made aware of his sword. If General Pallax decides to become serious, then he will surely put a permanent end to our lives.}_ The Overmind in Kay's head warned.

Kay grunted as he crawled out of the Kay-shaped crater. Kay splattered a few drops of blood onto the floor as he coughed. As he stood up again, he limply turned to face Pallax. "... Gyeh. Fuckin', rah... Gah... Duh hive shove ooh ea lieu."

Pallax chuckled. "Have I knocked too much sense out of your head already? I expected more of a fight from you."

Kay shook his head before he began to give an intense glare to Pallax, which resonated with murderous intent. "Oh... Oh, I'll show you a fight." Kay held his palm out in front of himself and clasped it tightly, focusing on the thought that his fist is actually gripping tightly onto Gollog's general. The psionic powers that Kay summoned surrounded Pallax in a field of energy that lifted and crushed him. With Pallax briefly incapacitated, Kay psionically shifted closer and then leapt into the air towards Pallax. Kay then proceeded to dropkick the levitating general with great force. The heavy attack not only pushed Pallax out of the gripping field, but it also launched him toward the wall of paneled glass, resulting in a hard collision.

Pallax coughed and laughed. "Huagh! Hahahaha, that's the spirit!" He then began spinning his sword at dizzying speeds, which then generated duplicate swords that homed toward Kay like heat-seeking twirling blades.

Kay used his telepathic power to deflect each duplicated sword that careened his way, each one twanging with an obnoxious note as their attempt to cut or pierce Kay had failed. one of such swords had bounced towards Gollog, but he had reflexively caught the awol weapon with a deft catch. He huffed as he chucked the weapon to the side. "Pallax, I am able to survive in the vacuum of space. You cannot. Be careful."

Pallax nodded as he ceased his sword throwing. "I take it that if I detonate my duplicated swords now, they might rupture the glass panels in this glass observatory."

"Exactly." Gollog hummed.

Pallax paused before gesturing to the duplicated swords that have been scattered across his and Kay's dueling arena. "Dissipate." The duplicated swords that littered the immediate area briefly flashed before turning into a glowing dust.

Kay sighed. He was already regrowing his lost limbs, mainly being his forearm an his wing, but he was beginning to understand how dangerous Pallax had become ever since he gained his new weapon. "I take it that these duplicate swords of yours responds to your verbal commands in general. Which means you can't tell one to explode without having all of them explode."

Pallax nodded. "It's the nature of their duplication. Though each duplicate weapon can explode or dissipate, they do not carry the same powers and abilities as their original weapon."

Kay nodded as he stared at Pallax flatly. "Then show me how Guik's weapons work."

Pallax nodded. "I shall." He began walking towards Kay as he enveloped his sword with the black disk that Guik had once wielded. "And please do give me a better challenge. All you have been doing is dodging my attacks."

 _{Refrain from being hurt or captured by that, Kay. I foresee a terrible end with us trapped inside of it, and worse.}_ The Overmind apprised Kay.

Kay was hesitant, but he sighed. After some seconds of musing, he had decided to utilize his powers in a different manner than he was comfortable with. In truth, he only thought of the tactic during the duel. But Kay decided to heed The Overmind's warning. "HERE YOU GO!" Kay shouted as he brought his arms forward and summoned dog-sized wormholes affixed on the surface of the floor. Six misty green banelings filtered out from the wormholes and began rolling towards Pallax with suicidal eagerness.

Pallax held his ground as he made his Warden Sword' black disk collide with the rolling banelings. They didn't explode, but rather, the seemed ti enter through the black disks as though it acted like a non-Euclidean portal that connected to a shadowy realm. After all six banelings were gathered, he made the disk emanate with the same flame that enveloped the sword, and Kay felt the banelings within the black disk cease existing. Pallax banged on the sword to push out his Warden Sword's current occupants. What had left the sword's black disks resembled piles of soot. Pallax chuckled after he had inspected what remained of Kay's summoned banelings. "Was it my imagination just now, or did you summon bursters to your aid?!"

Kay had finally understood why The Overmind was worried about getting stuck within the black disks. Not only did Guik's black disks, or 'pocket space inverter disks' as Pallax had called them, slice through flesh and contain any attack they absorbed until released back at their enemies, but they also prevented any energy from leaking out once it is trapped within its self-contained void until it was ready to be released. Kay couldn't even feel the lingering thoughts of the banelings as their soot left the weapon. Not only could physical matter be incinerated within the pocket space inverter disks, but it can also contained and disrupted psionic energy. Kay sighed. "Actually, I forced open a few wormholes to bring those banelings to this fight. Just something I thought up on short notice."

Pallax readied his sword again. "Can you also summon monsters other than your 'banelings', as you call them?"

Kay shook his head. "Actually, summoning banelings feels a lot easier than the other zerg strains for some reason. But if I'm given some time to concentrate, I can bring some bigger competition for you to play with."

Pallax smirked as he pointed his sword. "As if I would ever give you that opportunity." A duplicated sword shot forward.

Kay deflected the sword with his mind, but it had also detonated at the moment of deflection. A cloud of smoke blinded Kay, while the detonated duplicate sword had also deafened his hearing. Even with the smokescreen, Kay felt danger quickly approaching him. He used his wings to dig into the ground behind himself and pull his body away from the ominous sensation, but his action was a little too late as Pallax had stuck Kay. Once Kay escaped the fog of war, he saw that one of his feet had been lopped off, which was replaced by a bloody stump. Looking back up, he saw that Pallax was using Guik's black disk weapon to try and capture Kay. Kay decided to use this opportunity to launch a kinetic blast, but was saddened to realize that the damaging spell was absorbed into the black disk. Kay quickly backed away from Pallax and retreated to the paneled glass wall once his counterattack failed, since he knew how dangerous his own attack was.

Pallax brandished his sword as he began to walk towards Kay again. A smile crept across his face. "Shame that I didn't get the rest of you that time."

Kay launched another kinetic blast at Pallax, followed by several energy blasts that attempted to scour and cook the general, only for the general to absorb the attacks into his black disk again. "As if I would ever give you that opportunity." Kay spat back venomously.

A huff of respect answered Kay as Pallax's Warden Sword was leveled to point at the bug-man beast-master. _{Hmm. Overcommander Ascendant, hear my suggestion. Witness how he controls his weapon. To learn your enemies is to learn their weaknesses.}_

Kay gritted his teeth. To Kay, it felt like he was fighting four commanders that was merged into a single composite entity, which had the tactical genius of a general. Pallax unleashed the power he had stored in his Warden Sword and unleashed it towards Kay's direction. Kay leapt out of the way, which impacted the glass paneled wall violently, which turned the panels into murky-white spiderwebs. In response, Kay focused his psionic powers into a condensed singularity in front of himself. Pallax, however, was quick to capture the apocalyptic detonation that was being created in front of him. Kay frowned. "... Damn. I guess I won't be winning with that ability."

Pallax inspected his Warden Sword and scowled. "I remember that you tried using that same attack aboard Kralluf's capital fortress twenty years ago. Guik had unleashed it upon your person, but the attack ended up piercing through two fortresses and penetrating deep into Kiln's surface." Pallax looked up at Kay with a stern glare. "Have you forgotten how you were defeated that day?"

Kay launched another kinetic blast, only to have that attack become absorbed into the black disk. "Better to disable one of your counter strategies than to worry about it. Think about it. If you used that attack, then you'll be blowing a big hole in this space station. I can breathe in space, but you won't be able to without the help of a space suit. Tell me. Can you control your counterattack with that black disk power you gained from Guik?"

Pallax shook his head. "No. And since you won't stay still long enough to let me use that attack on you anyway, I won't be able to end our duel any time soon. If I get a lucky shot and kill you, then the only thing I have to worry about is my breathable air. If I am unlucky and miss, then it will mean that I will die while you continue to plague Kiln."

Kay bared his teeth in a predatory grin. "It's a fifty fifty chance. Want to take that gamble?"

"How can I when I am having so much fun?" Pallax answered as he went into a sprint, charging towards Kay.

Kay launched himself forward, only to use his own momentum to skid across the ground and slide between Pallax's feet, completely bypassing his deadly and sharp sword in time. Kay then noticed that, despite the general's hellishly fast strikes, Pallax couldn't reliably aim his Warden Sword quick enough with his reflexes alone. But even so, he could unleash his weapon at the very moment his reflexes kicked in, but it seemed like his weapon acted faster than his reflexes. Kay didn't have enough time to dodge Pallax's follow-up attack as he spun around, like an out-of-control carousel, which caught Kay with the edge of his blade. Kay felt himself being launched into the air, but he caught himself and landed upright. Looking down upon his chest, he saw that his protective carapace had several horizontal lines running through it, with the deeper cuts having the carapace itself peeled off and revealing his softer flesh beneath, which was slowly seeping blood. Clutching his chest and groaning, Kay looked back at Pallax in both pain and frustration. "Then I think it's about time I get serious."

Pallax stopped his spinning and faced Kay, though he looked a little dizzy from his last attack. "Hah, it would be a nice change of pace! Come at me then!" Pallax said as he readied his guard, preparing himself for Kay's supposed onslaught.

Kay had only a few seconds to come up with a plan, and he knew that he needed to act quickly. Because of Kay's psionic potential, he could already think of several different strategies that could either stun or confuse the general long enough for Kay to deal a decisive blow. He noted that Pallax was easily disoriented when being crushed in his psionic grip or after unleashing his spinning slashing twister move. However, Pallax would likely dodge Kay's ability when he sees him gesturing to begin that attack, or would avoid using his anti-flanking melee spin attack if he wasn't being overwhelmed in a close-quarters scuffle. What Kay needed was to find some safe ground to heal on while Pallax is detained or distracted. And that was when Kay thought up the plan he needed to pull of the strategy he needed. Kay slowly raised both of his hands upwards. "Not just yet." He then waved his hands outward, the motion seeming to produce small spores that immediately grew into toxic nests on the surface of the floor. Creep began to grow across the ground, which continued to grow as more toxic nests began to grow from even further away. Kay was glad that not only he was able to generate and place toxic nests on any surface, but that the commanders and various broodmothers under their command were able to do so with a similar efficiency. He had to politely 'request' their assistance in this duel. And since that the defense system of the sky rings have been completely disabled and destroyed, the zerg commanders and lieutenant broodmothers had the availability to assist their overcommander.

Pallax's expression soured from this change in strategy. "Hmm... Clever. Surrounding yourself in burster nodes will only make it harder for me to kill you."

Kay smiled. "These 'burster nodes', as you call them, can also be used offensively."

Pallax began to notice that the toxic nests were forming closer to his position. A swipe of his Warden Sword prevented their full germination, but more buds of toxic nests still kept growing around him. The toxic nests not only continued to grow close to Pallax, but they also began to spread out in all directions, becoming like a lethal garden weed to a wide metal lawn. Pallax growled excitedly. "VERY clever."

Gollog sighed. "Deal with this endemic of acid-filled flesh weeds, Pallax. I imagine that they will do more harm to the arena than to you."

"Yes, my lord." Pallax said and began swinging his Warden Sword, sending out several swirling duplicate swords to clear-cut paths through the toxic nests. Kay leapt off of the ground and onto cleaner stretches of metal floors, only for the floor to become riddled with toxic nests soon after. The toxic nests' explosive acids could quickly eat away at the duplicate swords that were summoned to weed them out, though none of them budded quickly enough to pose a threat to Pallax.

However, Kay was hoping that this extraneous effort in clearing away the toxic nests would tire the general. The frantic way that Pallax used in order to swing his sword to create sacrificial duplicates that can clear away several patches of toxic nests would mean that he would tire himself much expediently than before. All Kay needed to do was to find a window of opportunity and capitalize on the revealed weakness. Kay half-suppressed his laugh. "You're supposed to be dueling me, and yet you're still listening to the orders of your asshole emperor? Rather pathetic. Do you want him to hold your hand? I can wait for you to get him."

Pallax breathed heavily. "You're making it obvious to me that you are stalling."

Kay nodded as he avoided a few spinning blades, though they turned into soup after connecting into several toxic nests. "You're a smart boy. Figure it out!"

"Oh I think I did. Time for me to get serious and change tactics. LEVITATE!" Pallax shouted as he jumped up in the air. Instead of falling back to the ground, he instead became suspended above the dueling arena by a warbling distortion of air.

Kay grimaced. "The fuck? Seriously?" He groused openly.

Pallax sighed in exasperation. "Mass manipulation enables me to control the weight of my body. And if I made myself lighter while I used matter manipulation, I would then be able to lift my own body. It's like a form of flight, really." After taking a few breaths of air, he was able to recover from the exhaustion.

Kay didn't like how this turned out. By removing himself from the ground, Pallax essentially found safety from the dangerous acid-filled toxic nests. Though Pallax was safe from the toxic nests while in the air, it would also mean that he could use a new slew of tactics that Kay was unaware of. Still, Pallax could send down a storm of duplicated swords without risk of being dissolved by toxic nests, and Kay was safe from being in the reach of Pallax's 'real' Warden Sword. Experimentally, Kay shot a kinetic blast at Pallax, only for the general to absorb the attack with the black disks he had acquired with Guik's help. Even as he sent a volley of energy blasts at the general, his Warden Sword absorbed each attack with the fullest of ease. Two more kinetic blasts did nothing but disappear as they collided into Pallax's black disks, shielding him from the raw damage that would have turned him inside-out several times over. Kay growled at the gilanian general with a heavy emotion that was well past frustration. "I should have expected this."

 _{Luckily, I have foreseen this.}_ Exclaimed the Overmind in Kay's head.

"Then you are a poor excuse of a commander!" Kay brought his hand forward to try and crush Pallax in his psionic grip once more, but Pallax zipped out of the way in time. All Kay had grasped with his power was nothing but air. Pallax's escape was narrow, but it displayed a level of speed that surprised Kay, whom was rewarded with a glowing sword aimed at his head.

Kay ducked down in time, only to grunt an answer as Pallax flew over him. "Oh I'm going to gouge out your eyes using your own jaw!" He then turned his attention to the Overmind that was the secret fourth audience member to this duel of death. _'Okay then, Overmind. Have any tips that can slow this fucker down?'_

 _{I have a simple answer to this crass question. Use your psionic power to create a forceful grip all around you than in a single location. Do so by imagining an enclosed fist that is exploding into existence!}_

 _' 'All around me?' '_ Kay replied dubiously.

 _{You have the capacity for such a power. I have witnessed it in one of my visions in the possible futures of our past, even while buried within your subconscious mind. It is the same power that the Kerrigan used in the alternate realities that existed before our times. I shall share one of these visions with you, and in turn, teach you of one particular ability's use. It is dubbed 'the Immobilization Wave'.}_

 _'Kay, but not right now! I'm in the middle of-'_ A flash of memories that never were emblazoned Kay's mind for a brief second. _'-battle...'_ This strange vision happened so fast, yet Kay was able to remember it so well as though it was his own. The vision that The Overmind shared with Kay had contained so much data. However, Kay decided that such information was to be investigated later, since he was fighting a general in a one versus one free-for-all. But with new information on hand, a plan had formed within Kay's mind.

An enveloping blue light was produced around Kay's form as he rose into the air, doing so when Pallax tossed a hail of swords towards where he once stood. Upon seeing that Kay had left the safety of the toxic creep covered floor, Pallax took the perceived opportunity to close the distance and strike his opponent. But Kay reacted in time as he unleashed a psionic pulse that rapidly expanded outward and clung to every surface. The shockwave that Kay produced splintered many of the windows in the glass observatory, but they remained resilient and continued to keep the air within the mag rail station from leaking into the vacuum outside. Pallax's expression became pained and surprised as he was slowed down by the psionic energy that cloyed his movement. "GUH~?!'

Kay leapt back into action, and did so by leaping towards Pallax that was hanging in the air in disbelief. A clawed hand found its way on Pallax's collar, while Kay gleamed a baring scowl. "Got you."

Pallax reacted by swinging his blazing Warden Sword at Kay. The general managed to slice off one of Kay's arms, but he did so at the cost of Kay's other intact arm snaking its way to Pallax's mouth and, as he said he would do, rip out Pallax's own jaw. "LOOUAGH~!"

Kay jumped off of Pallax as the general swiveled in the air. Once Pallax was alone in the air, he gingerly pawed his own face to find a hot dampness drooling down his nonexistent chin. Pallax grunted in pain, but his injury seemed to have only enraged him further. He glared down at Kay with murderous intent, no longer content with getting enjoyment with the duel he had asked for. Kay, whom was now safe back on the ground, was focused on his missing arm, which had regrown back slightly faster than before when he used his mending ability on top of the noxious creep he stood upon. Once Kay's arm grew back to its full length, he took Pallax's jaw and split it down the middle. Kay looked up at the general and pointed the jaw that once belonged in his mouth at him. "Pallax. I want you to know that it has been a pleasure."

After Kay psionically summoned a crushing grip for the final time, Pallax had nowhere to go as he became unwillingly engrossed by its effects. Kay leapt at Pallax once more and dug the general's newly bifurcated jaws into his own eyes. Kay leapt off of the general that began to madly swing his Warden Sword, screaming and roaring in pain. He lost control of his ability to fly as he slammed into the ceiling and walls of the glass observatory, sprinkling the toxic nest covered ground with slivers of glittering fragments. "GAAAAUUUUOOOORRRRGH~!~!~!" Pallax dropped his sword near Gollog as he slammed into the ceiling for the final time before landing in a highly-packed patch of toxic nests. Once he landed on the toxic nests, an explosion of highly pressurized acid removed any trace of his existence, with the exception of the blood that still clung onto Kay's hands.

Kay sighed in relief as he turned toward the emperor of Golden Star, who was fixated on Kay with a leery and stern scowl. Though Kay was not able to read his mind, he can tell from his expression alone that Gollog was not amused by Kay's perseverance.

They stared at each other, while an ominous feeling began to suffocate the air. The intensity was so great that it could have been described as being tangible enough for knives capable of cutting through such tension.

Gollog's empire was undone.

* * *

 **A/N: I wonder how a Heartless invasion would fair in the WH40K franchise? '3'**


	92. The Emperor's Gift

**Chapter 92: The Emperor's Gift**

* * *

The albino overlord of Kiln's people had no control over his empire anymore. The world's surface, once a vibrant artificial desert planet that contained many forms of life, was now replaced by the ashes of the dead, the endless fields of creep, and countless zerg. Above the surface of Kiln, the swarming masses of airborne zerg became a number too vast to accurately count. Gollog was incapable of fighting against the tide of carapace and wrath, and Gollog himself learned of this too late. With no people to rule over, all Gollog would ever amount to be is a snobbishly prude lizard-man with a glittery robe, fancy gauntlets, shiny boots and a striking crown. He was now an emperor in name only.

Kay stood before this emperor with a fixed glare, while Gollog exchanged a similar stare but with quieted anger, which nearly boiled over to lividly violent rage. However, Gollog understood too well that his powers and his rule couldn't quell the prison system's intruder. The twenty year war was boiling down into a simmer, and the zerg were finally beginning to win. The toxic nests that grew around Kay seemed to relax in their infestation of the mag rail station's glass observatory, yet they still continued to grow. To weed every single growth that Kay had planted in his mag rail station would be borderline impossible. To slay every single zerg organism commanded by Kay would take an eternity if Gollog continued his campaign by himself. Stuck in an endless, fruitless cycle that would merit no reward or mercy.

Gollog sighed as he began walking toward the sword that the late Pallax had crafted before his duel. Once Gollog picked up his deceased general's sword, he sheathed it away and turned to Kay again. "Well... Here we are."

Kay's stare became deadpanned as he shrugged. " 'Well, here we are'? That's all you have to say after all this time we fought each other? I mean... We've been warring for twenty years now, and that's what you say after your imminent defeat?"

Gollog growled venomously at Kay, almost spatting his fury. "Shut the fuck up, Kay. I wasn't finished." After taking a calming breath, he turned away and gazed upon the chaotic war that was ensuing outside the mag rail station. After twenty seconds of what Kay assumed was Gollog staring at his own reflection, Gollog began speaking again, this time in a more calm manner. His expression seemed so despondent. "... My empire is in ruins. My people are dead. My commanders, now incapable of carrying out my orders. And my general, unable to serve me further. Through and through, I had been a vain man that had great ambitions. Though my greed for power and my lust for control had served me well, it was too late for me to realize that my pride had blinded me. You and your monsters continued to evolve as my empire fought them, and I was too defiant to think that I would ever be brought low by them and yourself. But now, in this moment, I see that I had been wrong in the assumption that I could outlive this. You and your zerg continued to display abilities and attributes that has compounded fear into the spirits of my men, and circumvented the adaptive nature of the Kiln Keepers. In truth, I had been a fool.

Gollog turned to Kay and gestured to him. "For every weapon I had launched, thrown, and delivered to kill you and your swarm, I was too ignorant to realize that the ammunition and arms sent had only bought me scant lengths of extended time, preventing my empire's eventual defeat. It was only a matter of time before you conquered everything, a feat that I myself had worked so hard to try and accomplish. It's all for naught now. Only now do I understand that my empire's end is nigh."

Kay shook his head. "It's past nigh now, jackass."

An awkward pause passed between Kay and Gollog. Gollog sighed. He turned to his left and motioned to the empty space next to him. "Skrico, activate holographic display. Tap me into the surveillance system."

[Command detected. Specify parameters.] Skrico replied, almost chirping.

Kay looked around for the voice as Gollog saw several holographic displays appear before him. Kay huffed in annoyance. "Is that a voice of one of those artificial intelligence robots? What were they called again? Intellect hearts or something?"

Gollog didn't bother turning to Kay to answer his question. "Intelligence cores. And no, it is not one of them. Rather, it is a facsimile of one that Faddoh had carefully constructed. The other cores had to be turned off when our informant told us what may come if we continued to leave them running. I imagine something quite disastrous occurred within the past timeline. Must have been quite grand an event to have affected even those ancient machines."

Kay paused for a few seconds before talking again. "You know something that I don't. Explain." It wasn't a question, but a demand.

Gollog snorted as he kept a chuckle from leaving his lungs. "Even a telepathic insect lord like yourself cannot quite see the full picture? I suppose I shall divulge you with this information, seeing as though it is useless to keep you from learning it now." Gollog pointed at the window, which viewed an amassed legion of flying zerg. "On the surface of Kiln, nearly twenty years ago, the intelligence cores was stolen from our clutches. However, our informant had prepared for this, and gave us a blueprint that enabled us to construct our own intelligence cores from the manifestation altars. Years later, much to our own surprise, the Kiln Keepers began construction of the impressively large sky rings and the mag rail stations that keep them afloat. The gilanian public believe that it was the researchers and scientists of the Cube Research Division that were responsible for the creation of the mega structures, yet the construction of the sky rings and the mag rail stations had been completed solely by the Kiln Keepers by themselves.

"My theory on this strange happenstance is that the informant has been guiding us in order to better eradicate your zerg, even going so far as discreetly reprogram the Kiln Keepers to better suit our needs. Faddoh does not know this, but the blueprint that enables construction of the sky rings was added to the knowledge mainframe of the Kiln Keeper database. Each sky ring, and even the mag rail stations, is essentially enormous Kiln Keeper machines. The construction of the sky rings may indeed resulted in the dissolution and cannibalization of their factory, but it created an enormous upgrade for them. The Kiln Keepers could be produced and deployed at a global scale, while the sky rings could house Kiln's entire population. It is an unusual, yet helpful addition to the war effort. I can only surmise that the person responsible for the creation of such a blueprint has to have been a Warden. However, such an outcome is impossible in this day and age."

Kay narrowed his eyes at Gollog. "... So you or your empire didn't build these mega structures at all?"

Gollog shook his head and sighed. "Tis only a secret that I and Faddoh knew. ... Well, I had Faddoh delete his memories afterwards, making it so that only I knew this small secret of enormous proportions. ...Hmm?"

Kay shook his head and sighed. "Well, you could just be telling me that so you'd fuck with me for the hell of it. Anyway, I don't really care who did what to the Kiln Keepers, or who was really responsible for making the sky rings. This war began because I asked from you to let me leave this prison system, yet you continued to spit in my face and growl 'no' as you sent your men in your attempt to exterminate me an my zerg. There is a point where a certain level of disrespect can be tolerated, and you went past that point very long ago. Once I'm done here, I will wash my hands of this ugly affair and find my own way out of this hellhole you call a kingdom. Well... I say that now, but you don't really have a kingdom anymore, do you?"

There was a pause between Kay and Gollog. Unfortunately, Gollog seemed too engrossed with what he was seeing in his holographic screens.

This ticked Kay off. "... Hey! Asshole! I'm right over here!"

Gollog turned to Kay this time, this time with an expression of confusion and mounting anger while he pointed at the holographic screens. "Kay, why are my citizens riding upon the backs of your blade hounds?"

Kay huffed. He had nearly forgotten about that. "Oh that." Kay then waved dismissively at Gollog. "I figured that there were still some dissenters to your rule, so I gave them a choice to either die where they stand, or be delivered back to Kiln to escape your tyranny."

Gollog hissed loudly as he looked down at his feet and clutched his hands into tightened fists. "THERE ARE STILL TRAITORS IN MY RANKS? ..." Gollog took in a calming breath before looking at Kay again. "Why are you delivering them to Kiln? It is a ruined world, what with the necrostorm having killed all animal and plant life on it."

"It is not ideal for them, no." Kay replied with a shake of his head. "But if it means they can spend another second without having to endure under the leadership of your iron fist, then I can give them that. That, and there is still some manifestation altar technology they can use to generate rations capable of providing them a nutritional substitute. Failing that, they can boil creep to gain water, or boil resource tumor pods to supplement their diet."

Gollog's expression became both annoyed and confused. "... Why would you do this for them? They are not your people."

Kay nodded. "That is true." A sigh then flowed from his lungs. "But the world will get so boring if it's going to be populated with just zerg."

A long pause lasting several seconds, somewhere between twelve and thirteen, had passed as Gollog stared at Kay under a new light. But as the pause finally passed, Gollog's lips pursed as his glare became stern. "... So you would keep them as your pets? As your cattle? Your prey?"

Kay shook his head as he dismissed Gollog with a sway of his hand. "No. Not as prey, but as new citizens of a republic. Once I leave to new pastures, they shall be free to form their own governments and laws, all without your supervision or your corruption. And once I find the exit that lets me leave this prison, I shall show them the way out and give them the choice to freely leave."

Another long pause. This time it was longer than before, roughly twenty seconds. Gollog began to snigger before a rumbling laugh escaped his throat. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, You still honestly believe that you can escape Kiln's prison system?! Ha ha ha ha ha! Ahh, you are an even bigger fool than I had thought, Kay!"

Kay narrowed his eyes at Gollog as he crossed his arms. "Prattle less and make some damn sense. What are you going on about?"

Gollog shook his head as his laughing fit finally calmed down. "Oh Kay. You will understand why this prison system is so efficient. You see, each and every single gilanian that hatches, lives, and dies in this prison system is doomed to never leave."

"Doomed?"

"The medical micro-machines is the key." Gollog announced. "Not only are they capable of making sure the gilanian they inhabit remains healthy till they reach their twilight years, they initiate their means of procreation. They are also responsible for destroying their host if the gilanian ever manages to leave Kiln, which ruptures their cells and liquefies their brain. But such is the penance for the defiance of leaving our prison."

Kay blinked a few times. That... didn't actually make much sense. Kay remembered that, in the past timeline where the silver sea began to cover everything, Kragnon learned that he was a clone, but he did seem to go through a 'cellular self-destruct'.

"Of course, there are other criteria that can make the medical micro-machines rip their cells and mind apart." With a sinister grin, Gollog turned to the paneled glass wall and shouted to it, staring at the mass of zerg monsters that blocked his view of Kiln. "I SUMMON FORTH MY DIVINE POWER! CARRY MY VOICE TO THOSE WHO JOINED MY EMPIRE, DEFECTED FROM MY EMPIRE, AND HAS BEEN HATCHED UNDER THE RULE OF MY EMPIRE, WITH EXCEPTION TO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN MADE IMMORTAL! HEED ME, MY POPULACE! YOU HAVE LIVED A LIFE THAT IS A LIE! A LIE SO POWERFUL THAT IT SHALL STRIP YOU OF YOUR MORTALITY ONCE LEARNED! UPON LEARNING THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE BECAME TRAITOROUS TO MY RULE, I SHALL DEEM EVERY ONE OF YOU UNWORTHY OF LIFE! BUT REJOICE! I SHALL TEACH YOU THIS DARK SECRET AS YOUR FINAL PUNISHMENT!"

 _{Remember this moment, Kay. Desperation doesn't reward kindness.}_

Kay did not like where this was heading. Especially since he didn't know what The Overmind had whispered to him.

* * *

With a final bellow from a voice that nobody couldn't identify the source from, the remaining population of Gollog's empire was assailed with a broadcasted message that vibrated through their medical micro-machines.

[EVERYONE GILANIAN IN THE KILN PRISON SYSTEM IS BORN A CLONE, OR WERE DESCENDED FROM CLONES! ENJOY THE DEATHS THAT YOU HAVE EARNED!]

Gadral was confused as the voice of the emperor he openly denounced had spoken directly to him. The group of gathered dissenters that was gathered by the zerg, who once murmured and clamored among each other in fevered horror and uncertain confusion, was now eerily silent. It was a strange silence between the dissenters of Gollog's rule. Even Gadral was at a loss.

"What was that about?" "Was it Gollog speaking directly to us?" "You heard it too? I thought I was becoming crazy!" "Yeah, I heard it." "Is it true that we are clones?" "What is a clone anyway?" "I think a clone is someone who has the exact DNA from their parent." "You mean like a single parent? Would it be the mother or the father?" "The clone's parent could be mother OR father, I think." "But that doesn't make sense. I witnessed my wife lay her eggs days ago. How would that make my children clones?"

Gadral's stomach flopped as an unusual sensation pierced through his body and mind. "Oh... I have a bad feeling about this."

Pained groans began to emanate from the dissenters, which quickly grew to pained yells and insane shrieks. Their flesh began to needle with pain as red ichor used out from between their scales. Their blood was more profusely gushing from their eyes, nostrils and mouths as their pain began to heighten and intensify even more. One by one did the dissenting gilanians fell over and died from the pain, while an unfortunate few experienced a numbing insanity that dulled their minds. The lucky few that died of heart attacks experienced a quick death, which spared them from a fate more unfortunate. Gadral keeled over as his heart painfully stopped.

* * *

Kay was startled as he witnessed the dying gilanians through the minds and eyes of his zerg within the bellies of the leviathans. It was hard to swallow. Kay didn't realize that Gollog would rather have his people die than be in the safe clutches of the zerg. And even then, the entire population of the Golden Star Empire was rendered completely deceased within the minute. All that was left of them was soft, bloody bodies that littered the fleshy floors of the leviathans' innards.

Kay turned to Gollog with his teeth bared. "What the fuck did you do?"

Gollog smiled at Kay. "I denied you my gilanian resources, Kay. Consider it as my final defiance against your swarm. It will remind you and to all others that I still have the power to give, and the power to take, anything and everything. A final gift for my own indulgence. Enjoy my dead kingdom, Kay. I will surely miss it, but never you. I summon forth my divine power. Deliver me to the Sovereign Crypt, then self-destruct the magnetic axle rail stations and the sky rings."

After a haze of blue and white made Gollog disappear, a deep rumble rocketed within the glass observatory. Kay's head whipped around as he sensed several explosions rocking the satellite station that kept the ring-shaped mega-structures afloat. The sky rings began to bend dangerously as the mag rail stations began to lose control of their rotation, randomly speeding up or slowing down despite the leviathans' best efforts to stabilize the mega structures.

Kay realized that his time visiting the mag rail station was just about over.

* * *

If there was an atmosphere, then Alexandriana would bellow a war cry to draw her opponent's attention to her. Sadly, she had been delivered onto a section of the sky ring that was quite far from the battle, though she and her pack slowly approached it with each step. However, she was currently with a large pack that consisted of many ravasaurs, igniters, creeper hosts and tyrannozors. They traveled along the creep-covered surface of the claimed sky rings, the weapon placements already destroyed from the earlier onslaught. Far ahead, Alexandriana could see the brilliant flashes of red that signaled the presence of the super cyborg mech suit.

An errant ray of scarlet fury had glanced across her shell-covered carapace, which forced her to feel the blazing pain that followed. It made her sharp-toothed smile gleam with more excitement and war-lust, which only drove her toward her target with quickened expedience. Her desire to fight would fuel her desire to evolve, and the zerg were masters of evolution. She didn't even care if the giant mech's lasers could eradicate leviathans in seconds. All she needed was to find a window of opportunity. Once found, she could open it wide and began exploiting the weakness.

Namely, the giant mech seemed to use two types of attacks quite extensively. One of which was the fuck-off laser blasts that it emitted from its hands, which were capable of sawing a leviathan in half, or blowing them apart into chunky pieces of bloody gore in mere seconds. Even with a symbiote helping the leviathans, the shell that surrounded their carapaced hide did little to mitigate the damage, and the droves of mutalisks died in said droves as the beams widened to cover a larger area. However, it had only two arms to aim its weapons with, meaning that even if it wildly flailed its arms around while it fired its high-powered energy blasts, it couldn't use them very effectively since there were so many zerg swarming it, and that it would risk hitting the mag rail station that Gollog currently resided on.

Another of its attacks was the use of an impenetrable energy shield. If there were too many zerg attacking the giant robot all at once, then it would use its shield to not only protect itself, but to also ram into the more dangerous zerg monsters. Such an attack seemed to even render the leviathans' bio-stasis ability completely useless, since any time three or more leviathans attempted to invade the giant mech's space, it would activate its impenetrable barrier and use it offensively. However, when it uses its barrier, it would enable the zerg unimpeded access to the mag rail station that it protected.

In short, it was vulnerable when attacking with its energy beams while it defends the station, but is much more dangerous than normal. It was invulnerable when using its best defense as an offensive weapon, but using such an ability would leave the station undefended. Alexandriana had an idea on how to counter this tactic.

As the giant mech was pressured into fighting against the horde of zerg, Alexandriana's pack moved along the surface of the creep-covered sky ring, doing their best to get close to the mag rail station to eventually attract the giant robot's attention.

Once the robot veered its head and saw Alexandriana's pack, it changed direction and sped towards the threat. The ravasaurs and igniters moved on towards the mag rail station while the tyrannozors, the creeper hosts and Alexandriana prepared and eagerly watched the incoming giant mech. Before the mech robot got too close, the creeper hosts spawned a swarm of creepers that lazily flew towards the threat. It was a tactic that was meant to divide the mech robot's attention to target three groups of enemies, rather than focus on the pack as a whole. The giant mech would concentrate on the ravasaurs and igniters that would approach the mag rail station, while the creepers that flew towards it would deliver a caustic shower of acid that would dissolve its armor and chassis. It would have calculated that the creepers are the bigger threat, while it would also acknowledge that the ravasaurs and igniters would cause great damage to the mag rail station if not dealt with in time. The tyrannozors and Alexandriana would then spread themselves around the circumference of the sky ring, which would also require more time for the giant mech robot to aim and shoot its energy blasts at. Its normal tactic of ramming itself into its enemies while its barrier was active would risk damage to the sky ring itself, and the tyrannozors spreading themselves along the surface of the mega-structure would make it that much harder to eliminate the zerg. It's big size meant that its aiming speed would be greatly slowed. Or at least that was what Alexandriana understood from Kay's experience with his fight with the giant mech robot.

Alexandriana hoped that if the giant mech robot was damaged enough, especially if its hands or device that produced the barrier was disabled, then she would dive into this battle and deal the killing blow.

However, the floor under her and her pack's feet began to rumble and buckle violently. Explosions along the sky rings burst outward as the vacuum-sealed insides was pushed outward. Much of the zerg that crawled along the surface of the sky rings were flung off, which would collide with a flying zerg organism during their fall. They may cling on for a time, but they would have to be picked up by an overlord with ventral sacks later.

Alexandriana had jumped off of the sky ring and onto the hull of the mag rail station, her claws digging deep into the metal and preventing her from falling back to Kiln. _'Something is happening to the ring, I think? It's exploding.'_ She explained to the brood she agreed to ally herself with.

 _'I FUCKING KNOW!'_ Kay shouted. _'AND FOR THE RECORD: FUCK GOLLOG!'_

 _'Kay, please calm down and explain to us what happened?'_ Asked Virid.

 _'Gollog found out that we were trying to deliver defectors to the surface of Kiln, so he decided to let them die through some kind of self-termination fail-safe.'_ Kay explained. _'Also, he ordered for the sky rings to self-destruct. Alex, what is the condition of the giant robot mech?'_

Alexandriana turned around to see the giant robot looking her way, but it didn't seem interested in pursuing her. Instead, it was enveloped by the telltale blue-white glittering of a MEM shift effect, which made the giant robot mech vanish. Alexandriana growled in annoyance and anger. _'My target escaped with that MEM shift tech just now. I want to add that I am greatly angered by this.'_

Corvurn decided to add into the conversation. _'Troubling. Mechanical juggernaut fled battle. Returning repaired for next battle, likely. Cannot pursue.'  
_

 _'Did any of our brood queens latch any parasites onto it?'_ Virid asked.

 _'I don't think any of them did, Virid. But despite all that we have accomplished, who would have expected this tumultuous outcome?!'_ Exclaimed Thyzir.

 _'I need to address a sudden issue, everyone.'_ Othafurn interjected. _'Some of the refugees have came under a sudden illness. The survivors are panicking, and Baroness Tak requests your audience, Kay.'_

 _'As much as I love to, I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF AN UNSTABLE SPACE STATION AT THE MOMENT, SO IT CAN WAIT!'_ Kay sharply replied.

 _'The gilanian race on Kiln were clones the entire time?'_ Kragnon said.

 _'NOT NOW, KRAGNON! SURVIVING RIGHT NOW! WE'LL MOPE LATER!'_

Alexandriana rolled her reptilian eyes and shook her head. She would have sighed too, but there was no air to do that. Alas, she would have to fight the giant robot mech on another day.

* * *

 **A/N: Got Rain World recently. Might try a fanfic or even a crossover of it someday. '3'**


	93. Worldwide Requiem

**Chapter 93: Worldwide Requiem**

* * *

The surface of Kiln became pockmarked with several craters of blackened metal. Towers of chromatic make and piles of debris dotted the land as far as the eye could see. Darkness covered the land as both ash, bodies, and zerg still flew and orbited over Kiln. It was a world now controlled by Kay and Virid's Swarm.

The return trip back to the underground refugee camp was uneventful. All Kay had to do was merely form a wormhole at the numerous underground hatcheries and connect it to his location. Kay even used such a power to deliver Alexandriana and Virid to one of the underground hives he relocated to. The zerg that were caught by the falling debris were killed upon impact, though much of the debris had either been burned away from entry or were targeted by the spore crawlers and spore cannons. The casualties were extensive for the zerg, which could have been calculated to be quintillions of deaths in total. The body count was vast, but it all amounted to be nothing more but a statistical footnote. The ability to convert ambient energy in the environment into materials and resources, an adaptation that Evolution Master Corvurn discovered, provided a tactical advantage that the zerg could not have won the 20 year war without.

But as the surface of Kiln was further ruined by the aftermath of an intense battle above Kiln's atmosphere, the refugee camp of the last remaining gilanians were panicking. Their leader, Baroness Tak, was understandably furious and was adressing her frustrations to Kragnon within the privacy of her tent.

"I don't care if the sickness plaguing my people is caused by that godawful emperor. The zerg are responsible and my people cannot stand for this any longer." Tak grumbled venomously at Kragnon, as she gently rubbed the temples of her head as a headache began to form.

Kragnon kneeled before her and bowed several times. "We are aware of the mounting tensions between the zerg and the gilanians, but we had no idea that the bastard emperor would have done this!"

"His defeat had costed the lives of more of my citizens!" Tak shrilled. After a pained sigh escaped her lips, Tak calmed herself and groaned in frustration. "Many of the refugees that fled from Gollog's rule had arrived at the doorstep of my citadel, both before and right when the war broke out. They were all given a second chance, under the condition that they become productive members of the society within the walls of Citadel Gargantua. Of course, it had meant that I had to exercise my tact and made sure none of them were in political or diplomatic positions that undermined my rule, knowing full well that any vital information that endangered my position was more leverage **_he_ ** could force onto me."

Kragnon sighed as he looked up at Tak. "I know. You believed that if you had less power you could wield against Gollog, the less of a target you became and the more well off you would become. But you also knew that he knew that, and you figured that he also knows that you knows this. It's essentially an endless tactical mental game where you couldn't possibly win in the end, so you simply played for points, while Gollog wanted to control the whole playing field."

Tak shifted in her bed as she nodded at kragnon's assessment. "Having only common knowledge as a basic defense against Gollog's empirical subversion is not exactly the best way to keep a citadel safe. However, having redundant and obvious information that any common gilanian can access tends to undermine most best laid plans, especially if the black market in my citadel had developed a gray track record in keeping client information over the years. When Gollog found out about certain deals that had taken place regarding certain members of the black market, he liquefied Asul Corporation and their services. As a result, I had done the same in order to prevent his wrath from taking more casualties than needed. An emperor may control an empire, but an empire is nothing without a strong self-sustaining infrastructure. And with a gilanian like Gollog, he will always find whatever secrets you keep from him. Always."

Kragnon had nothing to add to Tak's reply.

Tak shook her head and growled. "Still, this sudden plague has killed many of the people that had left Gollog a long time ago. They were ranting about something before they suddenly began dying. Whatever it may be, the disease began to spread from them and they are blaming the zerg as the likely source of the plague. That also includes you, Kragnon."

Kragnon shook his head as he stood up. "It isn't that, my beloved. The Zerg Swarm are masters of evolution, and they have the capacity to manipulate and control their diseases. They are not responsible for releasing this pathogen that has affected your people." He explained.

Tak shook her head again and closed her eyes. "It isn't me who you must try to convince. Rather, it is my enraged populace. You are connected to Kay through your brain communication thing, right?" She waved at him. "Please bring him to me and get this sorted out."

Kragnon nodded. "Yes, my beloved. I'll contact him through the zerg psionic hivemind connection now and tell him that you request his audience." Kragnon turned around and began walking to the exit of Tak's tent. _'Kay, whatever the fuck you did, everyone is in a panic. Tak is blaming you for it too.'_

 _'Ugh. I know. And she is right to blame me for it.'_ Kay bemoaned.

 _'So when are we going after Gollog again?'_ Kragnon asked sternly.

 _'... Actually, I want to hold off on pursuing him."_ Kay said hesitantly.

 _'What? Kay, what do you mean by that?'_ Kragnon asked incredulously.

Kay sighed. _'Think about it. If we attack Gollog again, then he might make another move in desperation. What's to say that it might cost us the rest of the refugees the next time? Or worse yet, add a new element that we have to adapt against as he gets away in another of his escape attempts?'_

 _'...'_ Kragnon didn't say anything.

Kay could feel his frustration. _'I know you want to be the one to finally end his life once and for all, but we need to act with a little bit more tact for the moment. You might think that I should have held off the swarm from attacking the sky rings so early in the engagement, and waited for the Era Agents to come and pick up the remaining refugees before we continued our assault. However, I didn't want Gollog's empire or the Kiln Keepers to gain an advantage if we let too much time pass. It's very possible they would have caught on that we were waiting for the era agents to arrive, which would have given Gollog the incentive he needed to enact a revenge mission against the last living gilanians on this world. In the long run, it was better to remove Gollog from a tactical position as soon as possible before he began to plan a spitful attack against a lingering non-aligned population. You see my point?'_

 _'... I think I see.'_

 _'Kay then. In the meantime, I suggest that we regroup our forces and rest. Once the era agents come to pick up Tak's people, we will then continue pursuing Golden Star's emperor. I think I'll be taking a little nap.'_

 _'You do realize that Tak wants an audience with you.'_

 _'Don't care. Nap time. Night-night.'_ Kay abruptly finished.

As a sighing Kragnon left Tak's tent, he was surprised and startled to suddenly see two of his daughters riding upon the squishy abdomen of a broodmother. A lump formed in his throat. Snapping out of the conversation he was having with Kay, he hurriedly ran up to the broodmother. "Wha... What's going on here?" He blurted, hoping that what was happening wasn't too serious.

The broodmother huffed in annoyance as she peered behind herself to check on her passengers. "I have discovered these two playing near a spawning pool. I tasked myself in bringing them back to their genetic progenitors."

Jak and Zak peered from behind the broodmother's wing and weakly smiled, waving at Kragnon. "Uh... Hi bug-dad." Jak announced meekly.

Kragnon stiffened his posture. "Jak. Zak. What are you doing outside of the tent?"

Jak and Zak looked at each other before Zak answered. "Um... Well... There was nothing to do in the tent, so we... Well... Wanted to take a look around."

Kragnon shook his head. "It's dangerous to be outside of the tent right now. People are dying and I don't want to lose you." However, a new lump formed in his throat. "... Where is your brother? Did he come with you?"

Jak and Zak shook their heads. "No, he doesn't know that we're out here." Zak answered.

"He was supposed to be watching you." Kragnon took in a deep breath and grunted out a sigh. He then pointed at Baroness Tak's tent. "Go to your mother. Now."

"Yes father." The both of them announced. They gently slid down the webbed legs of the broodmother and began their guilty trek back to their mother's tent.

Kragnon sighed. Had his focus didn't become too engrossed with the war between zerg and Gollog's empire, he would have noticed that his flesh and blood had escaped from Tak's care. However, gilanians their age were normally restless, and Kragnon knew this well since raising Kragak. After seeing his two healthy daughters go into the entrance of Tak's tent, he turned to the broodmother that brought them to him. "So uh... What is your name?"

The broodmother bowed. "I am Kariza, one of the few broodmothers tasked with managing the creep fields and forming new bio-structures."

Kragnon nodded. "Kariza. Right. There is a possibility that my son went out to try and find his sisters. Do you think you can keep some eyes out for him on the off-chance he went out on his own and ventured into your hive cluster? I'm worried about him, and I would prefer that he returns here safely."

Kariza grumbled. "This task is not designed for a broodmother like me to humor. ... But it can be done. Be warned, however. A broodmother's patience can wear thin over time." She turned away and began to crawl back to the depths she was supposedly spawned from.

Kragnon hissed to himself as he went off to Tak's tent, hoping that his son didn't set off to retrieve his sisters.

* * *

Much later, the zerg swarm had entered into a state of peace, despite the uproarious complaints that Tak's people had with their zerg neighbors. However, such verbal whining didn't deter the zerg's leaders by much. Kay knew if the thinning gilanian refugees banded together to repel the zerg away through non-lethal methods, then the zerg would most definitely grant them the space they so wanted. They know better than to use violence against the zerg. It would have been considered an act of war, and the parties involved would be hunted down, infested, torn apart, and eaten. Sometimes not in that order. However, Kay wasn't concerned for such an outcome at the moment.

His eyes were closed tightly as he rested within a gathered pile of tired zerglings. Somewhat after settling into the creep, Kay discovered a rather unusual, yet surprising ability that the zerglings displayed. Many of the ground-based zerg had the natural ability to rapidly vibrate their muscles at low frequencies, which granted them their most widely known ability to burrow into the ground. As Kay rested upon the creep, the zerglings slowly gathered around him and formed what could have been called a small cuddle pile. Kay didn't notice it at first, but the zergling pile began to vibrate slightly and at much lower force that normally enabled them to burrow through whatever earth was below them. It was akin to the sensation of falling asleep while sitting in a massage chair. It was when a zergling tried to lay on top of his stomach and begin resonating like its surrounding siblings that Kay finally realized what was happening and what the zerglings were trying to do. They were very much like loyal hounds trying to appease their master, and they thought that making themselves into a pile of massage pillows would suit their master's needs. After some hesitation, Kay allowed them to continue, even letting a few of them burrow underneath the creep he rested on before relaxing again.

It was an odd sensation. Kay basked in the afterglow of the incredibly long war that waged between zerg and the dominant inhabitants of the Kiln Prison System, and yet after all this time, he had never had the chance to relax in this manner before that moment. Sure, any typical zerg organism tends to begin resting when they're burrowed or positioned in strategic locations that don't have much action going on, while active zerg could fight and war for several days with only a marginal impact to their combat efficiency. Even Kay was subjected to tiredness, even when his mind was utterly focused on a task. It was only through moments of calm or pauses between a battle that Kay would realize how tired he was during his campaign against Golden Star. To finally take time to sleep and relax the brain was a luxury that few insomniacs treasured. However, having one's mind connected to a hivemind of zerg made it somewhat difficult to sleep with. Kay couldn't truly 'sleep'.

But even if he could try to find the time for sleep, Kay was troubled by a few thoughts that were plaguing the insides of his mind. The entire gilanian race within Kiln's prison system consisting only of clones, for one. For Kiln to even exist in the first place, the technology of the gilanian civilization must have reached a point of post-scarcity some time ago. Afterwards, upon developing the technology required for their next tasks, they would gather enough resources to create an entire planet that would have enabled the gilanians the means to create the prison/clone world they needed. The security measures they established, aka the anti-quantum veil which prevented any outsiders or insiders from entering/exiting the prison system, and the myriad of protocols that activate when certain conditions were met, would suggest that the gilanian civilization as a whole had advanced technology that hypothetically rivaled the protoss. Perhaps not in the same complexity that the ancient firstborn can attest to, but instead having the forethought to account for several variables simultaneously.

However, whoever created Kiln and its prison system didn't account for time traveling agents, a group of secret scientists that discovered wormhole technology, a self-imposed unsympathetic immortal tyrant that wants to take control of Kiln and its prison system, and, of course, the zerg that was invited into the prison system simply through the sheer luck needed to create a wormhole at the right time and at the right location in The Void.

Life is pretty funny like that.

But the question Kay's mind wanted to know was not how the non-clone civilization of gilanians made Kiln, but rather wanted to know WHY they made it. Kay hoped that the seneschal of this timeline's Era Agency might have the answers to some of his questions.

If he decided to come back as promised, that is.

A disturbance rustled the zerglings around Kay, which made them make their gentle warbling brays and shrieks. Kay sighed as he got up from the zergling pile to acknowledge the intruding party responsible for disturbing his sleep. Kragnon's son seemed to have visited Kay, it seemed. An annoyed sigh greeted Kragak. "The son of Kragnon. Aren't you a bit far from the safety of your tent?"

Kragak nodded. "I'm well aware. I was looking after my sisters, but I noticed that they were gone. Have you or your zerg seen them?"

Kay raised an eyebrow at Kragnon's descendant. "Let me see..." After looking away from Kragak and closing his eyes for a few seconds, Kay nodded and turned back to Kragak. "Jak and Zak are fine. They were escorted back to Tak's tent by one of the broodmothers. A broodmother will be coming by here soon to guide you back to your tent. ... Actually, it feels like Kragnon is going to swing by here also." Kay then pointed at one of the zerglings. "But if you want to ride your way back on a zergling, I can let you. It's way faster."

Kragak shook his head. "No uh... I can walk back fine. ..."

Kay sighed. He can sense that there was something on his mind. "Well? Go ahead and spit it out."

"What?" Kragak said as he looked up at Kay.

Kay gestured to Kragak. "I can tell that you have something on your mind. If you want to share with me what you're thinking, you can go ahead. I have nothing else better to do at the moment."

Kragak nodded and took his turn to sigh. "I'm just... worried about father."

Kay blinked a couple times at Kragak. "... Uh... Kay? Why are you worried about him?"

Kragak huffed. "This refugee thing is getting on everybody's nerves. Admittedly, even mine. Before all of this, we were afraid that the war between the Zerg and the Kiln Keepers would reach Citadel Gargantua at some point. It did a few times, if mom and dad's stories were true. But when news of a doomsday weapon being fired began to circulate, the paranoia of the general population had reached its peak. However, even with the paranoia choking what lasting remnants of bravery remained, everybody wanted the war to finally come to an end. As we were invited into an underground chamber that the zerg dug out for us, some of us didn't accept the news of a sanctuary that was able to keep us safe from doomsday. There were a few that stayed behind, deciding to allow the doomsday to take their lives instead of taking the zerg's offer to make refuge in their territory. The doomsday happened anyway, and many more of Citadel Gargantua's people perished.

Kragak turned away from Kay. "And now people are getting sick. Mom said that the plague is killing people in seconds, but nobody knows how it is spreading. I'm worried about my sisters, Kay. I don't want them to end up dead. But most importantly, I don't want my father to forget that we look up to him for guidance sometimes. I feel as though he may have lost his way and himself when... when he became your pawn."

Kay paused for several seconds before nodding. "You can blame Gollog for the plague that affects your people. However, it might upset you to know that this disease was my fault all along."

Kragak turned to Kay, startled by what he heard. "... You... You caused this?!"

Kay nodded with a sigh. "I am so sorry this happened. I didn't intend for Tak's people to die like that, and I would have made every attempt to prevent that disease from killing such a large number of people. Most of them once belonged to Gollog's empire, yet they didn't deserve their punishment."

Kragak was silent for a moment, but then began to bare his teeth. "PUNISHMENT?! We suffered this war for such a long time already, yet you have the gall to say THAT to me?!" Kragak said, pointing a finger at Kay.

"Considering the circumstances everyone was forced to live in, no one deserves to suffer for the sins of another party. Whether you like it or not, you're stuck with the zerg as invited guests. But more than that, your father sacrificed his health just to ensure that you, your sisters, your mother, and your neighbors in Citadel Gargantua survived the apocalypse that came." Kay snapped back.

Kragak didn't say anything back.

Kay sighed. "Listen. Your father might not be as good-looking as he was before becoming infested, but that still doesn't stop him from being a good role model. Sure, the father you once knew is no longer the father you know now, but that doesn't mean you can no longer cherish the memories you made with him, and fondly reminisce of the fun times you do remember." Kay walked up to Kragak and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Honor your ancestors by what they stood for, rather by what they were spited for."

Kragak paused for a few seconds before looking at Kay with a glare. A quick slap forced Kay's hand from Kragak's shoulder. "I understand what you're trying to say. It won't make me feel any better, regardless if what you said is completely true." Kragak backed away from Kay. "If we somehow survive this, I don't want my people to take part with any of you or your monsters ever again."

Kragak turned away from Kay and began to walk back to Tak's tent, just as Kariza entered into the zergling's sleeping chamber. She then began to guide Kragnon's offspring, despite her half hearted attempt to offer the gilanian a ride on her back.

 _'That could have gone better.'_ Kragnon said to Kay.

Kay sighed. _'Like a slap to the face. Kid has got some angst, I'll admit.'_

 _'He's not wrong, either. There was a time in my life where people look up to me for guidance and advice during the moments I was able to assist them. But I see the looks upon their faces when they gaze at me. It's like I'm a different person to them. ... No. Less of a person, really. Like I am some unstable family member, and to anyone else, an animal.'_

 _'Kragnon.'_

 _'What you said to Kragak was hard for him to swallow, but he knows that you're telling the truth. He is young, but he will understand your advice when he cools his temper. Thank you Kay.'_

Kay sighed as he flopped back onto the zergling pile. He silently admits to himself that when the Era Agents finally come around to deliver the remaining refugees to safety. Kay was about to begin resting again when the hivemind network alerted him of another intruder entering into the hive cluster he was napping in. A heptagonal door of light slowly manifested near the pile of resting zerglings, which had startled them into a loose defensive formation of snarling, seeming to be angered that their rest was disturbed. This had better be good.

When Zagion had walked through that time gate, Kay immediately reacted by commanding the zerg to back down. Attacking the seneschal that promised to deliver the few remaining refugees to a new sanctuary would definitely make the seneschal break his promise, and Kay wouldn't want that to happen. Zagion looked upon the horde of zerglings being put on standby before his gazed wavered onto Kay. He bowed when his scan of his current location was complete. "Greetings, leader of the Zerg Swarm. I trust that your victory over Golden Star is absolute?"

Kay sighed. "Well... It's about as complete as its going to get. Have you came to get what's left of the refugees?"

Zagion nodded, but that nod was followed by a pause. "... What's left? ... Don't tell me you have... EATEN some of them?!" Zagion replied with a gaunt expression.

Kay scoffed a laugh. "I don't eat gilanians, you dumbass. But uh... I think it's only right to inform you on what happened."

Zagion tilted his head in confusion. "... What happened?"

Kay huffed and placed his hands on his hips as he began to explain. "Emperor Gollog happened. He used his 'divine powers' to talk to the last remaining population of his empire. I think he said some phrases that made them ill, triggering some kind of response that made their medical-micromachines to kill them."

Zagion's face paled even more than before. Looking left and right, he then walked closer to Kay, despite the protesting growls of the zerglings nearby. "You... Didn't happen to hear what he said when that happened, did you?"

Kay nodded. "Only something about his empire being made up of clones, but I don't know anything else than that."

Zagion heavily sighed. "FUCK."

Kay was startled by the seneschal suddenly cussing in front of him. "... Uh... Mind telling me what's on your mind?"

Zagion checked his surroundings again, this time with a bit of paranoia girdling his expression. "How many of Baroness Tak's citizens learned of this?"

"Uh." Kay was dumbfounded by Zagion's question.

Zagion shook his head. "Let me rephrase. How many of Tak's citizens died when Gollog used his divine powers to make that announcement? Did they once used to belong to his empire?"

Kay slowly nodded. "... Yeah, I think Tak said something about nearly all of the citizens once belonging to Golden Star ended up dying. ... WUH?!" Kay immediatly realized something. "Wait a minute! Those people were clones too?!"

Zagion sprinted toward Kay, a surprising feat for someone with a large middle section, and clasped a hand onto Kay's lips. The zerglings chattered and trilled their warnings at the seneschal. "Don't say that out loud, you gods-damned idiot!"

"Say what?!" Kay exclaimed, after removing the hand that attempted to obstruct his mouth.

"The C-word! Right after you said 'those people'! That word!" Zagion chided.

Kay was, in a sense, flabbergasted. "Wait, what?"

Zagion looked left and right again. "Listen. I'll tell you the kind of danger that word contains, but only if you can promise me that you won't say that word to anybody else. ESPECIALLY to another gilanian."

Kay paused for a couple of seconds before nodding. "Uh... Alright. I promise I won't say clo-... the C-word."

Zagion nodded. "Good. Is this location safe?"

Kay looked to the left and right of himself before returning his attention to the seneschal of the Era Agency. "We are in an underground hive cluster, I forced Gollog to self destruct his sky rings, and I can see through any invisibility cloaks that a Pyramidal Guard shadow assassin would try to hide behind. I would say this area is safe."

Zagion nodded. "Good. Because what I'm about to tell you must never be repeated to another gilanian. Especially if they are also a C-word."

Kay blinked a few times, but nodded. He felt as though he was going to receive a lot of exposition on the inner-workings of Kiln Prison System's true nature.

* * *

 **A/N: Holy shit guys, this story has reached 100k views and 300 reviews! :D  
**

 **I want to say that I am proud that I joined this fanfiction website community, and I'm happy that so many readers enjoyed my ASU story. Thank you!**

 **I also want to give a special shout-out to** **VexMaster** **for being the inspiration that drove me forward to create this Starcraft fanfiction in the first place.**

 **Have a good 2019 everybody! :3**


	94. The Hidden Lore

**Chapter 94: The Hidden Lore**

* * *

"Alright then." Zagion said with a nod. "I'll need a secure place to sit in before I explain why the C-word is so dangerous to announce."

The seneschal of the Era Agents, known as Zagion, was in Kay's presence. Since Zagion was right before Kay, Kay had the potential to gain unobstructed access into his very mind. If the Zerg Overcommander so decided, he could reach out to Zagion and pull whatever information he needed from the gilanian's mind within that very moment. But alas, there were two factors that prevented Kay from doing so. One of which was to refrain from interfering with a promise that was made by a protoss. The templar known as Xidion wanted Zagion's era agents to grant asylum to Baroness Tak's surviving refugee population, and deliver them to a place that is safe from Gollog's rule. The second factor was that Zagion had asked for Kay not to probe his mind for the information his head contained during their first meeting.

With a sigh, Kay nodded. "Alright. Let's see if my swarm can find you a seating arrangement in a more private area. When will your agent guys begin relocating Tak's refugees?"

"We can start right now. However, as it pains me to realize that you had been exposed to secret information without my knowing, I suppose I should tell you the full breadth of the nature of Kiln and its Prison system." Zagion said with a deeply annoyed sigh. "However great my reservations of telling you this information, I have the feeling that you will figure out this information on your own anyhow, and I won't be able to stop that from happening."

Kay raised an eyebrow at Zagion. "And you'd tell me this why?"

Zagion sighed tiredly. "Oh... I suppose it's because I want to prevent angering your swarm and becoming your enemies again. I have the foresight to understand that you and your swarm are dangerous, and that you would be the death of us if we continued to try and remove you from the timeline. We did that once already and we suffered for it, after all. It is also stated in the annexes of our collective history that you said to Gollog you wanted to leave the Kiln Prison System. Is this correct?"

Kay nodded. "More than ever. However, I have to ask." Kay pointed at Zagion. "How did you know about the parts you weren't there for?"

Zagion looked around before answering Kay. "Mm. I suppose I should tell you. Let's reconvene somewhere and continue this."

Kay shrugged. "Fine by me."

* * *

Minutes later, and the refugee relocation efforts had begun. Baroness Tak was agitated from the news that the fate of her people was now being put into the hands of the era agents, yet she had very little means of controlling her people, nor had the means to calm or pacify them. With detestation, she agreed to the relocation of her people, under the condition that she, as well as her retinue and friends, left last. The feederlings had did their best to drain the toxic necrostorm fluid from the deepest part of the refugee's cavern spaces, though the sight of their saviors left the refugees panic-stricken, especially upon the underground island platforms that once had the suddenly ill gilanians that heard of Gollog's announcement.

Tak's protestations notwithstanding, Kay now had the unpleasant opportunity to learn why there are only gilanian clones in the Kiln Prison system.

A table and two chairs, pilfered from Tak's ruined refugee camp and delivered to a private cave, was populated by the zerg's overcommander and the Era Agency's seneschal. Kay raised a hand at Zagion and gestured to him. "Alright. Let's begin with the most obvious question I have in mind. What is the purpose of the Kiln Prison System and its clone population, and how did it began? You may begin at your leisure."

After a ten second pause that was followed by a sigh, Zagion began. "My era agents had spent meticulous time trying to understand the nature of the Kiln Prison system. All clones ended up dying from the secrets they learned, due to the fact that their nature is inexorably tied to the Kiln Prison System. Even my own era agents are prone to this weakness, for they too are clones."

Kay tilted his head. "Would this mean you are a clone too?"

Zagion nodded. "Quite."

"Then how are you not dying, since you seem to know of this perilous secret apparently?" Kay pressed.

"Simple." Zagion clasped his hands together. "I had a medical operation which removed all of the medical micro-machines from my body. Sadly, it made me sterile and very much mortal, but it is only a small price to pay when it comes to understanding the nature of the prison system we are in. For all intents and purposes, the procedure has made it so that the prison system thinks I am dead."

Kay nodded. "Oh. Quite clever."

"Thank you." Zagion readjusted his posture. "But as for the reason WHY there are clones in a prison system in the first place, I'm afraid the information I discovered is quite fragmented. Supposedly, in the furthest annals of Kiln's history, ten gilanians were given immortality upon their hatching and were groomed for the positions of caretakers of the prison system. These Immortal Ten, The Wardens, The Precursor Lords of Kiln, managed the prison system. They were given insurmountable power and control over the gilanian clone population, which ranged from wielding the sun's rays to create a smiting attack, to the command of the Kiln Keepers, to the activation of the reclamation protocol, and several other powerful commands.

"From the scant information my agents retrieved from The Wardens' conversations, we discovered that there is a planet outside of the Kiln Prison System. A planet which happens to contain non-cloned gilanians. These naturally-hatched gilanians apparently suffered an age of strife that threatened their way of existence. Through some intense brainstorming, the rich and aristocratic gilanians settled on creating an artificial world that would house their prison system. These highborn gilanians were responsible for all that you see today. ...Well, perhaps excluding your existence."

"Obviously." Kay flatly replied.

"Anyway..." Zagion continued. "From what I am able to piece together, the purposes of the Kiln Prison System is quite unorthodox, but effective. On the gilanian homeworld, their law system states that if no evidence is provided for the accused or defending parties, then the parties involved would be put into stasis while samples of their flesh would be used to produce their clones. Once their clones are introduced to the Kiln Prison System, oftentimes forcing the female egg-laying population to form the clones within their very bodies. The clones of the accused, and sometimes the defendants, would then be carefully analyzed. If enough evidence has been gathered, then the verdict will determine whom is guilty and whom is innocent.

"The clones hatched within the Kiln Prison System would eventually grow to become near-exact duplicates of their parents, save for some differences in emotional behavior or a lack of unimportant memories due to uncontrollable variables. But to explain this in an abridged description, the Kiln Prison System was created to weed out bad behavior from the gilanian population on their own homeworld. If an accused gilanian's clone was responsible for much criminal behavior within the Kiln Prison System, then the collected evidence provided would be used against the accused gilanian, and would receive the appropriate punishment in accordance to their law system.

"And that's basically what the Kiln Prison System is!" Zagion said with a grand gesture around himself. "Just one big artificial planet for clones to run around, whose parents' innocence and guilt are determined by their actions."

Kay nodded, grimacing from the details he learned from Zagion. "Fucking hell. These highborn gilanians must have a lot of resources at their disposal. Just create an entire planet to house prisoners that are also their own clones ..." Kay leaned forward. "What happens to the clones once a verdict is reached for the accused parties?"

"Apparently," Zagion said. "the clones remain in the prison system while their parents are either given the appropriate punishment or is released from custody."

Kay gestured behind himself. "So they let the clones to their own devices, regardless on how they live or die?"

"Exactly." Zagion replied.

Kay shook his head. "Uncanny..."

Zagion huffed. "I don't see why you should concern yourself over how we live and pass on from our mortal struggles. We're but copies of people you have never met."

Kay leaned back. "Well yeah, but..." After a pause, Kay looked back up at Zagion. "Clones or not, they are still people. YOU are still people. If a person doesn't have a right to live their own freedoms, just because they are a child or a clone that comes from a person that is either a criminal or an innocent, it doesn't mean that they should be subjected to the same treatment as their progenitors, regardless of the crimes."

Zagion hummed a chuckle. "I'm happy to hear that compliment, Kay." His expression then became stern. "But alas, your issue is with the highborns that built this system, and with The Wardens that once took care of the clone prisoner population."

Kay nodded. He then blinked. And then he looked at Zagion. "... Once? I'm going to assume Gollog was the reason everything went belly up."

Zagion sighed. "You wouldn't have to be a mind reader to figure THAT out, even when I know you are capable of reading minds anyway."

Kay smirked. "Oh, it's more like an impression I felt."

Zagion leaned forward. "Hundreds of years ago, The Wardens reached out to acquire apprentices. They did so in order to extend their control over Kiln's population. From what information we collected, there were several that had been chosen to accept the mantle of a warden, while a select few had great promise. From certain accounts gathered from multiple perspectives in similar timelines, we suspect that Gollog was groomed to be a new warden, but The Wardens discovered that Gollog's parental progenitor was convicted of a serious crime, and that physical evidence was discovered on their end. This knowledge destroyed Gollog's chances to become a warden.

"As you might expect, this had soured Gollog's spirit. So much so that he conspired to overthrow the Immortal Ten and become Kiln's absolute ruler. He was almost successful, but not before the Wardens took wind of his betrayal and decided to split their powers, denying themselves permission to use their own master commands. Later on, they gave a select number of gilanians permission to use them instead, which randomizes to a hatching or incubating gilanian upon their deaths. With those master commands spread out within the prisoner population, Gollog would find greater difficulty in becoming its ruler. It was an act of defiance that embittered Gollog, to say the least.

Zagion sighed. "Three hundred years ago, Gollog began setting down the cornerstones of his empire, using technology that once belonged to The Wardens. Are you familiar with the super cyborg mech suit?"

"You mean the giant robot that sort of looks like a blockier and squatier version of those tallish bipedal Kiln Keeper robots?" Kay asked.

"You mean the Peace Keepers? Quite so, in fact." Answered Zagion.

Kay nodded and sighed. "The word 'intimately' comes to mind."

"Well, that's one of the treasures that belongs to The Wardens. Or perhaps I should say 'once belonged'?" Zagion said.

Kay shook his head. "Why in the hell would those warden guys ever need a giant robot? Why would they need Kiln Keepers? Why would they need to weaponize their sun?"

Zagion grumbled as he looked at the cavernous ceiling. "The Kiln Prison System was built to support a population of clone prisoners, representing the entire population of all incarcerated gilanians in their homeworld. They figured that criminals can be smart when given the opportunity to adapt, and so have created a militaristic solution to prevent intellectual and genius gilanians from inventing a way to escape, or discovering a loophole that would free them. If there is anything I can say about the highborn gilanians that helped create this prison system, then I would say that they are very thorough about its design."

Kay nodded his head and looked down. "Yeah... So... About the reclamation protocol. Can it summon an ocean of silver water that fills all empty spaces of the Kiln Prison System?"

Zagion looked at Kay with a concerned expression. "... Yes. How do you know this?"

Kay sighed. "Oh... Let's say Gollog is the source for more than a few catastrophes and leave it at that."

Zagion stared at Kay for a few seconds before nodding knowingly. "Mm. I suspect answering with that would mean you have been involved in some time traveling information gathering."

Kay glared at Zagion. "Does that mean you're going to do something about it?"

A few seconds passed before Zagion sighed. "... No. Of course not. We learned of the dangers of trying to erase you from the timeline. To try that again would simply be inviting defeat for us all over again." Zagion pointed at Kay. "We already discovered the adaptation that enables you to infect people from different timelines, regardless if it is in a loop, in a line, or in a branch. The ability to... infest time itself? It's terrifying."

Kay raised an eyebrow. "... Well I'm glad you know how scary the zerg can be."

"Yes." Zagion nodded. "Which is one of the multitude of reasons why I have decided to help you and your swarm instead of deleting you from existence."

Kay's mind suddenly thought of something. He remembered a lengthy conversation he had with Gollog within the original timeline, which relates to cloning experimentation that resulted in Kragnon's origination. Despite having deep reservations from giving information freely to an enemy that has agreed to an uneasy truce, Kay's hunger for knowledge got the better of him. "... I don't suppose you are responsible for destroying any cloning facilities that are in this timeline, or in any neighboring timelines adjacent to our own?"

Zagion stared at Kay for two seconds before a smirk stretched his scaly lips. "... You might say we do. May I assume that Kragnon is doing well?"

"Well enough." Kay kept the answer brief. "Sadly, he's not the same these days. But that does bring up a question. How do you know of Kragnon? What is his relation with Gollog?"

"With careful research, and subtle sabotage." Zagion said, sighing. "We had acquired data revealing Gollog's plans to scour Kiln's clone population for their gifts. Thanks to his gifted immortality, he had all the time he needed to find the gilanians that inherited The Wardens' master commands. A few had already been targeted and had their commands subsumed by Gollog, while a lingering few still remains unaccounted for. We believe that Kragnon is, in fact, a clone of a clone that inherited a master command in the past. We discovered that the predecessor Kragnon derived from was becoming old and frail in his age. Fearing the loss of a master command, Gollog quickly whisked him away and took out his still-beating heart and placed it in life support. A genetic sample of the old gilanian's heart was then used to create the clone. Once the clone's clone was fully-formed, the old heart would be transplanted into the new clone, and the medical micro-machines in the old heart would be transferred into their new body, becoming fooled into believing that the inheritor of the master command had never died. These inheritors, sometimes called Reincarnates in the other timelines, have almost always became a problem for the entire Kiln Prison System should they ever become aware of their master commands.

"When we discovered that Gollog had created a cloning lab, I had sent my era agents to destroy it. However, we found out later that one of the clones had escaped and went into hiding, while Gollog believed that some rebel group was responsible for the sabotage of his cloning labs. It all worked well to cover our tracks and helped kept the continuity of our Era Agency. Little did we know that the surviving clone in question was actually Kragnon. We made several attempts to extract Kragnon and prevent Gollog from recapturing him. Alas, Kragnon was well hidden by the time we discovered records of his continued existence, and I suspected that one of Gollog's highly ranked henchmen had begun a long con to hide his presence from us. Ironically, we discovered later that Kragnon was put in stasis within the Hidden Water Spring Tribe's underground village around a hundred years ago. Considering that the average lifespan of a gilanian can be anywhere to fifty to eighty years, we had assumed he perished. Apparently, that was not the case. We found out later of Pallax's involvement with the Hidden Water Spring Tribe, but... well... we had no facts or evidence to connect his involvement with them, or his ties with Kragnon at the time. We would have traveled back in time and gathered Kragnon from from that underground village had we enough time and information to assist us. Sadly, we did not have both time nor information." Zagion finished.

Kay shook his head. "Pfeh! What a convoluted mess!"

Zagion growled. It seemed to be more directed at himself than at Kay. "I would agree with you, but no. Time travel is a weapon that is far more difficult to master and is much more convoluted than anything you might imagine. Half of it is guesswork, while the other half is dancing and acting in a play where you get to write the script, but risk the cessation of continuity and cannon events if done incorrectly. One mistake could result in preventing the birth of an important event that is vital to our existence or existence itself."

Kay chuckled and shook his head. "I'd rather avoid abusing time travel and prevent any time-related shenanigans. Unless I really have to."

Zagion looked up at Kay with a glare. "... My sources say that you had somehow accomplished such a feat. Sadly, they found no evidence of this, save for your zerg swarm's ability to infest the immediate divergent timelines."

Kay shrugged his shoulders as he smirked and leaned back in his seat. "Just zerg doing what zerg do best."

Zagion sighed. "Quite."

Kay took in a slow and deep breath before sighing. "... So uh... Did your era agents ever discover a way out of the prison system we're stuck in?"

Zagion shook his head and looked away. "The possible roads leading to freedom are fraught with consequences and reprimands. Any attempt to circumvent its system would risk self-destruction. Many timelines, involving a multitude of alternate agencies, became doomed. Any experimentation that results in escape of our prison system often yielded... incredibly unfavorable results."

Kay sighed. "Damn. I hoped that with Gollog's empire out of the picture, I can finally start trying to find an exit out of this prison system. Maybe then I might finally leave this place behind and never come back."

"Not to sound impolite, but I think that would be for the best." Zagion agreed.

Kay's expression softened as he looked up at the ceiling. "But how would I go about escaping this place? The zerg can leave the orbit of this world just fine, but it's getting past the weird barrier that's a problem for us. What was it called again? The veil?"

Zagion nodded and grunted. "The anti-quantum veil."

"Oh yeah. That." Kay looked at Zagion.

"That is its name. The anti-quantum veil, or simply 'the veil' as some people call it nowadays, prevents any kind of would-be astronauts from developing space-age technology capable of leaving the Kiln Prison System."

"Man." Kay said, shaking his head. "It's like these highborn gilanians want nothing to do with any of Kiln's clones."

Zagion developed a forlorn expression on his face. "They created us for the purposes of determining the final verdict in their court of law. We're just a means to an end."

Kay decided to change the subject. "Anyway, I don't suppose you guys know how to turn off or destroy the anti-quantum veil?"

Zagion chuckled as he shook his head. "We already know that the anti-quantum veil is maintained by a complex generator, which is in a hidden location. I can only assume that Gollog knows where it might be."

Kay raised an eyebrow at Zagion. "Does he now?"

Zagion shook his head. "I wouldn't know. This is only a hypothesis of mine."

"Hmm..." Kay placed a hand upon his chin and looked up in thought. "... I think I'll talk to that bastard emperor one final time. See if HE knows."

"Do you know where he even is?" Zagion asked.

Kay nodded. "I believe he's in the Sovereign Crypt."

Zagion sighed and smiled sadly. "Then he cannot be reached while he's safe there."

Sinister laughter escaped Kay's lungs. "That won't stop me from meeting him face-to-face for the last time."

Zagion stared at Kay for several seconds. "... I see. I keep forgetting how dangerous the zerg are."

"Where I come from, there is a saying about us. _You can't out-think the swarm, you can't out-maneuver the swarm, and you certainly can't break the morale of the swarm._ We're just that fucking scary." Kay said plainly.

"Mm." Zagion nodded. After a pause, he tilted his head. "Say. How will you reach Gollog?"

Kay stood up and grunted. "I'll fucking WALK to the Sovereign Crypt if I have to. I have my ways."

Zagion nodded again. "... Then I suppose we are done here."

Kay stretched his legs, wings and arms. "Seems like it! Before we part ways, I want to know something. How is Xidion doing?"

Zagion got up from his seat. "He keeps to himself, but... I think he longs for being with his own people again."

"I think we all do." Kay said as he turned away. "... And thanks for telling me everything I wanted to know."

"You are welcome." Zagion paused before something came across his mind. "Say, speaking of Xidion, I nearly forgot to ask something. Do you know what he eats? The only thing he requests from us is water and a sun lamp."

Kay chuckled. "The protoss completely subsists on fresh water and light. They don't need solid food."

Zagion blinked. "... Ah. Well. I suppose that explains why he doesn't have a mouth."

* * *

Kiln was an unusual place. The people that lived in the prison system had already guessed that it was an artificial world a long time ago, but this fact held true even before its inhabitants were even conceived. Potentially, if there had been any gilanian historians still alive during Kay's emergence, then they would have noted that the source of this information would had to have originated from the wardens themselves within the Kiln Prison System. However, the creation of the Kiln Prison System itself was set into motion long before its creation, its ideological conception being nothing more but a fever dream. However, the one responsible for the creation of the artificial world was inspired by a set of laws that was made to circumvent and prevent any new wars from destroying the gilanians and their ways.

These laws, as well as Kiln itself, was not greedily created by a despotic empire, like in Gollog's rule. It was carefully constructed by an enigmatic aristocratic branch of gilanian government from long ago.

The gilanian homeworld was a vibrant and milder desert world, situated as the fourth planet that orbited around its yellow sun. During its early history, the third planet within their solar system had been demolished completely by the passing of a rogue planet. This cosmic disaster sparked an unfathomable war that plagued the gilanians for many generations, going back as far as a million years ago. A hundred thousand years later, one gilanian rose up and invented a revolutionary and unique law system, creating a great era of peace that lasted for many several thousands of years. This system of law became similar to planet Earth's more esoteric governmental bodies. The gilanian style of ruling is a little different compared to many of Earth's governments, which contained five branches of government instead of the three that the United States of America follows, which shall be condensed and explained as thus:

 **The Municipal Testimony:** The Municipal Testimony is represented by many of the middling and lower classes of the gilanian people, whose voices carry the word of any laws that become added, changed, or removed. If there happened be to any laws created to affect the middle and lower class gilanians, then they would most certainly take great measures to ensure that the laws are understood before they are passed or vetoed. They have some power in creating new laws, but it is rare for laws created by them to be instigated into their gilanian government. Failing that, they can also vote for which laws are to be policed and how much they should be policed.

 **The Aristocratic Firm:** The Aristocratic Firm represents much of the gilanians that are from high social standings, which often includes the nobility, the aristocracy, and even royalty on some occasions. Much of the individuals that make up The Aristocratic Firm are responsible for providing consumer demands and employment positions to the gilanian population at large, which can range to producing foods or creating a product of convenience. The gilanian aristocracy tends to gain an exorbitant amount of currency through their marketing practices. However, by regularly donating a surplus of funding, such as to the scientific communities for example, the gilanian's level of industrial development can skyrocket immensely, benefiting the entire gilanian race.

 **The Jury of Judges:** A branch of the gilanian government system that is quite similar to Earth's judicial branch of government. They ensure that the laws created, reviewed and changed are made to be easily understood by all governmental branches and the entire gilanian civilization. They are tasked to review any new laws in order to decide if they are fair in nature. If a law is considered unfair, then the Jury of Judges would attempt to convince the other gilanian government branches of the issues the law would bring if it was ever put into effect. If they are unsure if the law is fair, then the law would be extensively practiced until they reached a verdict.

 **The Ideal Hierarch:** The position of the Ideal Hierarch is led by a singular gilanian of an ancient royal line, which is typically led by the eldest and most capable of gilanians that can range between archdukes, archduchesses, kings, queens, emperors, and empresses. Their rule ensures that the relations between the differing gilanian factions remain friendly and profitable. However, if a royal gilanian is incapable of commanding the position of the Ideal Hierarch, or if the royal gilanian has their position challenged by another gilanian of royal descent, then the new and capable gilanian of royal birth will take up the position as the new Ideal Hierarch. Even though this branch of the gilanian government system lacks any similarity to Earth's executive branch of government, there is another type of gilanian government branch that includes a voting system that makes it so the popular votes would choose a military protector to lead it.

 **The Anointed Authority** **:** To create an example as to what the Anointed Authority is similar to, one could say that being the Anointed Authority relates similarly to the merging of all the highest positions in military, diplomacy and religion. Think of it like the positions of a president and a pope/popess becoming one central role. As such, the Anointed Authority tends to be a public figure that is generally liked among much of the gilanian population. When a militaristic leader is needed, the gilanian population would vote, or 'anoint', a single gilanian of incredible tactical prowess to be their chosen leader of their gilanian executive government. Everyone that had ever been chosen for the position of the Anointed Authority typically ranged from someone of the lower class of gilanian society, to even someone of royal echelons. Unlike the aristocracy that normally concerns itself with money and resources, the Anointed Authority is tasked with the defense of the gilanian people first and foremost. After all, it was by the choice of the gilanian people that decided who would mandate their protection. Asides from being the chosen representative that safeguards their race, it is traditional for the Anointed Authority to also oversee most of the negotiation and ratification of treaties between two or more parties, as well as to oversee most ceremonial practices both modern and ancient.

This system of government, called the Priority of Uhuzhen, named so after a farmer that was tired of battling soldiers that kept spilling blood into her crops, was fiercely enforced following the end of the gilanian civilization's most savage war. Hundreds of thousands of years had passed following the creation of this style of government. The creation of the Priority of Uhuzhen resulted in many new laws being added, reviewed, changed and removed in order to ensure that the gilanian population still continues to develop in their industry, while refraining from resorting to petty and long-term wars. Especially when such wars had the potential to develop into world wars.

However, in the later years of gilanian civilization, crime was quickly becoming a serious issue. So much so that such abundance of crime would be regarded as the Decline of Justice in gilanian history. The meticulous law and government system that the gilanians had enacted many years ago was being circumvented, and many feared that rebellion would destroy and erase their way of life in a great upheaval. However, there was one aristocratic gilanian in particular that had an idea to solve their civilization's most harrowing crime problem in their recent history.

* * *

On a world covered with warm sands and filled with abundant foliage and water, it was considered a slightly gentler world when compared to the artificial world known as the Kiln Prison System. This other world was known by another name, and it was called Gilazonica.

On this world there was a lavish mansion, one of several many that dotted the surface of this planet, was in the epicenter of a ceremonial celebration. It looked like a skyscraper had its exterior modeled after a medieval castle, which was also designed to hold a few runways and helipads for the arrival and takeoff of planes and helicopters respectfully. Various balconies were lined with outdoor gardens that contained many exotic flowers and bushes, bio-engineered to show off their pinnacle of elegance, beauty, and grace. Several gilanians wearing either tacky dresses or ceremonial garb were attending many of the mansion's lavish dancing halls. It was decorated in several ribbons and disco balls of metallic coloration that are of copper, silver, gold, and blue chromes.

At the top of a winding staircase was a gilanian that wore an attire of high-quality regal threads, bearing the striking and vibrant colors of red and blue with frayed gold on the folds and edges of his clothing. He smiled down at the gathered masses of several gilanians, each one belonging to a walk of life he may never understand, but otherwise tolerated, enjoyed, and sometimes celebrated. This gilanian in particular is the owner of the skyscraper castle that hosted this soiree.

His hand was raised to cut the music and bring the room's attention to himself. Once the crowd noticed their host, he began speaking. "I want to say to you all, welcome. As many of you know, this day marks the hundredth thousandth year that our glorious nations began to band together and do away with petty grudges. The consensus our ancestors made determined that war is not profit, profit is not resources, resources are not expendable, expenditure is not progress, and progress is not war. In turn, they formed what became known to us as The Priority of Uhuzhen."

* * *

 **A/N: I reeeeeeeeally want to play Kingdom Hearts 3. XV**


	95. The Highborns of Gilazonica

**Chapter 95: The Highborns of Gilazonica**

* * *

 _'Oh fuck, there is a lot of people here.'_ Thought the host to himself. Before him stood a crowd from several enterprises of high-profile businesses and wealthy companies of varying statuses. They came from far and wide to celebrate the annual holiday of when their people's collective governments came together and made a unifying law system, which helped to prevent another world war from ever occurring again. And as it just so happens, the Ideal Hierarch had chosen his own home to host the party to celebrate the occasion. After some fussing and planning, the host managed to set up this soiree within the main ballroom of his home, so that the bosses from the other businesses could relax and become comfortable.

The host's name was Dalzubiggatanner. Centuries ago, he inherited the satellite communication company through his father, through which he had made several strides to improve in order to connect the entire world through a global communication network. Asides from making a few electronic interactive roleplay games from several side hobbies, the host was responsible for ensuring that commands between the Anointed Authority and his soldiers had no miscommunications or miscalculations. The communication between soldiers was important to the Anointed Authority's military, after all.

However, Dalzubiggatanner had a party to attend.

His hand was raised to cut the music and bring the room's attention to himself. Once the crowd noticed their host, he began speaking. "I want to say to you all, welcome. As many of you know, this day marks the hundredth thousandth year that our glorious nations began to band together and do away with petty grudges. The consensus our ancestors made determined that war is not profit, profit is not resources, resources are not expendable, expenditure is not progress, and progress is not war. In turn, they formed what became known to us as The Priority of Uhuzhen."

One of the fatter and more finely dressed gilanians rolled their eyes. "Dalzu, we heard this a hundreds of times from your father. You don't have to repeat him word-for-word."

Dalzubiggatanner, which was nicknamed Dalzu by the portly gilanian, was staring accusingly at the portly gilanian. "Banfijjira, don't be a pest. I'm just upholding my father's tradition. Also, it's Dalzubigga to you while you are in my house."

A chuckled grunt from Banfijjira answered Dalzubigga.

The host of the party cleared his throat. "Anyway..." Dalzubigga gestured to the guests. "For every year on this day that the Priority was created, we have celebrated its inception, creation, and establishment. This had went on for a hundred thousand years, which marks this as the hundred thousandth time that we and our ancestors came together and undid our old hates and grudges, so as to continue pursuing for our own peace. So I say to you one last time, my friends, family, and business associates, welcome. Eat and drink to your heart's content. Dance to the good music. Talk amongst yourselves. Engage in activities. Become inebriated. Enjoy the party!"

Once Dalzubigga bowed down to his crowd, the guests gave him a brief applause before the music started and the festivities continued.

One person seemed to continue in their clapping as she approached Dalzubigga. It was an extravagantly dressed gilanian that wore what looked like several floating ribbons of gold, silver, copper and shimmering blue. Her head was adorned with a mechanical cover that had several ribbons flowing out from it, which made it look like some extravagant wig. Her facial features may have been feminine, but her eyes was piercing and analytical, capable of unnerving even the most stalwart person in the room. A coy smile played across her lips as she approached Dalzubigga. "My little brother, Dalzubiggatanner. You did that so well. Despite the heckler derailing you."

 _'Ugh. This bitch.'_ Dalzubigga stared at her sister and shook his head. "Volchbiggatanner. It is quite the pleasure to entertain one so esteemed as yourself. How may I serve you to better honor your gracious visit to my home?"

"And I keep telling you to call me Volchbigga. I honestly even wouldn't mind it if you called me Volch in front of my subjects." Volchbigga said as she playfully patted Dalzubigga's shoulder, which was a simple and wordless command that told Dalzubigga to follow her. "However, if it wasn't just the bureaucrats trying to kiss my tail and trying to butter their way into my stock exchange algorithm, I'd have given up on becoming the foremost leader of all business conglomerates."

Dalzubigga shook his head and rolled his eyes. "It's more like being a business leader through association..." He whispered. However, a subtle cough from Volchbigga caught his attention. "In my honest opinion, of which I mean no disrespect by, I could probably act in your role better than you ever could."

One of Volchbigga's ribbons gently slapped Dalzubigga's face as she turned to face him. "And if you weren't my brother, I would have informed The Anointed Authority about your blatant disrespect to me, and possible attempt at regicide and usurpation of my position. However, I know you better than most people, and I know you enough to understand that you're the kind that rarely ever enjoys these parties. For someone of my positions, these parties are mandatory for me to partake in."

Dalzubigga nodded. "My line of work requires much of my attention. You, on the other hand, used a computer program to calculate and keep everybody's shares in the stock market from declining, all the while continually expanding profit. Once asteroid mining became a viable business in the future, profit margins skyrocketed as new resources was introduced to the scientific community."

"let me stop you there, brother." Volchbigga hissed. "Lest you want people to figure out that it was you that listened in on their conversations, which prompted you to adjust your stocks in accordance to the materials they brought to our collective industries."

"Mm. No comment then." Dalzubigga said, not looking in Volchbigga's eyes.

"Yeah, that's right. Just stay in your corner and don't give your big sister too much sass." Volchbigga teased.

Dalzubigga sighed as he rolled his eyes. "Oh heavy is the crown..." He said half-mockingly and sarcastically. He then turned around. "Pardon me, my queen. I must see to the guests."

She sighed and waved Dalzubigga away. "Go and play then. I have other people to antagonize anyway." After sauntering away, Dalzubigga was left on his own.

Once out of earshot of the queen of Gilazonica, Dalzubigga sighed softly and looked for any bored guests to mingle with. He would consider any company more preferable to his infinitely snobby sister. At least he thought she was infinitely snobby. Not that he could point out her snobbishness aloud, or else she would have his assets liquidated and spread around to the other business and industrial conglomerates. However, providing a business that grants undeterred communication lines through cable and satellite access enabled Dalzubigga to gain many successes in trade and profit.

However, before he had the chance, one of his butlers stood in front of him and bowed politely. "Excuse me, Sir Dalzubiggatanner. Someone has called and is requesting for you. You should answer them."

 _'Not now, dammit.'_ Dalzubigga sighed and waved his butler away. "If they are from the Zaldoon Plastics corporation, tell them that they should have requested reservations to my party invites."

Dalzubigga's butler blinked before coughing once. "Uh. Sir. That is not who called-"

Dalzubigga glared down at his butler. "Zabban, if you say one more depressing word to me, I'll fire you. Let me enjoy this party in peace."

"Uhh..." Dalzubigga's butler stuttered before gulping and bowing. He then walked away with his tail tucked between his legs.

After sighing, Dalzubigga returned his attention to the party he was hosting.

* * *

Elsewhere, in triangular halls painted with several metallic chrome colors intermixing into a formless chaos, a tall humanoid creature in shifting armor plodded his fingers upon his throne of fractal metals.

This being happened to reside inside of the most powerful warship belonging to the Priority of Uhuzhen's military. It was shaped like a teardrop the size of a small moon, where its front contained several types of turrets and cannons, while the bow of the starship contained an array of thrusters that can quickly turn and pivot the ship to aim its impressive collection of weapons, or to make it speed across vast distances in a short time. It was surrounded by a fleet of other ships, each one a different shape that defines what its purpose and class was. And this lone figure, sitting upon his lonely throne, was in command of it all.

Minutes had passed before a huff emanated from this seemingly powerful figure. "Status on the phone call?"

An automated and feminine voice replied to the figure almost instantaneously. [Query detected. Our call is still being put on hold, Anointed Authority.]

The Anointed Authority slowly shook his head. "I find this highly unacceptable."

[Statement detected. It does seem like you are being ignored deliberately.] The voice answered.

"Deliberately? There must have been a good reason to put me on hold, but that still doesn't change our current situation. Ahnuanin. What is the threat level in that encoded transmission again?" The Anointed Authority asked.

[Query detected. The encoded transmission sent from the forbidden space zone has described the threat level as level 11.] The voice replied.

"Yes. And what is the number of threat levels that the Priority Protectorate Forces uses?"

[Query detected. The entire population of Gilazonica has general knowledge of the threat level classification system. The first 9 threat levels is open to civilian knowledge, while the level 10 threat level is classified. Only personnel at or above commander ranks are privy to this knowledge.]

"Which means, unofficially, there are 10 threat levels. So why classify this threat level to 11?"

[Query detected. Unclear.]

"My thoughts exactly. Have you decoded the encrypted message yet?"

[Query detected. Ongoing. My processes are incapable of decoding the entire message. The message is still requesting a response.]

"Have you calculated what the response is?"

[Query detected. I have responded to the message with twenty trillion randomized responses in total to elicit a change in the message. None so far have prompted the message to change. Theory. The message will only change when an encoded message in likeness responds to it.]

Another sigh escaped the Anointed Authority's throat as he leaned forward and drummed his fingers on his shifting face-plate. "... Okay. Let's try to step back and not overthink this. A message was sent from forbidden space. What is inside of forbidden space?"

[Query detected. Asteroid mining machines. Gas giant filtration satellites. Abandoned outposts on planetary, moon, and satellite bodies. Listening satellites situated between planetary and gas giant orbit paths. An artificial prison planet.]

"Mm. From which of these objects did the message come from?"

[Query detected. The artificial prison planet.]

"Mm. What is the purpose of the prison planet?"

[Query detected. The artificial prison planet is used for maintaining a population separate from Gilazonica law. Within the judicial system of law, in the event of insufficient evidence being provided for the accused criminals, the criminals would be put into stasis and their DNA would be copied, then sent to the artificial prison planet. Once the copy grows to match the behavioral profile of the criminal, the copy would be surveyed for any evidence which can be used against the original.]

"... Mm." The Anointed One seemed to have paused in his thoughts. "... So when we intercepted the artificial prison planet's message, we've basically interrupted what might have been a chain of self-encrypting messages."

[Statement detected. Correct.]

"Huh... So if it wasn't a priority message that contained a threat level of 11 in its description, then we wouldn't have riled ourselves to contain the message in the first place."

[Statement detected. Correct.]

"Which... Is... The reason why we're contacting the head of satellite communications. To sort this encrypted message daisy-chain going through our encrypted channels."

[Statement detected. We are here at this present moment.]

"... Fuck it. I'm solving this myself." The Anointed Authority got up from his seat.

[Action detected. Sir?]

The Anointed Authority began walking down the hall. "Prep the MEM network to deliver me to Dalzubiggatanner's place of residence. I want to meet him."

[Command detected. Requesting MEM shift transfer codes now. Pending... Request granted. MEM room awaiting transfer.]

* * *

 _'Stuffy suited people everywhere. Ugh. What I wouldn't give for a jacuzzi, three concubines, and some alcohol right now.'_

Dalzubigga had to will himself to entertain his many guests, many of which he didn't want to get to know on a personal level. He would meet with a few of his guests, shake hands, exchange some words, politely excuse himself and explain that the other guests needed tending, and then mix and repeat to whomever else he needed to meet next. It was a skill that his father taught him, one of which that was quite useful in many scenarios. It wasn't Dalzubigga 's most favorite skills, but it was an important one still.

One patron in particular, on the other hand, continued following Dalzubigga. It was the fatter and finely dressed gilanian named Banfijjira, the one that had heckled Dalzubigga during his speech. "-So I says to your old man, 'Shocker? I hardly know her!' Hoi hoi hoi hoi hoi hoi hoi hee huh hoo her hah! Ahhh..."

A sigh escaped Dalzubigga. "Banfij, you told me that story already. I still have to meet with the other guests. Could you please-"

"So after that, I handed him the defibrillator and assisted him as he revived the poor lass. I always warned people to never eat and swim at the same time while in a body of water. The girl I was telling you about managed to choke on a deep-fried crustacean. Nobody noticed she was choking until somebody pointed it out a minute later." Banfijjira rambled.

"Yes, that's fine, but I have other people to meet. If you can just go, I don't know, THAT way, then maybe I can-" Dalzubigga urged as he pointed in a direction.

"Oh, but that's ancient history, my lad. That was probably the first time I met your old man. The second time was when we exchanged names and became friends at a local pub." Banfijjira continued without skipping a beat.

"Oh my gods." Dalzubigga was slowly losing his sanity at this point.

However, a butler quickly came up to Dalzubigga. It was the same butler that he had called Zabban, which he had also threatened to fire. "Sir! I'm afraid to tell you this, but the phone call situation has turned into something else!"

Dalzubigga's expression turn into a smile. "Ah! Zabban! Glad you can come here on such short notice! I hear that you might have some juicy gossip for Banfijjira here!" Dalzubigga immediately directed Zabban to Banfijjira.

"Uh?! B-but Master Dalzubiggatanner!" Sadly, Dalzubigga had already absconded from his butler before he could get a word in.

With a sigh, Dalzubigga proceeded with meeting with the last remaining guests he intended to meet before he sequestered himself away from the party. However, an erstwhile giggle caught him off guard before he could do anything else. Once he turned around, he saw that his older sister came to pester him again. Dalzubigga's shoulders were threatening to slump forward the moment he realized who had came to bug him again. "Oh... You again..."

Volchbigga giggled again as she stared condescendingly at him. "Little brother. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"You know, I think it just might run in our family. Isn't that weird?" Dalzubigga retorted. He then hand-waved at his sister. "Anyway, as much as I would love to entertain you, I'm afraid that my business with the other patrons in this party must be tended to. I apologize for this inconvenience."

Volchbigga rolled her eyes. "A blatant way of saying 'I don't want to be here.'"

Dalzubigga grumbled under his breath, but he knew that his sister would have caught onto his grousing. "Any reason you have seen fit to pester me, my dear sister?"

"Mm. Perhaps. I was talking with one of my girl friends and we gotten ourselves deep into our usual chitchat. However, when that conversation eventually came upon the discussion of your romantic leanings, I suddenly realized something." Volchbigga teased.

Dalzubigga groaned. "Sis, please no..." He already knew where this conversation is going.

"And so, I wondered aloud, 'Hey! How about I have my dear brother show my friends that one trick he used to do in college!' And that is how we are here." Volchbigga said with the biggest shit-eating grin on her face.

A deadpan stare answered Volchbigga. The expression slowly turned into furrowed brows and a scowl. "... Do you enjoy belittling me?"

Volchbigga shrugged her shoulders with an innocent smile. "I wouldn't be your big sister if I wasn't, you know! Now come. Your audience demands your presence."

Oh what Dalzubiggatanner would give for a distraction to lull or seduce her away from him. In fact, he silently made a wish in his head that some event or distraction could make him leave this party!

However, that distraction that he had silently wished for had in fact came. But sadly, the distraction came in a way that halted the party completely. What sounded like a loud metal clank completely stopped the music players. Before the party goers had the chance to complain an authoritative voice began to attract everyone's attention. "Attention citizens."

Dalzubigga turned around and saw who it was that stopped his party. "... Oh shit! What?!" He panicked in a shrill whisper.

Volchbigga glared at the new guest. "Who invited him here?! Did you?!" She hissed, accusing Dalzubigga.

"No!" Dalzubigga hissed back at Volchbigga.

"Well why is he here?!" Volchbigga hissed in turn.

The uninvited guest in question wore a shifting set of multicolored armor, which seemed to be projecting his voice to the crowd. Everyone immediately recognized him as THE Anointed Authority. He addressed the crowd. "I am Anointed Authority Tamurrezzulaggan, the one you have chosen to lead the Protectorate Military, the defenders of the Priority. It has came to my attention that there is someone residing within these walls that has decided to not heed my call. To remedy this, I have decided to enter this establishment and do away with this childish ignorance with due haste. Is there a person by the name of Dalzubiggatanner, the current head of the satellite telecommunications company? If you are here, I want you to please step forward and make yourself known to my presence."

"... Oh by my dad's graying hide." Dalzubigga said with dread.

"IT'S BEEN NICE KNOWING YOU, LITTLE BROTHER!"

Dalzubigga turned around and saw that his sister was already on the other side of the room, waving goodbye and smiling in her usual sly way. This surprised him. "HUH?!"

"Are. YOU. Dalzu?"

Dalzubigga paused before slowly turning to the new guest in the room. The attention in the room was divided between the host and the Anointed Authority. Most of the patrons couldn't decide whether to split the scene or stay for the fireworks and drama. Before some hesitant gulps, Dalzubigga nodded. "Uh... Y-y-yes s-s-sir. I-I-I am D-D-Dalzubiggatanner."

The Anointed Authority took slow steps towards Dalzubigga. Each clank of his boots echoed in the silent room, which filled it with tension as the cacophonous beat made everyone stand further on edge. The room became still and silent as the Anointed Authority stopped four feet from Dalzubigga. Time seemed to have stopped, but it went on for what felt like a minuscule infinity. The Anointed Authority stood before Dalzubigga for an agonizing period of time.

And it was then that Dalzubigga remembered. He slowly bowed down and stood on his knee, with his arms straight out and his palms open and free from any items within them. "It is a great priveladge for us to receive such an honored guest such as you, my lord. I must beg for your forgiveness, and for any transgressions that I had accidentally shown against you and your forces. Do what you may wish within the bounds you are granted, and know that though I may be a citizen of the Priority, I would assist and serve you, should you ever demand such a request." Dalzubigga then began to slowly rise from his extravegant bow. "How may this humble man suit your needs?"

"I demand to know why you didn't accept my call." The Anointed Authority replied.

"... Uh?" Dalzubigga felt as though this day was only going to get worse for him.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry if I didn't get to expanding this story sooner. I got a little sick a few days ago.**

 **...**

 **...**

 **... And um... And I MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY have discovered a webcomic called Out-of-Placers. So... Yeah...**


	96. Departure

**Chapter 96: Departure**

* * *

 _'Kay. Baroness Tak wishes to speak with you.'_ Kragnon said through the hivemind, reaching out to Kay.

 _'What? Why? Shouldn't she be preparing to leave with her people?'_ Kay asked.

 _'Apparently, she wants to visit her old home one last time. She says that she left something of hers there and wants to retrieve it, and that it's very important to her.'_

 _'Ugh. This is a misuse of our time.'_

 _'She has requested Zagion to let her be the last person to abscond this timeline in the hope that it'll give her enough time to retrieve what she needs._ _'_

 _'So she pulled some strings with the seneschal of the Era Agency to get this to happen, huh? She does realize that we are focused on emptying the underground hive cluster network and figuring out a strategy to find and finish off Gollog?'_

 _'It's your call, Kay. I can tell Tak you were too busy to humor her final request.'_

 _'Hmm... ... ... ... ... Well, since this is her final request, I suppose I can make some time.'_

 _'Thank you, Overcommander.'_

 _'Not so fast. I have to inform the other commanders what is happening. Virid, Corvurn, Othafurn, Thyzir, Alexandriana. I'll be escorting Baroness Tak on a little side mission. We'll be going to her palace in the center of Citadel Gargantua. It won't be too long, since this is a final request from her. Will you guys manage without me?'_

Virid answered first. _'The underground hive cluster network is still being cleansed and restored. I and the other broodmothers can focus on this without your help.'  
_

Corvurn answered next. _'Indifferent to Kay's side mission, despite inefficient allocation of resources. Would recommend focusing on strategy to destroy Gollog and remaining Golden Star threats.'  
_

Othafurn chimed in. _'Be sure to bring feederlings with you, Kay. There is a high possibility the buildings in the citadel has flooded with radioactive floodwater.'_

Thyzir hummed to Kay. _'Better yet, see if you can find any survivors still alive up there. I'm sure Tak would be quite happy if you helped find any lingering refugees and bring them to her. Buuut just to be safe, I advise that you bring some underlings to deal with any dangers you might meet. Perhaps a cadre of zerglings, roaches, and hydralisks? I believe that would be sufficient enough, but bringing a hunter killer or two wouldn't hurt.'_

 _'So long as I can fight that giant robot again, or any enemy that sides with Gollog for that matter, I don't care.'_ Growled Alexandriana.

Kay sighed. _'... Alright then. Time to meet with the baroness one last time.'_

* * *

On the surface of Kiln, the land surrounding Citadel Gargantua stretched on into a dark horizon, save for the forest of pillars that was near the southern part of the abandoned city. The ground surrounding the city, once a barren sprawl of desert and stone pillars, was taken over by the ever-growing carpet of zerg organic growth. The creep tumors were sparse in this area, yet the creep still grew over everything and everywhere it could. It was thanks to Corvurn's modified creep colony bio-structure that enabled the creep to grow unmitigated across every inch of available land. With the creep proliferating, the resource tumors connected to the creep reaped a bountiful amount of collected energy in large sums, which enabled the zerg the means to produce a large enough swarm to swarm Gollog's sky rings.

A hulking chunk of burning metal sat next to this shadow-covered and abandoned city, which used to be part of Gollog's sky rings. The debris that split off from this orbiting mega structure had fallen off its enormous form during reentry, and had landed within the city. There were only a few buildings that the debris landed on that had caused significant damage to the citadel, but none of them had made any impact craters near or onto Tak's palace. Though unfortunate that baroness Tak's great city had been damaged from the Zerg Swarm's wary with Gollog's sky rings, her palace still remained intact and undamaged.

A nydus worm forced itself through the ground of the palace's courtyard, ripping through the layer of seeping creep and ruining the very expensive tile designs underneath. Once its maw opened up, it puked a small swarm of various zerg that began to scout out the surrounding area. The roaches and hydralisks guarded the nydus worm as its mouth brought up the last of its passengers. The first to come out was Kay and his two hunter killer bodyguards. Next was Baroness Tak, which got around slowly on a new walking cane that assisted her. Kragnon then followed after Tak, which stood a respectable distance away from her. And finally, once Kragnon had stepped out of the nydus worm's mouth, a writhing mass of many feederlings slithered out and trilled in unison.

Baroness Tak sighed. "I never would have thought I would use these monsters twice in a single lifetime."

Kay turned around and nodded at Tak. "It does take some getting used to. Are you sure you want to do this? Even in your... condition?" Kay asked as he gestured to Tak.

Tak shook her head and moved ahead as she took out a flashlight. "I have strength for this."

Kay motioned for Tak to stop. "Still, I don't want to waste too much of everyone's time here. If you want, I can let you ride on one of the zerglings."

"Ah... No thank you. I think I am not strong enough to ride one of those." Tak said, politely dismissing Kay's proposal.

Kay nodded and looked down. "Hmm... Well, the next best thing I can offer you is a ride inside of an overlord. They're slow, but they provide a nice view of the land."

Tak tilted her head. "... As fun as that sounds, I don't think I can see the land very well this late at night."

"Wuh? Late? It's midday." Kay said in a confused tone. Suddenly, Kay then realized what Tak had meant. "Oh! Oh, I completely forgot that you don't have night vision!"

"What?!" Tak said incredulously. "What makes you think it's midday? I don't see the sun. Do you?"

Kay nodded. "I do. From the eyes of my swarm. You just think it's the night because my zerg swarm is blotting out the sun."

Tak tilted her head again and looked up at the sky. "... Really?"

"Yeah. Allow me to get the lights." Kay turned away from Tak and began reaching his hands towards the sky. After slowly gesturing for the space above him to part, a rustle of many distant wings and screeches of innumerable sources answered Kay. After what felt like a minute, the sky began to become brightened as billowing clouds of green, brown, and purple parted. Rays of sun emerged from the sky and struck the ground in muted explosions of light and brightness. Baroness Tak had to shield her eyes a few seconds before they could adjust to the daylight that she hadn't seen up till now.

Once her eyes adjusted, her breathed formed a surprised sigh. "Wow..."

Kay turned around and smiled at Tak. "Wow? Is that surprise I hear?"

Tak paused for a couple seconds before making a small hiss. "Oh go stroke your own ego in private. Let's go already." She then proceeded forward with labored determination.

Kragnon huffed and shook his head when Tak was out of earshot. "I seem to keep forgetting how determined she can be sometimes."

Kay rolled his eyes. "You're the one who fucked her. You should know her better than I do?"

Kragnon answered with a firm hit on Kay's shoulder. "Hey! Even if you are the overcommander of the zerg swarm, that doesn't give you a pass on speaking of her in that way."

Kay rubbed his shoulder and huffed. "Alright, I get it. I'm sorry. Still, the point I am making here is that you knew her for the better part of twenty years."

Kragnon looked down and sighed. "Well... You're right about that." Kragnon then began to follow after Tak. "I guess the world I see with my infested eyes made me forget much of my memories of her."

Kay followed after Kragnon and smiled, a wistful expression in his face. "That's the beauty of memories though. If you let them, they will come back to you easily."

Kragnon looked behind himself to stare at Kay. "But what would that mean with your damaged mind? I have spoken with Virid, and she has told me of your addled brain, and how it is damaged and afflicted with amnesia. Wouldn't you find that difficult to live with?"

"Hmm... Good question." Kay thought to himself for half a minute before he found an answer that made sense to him. "Well... I guess knowing that I won't have complete memories does sadden me a little. But at the same time, I'm glad that I was able to survive all these years and got the chance to meet you."

"Even when I was a..." Kragnon looked forward to Tak before whispering to Kay. "... A clone?"

Kay shrugged. "Even if you were one, would you still consider yourself lesser than any other person?"

Kragnon blinked a few times before looking down. "... I suppose not. ... But what about me right now? As an infested gilanian?"

"Hmm... Now **that** question is more difficult to answer." Kay walked up to Kragnon and patted him on the shoulder. "You might think of yourself as no longer the same person you remembered before your transformation, and you'd be half-right about that. Since you're part of the swarm, your mind is pretty much entangled with our psionic hivemind. Your mind is basically feeling as though it is stretched out across several other minds, but at the same time thoughts that are not your own trickles into your own mind. To put it as simple as possible, the zerg share this hivemind with each other while the hatcheries, overlords, and broodmothers have greater control over everyone's psionic connection. You are an infested gilanian, and you have chosen to become one, which grants you certain liberties of your own mental faculties. With that in mind, let me ask you a question. Would you want to be that past version of yourself you remembered?"

Kragnon shook his head and looked down. "If there was a cure for my infestation, then I would say yes."

"That was a trick question. Nobody can be who they remember what they once were. If you decided to try and become who you were, all you'd end up doing is chasing nostalgia. I hear it can be pretty unhealthy to try and relive memories, and doing so repetitively can be a symptom of insanity. I recommend living in the now. Own up to the mistakes you've made and evolve into a better person for it. Alright. Here's a follow-up question. You still wanted to kill Gollog even before your infestation, yet would that objective change had you known of the events that lead up to this moment right now?"

"... Huh. I guess it really wouldn't."

"Right. It wouldn't. Also, the zerg developed a biological defense against any time travel attempts at rewriting a person's moment contracting the HEV infestation. To put it bluntly, you're kind of fucked trying to find a way to prevent your own infestation."

Kragnon sighed. "... Yeah."

"Oh cheer up. It could have been worse." Kay added.

"Like how?"

"I dunno. You could have turned into some kind of diminutive animal. Like some kind of small rat/bird hybrid or something."

"Can Corvurn really do that?" Kragnon asked in surprise.

"I was just making up an example." Kay chuckled.

"Ah." Kragnon added flatly.

Baroness Tak shouted behind herself at the trailing Kay and Kragnon. "If you two are done bro'ing up a storm back there, I'd much appreciate it if you would hurry up."

Kragnon ran forward. "Yes, my beloved." Kragnon called out.

Kay groaned. "And this is coming from the poisoned baroness. You certainly are full of surprises."

* * *

Despite initial expectations of the condition of Baroness Tak's palace, it was largely undamaged by Gollog's necrostorm doomsday weapon, with the exception to the dead plants that Baroness Tak's staff had once cared for. Some rooms were still flooded with the radioactive water, and many of the rugs were still quite drenched, which made Tak and her company take a couple detours through the palace. The feederlings were more than eager to lap up any of the radioactive floodwater they come across, whilst the creep began to grow and spread into the hallways and multitude of rooms in Baroness Tak's palace. Tak was agitated about abandoning her old home, but even she knew she couldn't live here in its current condition. Especially since the entire city surrounding the palace was empty of the citizens she cared for.

The doors into Baroness Tak's bedroom were pulled open. Kay walked into the room and gave it a cursory scan before calling to the zerg behind him. "... May I have a zergling volunteer to test the rugs in this room, please?" By Kay's request, a zergling trilled as it sped forward, went past Kay, and began running around on Baroness Tak's rugs. After half a minute of running around on her rugs, Kay noted that there were no changes to the zergling's feet. Satisfied with his test, he motioned behind himself. "Alright. Seems dry. Avoid any cracks in the ceiling and we should be fine."

Tak walked into the room and slowly took in the sights. "Right. It should be here."

Kragnon followed after Tak. "Wait. What were we retrieving again? You didn't tell us what it was." He asked.

"A dagger. It's under my bed." Baroness Tak said as she went toward her bed.

"Ah-ah-ah." Kay said as he stepped in front of Tak. "Let my zerglings go on it first."

Tak's expression soured. "You said this room is dry."

"I said it seems dry. It doesn't mean that it is. Besides. Look at the canopy." Kay said, pointing at the drapes above Tak's bed.

To her surprise, the canopy of her bed had collected a small amount of radioactive flood water. When a zergling got onto her bed, droplets had fallen onto the zergling. The effect was immediate as the zergling's left hind leg grayed and became necrotic. The zergling leapt off the bed and decided to gnaw on its leg, only to have the teeth in its mouth to start falling out. Kragnon grimaced from what he saw. "Ugh. Is it going to be okay?"

"Eh..." Kay looked at the zergling with uncertainty. "I could probably have a couple swarm queens take care of it. If the fluid seeped into its veins, then his symptoms might last for a few hours. However, I think it would be best to let it die on its own." Kay said as he commanded the zergling to limp away. "Even with zerg regeneration, this fluid is very nasty if it gets on you."

Tak went to the side of her bed and kneeled beside it. "Thankfully, the dagger is not in my bed, but under it." She used her walking stick to hook around something underneath her bed. When she pulled her stick back out, she also retrieved a small ornate box hidden beneath her bed. She then picked up the box and placed it on her nightstand near her bed. "Here we are."

Kay and Kragnon leaned over the box. As Tak opened it, the box revealed two objects. One of which was a sheathed stiletto dagger that was pink and red, which was designed with golden accents. There was also a smaller box that was plastic, which contained multiple spheres of various colors. Kay tilted his head. "What are those balls?"

Tak stifled a giggle as she took out the plastic box and retrieved the multi-colored spheres from within. "Bubble candy. You can eat a few of them if you want." She said, holding a few of the orbs in her hand and gesturing for Kay to take them.

Taking the confections, Kay glanced at them for a few seconds before popping one into his mouth. It was hollow, but crunchy and sweet. "Mm. Kinda empty. Almost like eating solid syrup."

"It's made from concentrated sugars from various breeds of kalumas fruits. It's a bit expensive and takes a while to make, but it's usually a type of candy often eaten during celebrations or ceremonies." Tak said, sneaking two pieces past her lips and giving a few to Kragnon. She then retrieved the stiletto dagger. "... Tell me, Kay. If you had the choice, would you let Kragnon kill Gollog?"

Kay blinked at Tak. "... Well uh... If he really wanted to be the one to do him in, I guess I could let him."

"Mm." She then turned to Kragnon. "If that is the case, then I want you to use this to kill the emperor of Golden Star."

"Tak..." Kragnon said with surprise, almost chocking on the candy he was already eating.

"It's okay. Please. Take it." Tak said, gently handing the weapon to Kragnon.

Kay looked at Tak and Kragnon before tilting his head. "... What's going on?"

Tak sighed. "There was a time where I wanted to propose to Kragnon at some point. This was my great great grandmother's knife. It's an ancient tradition of the gilanians to trade their weapons, when they decide to become romantic partners for life. However, the bastard tyrant Gollog was relentless, and I knew I could never settle down as the war continued to rage all around us. The war might be over, yet I was too late to take the chance." Tak then handed her stiletto to Kragnon. "Take this blade in your hand. If you find a way to make Gollog immortal, stab his beating heart for me. Can you do that?"

Kragnon was hesitant, but he slowly reached for Tak's stiletto and took it. A sigh escaped his throat, but he held the knife tightly in his hand. "I promise to plunge this knife into the emperor of Golden Star. For you, my beloved."

Tak smiled gently as she nodded at Kragnon. She then turned to Kay. "We are done here."

Kay nodded. "Alright. Since we're close to a balcony, we can get a ride from a nearby overlord and head straight back to the nydus worm." Kay said, walking away from Kragnon and Tak and going to the windows.

Though Kragnon followed Kay, Tak was hesitant about using an overlord for such transportation. "I don't know about this..."

"Heh, there's nothing to worry about!" Kay said encouragingly as he directed an overlord to hover near his position. "Just think of it as a hot air balloon with a mind of its own. Some words of caution though. If you have any open wounds, keep them dry. Don't lick the walls. There are no seat belts. And there is only one exit. Which happens to be the entrance."

"Uh..." Tak was having second thoughts.

* * *

The trip back to the underground flooded refugee camp caverns was more uneventful. Despite her reservations against riding inside of an overlord, it was actually much more pleasant than she expected. Unlike riding on the back of a speeding zergling, or traveling within the bowels of a nydus worm, or laying within the undulating belly of a burrowing shrylisk, the overlord swayed with the wind and hovered forward with a genteel purpose. The ventral sacks even provided a transparent window for its occupants to see out of, enabling Tak to see above her city without the need of using a flyer. Also, 'piloting' an overlord was exceedingly simple. Aside from the mental commands that Kay or Kragnon could issue to the overlord, the alternative way to pilot the overlord that Tak discovered was to poke the walls of its inner flesh. Once prodded, it'll go in the direction it's been directed to go towards. Once they came to the nydus worm, the overlord had to 'land' itself onto the ground so as to allow Baroness Tak a safe way to leave its ventral sack without hurting herself.

Once they returned to the underground refugee camp, they had discovered that many of the surviving refugee residents had already left through the various time gates the Era Agency had erected for them.

Kay sighed as he watched everyone leaving for a brighter future. "Well... I guess this is where we part ways, Tak."

Tak sighed too, as she witness her people leaving through the Era Agency's time gates. "To be honest, I will miss living in Gargantua Citadel."

Kragnon huffed. "It's going to be so empty without you here."

Tak turned and smiled at Kragnon as she gently caressed his face. "So long as you keep a memory of me close to your heart, then it will be okay."

"Mm." Kragnon nodded as a small smile betrayed his sorrow. However, his attention was grabbed by something closing in on them. "It appears as though we will have visitors soon."

Kay, Tak and Kragnon was approached by two figures. Kay recognized them, and waved over to them. "Oh hey! Uh... You guys? ... Oh wait, I remember now. Bayz and... um... You?"

The bubble-suited gilanian stifled a laugh while the other gilanian stared in contempt at Kay. He walked forward, brandishing a makeshift spear. "'You?' How can you remember Bayz's name but not my name?"

Kay nodded and realized. "Ohhhhhh, I remember you now. Catlak. Took me a minute to remember you."

Catlak huffed. "Well don't jog your memory all at once, or we'd be here all day."

Bayz walked up to Catlak and nudged his arm. "Catlak! Don't be disrespectful!"

Catlak shook his head and sighed with a smile. "I think we should focus on saying our goodbyes to Kay first. Don't you think so?"

Kay smiled. "So you guys came here just to say goodbye to me? That's so thoughtful."

"Well yeah." Catlak groused. "You sprung me and my boys from the prison place. If it wasn't for you breaking us out, then we wouldn't even be having this conversation."

Bayz tilted her head at Catlak. "But wasn't it your idea for us to come and say goodbye to Kay?"

Catlak turned to stare at Bayz for a few seconds before grumbling and turning away. Both Bayz and Kay began to laugh at him.

Bayz then kneeled before Kay and bowed her head. "In any case, we thank you for giving us a chance at a second life."

Kay nodded. But then he also noticed something different about the two. "... Wait a minute. Wasn't there a third person with you at some point?"

Bayz and Catlak looked at each other for several seconds before a sigh left their lungs. Bayz shook her head. "She was one of the victims of the plague. Catlak told me that he was with Paug when it happened."

Kay blinked his eyes. He then gestured to Catlak. "Uh... Paug didn't say anything to you during the time she got sick, did she?"

Catlak turned to Kay and shook his head. "Nah. All she said is that she was hearing voices in her head and was confused by what they said. After that though..." Catlak turned away and sighed. "... It got very nasty."

A long, pregnant pause halted the conversation for half of a minute.

Kragnon emitted a low growl. "We lost too many friends too quickly because of him."

Tak clutched her walking stick tightly. "I agree. That bastard has forced us to make too many sacrifices just to maintain a semblance of peace. He needs to die."

Kay turned around and nodded at Kragnon. "You will have your justice, Kragnon. Once every surviving gilanian refugee leaves with the era agents, we'll go after the remains of Golden Star. That, I promise."

Catlak's expression stiffened. "So you're saying that Gollog not only caused that apocalypse thing, but was also the one that caused the plague?"

Kay turned to Catlak and answered with a nod.

Catlak growled. "So he's responsible for Goqqa's death then..."

Bayz sighed sadly, but shook her head and turned to Kay. "Not often does a person promise to kill an immortal and have the means to do it. However, since this is you that is making this promise, I have confidence that you will pull it off. But now it's time we leave for a better future."

Kay nodded and waved at Bayz and Catlak. "Take care of yourselves." Kay then pointed at Tak. "And take this freeloader with you."

Tak scoffed at Kay. "Oh you certainly have a lot of nerve!"

Kay turned to Tak and raised his eyebrow at her. "Are you saying you **want** to stay here?"

Tak paused for a few seconds before shaking her head and sighing. "Against my better judgement, no." She then walked over to Bayz and Catlak. A derisive snort came from Catlak as a disgruntled baroness joined him and Bayz. Before they began to leave, she turned around and looked at Kragnon one last time before facing Catlak and Bayz. "Let's go."

And with that, Bayz, Catlak, and Baroness Tak left for the Era Agency's time gates. Kay could feel a longing pain develop within Kragnon. Though his heart heaved, he knew that he couldn't come with Tak and continue to stay with her and their children. After all, the agreement that Kay had brokered with Zagion entailed that Baroness Tak and her people would be delivered to a timeline that would be safe for them. Sadly, that kindness didn't extend to anyone that was infested by the HEV. Kragnon clutched onto the stiletto that was gifted to him harder.

Kay patted Kragnon's back. "Come on. It's time we finish this."

* * *

 **A/N: Yinglets are taking too much of my time. :V**


	97. 200MMP MB17:CC1

**Chapter 97: The 200 Million Mile Problem/Major Battle 17: Crown of the Core 1  
**

* * *

As far as first impressions would go, Dalzu was having a hard time believing that he was in the presence of The Anointed Authority. It was often said that, due to his position as being the absolute commander of all military personnel and defenses, he had little need to hire bodyguards to protect himself from any assassins. It was even rumored that **ALL** of the assassins worked for him! But rumors aside, Dalzu was barely containing a panic attack as The Anointed Authority unexpectedly invited himself to the party that Dalzu was hosting.

After an awkward and hurried explanation, The Anointed Authority demanded for Dalzu to take him to his personal computer terminal he uses for managing his satellite networking company. Dalzu then began leading The Anointed Authority through his home, using every ounce of his composure to keep calm and refrain from panicking.

And the walk to Dalzu's personal office was incredibly agonizing.

Several flights of stairs and a visit to an elevator later, the deathly silence between Dalzu and The Anointed One seemed to become more and more pronounced as time went on. As Dalzu gulped a wad of saliva out of nervousness, he decided to break the soundless torture. "... S-... S-... So, uh... You uh... You d-didn't j-just come to my p-party for the drinks?"

"I'm on the job. Alcohol will just cloud my judgement." The Anointed Authority answered curtly.

"Oh! ... U-u-um okay. ... Um... Um... Th-th-that's unfortunate." Dalzu said, trying to continue the conversation.

The Anointed Authority sighed. "Look. The sooner we can get this done, the sooner I can leave you to your business and go back to my own. At the moment, my jurisdiction requires that I invest into a certain dilemma of a particularly grave matter. We intercepted an encrypted transmission, where it contains an unencrypted message detailing a threat level of catastrophic capacity. It is to that end I summoned myself here to get to someone that may know of a way to decrypt this transmission. You."

"Me?!" Dalzu said as he almost tripped on his own feet. "Wh-... Why me? Why do you want me to decrypt your transmission?"

"Because the unencrypted message contains sensitive material that is classified and is regarded as unfit to public knowledge. I'm hoping that with your assistance, we will be able to decipher the encrypted transmission and understand what the intercepted message means." The Anointed Authority explained.

Dalzu nodded as he began to slow down and contemplate upon the answer given to him. "Uh... Oh. So... So that's why you came to me."

The Anointed Authority subtly nodded. "Yes. However, I need you to refrain from asking any questions pertaining to sensitive information. If we come across any classified data that is forbidden to public knowledge, you must swear an oath of secrecy to never reveal this information, unless specified by me specifically. Do you understand?"

Dalzu stiffened. "Y-yes sir!"

The Anointed Authority nodded subtly again. "Good. Are we close to your private office?"

"Yes sir. It's just two more left corners, followed by the third set of doors on the right." Dalzu responded.

As they entered Dalzu's private office, The Anointed Authority took his time and carefully observed the room. It was lavish in design, painted with several kinds of images of magnificent battles, swollen men and lithe women in 'cuddling' positions, and animals of ancient mythology plaguing farmlands and peasantry. There were several couches made of soft materials within the room, whilst the desk was in an elevated position. There was a subtle, yet pungent odor that The Anointed Authority detected.

The Anointed Authority grunted. "So this is supposed to be your 'private' office?"

Dalzu nodded as he made his way to his desk. "It's were I do most of my work in, so... yes."

The Anointed Authority walked with Dalzu as they got to the desk and accessed its computer. "Consider using a better cleaning detergent when sanitizing this room. I can smell hints of sex."

Dalzu froze up as his computer screen lit up and became active. " **UH**... To be perfectly honest with you, sir, I have been trying to find the source of that smell since last week."

The Anointed Authority shook his head in annoyance. "Let's try to make this quick then. Access satellite AB-DL-2176. It contains the encrypted transmission and the message. We have stopped its transmission completely, but we are aware that you can access its information through private channels. You can do that from this computer, can't you?"

"I can, sir." Dalzu said as he quickly typed in several commands on his computer's keyboard. The screen changed to a video recording. The video began with a white orb with a simple face and golden eyes. His expression, though different from gilanian facial physiology, was expressing an unknowable concern.

The figure bowed to Dalzu and The Anointed Authority before speaking. "Greetings to you, recipients of this message. What you are seeing now is an artificial intelligence of the Kiln Prison System. I am Superintendent Pothalatas, in charge of subsidiary analysis and final analysis of the genetic data we receive from Unsolved Verdict Acquisitions. I am the one responsible for delivering this message to you. We have detected several unsolvable errors, and have encountered unusual bugs, within our system, discovered during our ongoing analysis of the genetic data Unsolved Verdict Acquisitions sends to us. Sadly, due to my programming, I am incapable of manually handling these errors and bugs by myself. As such, I am sending a message to inform that these errors and bugs will continue to escalate until the entire Kiln Prison System reaches total failure, during which time I have no estimate for. However, personnel that is part of the Kiln Prison System has instructed me to send this video message to you, and further instructed me to inscribe an encrypted data dump of all the information regarding the errors and bugs discovered so far. I estimate that if these errors and bugs continue to increase exponentially, then the Kiln Prison System will experience complete destabilization, and the systems outside our own will be subjected to dangers coinciding to a level 11 threat on the Sankatoh threat level scale.

The white orb named Pothalatas then directed a pseudopod towards the camera. "To all viewers seeing my message, I urge you. Initiate the Reverse-Loop Confirmation to notify me that you have acquired my message and encrypted data dump transmission. I will send you the key." He then began to bow toward his audience once more. "May justice remain pure. This is Pothalatas, saying goodbye."

Dalzu held his chin with his hand. "Hmm..." He turned to the only other gilanian in his private office. "I take it that this message was supposed to be sent to every recipient in our star system?"

The Anointed One sighed. "Are you asking?"

"No. I'm just..." Dalzu said, looking at the end of the video message. "... Just mildly speculating a conspiracy. I take it that you came to me to find out what the Reverse-Loop Confirmation is supposed to be, all without summoning the ire of The Jury of Judges?"

The Anointed One paused before sighing again and slightly nodding. "Perhaps."

"Mm." Dalzu turned to The Anointed One. "Listen. It's obvious to me that I have became privy to sensitive information that I know you wouldn't want the public to learn. As such, I subject myself to your authority, and make an oath here an now that I won't divulge any information I have learned, or any information that you have willingly shared with me."

If Dalzu had keener eyes, he could have sworn that The Anointed Authority's eyes had became brighter.

"But with that said, I cannot continue to assist you without learning further on what might be at stake. If you tell me everything that I need to know right now, then I will trade you my compliance and continue assisting you willingly. Do we have an accord?"

After several seconds had passed, The Anointed One reached for his shifting helmet and tapped at its sides. As his helmet melted into the rest of his armor, The Anointed Authority's face was revealed to Dalzu. Lines of gold, copper and silver ran around The Anointed Authority's face like the wiring of a circuit board, where his eyes were covered in golden lenses. It was a face that saw so many wars and countless atrocities, which had chiseled his expression into what seemed like something that was infinitely stern and sharp. It was a merciless and hardened stare that could be likened to a hungry hawk looking at a field mouse.

But Dalzu didn't budge. Sure, he was scared that he might do something wrong and somehow offend The Anointed Authority, and was horrified of the thought of being labeled an enemy to all that followed the ways of the Priority law system. Yet he knew that the current Anointed Authority is the kind of gilanian military leader that respects people with a strong will. It was a gamble, but it was one that Dalzu was willing to make.

The Anointed Authority huffed as he relaxed his expression. "... Since this is an incredibly irregular event, I suppose I shall humor this trade you proposed, Dalzubiggatanner. An oath of cooperation and silence, for an exchange of information. A fair price." He brought his hand out for Dalzu to shake. "I believe I haven't yet introduced myself to you formally. I am Karataranasa. Please call me Kara."

Dalzu carefully grasped Kara's hand as they exchanged a handshake.

"But if this goes poorly, then I will do everything in my power to execute you and label this as an act of dissonance against the Priority. Understand?" Kara warned.

Dalzu nodded at Kara. "Absolutely, my Anointed Authority. ... Uh. I mean Kara. I accept the risks involved."

"Mm." Kara nodded at Dalzu before leaning in closer to him. "So tell me. Does this room have hidden cameras?"

Dalzu blinked. "Why do you want to know that?"

"Because the information I am about to tell you is of a secretive nature. I don't want anyone to learn what I am about to tell you. Now tell me. Is it safe to tell you this information in this room?"

Dalzu nodded. "I'll have to turn off my security and private camera surveillance, but that wouldn't be too hard. I can do it from this terminal."

"Do so. Excuse me for one moment." Kara stepped back as he placed two fingers onto the side of his head. "Ahnuanin, can you detect any outbound channels not registered to this residence? I need some privacy with an individual."

[Query detected. There are no registered outbound channels currently spying on your current location. Shall I initiate the blackout protocol?]

"Not until I tell you to. Keep me updated on any media outlet that is broadcasting my position. If they decide to interfere, send a warrant for their arrest for obstructing justice." Kara commanded.

[Command detected. Surveying news broadcasting agencies in local area.]

"Aaaaand done." Dalzu chimed.

Kara came back to Dalzu's side. "Just in time. ... So. What do you want to know?"

"Oh, just three things." Dalzu replied. "Firstly, what is this Sankatoh's threat level scale? Secondly, why did you intercept this message? And lastly, why would a prison system residing in forbidden space send a message to everyone just to warn us of some errors and bugs?"

"I can answer your first and second questions." Kara said. "Our current threat level scale, as you know, is a system used to identify the damage that a potential threat could cause. The damage can include three different factors; death or harm to one or several citizens, damage done to resources and or property, and destabilization of a territory and or its communications. Now, the Sankatoh threat level scale is an old system of identifying threats, which only uses potential deaths for its calculations. It uses a simple digit system, using the numbers of potential deaths in intervals of ten to classify the damage that the threat is capable of creating. For example, if there was a killer that killed nine people, he would be classified as a level one threat. But if he killed one more person, he would then be classified as a level two threat."

"Huh." Dalzu brought his fingers to his face as began counting aloud. "So by that logic... 1. 10. 100. 1,000. 10,000. 100,000. 1,000,000. 10,000,000. 100,000,000... A level ten threat would be able to kill a billion people."

"Sort of." Kara corrected. "It would be anywhere between a billion people, and a single denomination less of ten billion people dying."

Dalzu's face became pale as he understood what Kara was getting to. "... Buh... Th-th-that would mean a level 11 threat would involve-"

"Anywhere between ten billion to one less of a hundred billion people getting killed by the threat in question." Kara finished.

Dalzu was reeling from the realization.

Kara patted Dalzu on the shoulder. "It's not the end of the world while I'm around. Don't worry." A bored and dissatisfied hum then escaped Kara's lungs. "And to answer your second question, if this message had managed to get into the public information network and became known by the citizens of our world, then they would instigate a world-wide panic. And so, as a responsible Anointed Authority, I couldn't allow for that to happen. A level 7 threat would certainly cause some unrest within the communities of our world, but a level 11 threat would most certainly cause mass hysteria. It was a judgement call, and I decided to prevent the message and encrypted transmission from causing any unwanted chaos."

"Ah. Yeah. Even I would have panicked a little had I learned of the contents of that message." Dalzu stated.

"But for your third question..." Kara said as he folded his arms. "I'm hoping to find out the answer by coming to you. Now let me ask you some things. What is the Double-Loop Confirmation?"

Dalzu idled for a couple seconds before answering. "... Well, considering that the Kiln Prison System was designed to acquire genetic data through satellite signals sent from Unsolved Verdict Acquisitions, it's probably a fail-safe to ensure that the encrypted transmission dump they receive didn't degrade."

"How so?" Kara asked.

"It's basically a system that ensures that the genetic data the Kiln Prison System receives is genuine and accurate. Once the message is analyzed, the receiver would send back a copy of the transmission they received, but flipped in reverse. It would then be processed by the original sender. If the transmission contains no flaws, such as the DNA samples of the culprits that have insufficient evidence placed against them, or the results of the simulations that are conducted at the Kiln Prison System, then the transmissions would be labeled as authentic, and an encryption key would be sent to decipher the transmission dump. All we have to do is reverse the message and transmission we received from our 'Potha' character here and send it back to the source to validate and confirm authenticity. We will then get an encryption key to decode the data dump transmission. It's as simple as that!" Dalzu explained.

"How long until we get the encryption key to decode the encrypted transmission data?" Kara asked.

Dalzu sighed as he scratched the back of his head. "Oh... Um... That's a bit trickier to answer. Since we would be using satellite signals to transmit a reversed copy of our message to the Kiln Prison System in forbidden space, it'd take roughly fifteen minutes to get from here to there. Then, once they get our reversed copy of their message, they will give us their encryption key. That will take around another fifteen minutes. So, overall, we're looking at half an hour of waiting after we sent the flipped version of their own message."

"Mm..." Kara nodded slowly.

"... Heh. I guess I can see why you wanted to contact me and request my help in this matter. You have no real experience with satellite communication arrays, don't you?" Dalzu said with a coy smirk.

"Of course. You're the head of a reliable and successful satellite company. You've been so competent with every other national aerospace transmissions company because you took the time to understand satellite transmission signals and satellite mechanisms. But we're getting off track. You're saying that if we flipped this message and send it back to them, we'll get the encryption key to decrypt our transmission?"

Dalzu nodded. "That's basically it, yeah."

A satisfied huff came out from Kara's lungs. "Alright. Send their message back to them. Let's get to the bottom of this, once and for all."

* * *

Kragnon could hardly believe what he had heard several minutes earlier. He would finally have the chance to be the one to end the life of the tyrant of Kiln. It was a distant dream of those that wanted a life without persecution, or those being ruled by an oppressive government headed by what is essentially an immortal hologram. But even with Kragnon's thoughts becoming engrossed on a beneficial regicide, his mind kept coming back to that one moment he had with Kay, the overcommander of the zerg swarm.

Kay patted Kragnon's back. "Come on. It's time we finish this."

A second after that moment, Thyzir, a zerg command organism that was known as a cerebrate, had rudely interjected himself into the conversation and suggested forming a council that would discuss the tactics and strategies to pursue Gollog, which consisted of every highest ranked commander in Kay and Virid's brood. Kay was reluctant to the idea, but Thyzir was very persistent. Eventually, he made Kay cave in and go along with forming the war council.

And that was how Kragnon and Kay relocated themselves into a wide, underground, creep infested cavern, which Kay had chosen to be where the council would take place.

Minutes later, the members of the council had arrived.

Virid had arrived first, sided by two huge queens and four hunter killers.

Othafurn came next, whom was protected by a pack of roaches.

Corvurn was invited to the council as well, but he came alone.

Thyzir was brought into the council meeting by way of a nydus worm and several drones that carried him on their backs. Once his couriers, consisting of multiple drones, dropped is giant brain/slug self onto the ground, Thyzir got comfortable an began speaking. _'Alright~! It does me great pleasure to announce that this war council has been formed, and is now in session. The councilors that have formed this council consists of these members: Kay, the Overcommander Ascendant. Virid, the High Broodmother. Corvurn, the Evolution Master. Othafurn, the Librarian Advisor. And, of course, me, Thyzir, the Super Mega Ultimate Cerebrate of Multitasking! And joining with us today is an infested gilanian by the name of Kragnon the Lovechief.'_

Kay rolled his eyes. "Okay, first off, I'm going to demote you if you ever say that cheesy title of yours again."

Thyzir was shocked by this. _'... Whu-what?'_

"I'm not calling you a Super Mega Ultimate... whatever. Just... Refer to yourself as the Prime Cerebrate from this point on. Kay?" Kay groaned.

After a dumbfounded pause, Thyzir beamed back at Kay with ecstatic glee. _'Oh, what joy! That is certainly a better title than what I came up with for myself! Thank you so much, my overcommander!'_

Virid huffed. "Stop with the flattering already. Is there a reason why I was brought here?" She hissed.

Othafurn sighed. "This does seem like a grand misuse of time. We could be having this conversation through the psionic hivemind connection while we were focused on other tasks."

Corvurn was nonplussed as he raked his claws against each other in annoyance. "Current strain experimentation requires attention. Explain purpose of council meeting."

 _'Indeed I will!'_ Thyzir chirped. _'As I was eavesdropping on Kay and Kragnon's conversation, I recommended to form a war council to discuss what tactics, strategies, and methods we can use to finally strike down our most hated enemy, Emperor Gollog and his empire remnants.'_

"You didn't recommend forming a council." Kay said flatly. "You prattled on endlessly on having me form the council, so I did it to make you shut up about it."

Kragnon decided to be the voice of reason as he stepped in. "Guys? Can we begin this war council now so we can adjourn and finally begin our mission to find and kill Gollog?"

Kragnon had a point. Everybody wanted the immortal emperor dead, and to bicker during a war council would only place unneeded effort elsewhere. Thyzir did his equivalent of a cough before mentally speaking again. _'Right... As Prime Cerebrate, I announce that this war council shall commence immediately. Librarian Othafurn, could you please discuss our assassination target, his possible current location, and the location's defenses?'_

Othafurn nodded and began concentrating on her memories. "... From what I have learned, the Sovereign Crypt is several thousands of kilometers below the surface of Kiln. Our knowledge of the Sovereign Crypt is ultimately limited, since we only saw it from General Pallax's perspective."

Virid nodded as she looked up and crossed her arms. "The version of myself that was tasked to spy on Pallax only saw a few rooms. She had little success. The MEM shift device chamber, a couple of hallways, and the recovery ward was all she saw. If we are to grow a hive cluster within the crypt itself, then we need a larger area to plant one in. Sadly, I was unable to find any."

Kragnon's expression became puzzled as Corvurn decided to chime in. "Distance to crypt, problematic. Resource tumors absorb ambient energy from environment through creep. Underground hive clusters, flooded. Radioactive floodwater still present. Will take months to absorb and convert toxic floodwater into resources. However, geothermal energy conversion, problematic. Converting geothermal energy into bio-matter and accelerant, lengthier process. Estimated approximate time for total molten material cool-down below Kiln's crust, eight hundred thousand years."

Kay sighed. "It's a shame we don't have a strain of nydus worm that can tolerate magma. For an artificial world, this place was created to be quite the pain in the ass for its prisoners."

Kragnon interjected. "Uh... What do you mean by 'version of yourself', Virid?"

Virid sighed as she gestured at Kragnon while looking at Kay. "Would you mind telling him?"

Kay nodded at Virid, and then directed a mental message to Kragnon. _'What Virid had meant is that there was another version of her in a past timeline that spied on Pallax, while he went into the Sovereign Crypt. We know this because the zerg we once sent to capture an Era Agency facility created a special strain with an eidetic memory, which was Othafurn. My past self knew the location of the Sovereign Crypt, which was later told to Othafurn, and then delivered to me in this new branch in the timeline. Now, since you know this information too, I want you to know that blurting out this information would have dire consequences in our timeline. We don't know if the Era Agency is listening into our verbal talks, so I think it would be best to keep this a secret from them. Kay?'_

 _'Uh... Okay.'_ Kragnon replied mentally. Apparently, there was a lot more going on than he had originally thought.

"Don't mind the in-joke, Kragnon. It's just her way of being funny. Even if she doesn't know how to laugh." Kay said, seamlessly answering Kragnon. The mental conversation Kay had with Kragnon only took a split second. To an outside observer that wasn't psionic, it would seem like the mental conversation hadn't happened at all.

"Uh... Okay." Kragnon replied aloud.

 _'Ah, but to use the resource tumors in drawing out heat from deep below Kiln's crust would certainly take way too much of our time. Although, we are kinda, sort of, you know, immortal and everything. Luckily, we have a special shortcut at our disposal!'_ Thyzir said.

"Shortcut?" Kragnon asked. He then remembered. "Oh! You mean that thing Kay did to get into the sky rings?"

Kay nodded. "Yup." He then flexed his hand and focused a small part of his mind in order to pool a small amount of psionic energy into his palm. "I am capable of forming wormholes that will link any two locations together. Meaning that, with a bit of practice, I'll be able to get some infiltration agents to sneak inside of the Sovereign Crypt to get a better understanding of its infrastructure. Once we map out the crypt, we can send some drones in and begin forming a hive cluster inside of Kiln's core."

"Must address problem regarding growing hive clusters within core." Corvurn interjected. "Drones removed from hive influence cannot sustain mutations. Will revert to base level evolution."

Kay's expression scrunched into uncertainty and concern. "Uh... Mind explaining that, Corvurn?"

Corvurn nodded. "Mutations strengthened through psionic connection. Hatcheries, lairs, hives, spires, evolution chambers, other subsequent bio-structures needed for zerg combat strains and mutations. All zerg strains spawned from hive cluster inside core will revert to standard adaptations. Example, no defensive or offensive improvements unless drone morphs into evolution chamber."

"Hmm..." Kay nodded to Corvurn's explanation. "... But even if the zerg spawned there might not have the same mutations we have here, that doesn't mean we can't send zerg down from the surface of Kiln through my wormholes." Kay then crossed his arms and smiled. "In fact, sending a gaggle of changelisks to survey the rest of the Sovereign Crypt would benefit our espionage and infiltration attempts. Once they mapped out the area for us, we can then send some drones down there to slowly and quietly build us an army. Once our army becomes sufficient, we can then initiate our assault and finally tear down the empire to its last cornerstone."

"But there is a problem with that plan, Kay." Virid intoned. "Without an overriding will nearby to govern the changelisks and other zerg strains within Kiln's core, they would become feral and directionless. We don't know if there is enough room for overlords to float in, and there might not be enough space for a single hatchery to be placed and grown in."

"I already thought of that, actually." Kay said. "We send in a specialist zerg strain. Most likely, a broodmother adapted to being a mobile production facility, capable of spawning zerglings, roaches, hydralisks and drones. Once the broodmother infiltrates into the Sovereign Crypt, she can direct the changelisks to find an area where she can make a nest in. Once she has a basic hive cluster grown, she can then focus on growing an army while we seek out other locations to grow more hive clusters in."

Virid nodded. "Then I shall be the broodmother for the task."

Kay raised an eyebrow at Virid. "Are you sure?"

"I can handle the modifications to my oviparous organs. That, and I am not the only one that wants the Golden Star Empire to fall in its entirety." Virid added.

"However," Othafurn interjected. "We must be aware of the possibility of surveillance cameras and defenses being entrenched within Kiln's core. Though I doubt Gollog would think that far ahead and wouldn't expect a zerg onslaught occurring within the Sovereign Crypt, it is likely to assume that he has a security system capable of detecting and targeting our forces."

 _'It is certain that our enemy will sound the alarm the moment they spot us, or when we finally amass a force strong enough to attack them.'_ Thyzir added. _'We will need to send in the evolved changelings first to find a beachhead. Once we secured a location to form our hive clusters and spawn our minions, we can then begin our search-and-destroy mission. Our main objectives for this mission are, of course, the commanders and the emperor himself. Everything else will be collateral and at our mercy.'_

Kay sighed. "That's the thing though. We don't know what else might be down there. It could be an endless maze of corridors and rooms. We might not find the space we need to morph our hatcheries. It might contain not just commanders and an emperor, but also other gilanians that have been purposed as immortal servants to Gollog. Hell, we might even find that giant robot down there. Any hive clusters formed within the Sovereign Crypt might not have a chance to be of any use once it find them."

The walls suddenly shuddered as the nydus worm vomited out a beast of gargantuan proportions. Alexandriana's form emerged from the nydus worm's mouth, which had almost injured its gaping maw as she left it. She growled as she stood upright and leaned over the council. "Summon me."

Kragnon was surprised as he saw a giant face. A giant, reptilian, carapace covered face, which emitted a deadly green mist as her glowing purple veins pulsed. He nearly fell backwards as he suppressed a shriek. Kay gestured towards Alexandriana nonchalantly and casually. "Alex, you haven't been cordially invited to this war council."

Alexandriana growled. "If that giant robot shows up during your infiltration mission, then I want to be there to hunt it down. Summon me to fight it. That is all I ask."

Thyzir was chuckling, amused from Alexandriana's abrupt request. _'Oh, you'll have your chance to fight the super cyborg mech suit once more, Alexandriana. However, we may need another seat at this council to discuss additional strategies and tactics. Since I can tell you have an apt mind, I would like to ask you to join us.'_

Kay's expression immediately changed to disbelief. "You're kidding, right?"

Alexandriana huffed. "Apt?"

Kay shook his head and pointed at Thyzir. "Why in whatever equivalent to zerg hell there is do you want her to sit in our war council?"

 _'Think of it like this, Kay.'_ Thyzir calmly explained. _'Would you rather have our dear Alexandriana be bored with nothing else to do, just to wallow and not have any of her pent-up aggression be put to use on things that needs to be killed or destroyed, or would you rather have her by our side in this war against Golden Star, allowing and letting her pent-up aggression be put to use on things that needs to be killed or destroyed?'_

Kay paused to consider Thyzir's words before looking up to Alexandriana's giant face. Alexandriana looked back down at Kay, her expression seeming to be a mix of eagerness and restlessness. If cabin fever was mixed with a lust for war, then that would be what Kay was sensing from Alexandriana's mind. In hindsight, Alexandriana's abilities and skills would be too cumbersome to use in the core of Kiln. But even then, she was also an unbridled monster that would seek out conflict by her own means, and could end that conflict easily. Ultimately, her power and rage was unstable, but also very useful. One would have to be a fool to pull her from the battlefield.

Kay relented and nodded, sighing. "Alright, she can join our war council. But under one condition."

Alexandriana tilted her head. "Which is?"

"I want you to become a full-fledged council member. Not only do you have a lot of strength, but a powerful will too. This brood could benefit with a creature like you assisting it." Kay asked.

Alexandriana chortled a laugh. "Fine, but I'll only be invested in any future battles and wars we come across. Do we understand each other?"

Kay nodded with a smile. "Then it's agreed."

Thyzir beamed at this moment. _'A new member has joined this council? Excellent! I hereby dub our new member: Alexandriana, the Torra-Nox Omegazor~!'_

Kay promptly facepalmed himself. Alexandriana snorted derisively, but appeared to be content with the new title and membership to the council.

Kragnon chuckled slightly. "Heh. Six council members of this zerg brood. I believe that would make this some kind of zerg hexarchy."

Thyzir was ecstatic from Kragnon's comment. _'Ooh! I rather like that! I recommend from this day onward that this council shall be named: The Zerg Hexarchy_ _ _Council_!'_

"Thyzir, if you keep this up, I'm going to demote you to the title 'Motormouth Cerebrate'." Kay threatened, his palm slightly sliding off of his face.

Thyzis seemed to make a double-take before deciding to continue with his rant. He elected to keep himself brief. _'... Ah. Well then. I'll just say that I am sorry for being such a coccydynia to you, my overcommander. I shall quiet my discourse till we are more amicable later.'_

Kay sighed, but then steeled his nerves. "Alright. We all now know what to do with this plan. Now we prepare."

Thyzir did his equivalent of a nod. _'Then I hereby dub this meeting concluded.'_ Thyzir said, marking the end of the war council's discussions.

The final battle with Gollog was drawing closer at hand.

* * *

Deep beneath the surface of Kiln, there was a chrome room. It contained a medical bed that could incline itself in several positions while a surveillance terminal hanged next to the bed. The lights within this room was currently off, and the terminal's screen was dark and showed no activity. The light emitted in this room was nonexistent, since there was no need to spare any power for a room that had no occupants within it. It was bare of any designs and furniture, save for the reclining bed and hanging terminal. It was also devoid of life of any kind. It shared a similarity to a hospital room where a patient would sit inside and recover from their illnesses and wounds. Ironic, because it was a room that had been chosen for infestation.

Swirls of violet and black coalesced into the center of this room, which then gathered and expanded to reveal a violent maelstrom of bright orangish-yellow energy. An insectoid figure crawled out from this hole in space, which deposited the creature within this vary room. It had very little room to move in but it could fold its legs and wings to fit comfortably within it. Sadly, the door was too small for the intruder to make its way out from. But even then, it didn't intend to leave this room just yet. _'I'm in.'_ Virid reported. The high broodmother had modified herself before her mission began, thanks to some assistance from the Evolution Master, and was now ready to take part in this, hopefully discreet, infiltration mission.

 _'Heh. Looks like the twenty-some years of remembering the location where Pallax had crashed after he was removed from duty paid off.'_ Kay chimed.

 _'Virid. Can you see out the door?'_ Othafurn asked.

 _'I would rather not risk showing my face just yet. I will make room, allowing Kay to deliver changelisks to my position.'_ Virid said, pushing the reclining bed to the side with her clawed hands to allow a little more room.

 _'Alright. Let me just...'_ Seconds later, six changelisks emerged from the wormhole created within the middle of the room. Shortly after, the wormhole closed itself. The room quickly became crowded, but it was an easily ignored discomfort. _'We're using six changelisks for a start. Have one look in the hallway.'_

One of the six changelisks volunteered to crack the door open and sneak a peak. One of its eyes extended into the crack and surveyed the hallway lying beyond the room. It, and much like the room Virid and her retinue of changelisks were in, was empty. _'We are alone. So far.'_ Virid reported, using the changelisk peering into the hallway as her eyes.

 _'A good thing that we are.'_ Kay said. _'Send out one changelisk and have him scout around. Look for weaknesses. Seek out our targets. Begin your silent infestation operation.'_

The changelisk that was looking into the hallways turned into a naked gilanian. He then began walking through the hallways, careful to not make a sound or become cornered by something unpleasant. The hallways extended onward for a great stretch of distance before splitting off in a T-section. As that changelisk found that T-Section, another changelisk left the room Virid was staying in, it too picking a random direction to walk in, whom was just as careful in making noise and drawing attention. So far, after several minutes had passed, the alarms haven't been tripped due to her or her changelisks' presence.

From the gilanian language and its symbolism that the zerg 'learned' from Kiln's population, the signs and arrows along the walls would suggest that the Sovereign Crypt was a type of dedicated medical facility. It was fairly large, able to house approximately a hundred patients or so. Despite the slow, crawling progress, the changelisks continued on navigating this underground labyrinth of doors and rooms.

Eventually, one of the changelisks managed to find what might have passed as the 'front' desk of this facility. There was a woman stationed there, filing her claws and humming a complex, but beauteous tune, and she was dressed in a pink and white gown. She seemed to have a steaming beverage with her.

The changelisk produced a hidden bone blade from its flesh as he quietly approached the nurse. Once the blade extended, the changelisk made a small stab into his hand and drew scarlet ichor. A careful flick of the wrist flung the drops of its blood into the receptionists cup of steamy liquid. Once the task was done, the changelisk made its retreat. The receptionist looked up after the changelisk had left. Whatever presence she may have felt before was now gone, and so, took it as her mind playing tricks to herself.

She took the steaming cup and sipped from it, but her face scrunched up into a sour expression. "Bleh... YONT! COME HERE! I WANT TO TALK TO YOU AND YOUR BIG FAT TAIL FOR A MINUTE!"

Another gilanian female in pink and white attire arrived several seconds later. Her expression seemed seemed to be painted with annoyance. "Wha~a~a~a~at is it this time, Fayb?" She said in a sing-song voice.

The one called Fayb gestured to her cup. "What did you put in my revitalizant?" She asked curtly.

The other gilanian, apparently named Yont, tilted her head in confusion at Fayb. "What? Are you accusing me of something? Bitch, you know that I don't like you, but you also know that I respect you as one of my coworkers."

"You sounded very defensive with that reply, Yont. Are you sure you didn't try poisoning me with something?" Fayb accused.

Yont shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't poison your revitalizant."

"Then here. Taste this." Fayb said, offering her cup.

Yont retracted a little. "Can't I have a pass? I know how much revitalizant sweetener you add to your cup."

Fayb was unflinching. "Considering how much cream you drink with your confections and your fat tail, I'd say your excuse is invalid. Now have a sip, or I'm filing a complaint."

"Ugh. Fine." Yont took Fayb's cup of revitalizant and took a small sip. Her expression was similar to Fayb's reaction. "Uagh, what the... Did someone pee in your cup or something?"

Fayb shook her head. "It's not pee, you idiot. It's more coppery than that."

"Coppery?" Yont said, placing the cup back down. "Well whatever. I can get you a new cup since this one is OBVIOUSLY not to your high standards."

Fayb sighed and rolled her eyes. "No, I want you to take over my station. I'll get myself a cup instead."

"I'm okay with that." Yont said as she replaced Fayb. "Better to sit down than to make the rounds and checking up on patients for the umpteenth time."

"Sure you are. Heavens forbid you get any physical exercise, OR THAT MIGHT MAKE YOUR TAIL SLIMMER!" Fayb teased.

"OH YEAH?!" Yont yelled back at Fayb. "WELL OUT OF THE TWO OF US, BECCA CERTAINLY LIKES ME MORE THAN HE LIKES YOU!"

"THAT'S BECAUSE HE'S A CHUBBY CHASER! IT'S NOT MY FAULT ALL THE HOT GUYS GO FOR YOU!"

"THAT'S BECAUSE I'M NOT A TRAMP PROSTITUTING FOR FREE, LIKE ONE OF YOUR SIDE JOBS!"

"FAT CLOACA!"

"BRATTY BITCH!"

"HAVE FUN SITTING! DON'T SOMEHOW TRIP WHILE ON YOUR ASS!"

"HAVE FUN GETTING REVITALIZANT! DON'T ORDER A MAIL-ORDER FUCKBOY BY ACCIDENT AGAIN!"

Despite their exchange of verbal barbs, Fayb had went to get another cup of revitalizant for herself, while Yont took over for her. However, the damage was done. They were unaware of the HEV that had mingled into Fayb's revitalizant and was mixing into their systems. The virus was prolific and heavily laden within every single zerg organism, which could easily take over the immune system of any creature unfortunate enough to become its host should it ever be transferred to them. The virus that the changelisk delivered to the two hospital receptionists would act slowly and dissect their minds over a period of time. Once their minds have been sufficiently analyzed by the HEV, Virid would direct them to a location where their physical mutations could proceed without notice. Nobody would bat an eye to two receptionists at an alien hospital when two changelisks would replace them, while their real selves would mutate, change, and evolve into something unrecognizable.

And thus, the pattern of infestation would begin as a covert plague, where the victims would be hidden within the walls of the hospital, and the changelisks would hide themselves in the guise of the victims, copying and learning their memories, skills, and talents. It was through the subterfuge of biological infestation that the zerg specialize in, and infesting this hospital would be no different.

As the minds of the two receptionists have been studied and absorbed by the small hivemind that Virid maintained, she was confident enough to begin stage two of her infiltration: Amassing and spreading her infiltrators.

However, as she began expanding her operations, the two receptionists she had her changelisk subtly infest had revealed further knowledge of the surroundings she found herself in.

The Sovereign Crypt was divided into ten living sections, situated like the points of an eight-sided die, and connected together through an array of pneumatic-driven train stations. Each of these living sections, simply called districts by its inhabitants, contained the total surviving gilanian population that numbered around ten thousand. Each of these districts were given a name and a theme, which shaped the style and culture of the populations that lived within these living spaces.

The Arggen District, themed with the colors of blue and the symbol of a hammer, was quite military driven, and takes much of their inspiration of the Crescent Arms Division into their homes and streets.

The Taggen District, themed green with the symbol of a magnifying lens, held more scientific minds, and was a place where scientific analysis was not just a cornerstone of their reality, but also a way of life.

The Libben District, themed yellow with the symbol of three towers, contained a more industrialized setting that ranged between urban and suburban infrastructure, as well as containing the most gilanians out of all of the other districts.

The Quiggen District, themed purple with the symbol of a cloak with two eyes under the hood, was a place where people kept an air of mystery around themselves, since subterfuge, information gathering, and discreet discourse was encouraged and practiced.

The Poggen District, themed red with the symbol of a feathered skull, had inhabitants that practiced legislative powers through bureaucratic and political understanding. Expressing opinions within this district was considered slightly taboo, but was allowed a brief duration for the opinion being expressed. That is until Gollog's more higher ranked servants comes to the opinionated party and slaps them on the wrist.

The Arphas District, themed cyan with the symbol of a plant leaf, contained a vast array of flora and fauna that was carefully tended by gardeners, ranchers, and various farmers. It was a district that contained the third smallest gilanian population.

The Taphas District, themed orange with the symbol of a machine arcing electricity, had engineers of the highest degree that performed careful maintenance of machines, weapons, and the giant engine that powered every district. This district had an even smaller population than the Arphas District.

The Liphas District, themed black with the symbol of a crate containing various items within, was considered a 'storage' district of sorts. Anything of great value to Gollog and his servants were brought here as trophies or keepsakes. It also happened to be a perfect reservoir for storing resources in. Technically speaking, it was the only district that had little to no gilanians populating it.

The Quiphas District, themed brown with the symbol of an hourglass converting trash into gold, was a district that was purposed for recycling resources. Reducing and re-purposing resources was its population's primary focus. It had the fourth smallest population out of all the other districts.

And finally, the Pophas District, themed white with the symbol of a tall glittering crown, was a place where only Gollog and his most trusted servants resided in. It is also where a group of the most oldest and most elite of Gollog's servants lived, which were called The Hundred Butlers of Golden Star. These butlers, often nicknamed The Lucky Hundred, or Lucklers, acted as administrative leaders that managed the peace within the other districts. There would always be ten of these butlers that appoint themselves with the management of the other districts, where the ten eldest butlers hold the privilege of serving Gollog himself and holding more voting weight than their lesser peers.

Despite all this information Virid was receiving, she gained no additional knowledge pertaining to the whereabouts of Gollog and his commanders. The two receptionists were next to useless, but they provided great boons of information that Virid was ravenous for. And, from the knowledge she gleaned from Yont and Fayb, she was currently presiding in the highest populated district of the Sovereign Crypt. The Libben District. Virid couldn't have asked for a more perfect location to begin her infiltration mission.

However, the people that lived in these ten districts encasing their planet's core didn't call it The Sovereign Crypt. They called it The Sovereign City.

And furthermore, Gollog himself had forbidden the residents of this 'city' from asking question about his war with the Zerg Swarm. He even took drastic measures, and prevented his sovereign population from anonymously accessing the information network. This information blackout was put into effect nineteen years ago, one year after Kay had been entrapped inside of the temporal tomb that era agent Bulschtein had trapped him in. Overall, the sovereign population knew that they were safe from the war, but morale would continue downward in a slow spiral of depression and a constant rise of restlessness.

Apparently, Gollog had promised the citizenry of his most faithful servants that, once their emperor had conquered the entire surface of Kiln, they would all become lords of their own kingdoms, and rule under Gollog's immortal reign for a splendorous and luxurious eternity.

But when the population slowly began to realize that their promise of becoming immortal lords was taken away due to the war, they resorted to a lifestyle of self-satisfaction and indignant contemptuousness. To be immortal and to be without purpose. It was a maddening existence. Most people knew each other over the centuries of coexistence, and now they were sick of each other after so many decades of living in such conditions. However, despite the message that Gollog has sent to every mortal gilanian that served in his empire, the residents of the Sovereign Crypt/City remained unaware of Gollog's genocide of his own people through a spoken command that denied Kay any refugees that still wanted to defect from Golden Star Empire. Thought the ban on procreating was lifted, it did little to ease their tension.

They weren't living within a utopia. They were living in a prison within a prison, tired of the bliss that their emperor had given them. A curse in the disguise of eternal longevity and a promise laying broken before them, though they know not of how or why.

Virid relayed everything she could back to the hivemind on the surface of Kiln. _'In summation, their defenses are not equipped for our infiltration mission. Our operation will continue without any further complications.'  
_

 _'So the Sovereign Crypt was a city the whole time? I thought the crypt's population would only have him in it! ... Oh, and maybe a few commanders too.'_ Kay said, surprised by the information Virid was feeding him.

As Othafurn absorbed this information, she then began to share her observation. _'It is surprising to see a city untouched by our war. To think that this existed under our noses all this time.'_

 _'... Uh. Othafurn. You don't have a nose.'_ Kay said to Othafurn.

Othafurn hummed in slight annoyance. _'I am aware, Kay. I was using one of your terran idioms.'_

 _'Oh! Oh, well I uh... ... Man, now I feel like a wet sandwich pointing that out. Tch.'_ Kay said, feeling like an idiot.

 _'Librarian Othafurn, Overcommander Kay, I need you to remain focused.'_ Virid said, interrupting their useless banter. _'The population within the Sovereign Crypt, or as the population here calls 'The Sovereign City', is largely unguarded and policed by its own specialized law system. Most importantly, they don't have HEV or ENO field scanners stationed within this underground city.'_

 _'Hmm. It's as though these people believe that our swarm won't come for them right into their own enclosure hidden right by the core of their world.'_ Added Thyzir. _'What a pitiful mindset. So! Shall we send down some more shapeshifters? We can abduct some of Gollog's servants, infect them with the HEV, and then trade places with them with our changelisks at the ready.'  
_

 _'We will have to be careful with who we infect. If we are too careless, they might raise an alarm and prepare for our invasion. We don't even know what kind of surveillance system they use.'_ Kay said.

Alexandriana interjected. _'If you find the giant robot, summon me as soon as you can. We might find it in that Taphas District place. The orange place, where they fix things in.'_

 _'Oh you'll get a chance to destroy it, Alex. Trust me.'_ Kay promised. _'Huh... Kay. Sending more changelisks to your position, Virid. Have your changelisks infest some of the patients in that ward, if you can. You won't have any overlords or hatcheries to supply control to your minions, so only fight if you really need to.'_

 _'I will have to find space to s_ _pawn a brood to destroy the servants of Gollog. There is little room here in this district, but the biological matter in the Arphas and Liphas districts may prove useful. I shall visit them when I can.'_ Virid said.

 _'Clear out surrounding infrastructure.'_ Corvurn recommended. _'Make more space for hive cluster. Modify changelisk disguises. Blend with population. Standard infiltration procedures required._ '

 _'Yeah, what he said, but try not to make it sound like a crew of monsters is tearing the place apart.'_ Kay added.

 _'Infesting builders that are specialized in maintaining these underground structures will prove useful. They may have the knowledge and experience we need.'_ Virid mentioned.

 _'But we need to find them first. Continue collecting knowledge from infesting the populace, High Broodmother Virid. We shall continue assisting you from afar.'_ Othafurn said.

 _'Wait.'_ Kragnon interjected.

 _'What is it?'_ Kay asked.

 _'Are we really going to infest all of these people?'_ Kragnon asked.

 _'Uh. That is the general idea, yeah.'_ Kay answered.

 _'I... don't know how to feel about this.'_ Kragnon said.

 _'War is hardly ever pretty.'_ Kay explained. _'Think of it like this: These people have devoted their servitude and worship to an immortal asshole that would rather commit genocide on his own people than uplift them in a peaceful manner. Gollog made an empire from a regime based on oppressing anyone whose viewpoints are different from his, and granting power to the loyal masses that shares his ideology. If all these gilanians are his supposed immortal servants, then they are our enemies as well.'_

 _'Kay has a point, Kragnon.'_ Othafurn added, indifferent to Kragnon's discomfort. _'Though Gollog retreated from the war, it is likely that he will strike again if given time to recuperate. There is also the issue to the nature of the prison system that entraps us. For many years, the Swarm has tried to find a way to leave this prison. If our answer lies in the Sovereign Crypt, then we must explore it and discover any secrets hidden within. It is hinted that the key to leaving this prison is in there.'_

 _'We were brought here by accident.'_ Virid pointed out. _'But if we are to find a way out of this prison system, then we must explore its secrets, no matter how many dark corners we investigate. We have been trapped on this world for far too long.'  
_

Kay sighed. _'And for some of us, it's been an eternity onto itself.'_

Kragnon sighed. _'But even if we infest the last remaining gilanians of Kiln, what then? What I am trying to ask is... What would happen to the Kiln Prison System when it has no more prisoners to imprison?'  
_

 _'Ooooooooh.'_ Kay replied. He then took a minute to think before forming an answer. _'Hmm... You know, since Gollog told me that all healthy gilanian clones born from the Kiln Prison System had nanites in their bodies, it would come to reason that if the gilanian population no longer existed, then it would come to reason that the prison system would 'probably' react negatively to that. And from what Seneschal Zagion had told me, the prison system is pretty reliant on its prisoner population.'_

Thyzir seemed to understand what Kay was getting to. _'So does this means we must erect a zoo of prisoners from the servants that follow Gollog's rule just so we don't anger the prison system? Oof. Sounds like a difficult hurdle to accomplish.'_

 _'It means we would have to deliver some of the gilanians out from within the crypt city and to the surface of Kiln.'_ Othafurn suggested. _'Since they are immortal, there is no need to worry about terminal diseases or dying of old age. And, since the Kiln Prison System uses gilanian nanites to manipulate the developing zygotes of the fertilized female population to produce additional clones, the problem of spawning inbred offspring would rarely occur_ _.'_

 _'Oh gods, you're right about that. But...'_ Kragnon seemed to wretch. _'... that's just disgusting!'_

 _'It very well may be disgusting, Kragnon, but it leaves us with no other alternative.'_ Kay admitted. _'If we are to prevent the Kiln Prison System from downsizing its assets and releasing its reclamation protocol once again, then we have to sacrifice certain moral restrains to prevent our own doom. Virid, I recommend that you don't contaminate or infect every gilanian you find down there. Leave, like, maybe half or a quarter of them alone. Kay? Or failing that, find a way to contain them without having to injure or harm them in any way without delivering the HEV into their bodies.'  
_

 _'The Swarm technically doesn't have a moral code. And also, these immortal servants have little regard for laws regulating inbreeding. I have learned from Fayb that some of her clients she prostitutes with have fetishes that would be questionable within a terran society.'_ Virid reported.

As Virid send this information to Kay, he began to wretch. _'OH FUCK THAT! GROSS! UGH! Virid. For future reference, don't ever send mental images like that to me. EVER.'_

 _'You are so unnecessarily squeamish, but I shall abide to this command.'_ Virid said, mentally rolling her eyes.

 _'OOOOOUUUUUUGHGHGHGHGH! THAT WAS... WHAT WAS... THE FUCK?!'_ Kragnon shouted, which was dry-heaving at that point.

 _'Oh I don't see what the big deal is.'_ Thyzir interjected. _'They're just holding hands.'_

 _'Yeah, but uh...'_ Kay tried to be delicate. _'They share the same mother and father. ... Who were siblings. And she got dressed up as one of her client's nieces. And it isn't so much as the image itself, but the thoughts of what Fayb was willing to do to her client.'  
_

 _'Oh. Hmm. Well I say, that's uh... Okay, that's actually making ME have a double-take on her thought processes. What a kinky little minx!'_ Thyzir added.

Kay shook his head. _'Kay. I propose from here on out that the memories and thoughts relating of Fayb's 'profession' will be regarded as completely unrelated to our mission, and therefore, must be forgotten completely. All in favor of this proposal?'_

 _'Yes.'_ Replied Virid.

 _ _'I agree.'__ Replied Thyzir.

 _ _'I am fine with this proposal.'__ Replied Othafurn.

 _ _'Acceptable.'__ Replied Corvurn.

 _ _'Please.'__ Replied Alexandriana.

 _'Then this discussion never happened.'_ Kay said, feeling gross from the information Virid had mentally shared with him.

And so, the infiltration mission into the Sovereign Crypt/City was underway.

It would take great skill to infest much of the gilanian population that was purposed to serve Gollog and his rule, but the primary goal was to find and locate Gollog himself and his four commanders. They may hide themselves in the masses of the gilanian population, but they would be incapable of hiding for very long. After all, it was only a matter of time till Kay and Virid's brood gained enough knowledge to discover where their targets are hiding.

Like an invisible plague, the changelisks would spread out from the hospital, hiding in plain sight in the guises of the patients and receptionists of the people they infected. As more people became infected with a slow-acting, mind-reading HEV, the invading zerg force would learn more of the city they now indwell. And since they were within the Libben District, containing the largest population out of all the other districts, the infestation would take hold and spread quickly.

Gollog's empire will finally fall.

* * *

Elsewhere, within a district of white and glittering walls, with the emblem of a tall crown plastered on the walls, a lone emperor sat upon an opalescent throne alone, looking down onto the floor in front of him and holding a powered-down Warden Sword with both hands firmly grasped onto it. He was currently mourning, for he had lost an incredibly powerful servant to his empire and to his service. He would be remembered and missed.

"... What do I do now?" Gollog whispered to himself, afraid of the answer he might learn.

* * *

 **A/N: Want to know what lewd thoughts that thot** ** **receptionist** was having? It was hand-holding, but with TWO hands! :D**


	98. ES MB18:CC2

**Chapter 98: Eleven Stories/Major Battle 18: Crown of the Core 2**

* * *

Residing inside of a space station, floating within the middle of nowhere as its residents focused on secret research and weapons development, a hunchbacked weapons merchant idly sighed as he polished his weapons for the umpteenth time. This was his usual daily routine, and even though there was the odd customer that would travel through the station to occasionally browse his wares in person, most people would instead buy his weapons through the information network and have their heavy-duty equipment mail-ordered to them.

His name was Vradis. "Hrah. Nother' day of wheelin' an' dealin'. Wish somethin' would happen." He growled to himself.

He once worked as a courier that delivered messages between the Municipal Testimony, the Aristocratic Firm and the Jury of Judges. Despite having such a cushy, high paying job, he was also proficient at creating makeshift explosions and unconventional weapons in his side-job. However, his experiments led to a fiasco that accosted multiple parties at a pharmaceutical company, which resulted in his contract being terminated. However, there were members of the Gilazonica Authoritarian Military that saw great potential in his technology. In exchange for developing weapons for the military for eight years, he would then be given a clean slate. However, upon the end term of his eight years of service, he would be given further leniency and a pay raise should he choose to stay with the Gilazonica Authoritarian Military to continue practicing his hobby. The other option was to become a messenger again, bug had to drop his weapon smithing hobby altogether.

It was hardly considered a choice for the experimental weapons hobbyist.

However, his disposition completely changed when two figures approached his shop. One of them was someone he instantly recognized, which also happened to he most favorite customer. It was The Anointed Authority. The other was some lanky lizard that was dressed like an aristocrat, which had a nervous expression that seemed metaphorically welded onto his face. The latter was an easy mark, but the former was a prude, but fair, businessman. "Ey~! Kara~! If it ain't my favrit' customer! How ya doin'?"

"As always, there is something going on with Gilazonica, Vradis." The Anointed Authority replied flatly. "However, I have little time to cajole, and less time to prevent a disaster from befalling onto our populations. I need an experimental weapons blueprint. It needs to be under the table and no-strings attached."

A crooked eyebrow was raised as the weapons merchant scratched his hunched back. "Ah... Reckon I might have somethin' that'll scratch that itch ya got. What kind o' payload ya thinkin' on deliverin'?"

"Enough to... Uh... pierce through an impenetrable defense system or destroy an entire planet. Preferably both." Kara answered.

Vradis' eyes widened, but did everything he could to keep himself from smiling. "Oh~. Hmm... I reckon I got somethin' you might like. But uh... What about yer... nerdy-lookin' pansy tailin' behind ya?" He questioned, pointing at Kara's follower.

The person following behind Kara happened to be Dalzu. He waved awkwardly at Vradis. "Uh... Hello. I'm Dalzubiggatanner. Pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, yer the new head of that satellite telecommunicatin' company. Sorry bout' yer dad dyin' on ya. Heard it was horrible." Vradis said, nodding politely to Dalzu.

Kara turned to Dalzu and gestured to Vradis. "This is Vradisoonda, my weapons dealer. He doesn't sell weapons in the traditional sense, but he sells weapon designs and blueprints that I can manifest and use for the benefit of Gilazonica. He has a brilliant mind, even though he's looked down upon in most R&D departments. It is illegal for any person to become a weapons manufacturer, but designing weapons in neutral spaces and territories is regarded as a grey area, which is often overlooked in most law systems. And since we are in space, there is no restrictions placed on the creation of hypothetical weapons. Introductions are now over." After the short introduction, he then turned to Vradis. "Well? What kind of weapons blueprint do you have for me? Preferably something that can fit on my ship."

Dalzu sulked while Vradis grinned in reply to Kara's request. "The ship called Ahnuanin, huh? Oh I think I have a few ideas fer what ya might want. How bout' blueprints to a Valldex-tipped screw-head missile bombardment delivery system?"

"The Valldex-tipped missiles would be hard to procure, since my ship can't replicate those materials without losing a lot of mass. Or creating a lot of planetary debris from the destruction of the world. I'm more thinking something that leaves little evidence." Kara informed.

"A huge VAS bomb design, maybe?"

"That would produce too much gamma radiation, and would raise too many questions."

"Uh-huh. Then how bout' blueprints fer a planetary manipulation array? I remember that an old array was used to change the orbit of Gilazonica at one point. Pretty much a museum piece nowadays. The planet you want to destroy could be tossed into our star."

"I need something more. Hypothetically, what do I need if I were to destroy something that is protected by a veil of anti-quantum displacement folds in the shape of a spherical shell?"

This time, Vradis' eyes bulged out of his head as a grinning smile threatened to split his head in half. "Oh... Ya glorious motherfucker... I think I got the hypothetical thing you might be needin'. Give me a sec'."

After leaning down behind his counter for half a minute, Vradis then unveiled several blue scrolls containing white letters and shapes that would tell its reader on how to create what was ascribed to its shiny laminated parchment. After carefully inspecting the paper, Kara's eyes widened in surprise, while Dalzu was dumbfounded by what was revealed to him. Dalzu began to speak again. "Uh... What are we looking at?"

Vradis' grin continued to express itself as he gestured to the blueprints. "Ladies. Say hello to the blueprints for the PBHP Super Cannon."

"And what do the acronyms stand for?" Dalzu asked.

Vradis seemed to grin even wider. "Portable Black Hole Portal."

* * *

Libben district was host to the largest population concentration in Sovereign City. To one particular individual living in this district, it was completely ordinary, ultimately boring, and vehemently lacking. Centuries after being chosen as one of Gollog's most devout servants, the individual in question had no idea he would spend much of the last decade cooped up in this tired little dstrict only to do absolutely nothing. When he heard news that their emperor had returned, much of the populace had cheered his name. He too had cheered his name, but he new in his heart that things were changing.

"Burky. You are going to attract flies. Close the window and have a snack." A feminine voice called.

"Coming Prisd." Burky straightened his evening clothes, colored in the traditional theme of the district he lived in, before closing the window and leaving to a different room.

As Burky entered this new room, his senses was assaulted by multiple aromas, which consisted of scented incenses, freshly prepared sliced fruits, and overly sweet alcoholic beverages. He didn't partake much in Prisd's culinary masterpieces, for he had tried all of them for the umpteenth time for the past several years now. And within those several years, he saw how such a diet had ruined Prisd's figure. He saw Prisd coming into the room with a large plate of foodstuffs, her girth almost bordering on obesity. The food she prepares often tends to be incredibly enticing, but he had learned to consume his food with a healthy helping of fiber and water after each meal.

Burky sighed as he saw what was put on the platter. He estimated that the platter of sliced kalumas fruit and alcoholic drinks could feed around three or four people. "Prisd, not to be a nuisance, but I was lead to believe I was having a snack. Not a meal."

A backhanded slap was delivered to Burky's arm. "Behave. Even when you are my husband, that doesn't automatically mean all this food I made is just for you. I got the call from the hospital. They say that Burkin is fully recovered from his accident and is returning to our home soon."

Burky rubbed at his struck arm dully as he stared at his wife in surprise. "My great great grandfather has recovered? So soon?"

"I'm just as surprised as you are." Replied Prisd. "I know how much you two like to go at each others throats, so I'm preparing this to try and disarm the fight before it begins."

Burky took a slice of fruit and greedily consumed it. "Mm. So I take it he's going to relax at our home until his work calls. I figured he'd do this."

"Be that as it may, I don't want you two riling each other. You two always make the biggest messes in our house, and you two get too drunk to clean up after yourselves. Ugh... I remember the noise complaints we received from our neighbors during the incident involving the hatchling." Prisd said, looking wistful.

"Oh don't bring that story up. Besides, we found the tyke perfectly okay playing some of my entertainment system's games." Burky rolled his eyes.

Prisd pointed at Burky. "They were all porn games, Burky."

"And that's why I said bringing your family over for a party was a bad idea." Burky said with crossed arms.

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Burky sighed as he went to the door. Upon opening the door, he saw his great great grandfather standing past the entrance of his home, smiling towards him. Burkin wore the same attire as his great great grandson, save for some patchwork and several insignias that displayed his position and status in the Sovereign City community. However, the face of this supposed elder gilanian looked to be around the same age as his young family member. Burky bowed toward his supposed elder. "Greetings, honored elder Burkin. Have you recovered well?"

Burkin nodded. "I have, Grandson Burky. There was some confusion with administration however. Those feckless nurses can be quite grabby, if you catch my meaning."

Burky sighed. "I know. Our family seems to have an odd fixation with nurses and sluts."

Burkin raised an eyebrow at Burky. "You seem a bit stressed. Do you need a hug or something?"

A confused expression flashed onto Burky's face. "A hug? What, are you offering one?"

Burkin looked thoughtful for a moment before opening his arms. "Heh. You know what? Why not? I'm willing to change up the status quo now and then. I hope you like getting hugged."

Before Burky had the chance to complain, he was assailed by two arms that pressed and smothered him into his visitor. After some painful pats on his back, Burky managed to pull himself away from his elder. During the scuffle, something small stabbed through Burky's clothing. He didn't even know that he was penetrated by such a subtle weapon. "Gah! Get off me, you defunct relic!"

Prisd shook her head. "Oh... Already, you two are getting violently physical."

Burkin noticed Prisd and paused for a few seconds. He walked past Burky, who was scratching his back after being heavily patted on the back, only to stand before Prisd and bow before her. "Ah... Prisd. Lovely to see you again. You have gotten curvier the last time I saw you."

Prisd offered the back of her hand to Burkin. "And you are as insufferable as ever, Burkin."

Burkin went up to the offered hand and kissed it, while delivering a microscopic needle into Prisd's flesh. Burkin looked up at Prisd with a broad smile and chuckled. "Ah, but that's the beauty and horror of having a family. Sometimes you gotta suffer your new in-laws before you suffer for the family that really matters to you."

* * *

Taggen district. A place filled with bronze and green colors, with its inhabitants focused with their various tasks of testing new chemical compounds and revising weapons technology. The war effort once made this city into a bustling hive of activity, as the scientists, researchers and professors that lived in this district tried to event creative weapons and methods to more efficiently eradicate the zerg menace. However, the years had went by, and the progress that went to alleviating and stopping the war had went nowhere. They initially assumed that the firing of Gollog's secret weapon had been a success, yet received no word regarding the end of Golden Star's war with the Zerg Swarm.

Enter Beegup. He wasn't an esteemed researcher, a praised professor, or a highly ranked scientist. He wore a simple uniform that was serviceable to the position of a janitor, and he was tasked with cleaning up major spills and sanitizing workstations. It was grueling work, but he preferred to work as a janitor instead of going through the mental exorcise of using various forms of mathematics to determine what type of metal alloy would make armor significantly stronger, or weapons cleave through zerg flesh more efficiently. Such efforts became headaches to him, and he would rather spend his work hours clearing his mind through cleaning up messes instead of working on projects that he knew was, ultimately, a waste of his time.

He was currently focused on a notably stubborn spot on the floor, stained a shade of red due to an accident involving some specialized solvents eating into someone's arm. The arm was quickly dissolved and reduced to basic components as blood flowed freely onto the floor. The janitor huffed, silently wishing that he had some bleach to get rid of the annoying color marking the floor. Sadly, his moment of peace was going to be disturbed. "Hrum..."

A passerby bumped into Beegup, which made him trip on his mop and slip onto the floor. After a WHUMP noise finished echoing through the halls, the janitor got up and leered at the offender. Despite having a ringing ear-hole, he was not about to have his day ruined from having someone crash into him."Oi! fucker! Stop right there!"

The passerby seemed to be someone he knew. Once Beegup's rude collider heard his attention grabbing call, he stopped and turned to see him. "Oh! Beegup! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there!"

The clumsy character that rudely knocked him over happened to be a scientist he knew well. One that was within the biology department, if he recalled correctly. Beegup sighed when he saw who it was. "Teldan." He paused for a few seconds before remembering something about the biologist. "... Wait. I thought you were supposed to be bedridden in the hospital for another week?"

The scientist named Teldan shook his head. "Turns out the illness I received was misdiagnosed. Can't trust those doctors and nurses telling the difference between a subarachnoid hemorrhage and a common cold."

A pause elapsed. "... That doesn't answer my question."

"Oh! Right!" Teldan nodded hurriedly and gestured to himself, only to pause before shaking his head. "Actually, I am already late for some lab work. I called my peers and already told them that my recovery was quick. They are expecting me."

Beegup sighed and shooed for Teldan to go away. "Alright then. Fuck off so I don't get you fired. And also, thank you for the apology."

Teldan tilted his head at Beegup. "Quick question first. Are you fine? I didn't notice that you landed hard on the floor. I was so focused on getting back to work that I didn't realize what I did."

Beegup shook his head. "Nah, I'm fine. Now fuck off already. I got floors to clean."

Teldan nodded at Beegup and hurried off. Wherever the scientist was going, Beegup didn't care to know nor wanted to. He was already behind schedule, and he didn't want his superiors riding on his tail. Besides his tardiness on completing his cleaning duties, the incident resulting in Beegup's slight altercation with the scientist wasn't a mere accident. The scientist named Teldan was, in fact, an infiltration agent in the guise of someone that Beegup recognized. Had Beegup paid more attention, he would have noticed the parasite that had entered through his ear-hole. Alas, the pain suppressant chemicals the parasite produced prevented Beegup from noticing its intrusion into his body, nor the tickling sensation behind his head.

The changelisk, disguised as the scientist named Teldan, had infiltrated into Taggen District without any further complications.

Kay had remembered an ingenious tactic some time after the infiltration mission began. He delivered several changelisks that were commanded to carry a bunch of parasites to Virid's base of operations, and instructed Virid to have the changelisks deliver and attach the parasites to a select number of gilanians that lived in the Sovereign Crypt/City. It was the same tactic he used in the first timeline, which was to sneak a parasite onto General Pallax's person and turn him into an unwitting mole that the swarm could use to exploit the Golden Star Empire.

And The Swarm would use that same tactic again to sabotage Taggen District's technology departments, which would squash any future attempts to create any technologies that would help Golden Star hamper the zerg ever again. However, there was still much more work to be done.

However, while the infiltration mission was underway, a mysterious group of surveillance officers caught wind of the conspiracy in play.

* * *

There was a place where darkened hallways were always monitored by silent, mechanical eyes. Within this labyrinth, its robed inhabitants were tasked to survey the population of the underground Sovereign City and its citizens. It was through the roles they took that had given them their names, which made them into public figures that were both revered and hated. They were Sovereign City's surveyors, and their base of operation was stationed in Quiggen District.

A lone surveyor was looking over several screens, his eyes glazed over from several minutes of surveillance monitoring, stationed within a cubicle that held no distractions other than the screens in front of him. This, however, was the norm for all surveyors. Every minute dedicating themselves to watching the populace of Sovereign City was another minute spent serving their emperor. This surveyor, as well as his other brother and sister surveyors, were dedicated to find evidence of any heretics or conspirators that would seek to overthrow Gollog's empire. Their unhealthy dedication to surveying the underground city made it so that they would often be described as cultists. Cultists in a sense that venerate the emperor of Golden Star as a holy figure, and spoke in a special code that only fellow surveyors were allowed to communicate in.

The surveyor was joined by another surveyor, a female gilanian that was only an apprentice. Once she entered the surveillance cubicle, she bowed to the surveyor. "Greetings, Brother Lammix. Have you casted your light upon our soil well?" The surveyor code was cryptic and hard to understand, since the meaning behind the words were known only to the surveyors. (In the apprentice surveyor's case, she simply asked if Surveyor Lammix was performing his duties efficiently.)

Surveyor Lammix turned and nodded toward the apprentice. "Ah, greetings to you too, Sister Groop. By my fire, my light shall chase away the darkness that covers our soil, wind, and water." (He's dedicated in his surveillance over the locations, conversations, and resources.)

Sister Groop smiled and clasped her hands together. "That is good news to hear. Then may our light chase away the darkness, and guide our blessings to rid the sinners and their corruption." (To survey everything as much as possible, and direct the enforcers towards any lawbreakers and their activities.)

A long pause elapsed between Groop and Lammix before Lammix decided to shake his head and sighed. "You know, you are supposed to say the passages when you mention light and darkness in the same sentence. The superstitious within our ranks would consider that bad luck."

Groop gasped. "Oh! was I?" She asked in surprise.

Lammix nodded. "Yes. If you were in the presence of a master surveyor, then they will certainly review your apprenticeship and cast their judgement on you. However, since you are within the presence of a surveyor that is your peer and a rank above you, I'll do us the honor of reciting the Surveyor's Conduct. Will you listen closely?"

Groop nodded in humble embarrassment. "By my fire, I will memorize the Conduct entirely. I am ready." (She is willing to memorize the code of the surveyors.)

Lammix turned back to the screens as he slowly spoke various passages he memorized.  
"Light is observance, which will chase the unobserved darkness. It is through our light we bring safety to all.  
Our guidance is our word, which will point the blessed enforcers to the sinning criminals and their corrupt crimes.  
The fire is willpower and passion. May it never dim and become passionless and without will.  
The soil is property and land. May it never be tainted with evidence.  
The wind is our word and our truth. May it never become a vaporous and suspicious.  
The water is our resources and our life. May it never turn to drought.  
Our duty is to our role. Our service is to the crown. Golden is our stars."

Groop repeated each passage that Lammix recited aloud for her. For each passage she spoke, she would commit to her memory to the best of her ability. After reciting her passages five times, she sighed and relaxed her posture. "I hope that the masters would forgive my dimness."

"Your reciting of the Conduct was... passable. To my standards. Let us now cast our light onto the soil." Lammix admitted, turning away to look at the surveillance screens again.

After several minutes of scanning the several screens, Apprentice Groop pointed at a screen and tilted her head. "Hmm. I sense vapor from this. Should this be brought to our light?"

Lammix looked upon the screen Groop pointed too. After hitting a few keystrokes, two names appeared on the screen. "By my light, they are named... Researcher Teldan and Janitor Beegup. Our light reveals that Teldan was too dim, resulting in the taint between himself and the janitor."

"Should we offer guidance to our blessings?" Groop asked.

"Let's see how this plays out first..." After several minutes had passed, they saw the scientist taking leave from the janitor without too much incident. "... The corruption didn't continue to grow. The taint is minor and forgivable."

"From his wind, he was released early from the hospital." Groop stated.

"Hmm. Rather rare for a hospital to let its patients out early. A person who hates their work would rather act sick for a few extra days of rest. Many would bring fire to their vapor in such a manner." Lammix added. "Still, it wouldn't hurt to bring some light on this subject. When was the time of his release?"

"Check the hospital records." Groop suggested.

After several keystrokes, Lammix brought up Researcher Teldan's hospital records expediently. Once Lammix retrieved the information he needed, he nodded at his findings. "Let me see. ... Uh... ... Everything seems accurate. No corruption or taint detected by our light, as far as I can tell."

"Good."

Before Lammix could ask, he was felled by the penetrating and slicing bone knife of a changelisk. After the moment Lammix's heart was stabbed and his head removed from his torso, the changelisk quickly changed forms, shifting from the apprentice known as Groop into the appearance of Surveyor Lammix. None of the other surveyors would be spared, since they too would be replaced by a changelisk assuming their identity.

* * *

Arphas District held a vast artificial biome that was cared for by farmers, horticulturalists, agriculturists, and gardeners with the talent, skill, and knowledge necessary to care for the various flora that were grown there. Kalumas trees, pitcher plant bushes, skraken mushrooms, Shallow Ocean sea weed, vaph grass, mai grain and fire root plants were grown in this artificial ecosystem in plentiful supply, and were situated on multiple levels. The having the plants in the underground city enabled the citizens of the Sovereign City/Crypt the ability to breath fresh air. It was an economic alternative that relied on plants recycling air instead of using manifestation altars to convert carbon dioxide back into clean, breathable oxygen.

Unfortunately, the caretakers of this district would have unexpected visitors within their midst.

A changelisk, disguised as a laborer that picked produce wearing a pair of bluish-green overalls and a sun hat, had recently entered into the district, having recently used the train station that specialized in transporting passengers and cargo through the electric super-cooled tunnel, which went through the highly pressurized molten medium that was the outer core, deep inside of the planet.

This changelisk in disguise didn't come alone, since he brought a gaggle of several changelisks and a single drone with him. They was hidden in a large metal container, which would normally be used to transport foodstuffs naturally produced from within Arphas District. It was a similar tactic that Kay used to infiltrate the floating fortress that Commander Kralluf once resided in. The changelisk's mission, however, was not to infiltrate a commander's office to steal some exotic animal. Rather, it was tasked to find a patch of fertile land for the drone to morph on. The hiding drone had consumed enough bio-matter to transform into a hatchery, with just enough resources to spawn a drone and an overlord, have a drone morph into a spawning pool, and gestate a queen. The biomass contained within the Arphas district would fuel the swarm with resources, enabling the swarm to spawn the minions it needed to take over the underground city/crypt. Once a hive cluster was established within this district, then Gollog and his hidden city would be hard pressed to stand against the continually growing swarm.

"Hey friend!"

The changelisk turned around slowly to discover someone calling to it. In an attempt to remain inconspicuous, the disguised changelisk returned the greeting. "Hello to you too."

The caller in question wore the same kind of cyan-colored overalls that the changelisk wore, but was sans a sun hat and was adored with gloves and boots that was caked with mud and manure. He also had a gilded eye-patch covering his left eye. "I don't seem to recognize ya! Where ya from?"

"I just got instated recently and I'm tasked with delivering empty produce crates. I'm a bit new here." The changelisk replied.

"Oh yeh? Which transit tram did you arrive from?" The gilanian horticulturist asked.

The changelisk pointed behind himself. "From the one that connects to Libben District, the Libben-Arphas tramway. I was given instructions to deliver this empty produce crate to a forested area somewhere, but nobody gave me any directions."

The gilanian nodded. "Aaah, that. Let me help you out then." The gilanian pointed at a direction. "There's a forested area that has a lot of overgrown kalumas trees. They got fruits that are just about ripe enough to pick. If ya leave the empty crate there, go find a nearby foreman farmhand and inform them where you left the empty produce crate. They'll tally its location and send some farmhands to begin picking fruit and filling the crate."

"Mighty helpful of you!" The changelisk replied with a smile. "What is your name?" The changelisk asked, reaching a hand out to give a handshake.

"Duffah. Yours?" He replied, accepting the handshake.

"Johnny. It's been a pleasure." The changelisk replied.

"Likewise." Duffa added. After that, the disguised changelisk and the horticulturist named Duffa parted ways.

But Johnny didn't intend on finding the foreman right after leaving the not-so empty crate near some kalumas trees with fruit that was ripe for the picking. The Swarm's invasion would not be deterred by a simple side quest. However, life was barren on the surface of Kiln, and for the gilanian people to continue to live in this world, they still needed a form of flora and fauna to thrive on.

Once Johnny found a secluded spot within a forest comprising of kalumas trees, Johnny the disguised changelisk went to the crate and opened it up. As he did, several changelisks slithered out and took the forms of various farmhands, each one of them looking perfectly generic. Their disguises would be subtly altered when they find other gilanians within this district, and would slowly integrate themselves into their ranks, and continue to spread the HEV into most of the general populace.

But the drone had a different purpose. Once it floated out of the crate, it sought a place spacious enough to fulfill its purpose. A patch of vaph grass was smothered by a weak layer of creep as the drone began to morph into a hatchery. Nobody would be able to react fast enough to eradicate the infestation in time, since the new hive cluster would already spawn its warrior minions and overlords in less than two minutes. The disguised changelisks would then provide various distractions to the farmhands of the Arphas District, preventing the inhabitants from raising an alarm. By the time they realized they were being invaded and infested by Kay and Virid's brood, it would have already been too late.

* * *

Poggen district. It was a hotbed of discussions and political review. Most gilanians never had the mind to practice law or determine how the justice system works, save for the individuals that lived in this district, whom seemed to enjoy debating about such diplomatic discourses. Most of the time it was a calm district, but the end of the war had made several of the inhabitants 'discontent' after hearing the news that Golden Star had lost their campaign against the Zerg Swarm. However, replace the politically correct word for 'discontent' with 'vehemently livid enough to start rioting in the streets', and that would be the general condition of Poggen District in that very moment.

"THIS IS A BLOODY OUTRAGE! WHY HAS OUR MASTER CEASED HIS CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE BEASTS?!"

"THIS GOES BEYOND WHAT OUR EMPEROR INTENDED! WE DEMAND ACTION!"

"OUR PROMISE TO RULE THE ABOVE-WORLD HAS BEEN BROKEN! EACH OF US WERE PROMISED A CITY TO LORD OVER ONCE OUR MOST HIGH RULER CONQUERED THE LANDS AND TAMED THE UNRULY POPULACES! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELVES?!"

Ralkan motioned his hands at the highly opinionated protesters, which had gathered at a discussion hall that the commander of the Torus Chain Division had visited at the wrong time. "Calm yourselves down, everyone! One at a time! I realize that the war effort has turned for the worst for our side, but Emperor Gollog has decreed that news of our defeat must be kept from the lesser citizenry!"

"WE KNOW WELL OF GOLLOG'S DECREE! THAT ISN'T THE ISSUE! WHAT WE WANT IS OUR PROMISE FROM GOLLOG TO BE FULFILLED!"

"YOU CAD! YOU SWINDLER! YOU DOLTISH BORE!"

"WE DEMAND AN ANSWER FROM AN OFFICER MORE SUPERIOR THAN YOU!"

"YEAH!" "YEAH!" "YEAH!" "YEAH!" "YEAH!"

"Oh gods-damn it." Ralkan sighed as he rubbed his hand across his head. "Look. Arguing about this isn't going to get us anywhere. Gollog made the decree and we pulled out of the war. I hate this turn of events as much as any person would, but I have no say in this!"

"WE DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR DEPRESSION! WHAT WE WANT IS SATISFACTION! WE WANT OUR PROMISES TO BE FULFILLED! WE WANT OUR OWN SANCTIONED CITIES TO RULE OVER! WE WERE PROMISED TO BE LORDS OF A NEW WORLD!"

"YEAH!" "YEAH!" "YEAH!" "YEAH!" "YEAH!"

"The public giving you a hard time, Ralkan?"

Before Ralkan could make another attempt to quell the masses, a familiar copper-and-green colored robotic commander joined him. Ralkan's expression became elated, but quickly became troubled when he spotted four anti-riot bots joining them. "Uh... Greetings, Commander Faddoh. What brought you here?"

Faddoh's green LED face smiled at the commander of iron and yellow. "To offer assistance to you! I have realized that you are slightly undermanned here, so I brought some toys to help you."

Ralkan shook his head at Faddoh. "You didn't need to do that. I have it under control here."

Faddoh leaned to the side to glance at the angry mob. "Clearly." Faddoh then focused his attention back on the Torus Chain commander. "I will say this, however. If this little squabble should ever become physically violent, then I will have the anti-riot bots intercede. They are programed so that they won't subdue you. However, your disagreeable acquaintances... Well... You can imagine what might happen." Faddoh added with what might have looked like a sincere smile.

Ralkan knew Faddoh enough to know that said smile held a darker message. However, the message that Faddoh emoted to Ralkan was ignored. He escaped from the surface of Kiln to escape from the war, and not to quell the angry masses. Ralkan made a dismissive wave toward the angry protesters and began walking away. "You know what? You are more of a people person than I am. See if you can calm these people down. I'll be at the liquor seller with Kralluf if you need me."

Faddoh raised his LED eyebrows. "You mean the one all the way in Arggen District? Why not go to the ones in Libben District? I know that district is more your speed when it comes to societal norms."

Ralkan grumbled and shook his head. "Arggen District reminds me too much of home. Besides that, however, it has better booze." After that, he walked away from the crowd and the copper robot commander.

The crowd became livid as the commander they tried to badger had left them. "WHAT?!" "HOW DARE HE!" "COME BACK HERE!" "WE DEMAND TO SPEAK TO THE GENERAL!" "WE DEMAND TO GAIN AN AUDIENCE WITH THE EMPEROR!"

Faddoh waved reassuring hands at the angry crowd. "Now now, gents. Let us discuss this as reasonable adults. Raise your hand and I will listen to your troubles."

A thrown brick had disrupted the otherwise peaceful conversation, which prompted the anti-riot bots to violently wade into the crowd and begin subduing the protesters. The crowd tried to disperse quickly, but many of them were captured by the anti-riot bots that detained them in quick fashion.

Unbeknownst to them, many changelisk agents had silently infiltrated into their ranks. One of them had managed to lob a brick at the commander and fled the scene. The rest of the protesters were summarily captured by the anti-riot bots, while the commander of the Cube Research Division suffered minimal damage to his armored robotic body. The dent to his coppery body was ineffectual, but the mob were contained before they had the chance to turn into rioters. And with the citizens of Poggen District being contained in a holding cell, it would be easier to infest them, and eventually replace them with a changelisk lookalike. And Ralkan now had a changelisk silently following after him. All according to Kay and Virid's invasion.

However, nothing ever lasts forever.

* * *

Arrgen District was home to more stalwart minded people. Especially people that burdened themselves into being the best possible law enforcers of the Sovereign City/Crypt. The people that lived here were a step above citizens, as they focused much of their concerns on keeping the peace and maintaining order. It was an entire district dedicated to training soldiers capable of hunting crime in whatever shape it took, and ensuring that trouble would never escalate.

Asides from Faddoh having to commission anti-riot bots to quell some civil unrest in Poggen District, Arggen district was still abuzz with its regular activities, which consisted of drills, mock breaches, practicing their accuracy in the shooting range, and going through excessive mental exercises and tests. They did these things every day to help further identify any hazards and dangers they needed to deal with as part of their line of work.

However, this district had certain establishments that provided special amenities to the residents living there. A local tavern was one of such examples. Within said tavern was a regular patron, whom had already guzzled down several bottles of gilanian alcohol. This patron was also the commander of the Crescent Arms Division. "Blergh... Fuckin'... Bastich emperor... Pullin' us out of... a good fight..."

Eventually, another soul joined with the commander, whom happened to be another commander he was familiar with. Ralkan sat next to his fellow commander and clasped his hands together, looking as though he was deep in his thoughts. After a minute or two of contemplation, Ralkan finally sighed and turned to Kralluf. "... You look worse for wear."

Kralluf turned to see the commander of the Torus Chain Division. "... And you look like you got told you can't ever go home."

Ralkan nodded and turned away. "Yeah... A lot of us got shafted when we realized the zerg were more powerful than we thought."

Kralluf grunted as he aggressively took a beer bottle and took swigs from it. "Life is a bitch. No doubt about it." After he imbibed his drink, he then turned to Ralkan. "I heard you went to Poggen. What did you do there?"

"I tried to stop some rioters from causing a ruckus. Faddoh took over for me, but... knowing those people, the anti-riot bots are probably processing them as we speak." Ralkan answered.

"Mm. I've been holding up here since eh... Since eh... Since we got MEM shifted here." Kralluf said.

Ralkan narrowed his eyes at Kralluf. "You have been drinking since then?"

"Mm." Kralluf replied with a grunt, taking another swig.

Ralkan nodded and sighed in defeat. "I wonder where Guik is? Do you know how she is taking this?"

"Dunno. I'd figure Faddoh might know, but I doubt it. You, and I, and motherfucking everybody knows she's a reclusive lady that prefers to have her privacy." Kralluf said, pointing the lip of the bottle at Ralkan.

Ralkan hummed as he looked up at the ceiling of the tavern. "Knowing her, I predict she's sulking somewhere in the Liphas District. Only the lucklers chosen for inventory checking are allowed to go in there."

Kralluf scoffed. " 'Lucklers'. What the fuck kind of name is that even? You just... kiss emperor ass all day and all night? Bunch of fuckin' brown-nosers."

Ralkan shook his head. "You aught to be more careful with those loose lips of yours, my friend. If Gollog had half a mind, he would reinstate your position and have someone else fill the role of commander."

A backhanded slap knocked Ralkan out of his chair and onto the floor. Kralluf growled as he returned to his drink. "Fuck off with your concerns. I only got into this commander business just so I can hunt down a good fight. Fuckin'... We didn't know this would have turned into a protracted war. I killed a bunch of war claws and razor fiends in my better days, but this last year made our efforts to contain the zerg infestation into a complete wash. Our campaign against the zerg was for nothing! Bupkis!"

Ralkan rubbed a sore cheek as he stared angrily at Kralluf. "And that gives you an excuse to get drunk?"

"Would you rather I complain to Gollog about continuing our war with the zerg?" Kralluf asked rhetorically. "Ever since Pallax died, he became a bigger bitch than you. And that is saying something."

Ralkan was about to say something, but then decided to stand up and compose himself. After taking a calming breath, he addressed Kralluf. "I'm going to see if I can find Guik. I suggest you sober up."

"Bitch, don't tell me what to do." Kralluf replied and gave Ralkan a rude gesture.

Once a long pause had finally passed, Ralkan had left Kralluf to his own devices. Ralkan would have wanted to leave on better terms, but he knew that Kralluf was mourning the death of his general. The war effort was affecting everyone, and everyone was dealing with their depressions in their own ways. Pallax and Kralluf had been war buddies since Gollog had began his campaigns to take control of Kiln and eradicate the zerg. However, with General Pallax gone, Kralluf found a way to silently, if a bit angrily, grieve for his general.

However, the district would not be safe from the invasion of changelisks.

Arrgen District would have an influx of visitors. They would disperse into the ranks of the enforcer forces, contaminate the population within the district, and replace the infected with changelisks that looked like them. But the changelisks would be commanded to avoid approaching the commander of the Crescent Arms Division. Virid knew how dangerous Kralluf was when fighting, and she knew from several past experiences that Kralluf was significantly more dangerous when drunk. Instead, her changelisks would be tasked with watching the commander closely.

* * *

Liphas District was devoid of light. The hallways were normally this dark, save for any visitors that decided to brave those hallowed and blackened passages. Behind each door was a spacious room that mainly contained various crates which were filled with various goods. Much of the crates stored within Liphas District contained rations in the event there was a food shortage, while some of the crates contained a supply of weapons and equipment that would only be used for emergencies. Since Golden Star's topmost command structure had retreated their forces from the war effort, some of the crates had been opened and them systematically raided of their comfort foods.

However, there were several crates within a storage chamber that had been unceremoniously torn open. Much of their innards laid scattered upon the floor, while a lone commander ate the rations in silence.

Guik had been binge eating her favorite fatty snacks ever since she had entered this storage chamber. She wasn't motivated to do much else, other than creep into the shadows and find her own solitude within the darkness such shadows provided. Ever since she was pulled from the campaign against the zerg, she couldn't help but feel like her purpose was made bare and empty. However, she didn't dare breathe such concerns to her fellow commanders or her emperor. She didn't dare tell them about her feelings on this subject not from fear of being resigned, but was more concerned about saving her image as a commander of the Pyramidal Guard Division. Or whatever that was left of it. She was supposed to be in charge of an elite sect of hidden assassins that hunted down any foe that dared oppose her emperor or her empire. And now... She had no foe to stalk or eliminate.

A door leading into the storage chamber had opened, which prompted the room's automated mechanisms to slowly brighten the room with light. Despite her binge having been interrupted by another party, she quickly resorted to putting back on her face-mask and activating her light-screen mesh to become invisible. It was standard procedure for all soldiers within the Pyramidal Guard Division to become cloaked when within the presence of those that are not part of their own division, with the exception to commanders of other divisions, General Pallax, and Emperor Gollog.

To Guik's surprise, the intruder that interrupted her time alone was Commander Faddoh. He took a few steps into the storage chamber and looked around. Upon seeing some of the crates being opened, he clasped his hands together and began speaking loudly. "Commander Guik of the Pyramidal Guard Division! Are you in here?"

Guik didn't answer, deciding to slink back into the crate she was slowly emptying.

"Look! I've been trying to find you for a few hours now, and I'd rather refrain from asking Gollog to use his empirical clout to find you instead! I know how much you hate it when that happens, but I will ask him to help me find you if I cannot do so on my own. We need to talk." Ralkan shouted.

Instead of directly talking to Ralkan, Guik decided to use the storage chamber's intercoms to communicate. [Annoyed. What do you want to talk about?]

"I just want to know how you are coping after being pulled form the war effort. And maybe find someone that's willing to share some camaraderie with." Ralkan explained.

[Discontent. I don't care. Leave me alone.] Guik answered.

Ralkan shook his head as he stepped toward one of the opened crates. "I know you better than most people, Guik. Faddoh would argue he knows you more than I do, even with his sister/daughter complex or whatever shitty witch's brew of mental neuroses he transferred over to his mechanical body, but that's besides the point. This war has gone on for far too long, and it has affected everyone psychologically in severe and drastic ways. Now, we can do this the easy way, where you show yourself to me and we can talk to each other person-to-person. Or we can do this the hard way, where I walk over to that opened crate and blindly feel around for you. However, if you're going to make me choose the hard way, then I would like to make my apology first and say that I'm sorry I groped your tail during my search. So what is it going to be?"

A sigh escaped through the intercom system. [Reluctant. I'm lying down in the crate.]

Ralkan blinked a few times. "Uh... Okay." He approached the crate carefully, unsure of what to expect when he came to the side of the crate with Guik residing within.

As Ralkan came up to the lip of the crate, the light-screen mesh hiding Guik had became undone, revealing Ralkan of her presence. "What do you want?" Her face-mask was showing the word for 'annoyed' on it.

Ralkan raised his hands up. "To talk."

"Then talk." Guik said, not moving her gaze from Ralkan.

"Alright." Ralkan nodded. "So uh... You've been coping by eating snacks?"

"Yeah." Guik answered. "I also prefer eating alone."

Ralkan nodded. "Still shy about revealing your face, huh?"

"You know what I look like." Guik responded.

Ralkan sighed and rolled his eyes. "Come on. It's me. Ralkan. Everybody's friend. I took time out of my schedule to search you out to see if you are doing okay. Shouldn't that say something about how much you mean to me and everyone we work with?"

"... I guess so." A long pause elapsed between Ralkan and Guik before Guik took her turn to sigh. She sat up and began to remove her face-mask to reveal a feminine gilanian face. There were no scars or disfigurements to Guik's facial features, save for one. Her face looked near-identical to Faddoh's LED-light produced face. Her face grew into a slight scowl.

Ralkan blinked his eyes a few times. "... You do realize the rules and traditions regarding your division describes that if your mask is deliberately removed from your face by your own volition, you'd be granting me permission to copulate with you?"

Guik smiled. "I'm aware. Besides, I have been meaning to find an outlet for my pent-up stress. It would be a lot healthier than binge eating."

Ralkan, embarrassed, nodded. However, a smirk crept up his face. "I think we all deserve some means to relieve ourselves in some way or another." Everything was going as planned.

* * *

Gilanians in brown hazmat suits lazily ferried refuse of varying quantities and compositions. The people that worked here had been tasked to deal with the trash and waste that was delivered to them from the other districts. It was a thankless job, but it was also a job that was necessary to maintain the sanitation of the Sovereign City/Crypt. All forms of bio-degradable matter was brought to Quiphas District, only to be composted and to later be turned into soil that would feed the flora within the Arphas District. For all the residents living within Quiphas District, they have learned to live with the constant smell of rotting garbage and the pungent odor of incinerated rubbish. Such was the norm for them for however many centuries they have done this.

But their seemingly ordinary lives would be disrupted by an outside force.

"Glemmin, get back to work." Warned a foreman of the Quiphas Distract, whom happened to be breathing down the neck of a new recruit. "If I catch you slacking again, I'm sending you into the recycling chute while it's turned on."

Glemmin, whom was idly napping on the control pannel of a complicated trash-scanning system, continued to sleep. A rude boot abruptly interrupted his slumber. "MUH-WUH-DUH-Where's the fire?!"

"In your resume folder if you keep this up." The foreman growled.

"Oh! Uh..." Glemmin then continued to look over his complex controls. It wasn't hard, since all he did was ensure that the conveyor-belt system was sorting garbage, ensuring that non-compostable and non-recyclable materials were separated and sorted. "Sorry, Foreman Yoonis."

"Don't 'sorry' me, you prat. Just make sure you don't mix too many metals or plastics with the rest of the degradable stuff! Ya hear?!" Yoonis barked before he turned around and left his employee to his own devices.

Yoonis grumbled to himself as he made his rounds with the other workers that were employed in the district's waste management and sanitation services. In his opinion, it was treated as the lowest rung of their Sovereign City/Crypt's society. But despite being in such inglorious positions of said society, they were incredibly important to the other districts. If they weren't around to convert trash back into usable materials, then the districts would flood with garbage. If they weren't around to clean the streets of its refuse, then disease would run rampant. The life of a garbage collector was not very glamorous within the Sovereign City/Crypt, but it was a dirty job that pays well.

"Work going well, Foreman Yoonis?"

Yoonis looked around to see a white-robed individual, which wore a opalescent headband and bracelets of a similar color. She stood there, shining like a jewel amidst unrecognizable tossed debris. Yoonis calmed himself down once he realized whom had caught his attention. "Luckler Oav." He composed himself and politely bowed before the most high servant caste member of the emperor. "In this vestibule of garbage, my position ensures that those under my care shall continue to service their emperor. They labour in honor and devotion in the hopes of the day we rise above our ranks and come ever closer to him."

A hand gestured for Yoonis to stop. "And the day will come where we shall join our emperor. You have my assurances. Have you filled your work quota?"

"Yes, though my efforts are strained, it ensures my employees a place besides the emperor." Yoonis answered.

Oav smiled sweetly at Yoonis. "Oh please. Barking at someone to work faster is the job of a commissioned officer to their enlisted soldiers. As a butler, we clean the filth and remove it from our community. That man you spoke to recently?"

"Uh... Yes? What does Glemmin have to do with this conversation?" Yoonis replied, looking at the conveyor belt operator he had visited recently. He suddenly felt his gut sank after seeing what Oav had done.

She unsheathed a pistol from within her robe and fired it at Glemmin. After firing her weapon, she sheathed it back into her robe and turned to Yoonis. "The emperor tolerates very little. Lethargy and idleness are among those things he does not tolerate. Let this be a lesson to your lackey, and a warning to you, Yoonis. Do you understand me?" She said, her smile still present.

Yoonis didn't answer Oav for several seconds before responding. "... Yes. I understand." However, as his eyes trailed back to the terminal that Glemmin was working on, his expression quickly became puzzled. "... Uh... Where did Glemmin's body go?"

Oav noticed Yoonis' expression and looked at what he saw. Her expression quickly changed to match his. "... What?" She walked toward the trash-scanning system to inspect Glemmin's remains. What should have been a deceased gilanian in a brown hazmat suit, was instead a pile of reddish goo and a single blade made out of bone.

Yoonis followed after Oav, getting a closer look at his late employee to see what has happened to him. "... Wow. Uh... That's going to be a bitch to clean up."

Oav suddenly signaled Yoonis to stop. "Don't touch it. It's the remains of a zerg doppelganger."

Yoonis paused for several seconds before his jaw dropped staring at the puddle of Glemmin and Oav. "... The-the-the zerg are here?!"

The luckler hissed, cursing her luck as she brought her wrist to her face and spoke. "Alert to all security forces, to the lucky hundred, and to Emperor Gollog. The zerg have infiltrated our districts. Raise the alarm now."

It was at this point all hell broke loose.

* * *

Orange-suited workers looked up when they heard a loud klaxon pierce the air of their workplaces. This interruption into their otherwise normal lives would spell doom for their futures, though they do not know of the message it contained. Sometimes, they would tinker, repair, and maintain various types of technology that passed into their care, which would then be delivered back to their respective owners and military divisions. However, the war between Golden Star and the zerg had made the workers in Taphas District to concentrate on building the weapons, armor, and vehicles needed for Gollog's campaign. Such was the primary purpose of Taphas District's entire population.

Within the vehicle bay, they were busy making repairs to Gollog's greatest war machine, Gollog's super cyborg mech suit, to which Kay had affectionately called 'the mecha thing'. In another timeline, it was a weapon that had been piloted by Commander Kralluf's brain. It had been placed within the mecha so as to prevent the rest of him from mutating from the zerg hyper-evolutionary virus. Much to Gollog's unenthusiastic chagrin, Kralluf had pointlessly sacrificed himself in an attempt to destroy the hive cluster on the hexagonal moon. Within this timeline, Gollog had somehow found a way to control the super cyborg mech suit without having the need to place his own brain within the war machine.

The engineers of the Taphas District were busy making the last necessary maintenance repairs to the super cyborg mech suit. The damage it sustained to its armor and systems were minimal, but the super combat mech suit greatly needed to have its energy core recharged and tuned. Its magic armor defensive system had the ability to absorb energy and recharge the mech's energy core, which enabled it to sustain itself on any conflict that involved using energy-casting weapons or defenses. However, the zerg's biological nature, and their affinity to using biological projectiles, had forced the magic armor of the giant robot to incinerate any projectiles and melee attackers that assailed it, resulting in a significant energy drain that would have eventually compromised it. Their progress continued smoothly, but that was until the klaxon begun, which distracted their work.

"... Grengren." One orange-suited gilanian said to his work partner. "Do you know what that klaxon means?"

"... No clue, Judham." His partner said. "Let's wait and listen. There might be an announcement."

The alarm continued to blare for several more seconds. It was then silenced as one of the lucky hundred began making an announcement through the com system. [Attention. This is an opal level emergency alert. All citizens, and personnel in service to Emperor Gollog, must avoid physical contact with each other. Zerg doppelgangers have been detected within Sovereign City. Any physical contact with the doppelgangers will result in contracting an incurable illness. Checkpoints have been hastily installed between the district tramway entry-points. All districts are under quarantine until further notice. Attention. This is an opal level emergency alert.-]

The message continued to repeat. Much of the residents in Taphas District began to panic. The rest followed suit when a blue and orange-yellow portal appeared right before the resident engineers of the district. Two colossal arms passed through this portal intersecting two separate spaces, which pulled out a collosal-sized tyrannozor out from it.

Alexandriana had arrived.

She knuckle-walked forward, ignoring the orange-suited ants that scrambled under her while stepping on several vehicles that were still in the middle of repairs. Equipment that hanged on cranes were either pushed out of the way or were forcefully grabbed and slammed into the ground. Walkways were bent in half or were pulled apart by incredible and bestial might. A mist of green surrounded her as her warpath carved through the vehicle bays, the acid particles which consisted of Alexandriana's noxious defense ate away at everything that came close to her. The symbiote that floated just over her spines spat out its own spines at the closest target, which also provided a regenerating ablative carapace shell that protected its host. A loud, cacophonous, powerful roar rocked the walls, floors, and ceiling of the district, letting everyone near and far know that she was here. **"KROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH~!"**

The roar was a warning to any interlopers that dared impede her. It was also a roar that demanded a challenge. Once the changelisks had discovered Gollog's giant robot being maintained in the Taphas District's vehicle bay, Virid reported the discovery to Kay. Whereafter, Kay transported Alexandriana to Taphas District, granting her the means to hunt her target by herself.

Despite having a somewhat tenuous connection to the zerg's hivemind psionic connection, she knew the location of the giant robot thanks to one of the changelisks that discovered it.

"IT'S GOING TOWARDS GOLLOG'S SUPER CYBORG MECH SUIT! CONTAIN IT!" Walls suddenly descended from the ceiling and rose up from the floor, trapping Alexandriana in some sort of method of containment. Such walls were designed to activate in the event that a power generator suddenly began leaking radiation when activated. However, the cadmium and lead walls did nothing to contain Alexandriana for long, as her claws, toxic acid clouds, and teeth tore through the radiation containment walls. It was like being soaked with warm water while tearing through drywall made of thick layers of cotton candy, using red-hot butter knives to cut through it.

She then saw her prize. Standing before her was the 120 meter tall giant robot, laying down on its back, while the engineers scrambled away to safety. She neared the silent machine, but noticed that her acid sparked against its defense system. It was magic armor technology, Alexandriana seemed to surmised. Even her symbiote's spines evaporated before it could harm the ancient war machine.

Alexandriana inquisitively pressed a claw into the defensive field. The field burned her claw. Though it was painful, her regeneration allowed her to recover quickly. Apparently, the field was so intense it could reduce her sharp claws into black carbon stains. She decided to pick up a nearby engine and throw it onto the field, only for it to turn into instant slag, which splashed like water onto glass.

But before she tried to experiment further, the telltale white and blue static of a MEM shift field enveloped the super cyborg mech suit. She paused. Rage then began to build in her gut, and she released it into a livid roar. **"KRRRRROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGH~!~!~!"**

She will not be denied her challenge.

* * *

Gollog was dumbfounded. His servants were panicking. His commanders were nowhere to be found. Pophas district was in a full-blown panic.

"Tell me, Gargas." Gollog said as he turned to one of the ten elders belonging to the lucky hundred. "How did this happen?" There was a forlorn look upon Gollog's expression.

Elder Luckler Gargas bowed before his emperor. "My apologies, my opalescent lord. We are still trying to find the method in which the zerg had entered our sacred sanctuaries."

Gollog sighed in a depressive manner as he shooed his servant away. "Then report to me what damage you can readily ascertain. We need information on the condition of the other districts so we can prepare accordingly."

"And our district, sire? How do we prevent it from being infested by the zerg?" Gargas asked.

After a pause, Gollog nodded. "Checkpoints might not prevent the zerg from infesting our district. We need to close off all transportation access in and out of Pophas."

Gargas tilted his head. "And if that fails, sire?"

A longer pause was followed by a sigh. "... We open the tramway tunnels. Fill it with Kiln's molten outer core."

Gargas was stunned by Gollog's tactic. However, he didn't dare doubt or further question his emperor. He bowed. "R... Right away, sire."

After a few more bows, Gargas hobbeled away from his emperor. Gollog got up from his opal throne and gritted his teeth. "Time to re-summon my faithful. ... I summon forth my divine power. May the divine light transport my four commanders to my side."

In an instant, white and blue lights shimmered in front of Gollog as four commanders appeared. They looked around in a confused manner before they realized they had been transported to Pophas District, right inside of Gollog's personal throne room. They all bowed before him.

Gollog gestured to them. "I have called upon all of you for a singular purpose. To defend this district and myself. I apologize if I may have interrupted each of your brooding moments, but this is gratingly important. This districts is of great importance to me, and it is for that reason why I had brought all of you here."

Kralluf burped and slouched forward. "Bleugh... So that alarm thing wasn't a sick prank."

Ralkan visibly paled. "... And I thought the rest of eternity would include good company, and not being eaten and digested inside of the bellies of arthropod monsters."

Guik patted Ralkan's shoulder. "Hey. Better to make your last moments remembering good memories than pining over bad ones." She said, as her face/mask's letters changed to 'calm'.

Ralkan was about to ask Guik why that was. Instead, Faddoh had stepped into the conversation. "I think, perhaps, we should corroborate on a plan first. What should we do?"

Gollog motioned to Faddoh. "I have sent instructions to one of the elders of my hundred lucky chosen to close off the tramway tunnels. If that fails, I have instructed him further to fill the tunnels with the magma from the outer core."

Faddoh turned his mechanical head. "But wouldn't that risk filling the districts with the outer core magma?"

"Not to worry." Gollog said, shaking his head. "Several contingencies and hardwired systems prevents the districts from being compromised. Special heat resistant doors and hatches within the tramway tunnels will close and prevent the pressurized magma from filling our district."

Ralkan blinked. "I never heard of such complex engineering at work before. Are you sure the doors can hold?"

Gollog nodded. "Yes. Whereafter, we can make the neccessary repairs to the tunnels after depresurization, in the event the tramway tunnels become compromised of their structural integrity."

Kralluf sighed. "Then I say we fill the tramway tunnels now. Save us the trouble."

"My lord, we have done as we are told. We have closed the tunnels by your permission." Gargas said, hobbling back into Gollog's throne room.

Gollog stepped past his commanders and nodded at the old gilanian. "Good. Do you have Both sides of the tramway entrances connecting to our district monitored?"

Gargas nodded and handed Gollog a digital plastic sheet. "Yes, my most high lord."

Gollog took the data sheet and began to scan it. His expression, though manifested by dream-light technology, paled. He saw zerglings already gathering on the other side of these gates. They slowly approached the gate as the guards stationed there began firing at the invasion forces. They didn't last. "... This is bad. There are blade hounds appearing in the districts now."

Faddoh whimpered. "Oh... How... How did they get down here?! I thought we were supposed to just be worried about doppelgangers?!"

"Quiet!" Gollog barked. He then turned to Gargas. "Fill the tunnels with magma. Now."

Gargas was wide-eyed. "All of them?"

 **"ALL. OF. THEM."** Gollog bellowed, giving the plastic sheet back to Gargas.

Gargas hastily took back the plastic sheet. After fumbling over its controls, he began speaking to it. "Attention to all my lucky hundred brethren! This is a direct order from our lord, Emperor Gollog! You must fill the tramway tunnels with magma! Do so immediately!"

Gollog then turned to his commanders. "As for you four, we shall take refuge in my crypt."

"Why?!" Ralkan nearly squeaked.

Gollog strode past his commanders again, this time in a hurried power walk. "To prepare for the worst."

* * *

 **A/N: Huuuuh, this chapter took me way too long to write. There were several cool games out, some good movies that needed to be watched, then I got hit with a dizzy spell of unproductivity. Grah. I'm sorry I made all of you wait for this chapter.**

 **Anyway, I hope you're ready for Chapter 99:** ** **Crown of the Core Final in the coming future! :D  
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